A Christmas Tale!

[ Reply ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Kent Allard from dial41.insolwwb.net on December 17, 2000 at 12:59:44:

I at first sent this to the Temple of Tales, now here. ENJOY! Oh and there was one part I didn't catch till after I sent the tale in, it went something like: The Hunters were shooting as many Peasants as they thought their families could eat. Luckily Roy caught this and sparred me the embarresment, thanks Roy! :)

Dreams sometimes ARE true

By Kent Allard.

1906.

As the Tardy Bell was being blasted from the halls, young Henry Jones Jr. stumbled into Mr. Cravens American History class. He was carrying three books. Science, Algebra, and of course American History.

Henry was making his way to the back of the room to his usual spot, when one of the husky, large football player kids jutted his all to large foot into the aisle. Henry took a twist and landed face first onto the dirty tiled floor, his pride wounded!

Quickly he pulled his books back into his arms and snatched for his pencil case but before his hands touched the wood of the case, it was grabbed into one of the football players large hands.

"They are soo ignorant!"

Henry thought as he quickly grabbed the case back and hurried off into his seat. Once he was properly settled at his own desk, he stole a private glance at Lauren, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, the lost gorgeous woman he had ever actually set eyes upon.

Lauren Havermand. Oh how his heart melted at the sound of her voice. But unfortunately she didn't seem to know he existed. She was a "snob" as everyone called her!

Henry saw her as pure beauty, from her short black hair, to her soft creamy skin. But as soon as he got his peek of her, he snatched his eyes back, afraid if he looked for two long someone would see him and know of his "secret crush".

About five minutes after the bell had rung, in walked Kent Allard, the Band instructor, he walked to the back of the room, and handed Henry his Sheet Music. 'Beginning Practical Studies for the Saxophone'.

"Henry. You left this here." Then with a smile, Kent walked out of the room and closed the door.

"Oooh teachers pet!" The students called out, frowning at Henry. Then quickly they jerked their heads forward and became completely silent. The door creaked open, and Mr. Cravens lumbered in, a small fleck of salad hung from his lip. He didn't say a word, quickly sat down at his desk, took a key from his top drawer and opened the cabinet next to the typewriter. He produced today's history test, "The First Settlers of America", fairly easy, mostly stuff they had learned throughout the course of their studies.

He handed five copies to each person at the front row to all five rows. The desks were lined neatly and in a perfect queue. The only sounds emitted from the large room were those of shuffling papers.

Bedecking the walls were copies of the Constitution, a few globes, a large map of the United States, and a small poster of the presidents.

Henry liked this room as it wasn't cluttered with silly posters with "WOW Whatta Great School" slapped across them, and poorly drawn images upon them. Sitting on shelves were a few books, a dictionary, encyclopedia, and a small picture of Mr. Cravens, his son, now deceased wife, and dog named spotrick (they never decided between Spot, or Patrick, so his son thought of Spotrick).

A small lamp was sitting atop one of the small worktables Mr. Cravens had, and a small tin can had been filled with number 2 pencils. On top of the teachers desk was, a small wooden plaque, engraved, obviously by a small child, MR CRAVENS. Set aside of the desk were jumbled up papers, forms, old tests, and past homeworks. On top of the old homework sat an old, large coffee stain, evidence the teacher had been up late that night grading papers.

On the old rusted typewriter, was a half-written test - probably next week's!

Indiana sat with pencil in hand, looking down at his paper; he took a glance at his old watch, barely ticking, reading two thirty.

Almost time to go. He had better hurry, he thought, then he remembered tomorrow was the start of the Christmas vacation. He had no reason to hurry home to his father. No reason at all. Nothing to look forward to!

His mother had passed away several years before, leaving him alone with his father and his dog, Indiana.

Over the years his father had undergone some kind of religious experience, and was now at home in his study, quietly leafing through the bible and particularly, pages about the holy grail.

About five seconds after Henry had checked the last question of History test, Mr Cravens called,

"All right pass them forward!"

They all passed the tests forward, Mr. Cravens gathered them and returned to his desk and began quietly grading the papers. His thick, large red pen checked over the tests, 50%, 85%, 100% (Which was most likely Henry's), 71%, 9% (most likely Richard Beuford's, the class dunce.).

The bell rang and Mr. Cravens closed his grading book and stuffed the tests into the file cabinet. They would have to wait till January to be graded completely. The class, still sitting in their chairs were very quiet, although jittery knowing that as soon as they exit the door they were free and the Christmas vacation would start!

Getting up from his chair, Craven barked

"You may go."

He straightened the buckle on his belt and waddled out the door. After the teacher left, the noise increased as the students ran out. Teachers would jump out of the students away, for fear of being knocked to the ground by the 'running of the bulls'!

