Noel
It was the night before Christmas Eve, 1996.
I was trying to sleep when I heard a loud banging and screaming - the voice that I once thought came from my deepest and darkest nightmare. Not again, I rolled over under my big blanket, the one with a Santa Claus and his Reindeer flying through the clear night sky. I used to dream about him, about Father Christmas. If only I could catch him putting my present under the tree at Christmas Eve, I would certainly beg him to take me for a ride with him in his full-of-presents chariot and fly in the sky, between the stars and moon. It'd be really-really nice. I can take Ms. BrigitBee too.
The banging and screaming again. I sighed, tried to cover up my ears but it do me no good at all. It's almost Christmas, why should nightmare show up in this time of days? December was a joyous month, full of festivity and happiness. I should be having a sweet dreams.
I hugged my Hippopotamus doll, Ms.BrigitBee and closed my eyes tightly, trying to hushed that evil sound in my nightmares. Grandma had once taught me to pray whenever nightmares came to me in the middle of the night. I tried that, but it's not working. I'm still hearing the sound of my nightmare. I gave up then, I tried other alternatives. I imagined how festive my birthday would be. It's only a week away before my 6th birthday and I really can't wait for it. Mom is the best baker in the world and I've requested her to bake me a chocolate-strawberry cake.
"Honey?" Someone open the doors, my mom. "Are you asleep yet?
Her voice was somehow coarse. I opened my eyes and saw her walking to me in such a hurry. "No, mom. I have nightmares again. I can't sleep."
She smiled weakly and ran her smooth fingers between each strands of my dark-chesnut-brown hair. I barely heard her whispered the word, "Sorry."
"Mom, what happened? Are you crying?" I got up from my bed and reached for her face. I saw a little bit of tears there. "Are you having nightmares too?"
"I guess I am."
"Are you afraid, mom?"
"No, I am not." Then she got up and walked to my closet. "Packed your things, honey. We're going someplace tonight."
"Tonight? But, why?"
"Just.. packed up your things, okay? Don't forget to bring Ms.BrigitBee too. You certainly don't want to leave her behind in our trip." She made that sound final, so I nodded and get out of my bed, still in pajamas, hugging Ms.BrigitBee. As I was trying to choose what stuff to bring, I saw mom busy packing my clothes.
"Mommy?" I called, "Where are we going?"
"Nvebraska." She didn't pause and kept packing my clothes in my small pink luggage, "Remember? It's the small town we visited last Summer."
I heard some zipping sound and found out that Mommy has finished packing up my things. "Okay, so you wait here, okay? Mommy will be back in a second. Go get your coat and then, we'll go right away."
"Okay, mom." I nodded obediently.
And with that, my mom rushed out of my door - half running.
I was trying to sleep when I heard a loud banging and screaming - the voice that I once thought came from my deepest and darkest nightmare. Not again, I rolled over under my big blanket, the one with a Santa Claus and his Reindeer flying through the clear night sky. I used to dream about him, about Father Christmas. If only I could catch him putting my present under the tree at Christmas Eve, I would certainly beg him to take me for a ride with him in his full-of-presents chariot and fly in the sky, between the stars and moon. It'd be really-really nice. I can take Ms. BrigitBee too.
The banging and screaming again. I sighed, tried to cover up my ears but it do me no good at all. It's almost Christmas, why should nightmare show up in this time of days? December was a joyous month, full of festivity and happiness. I should be having a sweet dreams.
I hugged my Hippopotamus doll, Ms.BrigitBee and closed my eyes tightly, trying to hushed that evil sound in my nightmares. Grandma had once taught me to pray whenever nightmares came to me in the middle of the night. I tried that, but it's not working. I'm still hearing the sound of my nightmare. I gave up then, I tried other alternatives. I imagined how festive my birthday would be. It's only a week away before my 6th birthday and I really can't wait for it. Mom is the best baker in the world and I've requested her to bake me a chocolate-strawberry cake.
"Honey?" Someone open the doors, my mom. "Are you asleep yet?
Her voice was somehow coarse. I opened my eyes and saw her walking to me in such a hurry. "No, mom. I have nightmares again. I can't sleep."
She smiled weakly and ran her smooth fingers between each strands of my dark-chesnut-brown hair. I barely heard her whispered the word, "Sorry."
"Mom, what happened? Are you crying?" I got up from my bed and reached for her face. I saw a little bit of tears there. "Are you having nightmares too?"
"I guess I am."
"Are you afraid, mom?"
