One way ticket through Hell, and back.....again.

Extract from the junior horror novel - Rosie and the crack in the frost crystal castle. It's a work in progress and changes will be made. The copyrights have been asserted by the author

Chapter two.

Appearances can be deceiving.

You must always look twice as the art of deception has been developed, refined and perfected over many centuries, not just once or within one realm of existence but by many species and intelligences who have sought an advantage over predator, prey or their own kind. So when the first of the great apes migrated from the barren trees across the lowlands in search of natures larder, they quickly learned to be appreciative as well as apprehensive of this new, open world of fantastical illusion. Flora of delicate shades that could, if an inquisitive ape’s muzzle got too inquisitive, turn out to be an agitated insect or colour changing lizard. A savage nip soon taught these apes caution and vigilance, but it is a testament to our never wavering wonder of the world in which we live, that although we evolved physically there was always a part of us that failed to grow beyond the amazement from finings the surprising diversity of stripes, spots, streaks, shades, shapes and brightly coloured crossdressers when that log we sit on turns around to bite us on the bum.

Maybe, just once, we should learn that what we see at first glance really deserves a second look.

***

Emmeline could remember the excitement that filled her when Mother had told them they were visiting Lapland…...

The family had all been excited to be told they were going to visit Santa in his workshop on that late November evening after father got home from work. They were all bouncing around and exclaiming their elation in near hysteric euphoria until a caveat was added.

“We’re going in March. Have you seen the prices they charge in December? Besides, I have a maintaining the durability of continued consumable conference to attend and Father can claim the expenses back as a fact finding mission.”

“They have a peculiar assortment of confectionery wafers and dainty sweet bites, which could be adapted to appease the palets of our discerning biscuit audiences.” added Father relishing the idea of importing new baked luxuries into his range.

The initial disappointment was quickly forgotten, in the way young children forgot everything. Yet now some of it was slipping back as Emmeline was gently encouraged through the brightly coloured doors along with the rest of the junior contingent of Family Smith.

Here there was a woman, dressed in warm, snuggly fur - produced from recycled bottles, not anything remotely natural - and formed into, if you had a good imagination, a large happy reindeer complete with foam antlers adorned with colour changing baubles and the hotel logo across her chest and rump. A red nose sat on top of a face painted smile. It displayed her warmth, kind approachable nature and gave the overall impression this was an ideal person to watch over and entertain your children.

As for those children, eight delightfully smart looking children were sat in the play area. Their eyes were bright, their hair brushed and teeth scrubbed. To all the world they looked angelic.

Appearances can be deceiving.

“Can I tell you something?”said the child for the twelth time.

Ruby the Reindeer sighed causing her antler mounted baubles to jingle with merriment Ruby had not felt in years.

“Just put those things down, please. Do try to join in. Your parents can watch on CCTV” she said, hissing ‘if they could be bothered to check’ under her breath to the room of eight children she had in her protection in the hotel play creche. “What would they say if they saw you all there mindlessly looking at those computer thingies and not having fun with all these wintery activities we have on offer, you can paint a skier or collage a reindeer or build an igloo out of cotton wool..”

It was a rhetorical question so she was a little surprised to see a small hand reach up.

“Yes?” Ruby asked.

“Can I tell you something?” said a child for the thirteenth time. What was the name of this kid again? Ruby looked down at her list. Ah, yes, William, one of eight on the list including Bryce, Emmeline, Shannon, William, Florence, Shannon, Patrick and Rose.

“Yes, yes. You can tell me something, you could have told me something the first moment you spoke instead of just repeating yourself.” huffed Ruby hautilly.

“Did you know, bumble bees don’t make honey. Honey bees do.” replied William not noticing the tone of voice or look flittering across Ruby’s eyes.

Ruby sighed again and reached into the hidden pocket of her costume out of habit and failed to find the small cardboard box that protected her precious cargo of energising and invigorating cigarettes. Oh, yes, that’s right, she’d given them up after Roger the Reindeer’s little accident last week. The same little accident where they learned exactly how flammable these collections of fake fur, spray paint and foam rubber really were.

Ruby left to find one of her emergency supplies left behind a colourful fake bush or under Big Ted’s papier-mache throne in the book corner. None of the children even batted an eyelid at her quickened pace away.