Henry however was still at his desk, slowly gathering his books, and then slouching out of the front double-doors of the school. The snow had fallen hard last night; the beautiful white blanket, the only evidence of life, except for the trees was where small tracks were left by humans and animals. The schoolyard still looked undisturbed except for the sidewalk, which by now, the snow was black and brown from the dirty shoes the students wore.

The Christmas decorations had now started coming out, the houses were lined with clever sayings. "Merry Christmas: To one and all!", "We wish you a merry Christmas!" and several others lit up the lawns and houses. On one old carpenters house was a comical scene of Santa Claus getting stuck in a chimney with his feet sticking out, the presents falling across the top of the roof.

Henry was walking on the sidewalk toward his home, looking over the cute decorations, the snowmen, the Christmas wreaths hanging from doors. He was just rounding a corner on Smith and West when awaiting Henry, was Richard Beuford, his switchblade drawn.

Henry stepped out, his hands empty. Richy (as his "friends" were MADE to call him, - he hated the name Richard), was a veritable football, not especially bright, and very mean. He had been known to cut fingernails off kids who made fun of his torn blue jean jacket.

Richy had grown up a farm boy, his father, a completely crazy old man, would often beat him, if he did something wrong (which he usually did), if he got in trouble (which he always did), or the old man may beat him because he felt like it. This caused Richy's heart to grow cold, and caused him also to live out on the streets, avoiding his father, although some cold nights he would walk through the door and his father would as usual, ignore him. Then moments later haul off and slug the bad boy!

"Well, well, well, who do WE have here" Richy said.

His 'goons' behind began to snicker,

"silence. Hmm looks to me like the little Jones boy."

Henry tried to grin and also began to give his own excuse for a laugh.

Imitating Henry's father, Richard called,

"Junior, come here!"

"Buzz off Richard," Henry said, then regretted it after the words rolled off his tongue and he realized he couldn't take them back. Not now!..........

"Alright hurry now, we have many a work ta'do. Bes' to be getting ye to work. Hurry now, quickly Frederick; load up that sack of toys there. Put it into the sleigh. Were having to do a rush job. Elventine? Elventine? Oh good daaarlinck I need you to go warm me up a good ol'e cup of hot Cocoa"

A large, husky man in a red jumpsuit said.

"Already on its way Mr. Clause" as he smiled up at the big jolly looking man.

"All right deary, thank you very much. And call me Santa please" Santa Clause said, taking the hot cup of cocoa from the elf who was standing on a ladder to reach the tall man, holding out a silver tray.

"Now then, bes' be helpin Mrs. Clause bake the cookies and milk. We'll need them to celebrate this years success." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Now then Lawrence."

He waited for the small elf to come to him,

"I need you to finish loading up the sleigh, I'll go around to the reindeer and teach them the new flight pattern additions." Santa said. Santa Clause took a turn, grabbed his long red coat and walked into the blinding snow. He quickly walked to the shed where he kept the Reindeer. Santa took a turn.

*BAM*

A large green slimy fist struck his temple, knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. Quickly the slimy green hands grabbed him and stuffed him into a large (very large) black bag, barely holding his size and hauled him out the door.

*About 10 minutes later*

"Santa?" Lawrence said, stepping into the opened door. The Raindeer were howling into the night air.

"Santa, yoo hoo, where are you?"

"I can't find him anywhere?" Lawrence said as he returned to the house.

"Oh my dear, dear, dear, dear! I wonder what has happened to him." Mrs. Clause said, "I wonder what could have happened?"

"I don't know but we'll keep a watch out, you can be sure!" Beverly, one of the helpers said, standing next to Lawrence. :

"Oooh, big mistake!" Richy said. He pulled the sleeve of his jacket up, exposing his upper arm, then with his switchblade, he cut deep into his arm, a long jagged line. Henry gulped.

"kiss your butt guhbye" Richy said.

He ran toward Henry with knife in hand. His goons quickly grabbed his arms.

"Well lookey heyuh," Richy pulled a small snowglobe from Henry's school satchel, it showed a diagram of Santa on his sleigh,

"Ooh, a baby toy!" Richy took the globe and threw it into the ground. The small globe shattered into a million small pieces.

"NOOOOOOOO, YOU JERK, MY MOTHER GOT THAT FOR MY CHRISTMAS YEARS AGO!!!" Henry screamed. He then began to let out a small sob.

"Oooh baby gonna cry, baby boy gonna cry." Richy said shouting into his face, and then Henry really began letting out the tears. Richy pulled Henry's shirt up, pointed the sharp blade at his belly. Henry, acting quickly, kicked his feet in the air, knocked the Richy's goon's arms off his shoulders, and ran, FAST!.