"No, I am not." Then she got up and walked to my closet. "Packed your things, honey. We're going someplace tonight."
"Tonight? But, why?"
"Just.. packed up your things, okay? Don't forget to bring Ms.BrigitBee too. You certainly don't want to leave her behind in our trip." She made that sound final, so I nodded and get out of my bed, still in pajamas, hugging Ms.BrigitBee. As I was trying to choose what stuff to bring, I saw mom busy packing my clothes.
"Mommy?" I called, "Where are we going?"
"Nvebraska." She didn't pause and kept packing my clothes in my small pink luggage, "Remember? It's the small town we visited last Summer."
I heard some zipping sound and found out that Mommy has finished packing up my things. "Okay, so you wait here, okay? Mommy will be back in a second. Go get your coat and then, we'll go right away."
"Okay, mom." I nodded obediently.
And with that, my mom rushed out of my door - half running.
* * *
"Mom, where's Dad? Why isn't he coming with us?" I looked around, trying to find where Daddy was.
"Oh, he can't go with us, Izzie. He got some work to do." She said as she put all those bags in the back of the car.
"So, Daddy's not joining us tomorrow? But, it's Christmas Eve, mommy."
"I know, sweetie." She closed the doors and turned to me, looking right through me in the eyes and said, "He's a busy man."
"It won't be the same without him."
Mom sighed and opened the door for me, "I know. Now, jump in and buckle up. We're leaving now."
"Oh, he can't go with us, Izzie. He got some work to do." She said as she put all those bags in the back of the car.
"So, Daddy's not joining us tomorrow? But, it's Christmas Eve, mommy."
"I know, sweetie." She closed the doors and turned to me, looking right through me in the eyes and said, "He's a busy man."
"It won't be the same without him."
Mom sighed and opened the door for me, "I know. Now, jump in and buckle up. We're leaving now."
* * *
I looked behind as the car was moving in the darkness, taking up the last glimpse of my house. I'm not going to be there in Christmas. Did Father Christmas know that I'm going on a vacation to Nvebraska?
"Isabelle, sit nicely."
I did that and laid on my back, watching all the houses in my neighborhood passed by and all that I could see was decorative lights of so many colors in porches, statue of Father Christmas and his Reindeer, Snowmen, and snows. I've just realized that it's snowing.
I whispered silently to Ms.BrigitBee who was sitting in my lap. "See, Ms.Bee? It's snowing. It must be cold out there. You're lucky, I bring your coat with us."
But Ms. BrigitBee didn't respond. Only the chorus of "Twelve Day of Christmas" from the local radio station answered my words. Mom didn't say a word since we left the house so, after "Twelve Day of Christmas" was over, "The Christmas Song" filled the air in the car and I was soon asleep.
No nightmares.
But it was because the worst nightmare had yet to come.
"Isabelle, sit nicely."
I did that and laid on my back, watching all the houses in my neighborhood passed by and all that I could see was decorative lights of so many colors in porches, statue of Father Christmas and his Reindeer, Snowmen, and snows. I've just realized that it's snowing.
I whispered silently to Ms.BrigitBee who was sitting in my lap. "See, Ms.Bee? It's snowing. It must be cold out there. You're lucky, I bring your coat with us."
But Ms. BrigitBee didn't respond. Only the chorus of "Twelve Day of Christmas" from the local radio station answered my words. Mom didn't say a word since we left the house so, after "Twelve Day of Christmas" was over, "The Christmas Song" filled the air in the car and I was soon asleep.
No nightmares.
But it was because the worst nightmare had yet to come.
* * *
I didn't know how long I was asleep.
But I did know this. I was awaken. By a loud and deafening sound, and a blinding light.
And then there's a loud banging, crashing and I felt like I was being thrown here and there inside the car. Tumbling. I heard myself screaming.
Mom? Ms.Bee?
I screamed louder. Louder than I ever could. The tumbling didn't stop.
And then, it was total darkness.
But I did know this. I was awaken. By a loud and deafening sound, and a blinding light.
And then there's a loud banging, crashing and I felt like I was being thrown here and there inside the car. Tumbling. I heard myself screaming.
Mom? Ms.Bee?
I screamed louder. Louder than I ever could. The tumbling didn't stop.
And then, it was total darkness.
Author's note:
This is fiction. So all of the characters, places, it's all purely fictional.
Originally made by me :)
This is fiction. So all of the characters, places, it's all purely fictional.
Originally made by me :)
Her favourite Indonesian Authors are Sitta Karina and Ilana Tan. 
The Tsujimarus.
