The Advent Calendar (13 page)

Again, with great care, Sam and Alice looked out from the cave only to shield their eyes and cower back again into their refuge. Lightning had struck the solitary bush at the cave’s mouth and it was ablaze all at once. At five metres the heat burned their faces. The whole bush was on fire. As they watched the flames grew in intensity. But the bush itself was not consumed. At the very heart of the blaze Sam thought he saw something move – perhaps the figure of a man – but his senses had been so assaulted by this point in the journey that he wasn’t sure of anything.

The fire flamed and burned licking up the water which had fallen on the pathway, warming and drying their clothes after the storm and then, just as suddenly, it was gone leaving the bush itself just as it was before.

And after the fire there was a calm and a peace stronger and deeper than any that Alice or Sam had ever known. There was no sound at all on the mountain. There was no sound at all in their hearts or minds, just stillness and calm.

And in the absolute quietness of that moment, in the single instant when everything was at peace, after the earthquake, storm and fire had gone, each of them heard distinctly a still, small voice speaking within them and around them and through them and beyond them. ‘Beloved,’ said the voice. And in hearing what was said, both Alice and Sam knew it to be true.

They remained as they were, side by side in the cave on the mountainside in the stillness, caught up in the deepest silence. In those moments, time had no meaning. There was no urgency, no hurry; it was enough to be there.

And then first Alice then Sam stretched and yawned and stood. Sam took up Col’s staff. They held each other’s gaze just for a moment. Together they stepped away from the cave, towards the bush. In the space of three steps, the mountain, the cave, the open sky all melted away and they were back at breakfast time on Friday morning in the front room staring at the calendar.

Col was there, kneeling as they entered the room. He stood to greet them. ‘Welcome, Alice. Welcome, Sam. Welcome and goodbye!’

Sam handed over the staff. ‘Thank you, Col,’ said Alice, hugging him. Sam gripped his wrist and shoulder and their eyes met.

‘Go well,’ said Col, stepping towards the calendar. ‘You are halfway through the journey. The best is saved till last.’ As Col said the words he seemed to shrink and disappear, drawn into the twelfth door of the calendar, now fully open. Sam and Alice went up close to look at what was there.

In the wooden doorframe, against a black background, there stood a bush which had burst into flame – a flame which gave warmth and life but which did not consume. Depending how it caught the light, you could sometimes see at the very centre of the flame the figure of a person walking as if through fire.

13 December

Seven Christmas cards arrived on Thursday. Alice opened them over her muesli. Two had pictures of Father Christmas and the reindeer. Three featured snowflakes of various sizes. One more showed old-fashioned scenes from Victorian England and one had an elf. Alice ticked off the different categories on a chart on the pin board.

‘What’s that?’ said Megs, fishing one of the cards out of a blob of marmalade.

‘School,’ said Alice, chewing toast. ‘Project. Mr Davison. Survey of cards for some reason. How many we get, when, what the pictures are. So boo...ring!’

‘What’s it for?’ said Megs.

Alice shrugged. ‘Der!’ she said. ‘Since when did homework have a point?’

Megs checked the clock. ‘Let’s go!’

Alice arrived at school to find Suzie and Alex plotting in the playground. Since the beginning of term Suzie had been trying to think of some way of getting their own back on the Newtron. Many a desperate hour had been spent dreaming up foul, impractical schemes.

So far, none of the traps had been sprung but things were getting worse with Miss Newton by the day. ‘We just have to do it this time,’ she said. ‘She’s setting more homework every night. Everyone hates her guts. She really took it out on Lucas yesterday.’ Suzie had come from a school where the parents paid for their children’s education. She knew how to call the shots.

Alex nodded, convinced that now was the time. ‘We stand much more chance of getting away with it just before Christmas even if we’re caught.’

‘What’s the plan this time?’ said Alice, amazed that Alex was coming out of his geeky shell.

‘Fire Hose Plan G – slightly refined,’ said Suzie. ‘The one on the back wall of the lab. I’ve worked out a way to bung up the nozzle with blutac – like a timer. We have double biology all afternoon – right after lunch. So at lunchtime we block the hosepipe with gunge and turn on the tap so the pressure builds up. Halfway through the lesson, with any luck, the pressure builds and kerpow! End of lesson. No one knows who did it. Perfect plan.’

‘Genius!’ said Alex.

‘Are you sure?’ said Alice. ‘I hate the Newtron just as much as you do but it sounds pretty serious. Don’t they expel you for something like that?’

‘Don’t be daft, Alice, we’ve been looking for a chance like this for months.’

‘Are you going soft or something?’

The bell went for morning school. Alice shrugged her shoulders and followed her two friends into English. ‘Funny,’ she thought. ‘Two weeks ago I would have done anything to cause a riot in biology.’

*********

Sam’s day began badly. Richard was in a foul mood, throwing his weight around, cracking the whip. He stormed out of his office just as Sam was taking off his coat and hat.