In a room dominated with stuff the children were occupied with very little. Here there were characters formed into bridges, swings, tunnels. Over there a two storey padded climbing frame and ball pit, not to mention rows and rows of upright shelves with little lips so a scattering of picture books could be displayed cover outwards so you’re tricked into thinking they had a lot more than they actually did. But the children were interested in doing was staring at small electrical screens and moaning about the poor WiFi. Of the other two children in the room, one  was more interested in their ten rosey little fingers which each held one precious nugget freshly excavated from her nose. Thin threads of sticky goo stretched out between them until delicately broken by the lapping of Rose’s tongue.

A wet paper towel dropped from an adult’s height onto her hands and Rose mourned the loss of her treasure.

“You all, put hose things down at once. Do you hear me? And you girl, put that book down, it’s story time.”

Nothing immediately changed, so Ruby collected the tablet computers and placed them in a green felt bag sewn onto her costumes side and completely ignored the moans and disapproval of her audience.

Emmeline placed down her book, she had finished it some time ago and was imagining her own, much extended version, within her head whilst staring out of the windows at the softly falling snow outside. To a dedicated bibliofile such as she, the library was poor indeed, selected for the colours on the covers rather than the content held upon the heavily used, folder and chewed pages.

Emmeline stood and skipped over to the table with a smile in a manner she knew grownups either loved or loathed, opened their hearts or hardened it  callously. Emmeline knew with a child’s insight exactly which side of the fence this grimacing adult sat on the subject, so she double bounced on each step and beamed a wide smile.

Ruby had long since given up lamenting about how little she was paid for this or trying to workout where it had all gone wrong, instead she put what little effort she had left into finding ways of expelling even less. This led to Storytime which dominated every session. Storytime was welcomed by her jobsworth manager who had refused to allow sleep-time, nap-time, hide under blanket-time and rub Ruby’s feet-time. Story-time was always the same book, repeated so often Ruby never bothered to look at the words, instead she propped the child friendly over large picture book in front of her on the table and closed her hungover eyes.

What followed was a simple narrative of small elves lost in the woods who needed to collect special acorns with which to save their home from the wicked moon elf. You could tell the moon elf was wicked because she was green and had the word wicked printed in large letters under her.

There wasn’t much text per page but even these meagre words were heavily paraphrased by the apathetic narrator. None of the kids cared whether the elves saved their home or even themselves from the willy wolves who were chasing them, how could anyone care when the story was delivered so monotone. Emmeline gave it all the attention it deserved and went back to creating her own, much improved stories, her siblings all resorted to kicking each other or pulling faces.

The unseen battle raging under the table became a very audible war when one kick got too rough and someone called out loudly.

“And then the little elf pick up the...what the bloody hell are you demented delinquents doing? I can’t take this, I’m going for a break.” Ruby stood so fast her chair flew back and thudded to the floor with an echoing ring and her face had turned redder than her glowing nose and so frustrated that she just stood there and fumed, that the children of family Appleton simultaneously decided cowardice was the key survival tool here and all sat bolt upright, arms folded as if the situation was not of their doing.

Rose was the only one to move. Her legs, that had been swinging idly from the bench where she was sat next to Emmeline, now touched the floor as Rose hopped down. She confidently stepped forward and wrapped her short arms as far around the reindeer as they would go and rested her small head in a big hug.

Conflicting emotions rapidly washed over Ruby as she looked down at the smallest child, thoughts of questioning the children’s parentage dissolved.

“What‽” came the quivering bellow of the stumped nursery nurse.

“It’s what she does.” answered Emmeline shrugging as if this was perfectly obvious from the continuing action. “She doesn’t like it when people are upset. This is the only thing she knows works, you’ll get used to it.”

From somewhere deep behind closed eyes, the reindeer counted slowly to herself. The old proverb informs you that all feelings of irk or pique could be quashed once you’ve counted to ten: Ruby had no idea if this worked as she’d never been able to get that high.

Emmeline marvelled at the simplistic way her youngest sibling viewed the world at large and envied her this small thing. Ruby on the other hand couldn’t fathom how children’s minds worked and rued the day she’d entered this type of employment believing it would be easy, indoor work surrounded by dutiful and compliant children.

Once free from the clamping brat, Ruby saw the sticky residues remaining upon her fake fur midriff and exploded through shades of fuchsia fueled crimson of the overworked, underslept, over stressed and severely under alcoholed.

