Bonanza
~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
* Day 14 *

Summary: Adam tells no ordinary bedtime story on Christmas Eve.
Rating:  G
Words:  2,380

How Adam Saved Christmas

Adam sat in the faded blue chair near the fireplace, soaking up the warmth from family and the dancing flames.  After a decade away from the Ponderosa, much of it spent on the sea, he relished the safe harbor of his father and brother.

Joe and Jamie weren’t yet back from delivering presents to the orphanage in Virginia City. Hoss, recently widowed, and his son, Franklin, had taken up residence in the ranch house.

Franklin, at five years old, was up far past his bedtime. He sat on Adam’s knee with his head resting against his uncle’s chest. He’d only heard stories about the uncle on whose lap he sat.  His uncle didn’t smell of horses and cattle like his pa and grandpa, but of a salty tang and other smells he didn’t know.

Ben inhaled deeply as he tapped the dottle from his pipe.  “It’s time a little boy got to bed if he expects Santa to come.”

“That’s right,” said Hoss.

“But I want a story,” said Franklin.

Hoss stood up and stretched his arms wide.  “Well come on, young’un.  I’ll get you tucked in . . . .”

“I want a story from Uncle Adam!”

Adam had no choice but to stand when Franklin leapt from his lap and held tight to Adam’s work-roughened hand, the boy pulling like a calf at the end of a rope.  The man shrugged a shoulder at his brother and followed his nephew up the stairs.

“Don’t tell no whoppers, Adam,” said Hoss to his brother’s back.

*

“What kind of story do you want?”

“I don’t know,” said Franklin as pulled his nightshirt over his head then plopped down on the bed and scooched to rest his head on a pillow. “Pa and Grandpa say you gave up cattle for a different kind of stubborn.”

Adam chuckled as he tucked the quilts under Franklin’s arms.

“Just like your grandpa, I’m the son that went to sea but gave it up for ranching. A ship and a herd have to be steered in the direction you want to go and the sea, like the land, tosses obstacles in the way.” He tapped the quilt over his nephew’s chest.  “On land it might be a rockslide and on the sea a tidal wave.”

Franklin smiled then his expression turned serious. His eyebrows drew together in puzzlement.

“Does Santa bring presents to ships?”

“Of course he does.”

“How does he find a ship? How does he deliver presents since there ain’t no chimney?”

Adam chuckled as he turned the lantern key to dim the light.  “Not so many questions at once.”  The bed creaked as he sat down on the mattress at the foot of the bed.

“Several years back I sailed the trade route between Boston and the Netherlands on the Gliding Pelican.”

“That don’t sound like a good ship name.”

“Have you seen a pelican?”

Franklin shook his head.

“Pelicans look ungainly on land but at sea they’re magnificent as they ride the winds and float above the waves.

“Anyway, the deck is rarely empty aboard ship as men have to work the sails and scan the seas for enemy vessels or signs of brewing storms. Santa’s sleigh wouldn’t go unnoticed by a crew scanning ocean and sky.”

“Did he have to use a disguise?”

“That would seem the logical solution, wouldn’t it?”

“Yup.”

Even in the dim light, Adam could see the disappointment on his nephew’s face at the boringness of his story.  Adam inhaled deeply as his adjusted position to move a bent leg onto the bed.

“One voyage, at Christmas time, headed for Boston, the Pelican sprinted across the waves under the light cast by the full moon. Men daydreamed of feasting with their families on stuffed turkeys or drinking mulled wine in a tavern with a wench upon each knee. But a sound carried upon the wind different than the usual creak of timbers and ropes.”

“What was it?”

“The jingle of sleigh bells.

“’Oi!  Up yonder!’ yelled Three-Fingered Bob.

“We turned our attention skyward.  Three-Fingered Bob handed me the spyglass and I made out a shadow in the moonlight – eight reindeer and a sleigh!