‘Good of you to turn up…at last,’ Richard said to the whole floor in his most sarcastic voice.

Behind Richard’s back, Tizzy was signing to Sam to be careful. He missed the cue completely.

‘No trouble really,’ said Sam, breezily. ‘Circle line a bit slow.’ Soft giggles ran round the edge of the room. Richard’s eyes flashed dangerously. He hissed at Sam, ‘I need those new sales charts, Brown. Now, if you don’t mind.’

‘Okayyyyy,’ said Sam, very slowly, turning round. At last he picked up Tizzy’s cue. ‘I’ll pop them in later then.’

‘Now, if it’s not too much trouble,’ snapped Richard. Sam thought he almost caught sight of a forked tongue and had to blink and rub his eyes.

‘They – er – um – they’re not quite ready,’ he said. ‘Sorry.’

‘Not ready?’ Richard said softly, with menace. ‘Not ready?’ he threatened, drawing every eye to him in the room. Everyone tensed themselves preparing for the explosion. ‘Not ready?’ thrusting his face into Sam’s. ‘NOT READY? You useless bloody toe-rag. I want those figures on my desk by lunchtime or it’s a written warning.’ He was now speaking through his teeth but even so he could be heard in every part of the room. ‘I’ve had it up to here with you – and you, Barfield, you simpering, useless pile of...,’ he said, spinning round on Tizzy but not finishing his sentence.

‘It may come as a big surprise,’ he shouted as he stormed back to his office, ‘it may come as a very big surprise but this is called a place of work.’ The office door slammed on exactly the right syllable. Bang.

Silence.

Sam grimaced at Tizzy and tried to catch her eye. She was bright red, lip quivering, hands shaking. Sam’s own knees felt a bit wobbly. He turned and gave a wave to the room. Everyone was back in their cubicles – all eyes on their computer screens.

‘Right, then,’ he said, mainly to himself. ‘Sales figures.’

The lunchtime talk in the pub was all about Richard and his temper. Sam and Tizzy sat on their own in a quiet corner. Several people came over to speak their mind. ‘The blinding cheek of it,’ said Tizzy, blowing her nose, ‘showing us up like that. I’ve a good mind to complain. He gets away with it time after time.’

‘No point,’ said Sam, quietly, hands clasped round his glass. ‘No point letting it get to you. No point complaining. Just got to take it.’

‘Hate this place,’ said Tizzy. ‘I’m going to look for something else after Christmas. Had it up to here with him.’ Her head was in her hands.

‘Really?’ said Sam. ‘I’d miss you. Best thing about coming to work.’

‘Really?’ said Tizzy, eyes brightening just a bit.

‘Yeah,’ said Sam, smiling. ‘Mates. Got your outfit sorted for the party?’

The office do was four days away. ‘Surprise,’ she said, smiling through the tears. ‘Wait and see!’

*********

Sam was just coming through the front door when the phone rang.

‘Anything?’ asked Alice with her eyebrows as he picked it up.

Sam shook his head. ‘Hello? Nick. Who do you want? Meggsie. Naughty Nick.’

‘Don’t call him that,’ called Megs. ‘Not in front of Alice.’

‘He is though,’ said Sam, very loudly, as he handed over the receiver.

Sam put the kettle on and got out one of his infinite supply of pot noodles. Pot noodles were Sam’s answer to a warm nutritious meal. Alice turned up her nose and hovered at the door eavesdropping on the conversation.

‘Nick, I’m sorry, I just don’t think that’s going to work. You can’t just drop this on us at short notice. Yes, I know she’s your daughter as well and it’s Christmas but Alice needs stability just now.’

Alice looked back at Sam. ‘What are they on about?’

‘You by the sound of it,’ said Sam, as Megs slammed down the phone and stormed into the kitchen.

‘Your father thinks he can just announce he’s taking you on holiday for Christmas without any consultation, any planning, just like that. I ask you.’

‘Where to?’ said Sam, tactlessly.

Megs gave him one of her looks. ‘Never mind where to. It’s the principle.’

Alice stamped her foot. ‘Just talk about me as if I’m not here, why don’t you?’ (to Sam). Then, to Megs, coldly: ‘Where to?’

The doorbell rang and Sam’s phone signalled a text message.

‘Talk about it later,’ Megs called over her shoulder. ‘This will be Josie coming to do my hair and help me decide what to wear tomorrow, for the big night out. Sam, you’ll have to entertain yourself.’

Sam gave Josie a hug and then followed Alice into the front room.

‘New day, new guide,’ Alice whispered. The new door was visible in the left-hand quadrant, made of tiny logs placed side by side. ‘Come on, they’ll be ages on all that stuff. She’s really nervous. Code.’

‘Funny,’ said Sam. ‘One, one, colon, one.’ Alice punched in the numbers and tensed herself for smoke.

Nothing happened.

The door on the calendar remained closed.

‘Check the numbers,’ said Alice. Sam fished for his phone. ‘One, one, colon, one,’ he said. Alice tried to punch them in again, but the buttons remained in place.