The first sound from Ruby’s flushed lips managed to encompass every bayful moan of every tormented creature everywhere. “You… children are the most disgusting, obnoxious, disrespectful creatures to have ever been abandoned here by their parents. You don’t do anything but sit there expelling foul odours or worse secretions and if I were to ever find something like you growing inside me i’d fill my womb with angry badgers.” These last few words were lost as Ruby stomped away.

“Well done, doofus. There goes all our computer games and phones; we’re going to find something till Mother picks us up and there’s nothing to do here.” slammed Bryce, the largest, in all dimensions, of the children, ignoring the abundance of educational entertainment around them. He aimed a well upholstered fist swung out towards Rose in retribution only missing because Emmeline twirled her out of the way.

William, by far more angelic in appearance than nature, waved a slim craft knife in his little fingers. With the other hand he pulled from his lap all the glowscreen tablets and phones previously confiscated.

A familiar figure approached the glass double doors and tapped on them impatiently.

“Mother.” choroused the children with a variety of enthusiasm.

Bryce distractedly motioned for Emmeline to open the door while he loaded up an app on his glowscreen.

“Darlings, darlings. All having a good time. Brilliant.” said Mother putting bags of paperwork down onto the table so she could facilitate the cuddles of her children. “Now do come on, it’s our turn for a ride.”

Outside, just coming into view through the gently falling snow, glided a wooden, reindeer drawn sleigh.

Streaming vapours poured from the flank of the great beast as it drew to a halt outside the hotel main reception. It was an impressive animal, dominant and proud and could easily be described as an animal from your dreams, just not the ones with dancing rabbits or rainbows, or the ones where you necessarily wake up safe in the morning.

There was a crowd of appreciative children waiting to welcome it and its burden matched in size by the musk of animal exertion. Children giggled and chattered with glee at the sight but they were shoulder barged out of the way by Bryce who made sure he was now front of the queue.

“Welcome all to the sleigh ride through the snow. We will take you all on a journey of amazing sights and unique discovery. Romantic, stimulating and amazing.” said a small rotund man giving the reindeer a handful of treats.

“Come, children.” said Mother who discounted the queue just as easily as Bryce by ignoring them completely.

She approached a tall, thin, almost skeletal man who was stood stationary on the running plate watching the previous passengers disembark. “My… Good man,” offered Mother for want of a more suitable word she could use in public. “I am terribly busy and have booked for a ride later but that is now unexceptable for my appointments. You will take my children now and rearrange your business accordingly. I will be back to collect them once my video-conference is complete”

The statement was delivered with such conviction that there was absolutely no other possibility available, no matter what other opinions the parents of the other children now provided. The tall man tilted his head slightly and looked deeply over the suited woman before him. He said nothing but smiled showing teeth that really should remain unseen. Mother took this as confirmation of agreement and quickly drew, by the hand, one of her brood from the crown and deposited them on the sleigh.

Most of the attention and indeed the thick atmosphere generated here in the cold was centered around the great steaming beast at the front. The reindeer, the shaggy, smelly creature bore little resemblance to the foam and fur recreation inside. A squat, round figure, mostly hidden behind a huge scraggy beard, brushed the dirt off the deer’s coat. The reindeer showed little notice of all the fuss and spent its time trying to bite the fingers of those children eager to pet it. The only time it did raise it's broad, antler crested head was when a small pair of hands stuck to its flank. The dwarfed groomer took out a stiff brush and raked Rose’s hands away stuck up with greasy fur.

The sleigh was now empty and in the process of being reoccupied, those who had left their seats and those unable to embark took the hint and left the chill and headed back for warmth and hot chocolate.

Emmeline waited for the others to clEmmeline over the old furs to sit on the sleigh before climbing aboard herself. She felt the weight of a heavy gaze on her and looked up to see the eyes of the tallest figure who looked down unblinking. Emmeline moved and realised the gaze was not focused at her but at the small girl at her side.

“Hop on, Rose.” said Emmeline to her sister as she helped her onto the sleigh without taking her focus off the driver.

The driver bent his long legs, reached over the children of Family Appleton and drew back a fur. The action acted like a signal and the round dwarf stopped his grooming and chattered away, instructing all to hold on tight and don’t put your arms or legs outside the sleigh unless you want them ripped off and left in the woods for a wolf to feast upon. Reigns were raised and, with a sharp crack, encouraged the snorting reindeer into a canter, drawing the sleigh around and down the rutted track from the hotel doors. Reindeer as a species are ideal for this mode of transport being both strong and naturally full of stamina as well as tempered towards pack service and in its way serving humans for a bucketful of food of an evening. This one however was not a good specimen of its kind because it didn’t want to put in this level of effort instead it really desired to raise one of its hind legs and lashing out, but it could see the squart man running alongside and knew the stinging retribution that would swiftly follow if it tried. It instead satisfied itself with releasing a large volume of non-toxic but nethertheless repugnant gas over the towed carriage behind it.