“The crew jumped and waved, hoping to attract Santa’s attention.  Every sailor is eager for a token that reminds him of dry land and home.
“At first I thought the men’s exuberance caused the ship to list from side to side.  But no!  The Pelican rocked amid swelling and crashing waves.” Adam raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. “To our horror, a terrible beast arose from the frothing ocean.  It was a kraken!  A gigantic monster with eight tentacles and eyes larger than wagon wheels.  Tales told by sailors in pubs and saloons were often considered just that – stories that had no basis in fact.  But here I was, confronted with a monster larger than a mountain!  Two of the kraken’s tentacles waved about while the rest remained beneath the churning water, presumably treading water to keep the creature at the surface.

“The kraken grabbed Santa’s sleigh with one of its tentacles and the reindeer struggled with all of their might against the beast’s pull.  The jolly old man himself held tight to the reins but he was bouncing out of the sleigh.  I had to prod men frozen at the sight into action.”

Franklin clenched the edge of the quilt in his small hands. “What did you do?”

“’Prime the starboard cannons and aim true!’” I yelled, forcing the men into action.  “Shoes and bare feet slapped against the stairs leading down to the deck upon which the cannons were located.

“I drew my sword and yelled to the beast to turn its attention from Santa. I was but a puny figure waving a piece of metal the size of a toothpick compared to the creature before me. Its arms were as big around as the trunks of a full-grown pine tree.”

Franklin gasped and whispered, “What happened?”

“My diversion worked, but not as planned. The kraken held tight to the sleigh but reached another tentacle for me. I slashed my sword as hard as I could but it slid across the beast’s slimy arm. The monster pushed me into the mast and bright lights swirled before my eyes as I staggered on the deck.”

Adam leaned forward as he tapped his head.  “Good thing it’s made of granite.”

Franklin giggled through a smile.

“Despite seeing double, I raised my sword, preparing to slash again when the deck rolled from the cannon blasts. The Pelican heaved as fire and smoke billowed from the ports. I feared sliding into the mast again but fortunately stumbled against a couple of water barrels lashed together and I grabbed tight to the rope.  The cannons fired again, but the balls merely bounced off the mammoth kraken, annoying it mightily.

“As the men reloaded and primed the cannons, a slimy arm descended on me, blocking out the moonlight. It encircled me and I found myself pulled away from my refuge at the water barrels. The rope I held to dug into my fingers and I feared it would slice through. I let go and in moments I was lifted so high I thought I could perhaps touch the moon.”

Franklin’s mouth formed an “o” as he imagined a great beast holding his uncle up in the sky.

“The cannons fired again and I felt a ball whoosh past my shoulder as it bounced off the beast. From my vantage I saw the reindeer straining to pull the sleigh from the monster’s grip. If only there was a way to distract the kraken.

“I hollered down to the ship. ’Cease fire! You might hit Santa!’

“The cannons went silent.  I dared a look down and saw the men, small as ants, swarming onto the deck.

“The reindeer were tiring and the battle for the sleigh would soon be over if nothing were done. Santa bled from a gash on his head, likely from colliding with the sleigh.

“On a pass by the sleigh, as I was thrashed around, I yelled, ‘A gift? Do you perhaps have a gift for the kraken?’

“Santa, his blood-streaked face looking peaked, said, ‘I plumb near forgot!’”

“What did he sound like?”

Adam tilted his head to the side, as if he were a bird studying a worm. “Rather ordinary, really.  Not at all what I’d expected.”

Franklin merely nodded, as if that made perfect sense.

“The kraken shook the sleigh to and fro again, throwing Santa into the air.  He lost his grip on the reins, which now thrashed about like snakes. Santa managed to grab a reindeer’s harness with one hand. Tiring from their struggle against the kraken, I feared the reindeer would fall into the sea if they broke free from the sleigh, losing all of the toys to be delivered to children around the world.”

The boy gasped.

“Though on the verge of near exhaustion, Santa managed to grab hold of a passing rein, which he wrapped around his arm. He leapt in a flying arc, landing hard on the seat.

“I passed by the rear of the sleigh as the kraken swung me ‘round again.  It was then I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a doll’s head, but it was the size of a small boulder. Perhaps, I thought, I could stretch far enough to grab onto the sleigh.

