The Real Christmas Present

I couldn't help but wonder where I was as I'd been walking for days and had no idea what day it was or what year. I loved my family… I loved my family…so I had to leave in order for them to be safe and then they…

The government in its wisdom had decreed that anyone known to be homosexual had to hand themselves in at the council offices for deportation. England was going bust and so it had to take action; the first action that it decided on was the elimination of … of known … They called it 'Known Homosexual Perversion'. They said transportation, but we all knew by now that those gathered on the docks for deportation were shot and left to rot until family claimed the bodies or the birds pecked the bones clean. They left the bodies as a warning to us all.

I was sixteen and had just come out to my family and the very next day the decree had been made. There were soldiers going from door to door removing the "Filth" as we had been branded. My family hid me for weeks until my brother got a conscience and reported me. He never came home that night and was rehoused elsewhere.

When that happened father handed me a large rucksack and sent me packing with a letter thrust into my hand as tears running down his face. The first thing that I did, after getting out of sight was to read what he had given to me; only then did I know where I had to go.

Once I got to where dad had said that I would be safe, I watched from a distance using the binoculars as the soldiers descended on our house. Wayne my big brother was with them in a uniform that looked more like a Nazi than a normal army uniform. When mum and dad refused to let them have access to the house it was Wayne that aimed the gun, at his own parents, and killed them.

As he pulled the trigger, he forced his way in, racing up to my bedroom. As the division of men followed him the door automatically closed behind them, as I knew it would. That meant mother had activated the fail-safes built throughout the house by father for our safety. Never would these monsters hurt anyone again, as two minutes later the house exploded and the inferno from hell blew up into the sky.

My father had been in the marines when he was younger and had night vision equipment and guns. As I had reached the caves that no one knew existed, but dad and me, I pulled all of the weapons out of my bag and watched the street below as Wayne and the inhuman monsters turned up and killed my wonderful parents.

As I'd reached the caves, I read again the letter from dad and wept:

I must have fallen asleep as I was woken by a hand being placed over my mouth and a face that looked so kind holding his finger up to his mouth to make sure that I remained silent.

He looked at me, "Those monsters have reached the woods you have to move on."

As I looked out of the entrance to the cave, I was literally standing face to face with the coach. He was standing outside, looking around. "He cannot see you, as to him it will always appear to be a solid cliff, of solid rock. I am sure that they will try explosives, but it will always appear to be the same to them. You are safe as long as you do not cross over the threshold for if you do the entrance will be revealed."

"Now what though?" I asked sitting on an exposed rock.

"You have to follow what your father told you to do. The caves will direct."

"How?"

"It is not known. It is also not known how I have been able to live in the caves for over three thousand years and have never grown old. It has been my mission to save those that need my help, but to do so I can never leave."

"Pozoken?"

"Many years ago, my baby brother was hunted much like the youth down there are being. I failed him! I could not save him or my family but for some reason, I had wished on that particular Solstice Eve to have the power to protect children that would be in need. It was the eve of what you call Christmas and a man appeared to me."

"A man?"

"Nicholai. He was a Nephilim that dedicated his life to children and families and he heard my prayers and granted that these caves be enchanted to give sanctuary to those children in need. Children like you who seek a safe shore upon which to dwell for as they leave and are drawn into the caves they travel back to a time when they will be safe. He made it so that all children who are in need will be drawn to the caves that have entrances in all lands.

"You may go home, but the war will never end, and you will be on the wanted list by the monsters that seek to destroy youth."

"I could never go back, there is nothing left for me. We call Nicholai, Santa now or Saint Nicholas. A jolly man in a red suit. I wish… No, it would never happen."

"What do you wish Donny; for it will soon be is midnight on the Eve that miracles happen. What is your Christmas wish?"

"I wish that I could form a task force that could go down there and save youngsters in need or in danger. Santa must know who they are! I mean isn't that his naughty and nice list? Someone must hear their pleas… I just wish that I could be the one to wield his sword of justice for them."

Suddenly a bright light flashed through the caves and they heard a jolly voice ringing through them. As they looked up a man in medieval leather clothes appeared covered by a cloak made out of what looked like wolf and bear pelts.

He had a mass of curly hair and as big a beard as any Santa has over been seen to have. Though Donny thought that he looked more like a fairy king than an ancient old man. "Ho, ho, ho! Be careful what you wish for in the Caves of Pozoken little Donald; for your wishes may just come true."

Pozoken smiled, "Nicholai is it that time of year again?"

"Winter Solstice is upon us, the night for man to remember the spirit of love and giving. I fear it will be rare for the goodness of man to be found as it is being bled slowly by their own evil desires."

"What can you expect on a night like this? Good people are being killed by an evil regime all around us!"

Nicholai nodded. "Yes, everything has changed."

Donny looked at him. "Mother loved Christmas. She made our house sing with love and joy even though father couldn't work, and we had nothing."

"Your father was a good man Donny, he tried to make a living. His handle on shaping wood was beyond the ability of . They were both of the bloodline of Pozoken."

"Then why was Wayne like he was?"

"I said they were, your brother was a selfish wimp and a bully and the man that seduced him is set to destroy mankind if we do not take a stand."

"Santa how can we …"

He smiled. "My name is Nicholai my child and anything is possible. We can stand against them and eventually our love will win out and mankind will conquer. It just needs someone who still believes in Christmas. Believes that there is good and there are people out there that will stand against these evil times. Believes and expects nothing in return."

"Me."

"Yes, Donny. You shall be known as Donal of Pozoken and you and your team will lead the way. Eventually, others will follow as you will call those that the world needs to arms. You have the power within you for it is the Christmas gift that glows deep within and can never be extinguished. You will dream and know what to do. Your dream and power are the gifts this winter solstice that I give unto you to save mankind from itself. This is the Christmas gift this winter's night."

"We shall stand with you son."

"Daddy? Mother? I just saw Wayne…" Tears rolled down his face.

Nicholai had that jolly laugh again and simply stated. "You wished for their lives to be spared and the Creator heard you. This is his gift this Christmas night to show that your mission in life from his moment on has been ordained."

Daddy looked at the man. "How?"

"All will be answered; follow me, and Christmas to all." 

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