There were no seats within the sleigh, just an open box like construction of thick, much painted wood. The floor was covered in more of the old furs like the one now covering Emmeline’s legs. Nature bore no interest to her brothers and sisters unless it was displayed in high definition on a screen, so they all dissolved under the pile of furs for warmth and privacy. A glow emanating from various cracks in the makeshift yurt, giving off a light and a clue to what they were all doing. Only Rose sat atop the pile of bodies and furs chatting happily to the dwarf who showed no signs of happily listening. The squat man had jumped onto a runner after the effort of running had got too much and now wished he hadn’t.

“Do dragons live here? I have a toy dragon, I pulled off a wing. Are fairies real? I wanted to be one until I saw a zombie. Carrots taste like… is that a tiger? Mother had a horse, we grew carrots in its poo. Father didn’t want any. Are you really a swarf?” asked Rose in a barrage excitedly. “I have pictures of them in my books. Swarf’s an’ gi ants. That means a big man not ants. You don’t have a red nose so are you one that saves girls from evil witches or one who hides under beds to catch children’s feet when they go for a winkle at night?”

“Aye, my feeble scratch, dwarf is what I is called so dwarf is what I be. And to my mind I have never saved anyone, from a witch, evil or no. Not that I’ve ever been under anyone's bed but I could make a start for any troublesome squeak.” replied the small man with a lick of accent Emmeline couldn’t place, not that Rose cared what he sounded like, she was having fun talking to this adult who was more her size than even her eldest brothers.

“You smell like that looks.” Rose pointed out indicating the reindeers trotting behind.

The dwarf spat out a large brown glob which froze as it hit the snow and disappeared behind them.

“And you speak more flutter than it can can sh…”

“Rose.” said Emmeline in a tone learned from Mother’s dissatisfied callings when the children took things too far. “Come here at once. Don’t be so rude to the man and sit at the back where it’s safer.

“Aye, girl. Don’t want any accidents so shut up ya little gob before I fill it with a fist full of worms and rusty nails.”

The threat had the desired effect in that the small girl quickly slipped towards the back to join her sister yet the broadness of her smile and the brightness within her eyes showed it was not for the initial intention.

Slawuld ran his tongue over his cracked teeth. He enjoyed these meeting with little humans, they were the only ones that didn’t result in screaming and unnecessary expulsion of energies. The dwarf held on tight and slapped the reindeer hard on the rump causing it to buck and increase speed to a run. Rose was lifted into the air and fell against Emmeline and the back of the sleigh. She showed no sign of being hurt or scared by the sudden turn of events, far from it.

“Oh, again. Can we do that again? Wait I saw a goblin” Rose sparked excitedly before Emmeline took hold of her and pulled the furs over her. I think we can all agree that the furs from an animal always look better on the animal, but if you could see and more importantly smell these ones you might temporarily reconsider.

Emmeline helped her sister get comfortable. “No you didn’t, you mustn’t call people that.”

“No, not ‘im, he’s a swarf. No a ‘ittle grey goblin an’ a frog.”

Emmeline sighed. It was probably a rabbit. Settle down Rose, Mother wouldn’t like it if you fell out and got dirty.” she said knowing Mother would probably never notice if Rose fell out and was lost in the woods for a week, nevermind the state of her tights.

“Mr Spindleshaft, do make sure our guests have a pleasant ride.” commented Slawuld showing no signs he endorsed his own words.