“Screams of terror below drew my attention.  I looked down to see the Pelican, toy-like in the kraken’s grip, rising into the air. Men rolled upon the deck and grabbed for anyone or anything to spare them falling into the roiling sea.”

Franklin’s eyes grew wide as saucers.

“I managed to grab the doll’s hair on a pass by the sleigh but couldn’t keep my hold for I feared being cleaved in two. My momentum did manage to pull the doll partway out of the sack before I was again over the frothy waves. I saw the jolly old man turn ‘round in the sleigh and dig the doll out of the sack of toys as the kraken continued shaking the entire apparatus.”

The boy squeaked in surprise.

“You know, the monster made just that sound at what unfolded next.

“The kraken took an interest in the doll emerging from the sack.  The beast momentarily stopped shaking men and reindeer, giving us all a moment for our brains to settle within our heads.  It snaked a tentacle around the doll and pulled it forth, bringing it level with its eye.

“That doll was no ordinary toy with a porcelain or cornhusk head and a flouncy dress. I’d guess it was about seven feet tall with arms and legs made of coral and seaweed for hair. A lobster, a lock of hair in its pincers, served as a hair comb.  The doll’s dress was composed of shells and barnacles.”

Seeing skepticism on the boy’s face, Adam realized he was on the verge of losing his credibility.

“The monster reached forth another tentacle, touched the doll and then drew back, as if it didn’t believe it real.  I didn’t think the kraken capable of emotion but I saw a large, glistening tear form in the corner of its eye as it delicately stroked the doll’s hair and made cooing-like noises.  I shielded my face as best as I could as the tear fell and I expected to plummet into the churning sea in the ensuing waterfall but I remained firmly held in the kraken’s grip.

“I wiped my face with my sleeve and looked up at Santa, his face radiating a cheery glow as the kraken pulled the doll against its blobby body in a hug.

“’Christmas is the season of magic,’ said Santa.

“The kraken freed Santa and then sank into the sea with its newfound companion. The Pelican, back where it belonged, rocked in the gentle waves. I feared going under and drowning but the beast set me back upon the Pelican’s deck as gently as you please before disappearing into the murky depths. A few bubbles remained at the surface and then the sea was smooth as glass.

“Jingling bells caught our ears and we cleared out to the rails to make room as the reindeer landed on deck. The cook ran down to the galley and was back in a flash with bottles of whiskey that I’d smuggled aboard to celebrate the end of our voyage in Boston. Surviving our encounter with the kraken was more than enough reason to break out the good stuff.  Santa drank first, and deeply, then he passed the bottle to me. I raised it and said, “Glad tidings and good cheer to all!”

“A celebration broke out with the men cheering and dancing to shanties played on the harmonica.”

Adam saw his nephew losing interest.

“We were so preoccupied we hadn’t realized the reindeer took flight until a sack thudded against the deck.  ‘Ho, Ho, Ho!’ faded in our ears as Santa and his team, silhouetted against the full moon, continued their journey around the world.”

“What was in the sack?”

“The things each of us had wished and longed for on our voyage.”

Adam dug into his pocket and drew forth a jackknife with an ivory handle.  He held it forth and Franklin took it.  The boy traced the carved pelican on the handle.

“Santa brung you this?”

“Sure did.”

Franklin yawned and Adam took it as an opportunity to send the boy off to the land of dreams. He took the knife back from his nephew then smoothed the curls back from the boy’s forehead and placed a gentle kiss upon it.

“Sleep well.”

Adam turned out the light and tread lightly into the hall, closing the door behind him.  He startled as Hoss poked his head out of a bedroom.  At a motion from his brother, Adam stopped at the doorway and leaned into the room.

“You’ll be on the naughty list for tellin’ such tales,” Hoss whispered.

Adam winked at his brother before padding downstairs for a nightcap and the swapping of sea tales with his father.

The End

My Prompt:  “The Son that Went to Sea” from Christmas at Sea by Robert Louis Stevenson
My character: Adam

Link to Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar – Day 15 – On the Way West by wx4rmk