The doorbell rang. Bother.

‘Sam, can you get that?’ Josie called. ‘Megs is in the sink.’

Sam looked puzzled. ‘Hair washing,’ said Alice, eyes raised to the ceiling.

‘’Kay.’ Sam and Alice ignored the doorbell and waited by the calendar.

It rang again, three times – sustained.

Josie stamped down the corridor. ‘You deaf?’

‘Delivery for Mr Brown,’ said a very deep voice.

Alice pulled Sam out into the corridor. There in the open doorway was one of the biggest men she had ever seen.

‘It’s for you, Sam,’ called Josie over her shoulder, then turned round to find Sam was just behind her. ‘I need to see to Megs.’

‘What is it?’ said Sam. ‘I’m rather busy at the moment.’

‘I know,’ said the man, and winked.

Sam looked annoyed and puzzled at the same time. ‘Another time, then,’ he said, closing the door. Alice stopped him just in time.

‘Sam. Stop. Don’t you understand? It’s got something to do with the calendar, hasn’t it?’ she said to the man.

The man nodded and his face lit up with a great smile. ‘There is a parcel here for you.’ He pointed to something very large and wrapped in brown paper.

‘Sorry!’ said Sam. ‘Better come in then. Front room, just to the right. We were expecting something else.’

He and Alice stood back as the man came in through the front door carrying his large rectangular package. He led them into the front room and stood in front of the calendar.

‘Who are you?’ said Alice. Now the man was in the room he seemed even bigger. He had to stoop slightly to come through the doorway and the top of his head almost reached the ceiling. Sam’s head came up to his shoulders. The stranger threw back the hood of his coat and Alice saw that his hair was so long it came down to his shoulders and went down his back in the most enormous ponytail. His beard was big and bushy and his skin was burned dark by the sun. Fire danced in his black eyes.

‘Good to meet you both at last,’ their guest said, still smiling. His voice was so deep and low that when he spoke everything seemed to shake.

‘Are you the new guide?’ said Alice. The man nodded slowly. ‘Fantastic. Are you Father Christmas?’

He shook his head. ‘Call me JB. But Nicholas sends his love. And I have brought a present.’

‘Sorry about the – er – mix up,’ said Sam with a nervous cough. ‘Bit rude.’

JB smiled again and looked at Sam with a raised eyebrow and a question in his eyes. ‘Here’s the parcel,’ he said in his deep voice.

Sam took one end of the package and Alice the other. It was about the size of a table top, wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string. There were three labels. Alice read them as Sam untied the knots. ‘Fragile. Handle with Care,’ said the first. ‘To Alice Carroll and Sam Brown,’ said the second, ‘Express Delivery.’ And the third read, ‘In case of difficulty call 266 433 555. Mr Gabriel.’

‘Sam – it’s from the same place as the calendar. Look.’

Carefully, they peeled off the three layers of brown paper. Inside was a beautiful, full-length mirror in a carved wooden frame. Alice was right. It matched the calendar exactly in proportions and in the carvings around the edge. ‘It’s beautiful, Sam,’ she said.

‘We need to hang it up,’ said Sam, looking at three leather loops at the top.

‘Over here,’ said Alice, pointing to the alcove opposite the door to the room. ‘Let me move these things.’

Carefully she cleared some space. ‘Let me hang it,’ said JB. ‘I’ve done this before.’

From the vast pockets of his coat came a hammer and three large iron nails. Sam and Alice held the large mirror at the right height. JB drove in the nails with six blows. Together they stepped back to admire the result, with Sam and Alice on either side of JB.

Alice looked in the mirror expecting to see her own reflection along with Sam and their strange visitor. Instead, the surface of the mirror was dull and misty. It must have steamed up because the room was warm.

‘Shall I get a cloth?’ she asked.

‘No need,’ said JB, taking something else from his great coat. ‘Follow me!’

To Alice’s astonishment the huge man was holding an enormous axe. He took two strides forward, stepped into the glass, over the edge of the mirror as if it were a threshold and disappeared on the other side.

Alice’s jaw dropped. She looked at Sam, who was equally astonished. A second later, JB’s head came back through the misty mirror surface.

‘Come on! What are you waiting for?’

Sam nodded to Alice to go first. It was the strangest feeling. Alice walked up to the mirror, took hold of Sam’s hand, lifted her left foot and put it through. Her leg disappeared up to the knee. It was like climbing through a window frame. There was just a very slight resistance as you passed through the mirror itself – like putting your hand into a thin film of syrup. Her foot touched the soft earth on the other side. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and put in her head and left arm. JB took her hand on the other side and pulled her through. A moment later and Sam had followed.

They were outside in the middle of a forest in the early morning. It was very cold.

‘Take these,’ said JB, producing two brown coats from inside his own. Alice took one. It smelt terrible, as if it had just come from a stable. The rough hairs grazed her neck and legs but once she had it on she was as warm as toast.