Santa's Newest Reindeer by Denis Trom

their bodies near the wood-burning kitchen
    stove until the hot drinks heated them from the inside out.
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    Shuddering with spastic chills, Bill recounted the steps they
    had taken on their quest to find the children. He related how
    they came upon unusual animal tracks and footprints that sim-
    ply disappeared into thin air. From there they trudged to the
    neighbors’ houses, but most were unwilling to leave their homes
    and families, and some neighbors were not home or did not
    answer the door. Those who were willing to help would do so
    when the storm let up and it was safe to go outside. Bill and
    Gramps knew it would be a difficult chore to get people to
    help, even though children were missing. They made plans to
    meet at the Taylors’ front gate when the storm broke. Since the
    power lines were down, no one knew what the weather forecast
    was for the Valley.
    Bill tried unsuccessfully to call the Holly Valley Police
    Department. He dialed the sheriff ’s office but couldn’t get a
    dial tone. Evidently the storm had damaged the telephone lines,
    maybe even toppling the cell phone towers. The televisions and
    radio were useless pieces of furniture. The storm would become
    one of the worst ever experienced in the valley. He knew it
    was useless but made the calls just in case. Plus it comforted
    the others, knowing that every effort was being made to find
    the twins.
    Peg and Grams were curious about the mysterious markings
    in the snow the men had discovered. They demanded to know
    more details. Bill retold how they had discovered the markings
    and, based on their experience with sleighs and snowmobiles,
    how they arrived at determining what caused the markings.
    Satisfied with the explanation, the questions became more spec-
    ulative. At one point, the discussion ceased and the foursome
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    s a n ta' s n e w e s t r e i n Deer
    just sat quietly staring into the flickering flames that playfully taunted them toward the small inferno.
    “Do you really think they are on their way to the North
    Pole or someplace north?” interjected Peg, knowing that no
    one could really answer her.
    “Are you asking if we believe in Santa Claus? Is that what
    you are hinting at?” responded Gramps in a humorous tone,
    trying to lessen the women’s concern.
    The room quieted again with only an occasional crackle of
    fire interrupting their thoughts. Peg fidgeted with her hands
    while leaning forward on the kitchen table. She was alerted
    by every noise, believing it was Ellie and Will finally coming
    home. So far, every noise was the blustery storm playing tricks
    on her ears.
    “What if? Nah!” Gramps said. The four laughed, but a serious
    undertone floated about the room. None of the adults dared to
    look at each other, fearing one might show a mannerism con-
    trary to their beliefs that Ellie and Will were safe from harm.
    “We were told the story of Santa Claus and his ability to
    make children happy all around the world. Right? We didn’t
    really believe it, but we knew we better just in case Santa was
    real. What if Santa is real and that is where Ellie and Will are
    now?” positioned Grams, grasping for any reason to convince
    herself and the others that her grandchildren were safe.
    “I think you two were out in the cold too long and your brains
    froze,” Peg said, alternately pointing at the two men’s heads.
    “Well, it was fun thinking about it, anyway. I think the kids
    are at someone’s house waiting out the storm. I bet they are
    at Leon and Colleen’s, our neighbors, just waiting for a break
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    in the storm,” offered Bill. He stood up and groaned about his
    aches and pains.
    “Just old age,” laughed Gramps, who also had his share of
    aches and pains.
    Bill and Gramps rekindled the fire with small wood chips
    and crisscrossed a few more small kindling sticks on top. They
    used this stoking to warm their backsides. Although other rooms
    in the house were more