Jared
Jared was submerged up to his armpits. After he'd fallen into the river, he'd kicked hard and fast, but his hands slipped right across the ice, and he couldn't pull himself out. The only thing that had kept him from slipping under completely was his grip on a tree branch frozen into the ice.
He didn't know how long he'd been there. It was probably minutes, but it felt like hours. He was so cold. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. His hands were throbbing, and he didn't think he could hold on to the branch much longer.
That was the moment he looked up and saw the sleigh and reindeer flying above him. He didn't know whether they were real or imaginary visions, and he didn't care.
“Help!” he called, but his throat was frozen, and the word was barely a whisper. They couldn't hear him. Soon, they would be too far away. A knot formed inside his chest. This could be his only chance. He cleared his throat, then called out louder. “Help!”
A small face appeared over the edge of the sleigh.
Tracy!
“There!” She pointed down at him. “It's Jared!”
As the reindeer guided the sleigh downward, Jared cried with relief. They came for him. Chris came.
They landed. Tracy immediately popped out of the sleigh and ran for him.
“Hang on,” Chris called to her as he pulled a thick, coiled rope out of the sleigh. He tied one end to a bar on the back of the sleigh and handed the rest to Tracy. “Toss this to him, but don't get too close. We don't want you falling in too.”
“Got it.” She did just as she was told and tossed the rope to Jared when she was about five feet away. It smacked him hard in the face, but he was too relieved to snap at her. He didn't have the voice anyway.
He let go of the log and threw his arms as quickly as he could around the rope. When he did, the coil unraveled, and he slipped under the water.
“No!” he cried, but all that came out of his mouth were bubbles. He kicked furiously as he slid further under. He clamped his mouth shut and pulled on the rope. The rope uncoiled, foot after foot of it slipping through the hole in the ice, like it wasn't attached to anything at all. What good was the rope if it was too long to help him? His lungs burned. Every part of his body hurt. He shut his eyes. Please let me get out of here. Please. Please let me get out of here.
Suddenly, the rope tightened. He didn't realize he was clutching it to his chest. He held on as his body inched up through the water until finally, he burst through the surface.
He gasped and spit. “Get me! Help!”
Chris guided the reindeer forward as they pulled the sleigh, and the sleigh pulled the rope, and the rope pulled Jared. He held tightly to that rope with one hand and dug his fingers into the ice with the other, scooting himself forward until he was finally out of the river.
As soon as she could, Tracy grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. Her eyes were as big as lumps of coal, and he could tell she was scared. But nothing could compare to how scared he'd been.
He only stood for a second before he crumpled to his knees. His legs were too frozen to support him.
Chris raced to his side with a large, brown bundle in his arms. It was a blanket, which he wrapped around Jared. The old man was dressed in his Santa outfit again, and he knelt beside Jared on the ground.
Jared let Chris take his hands. Warmth filled the boy instantly, like he was being dipped in a hot bath. It wasn't coming from the blanket, but from Chris. It entered through his palms, snaked up his arms, and filled his body. It wasn't possible, but it was happening, and he was grateful. Within seconds, his clothes were dry, and his bones stopped shivering.
Jared took a few breaths before he said what he had to. “Thank you.”
“You are quite welcome.” Chris let go of Jared and pushed himself to his feet.
“Wait,” Tracy said, like something had just clicked in her mind. “We flew over the forest when you had the ability to simply pop us straight to Alabama. You knew Jared had fallen through the ice.”
“You did?” Jared felt his face heating up just like it had in the kitchen. “Why didn't you come sooner?”
“My dear boy, when will you learn to believe in me? I'll always come for you.”
“But how did you know where he was?” asked Tracy.
“Haven't you heard the song? I know when you're sleeping. I know when you're awake.” Chris tapped the side of his head. “I've got my own personal GPS right here. I knew we'd get there in time.”
“But I didn't,” Jared wailed. “I thought I was…I was going to…”
With his face all scrunched up and tears pooling at the corners of his eyes, Jared didn't feel like the angry kid from before. It had been terrifying, sliding down into that water, not knowing if he was ever going to breathe again. Chris may have known what he was doing, but no one told him.
“Jared,” Tracy said quietly. “I'm glad you're okay.”
Jared swiped his sleeve under his nose and looked at Tracy, like he was seeing her for the first time ever. “Thank you.”
Tracy squirmed a little, tugging at the hem of her Santa coat. “You're welcome.”
Chris cleared his throat, and Jared was glad for the interruption. His face switched from concerned caregiver to man with a mission. “Jared, since you're feeling better, how about I give you a job?” He didn't wait for Jared to answer. He simply turned on his heel and walked toward the sleigh.
Jared stood still for moment, wondering why Chris was in such a hurry.
As the old man hefted himself into the sleigh, Tracy tugged on his sleeve. “Come on!”
The two of them took their places on either side of Chris, and before Jared could ask any questions, the wintery forest had vanished. Chris, Jared, and Tracy, along with the sleigh and all eight reindeer were now sitting on the edge of a forest. On one side of them were bare winter trees, but on the other side was a gigantic, pulsing wall.