And then they were through the carefully cultivated treeline and off into the unmanaged forest. The afternoon sun was low in the sky, at this time of the year days were short but beautiful, crisp white drifts of snow were starting to build against the silvery bark of the trees shining with more colour than the limited pallet would suggest. Boughs from either side crested the path the sleigh travelled bathing the small wooden craft in flashing contrasts of sunlight and shade. Emmeline’s eyes tracked the passage of a small woodland creature, its long fluffed up tail trailing behind it until it disappeared, drenched in deep shadows each giving life to imagined things of their own. It was all hypnotic, Rose had already succumbed to the serenity generated from the rhythmic motion of the sleigh, the trees flashing past and the warmth of their blankets. Emmeline felt sleep start to wash over her but fought against it as she’d never seen sights such as these. The sleigh was an Easter egg, all flash and glitter on the outside and dull brown within yet the box they were in was amazingly detailed, Emmeline didn’t want to miss a moment of this adventure but her eyelids conspired against her and slowly fell. A bird swooped over, in a hurry to get to where it was going, and Emmeline lazily followed it from far in front of their path, over her as the bird flew low above and then up straight into the large open eyes of Spindleshaft who unblinkingly stared down at her.

Instinctively Emmeline reached out, finding Rose asleep on her side and firmly pulled her close. Those pearled grey eyes continued to look down at them. Spindleshaft showed no signs of discomfort over being watched by Emmeline nor did he pretend to have been looking elsewhere. Emmeline did the only thing she knew to make her feel safe, she pulled the wide fur up and over her and her sister’s heads and hid under the covers.

Down here the fug of feral fragrence was… it just was.

“What you been doing.” it wasn’t so much a question just a thing Bryce always said when he thought he had missed something. “I thought I heard you calling artichoke.”

“Just Rose calling out. She thought she saw an antelope leaping through the trees earlier, only it had a man’s body too. You know her, she sees fairies and elves at home so her imagination’s just exploded.”

“Like the eggs I put in the microwave?” asked Bryce looking up from his game.

“No. Just getting more creative. Anyway, she’s asleep now and the only things I saw were owls. This place must be filled with them as they’re all over the place. That or it was just one battered old thing that kept landing along our route.”

Bryce pushed his head up through the layers of furs letting the icy touch of fresh air into the den.

“Nah, the only thing out there is that manky donkey pulling the sleigh.” he said pulling his head back down.

“What do you think about those two out there. I think they’re creepy.” said Emmeline.

“You’d be a bit weird too if you had to sit behind that walking fart farm.” commented Bryce. “Now shut up, this is a hard bit.”

Bryce went back to his game and Emmeline lifted the edge of the fur to peep out. She was relieved that there was no one watching anymore. She settled down and allowed the motion of the sleigh over snow to settle her nerves.

Emmeline was entirely wrong. She was being watched but not by anything associated with the wintery ride through the woods. Large talons dug into a firm branch and a feathered head turned to watch the sleigh slip by before the owl took flight, gaining height to swoop down to land several hundred meters to wait for its quarry. It could see the men, they weren’t avian but even an old owl could tell they were very, very pleased with themselves.

All things come and go, great circles of repetition in all things. Everything has happened before, originality is only something happening to you for the first time. So when the sleigh rounded the banked corner and came onto level ground it was Father who saw it and marvelled how picturesque the whole thing looked as it slid to a halt in the hotel carpark.

“Thank you both, the children look tired out.” Father said as Slawuld stepped from his place on the side of the sleigh and fastened a bag of feed around the reindeer’s.

“It warms Mr Spindleshaft and my heart to see the young ones so. It is a pleasure to take them far from home into the deepest parts of the forest. Such sights, Such fun. Such angles.”

“Well you’ve done such a good job.” said Father again, his eagerness to leave was obvious to all and not only because he had ventured outside without his coat and parts of him were turning as pale as his thin shirt. “Um, where are they all?”

Spindleshaft stayed on his running plate but reached across and withdrew the top couple of furs. He exposed a collection of heads, all oblivious to the termination of their journey until the last of the day’s light reached their freshly exposed heads.

One by one the children jumped off and onto the compressed snow covering the tarmac carpark.

“Anymore?” joked Father as his children walked past, their little faces lit by the screens they still stared into.

“Ho, ho. Don’t want to leave any behind do we. A slumbering princess rests her head still.” Slawuld said. He hurried to the sleigh when father reached forward to pull at the furs and fussed them back into a pile. “Here she is.”

Emmeline was curled up and Father reached to collect her into his arms. He felt her warmth against his cooling chest and hurried back to the comfort of the hotels roaring fires.

“No more rides today.” declared Slawuld to the small crowd who were expectantly standing around. “Greyshanks is tired. Come back tomorrow.”

Father placed Emmeline down on a chair in reception and instructed for a porter to take her the rest of the way to their rooms while he collected his briefcase and walked off towards the conference rooms with purpose; after all, biscuit circumferences don’t just happen by themselves.