He ran till he got to his block, stopped, then looked behind him. There they were. Richy and his Goons. Then, picking up his pace he ran all the way up his gravel driveway, and into the living room. Outside he heard Richy screaming,

"I'll get you baby boy"

"Ca mere Indiana," Henry said patting his legs, as his dog ran up and jumped on his stomach,

"Atta boy. Oosa good dog. Es ooh is!" He laughed out loud, his dog licking His face in sheer joy. "Junior!"

Henry snapped to attention and was on the floor looking his father in the eyes.

"Yessir?"

"I need you to shovel the walk before you continue."

Henry did, and about three hours later was sitting with his father, listening to his stories once again. His father had a cup of coffee, Henry Junior had a milkshake.

"Junior I must tell you," Henry Jones said, sitting in his old recliner.

"Yes dad?" Henry Junior said.

"I think I better tell you, Santa Clause is not real, it's a myth." Jones senior said with a sigh.....

"What?" : "But what about the children?" Santa Clause said. All the ugly, slimy, monster said was, or hissed,

"BWEEEEAHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHE!!!"

1938 One week before Christmas

"All right everyone, remember we WILL have a test as soon as Christmas break has let out." Indiana said, above the quiet chitter chatter of the class. One young girl spoke out,

"What, but it's Christmas have a HEART" she said.

This was Indy's least favorite holiday, everything was wrong. In fact, he thought It's greedy, crowded, and overhyped.

"It brings out the worst kind of sanctimonious behavior in everyone that participates in it. People try to make up for a year's worth of indifference with one good deed, and then they shove it back in your face like a politician who needs a vote."

"Oh I'm so good and holy! Look at all the good things I did this Christmas."

"All the songs are bad. It wastes electricity!. All the people who don't drive very well go out shopping at the same time and wind up right in front of you when you're in a hurry. It alienates Jews and Muslims."

"Christmas is not a religious holiday at all. Christmas is not in the bible. What IS in the bible is what's popularly known as "The Christmas Story"; the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. But that's it. It never says to go out and celebrate his birth by putting up trees and lights and sending each other gifts. In fact, there a verse in Deuteronomy that says NOT to put up a tree like the pagans do. Further, all through the Bible it gives strict instructions to NOT adopt any pagan holidays or customs at all. So I don't. And for the record neither did Jesus. Jesus never put up a tree and exchanged gifts, or left cookies out for Santa."

"Quick. - How many wise men were there? Who knows? The bible never says how many there were. It say's they were just "wise men."

"Quick. - When was Jesus born? Well, we know for sure it WASN'T on December 25th. That's a pagan holiday. It was popular in ancient roman days when Constantine of Rome wanted to reunite the city, and declared that from then on, they were all Christmas. Jesus was born all right, but he wasn't born on December 25th. I know because it says so in the Bible. He was born while the "shepherds watched their flock by night," which was probably no later than October. Shepherds have their flocks penned up during cold months like December. We don't know when he was born really. So, I don't care. The test is set, that is that!" Indiana spoke sternly, then dismissed the class.

Walking into his office, Indiana picked up the day's mail. One packet was addressed from the North Pole.

Slowly opening it he pulled out the letter. It read:

'Dear Professor Jones, We have recently found that you have come upon the Christmas Idol. It is a small metal object, in the shape of a star. We would request for you to come immediately to our headquarters. It won't take long, bring NO ONE! If you come, we can personally finance your college for the next ten years. This matter is very urgent. You will know how to find us, - just follow what is left of your spirit!!! Anna Closs'

He folded the letter and tapped his head with it. Weighing out the options. He decided he would take the opportunity. He picked up his phone. He would dial his Dad, and tell him he couldn't make it for Christmas (not that he would have any part of it anyway!)

"Yes operator, get me Henry Jones Senior please. Thank you! . Dad? Hello, good yes I won't be able to make it to Christmas this year. Yes I know, but Marcus will be there, you and him can visit. No I. I just have something that needs to be taken care of. Yeah I suppose it may be another 'adventure', yeah dad we'll talk later!"

He hung up and about as soon as he did the phone began ringing,

"Hello. dad? No dad you can't come. yes I'm sure!" He hung up again, this time without saying goodbye. Now it was time to figure out what to do. He supposed he should go to the airport, maybe that would give him some clue.

He grabbed the small little star and headed toward the door. :

"I'm, going with him, even if I have to sneak aboard, I'm not losing my son again." Henry said to no one person in particular. Henry grabbed his leather jacket that his son had bought him for his birthday after celebrating their first adventure together. It was a jacket just like his sons. He decided to first go to Barnette College, from there he would follow his son to where ever he was going!

As he was driving down the road, ready to embark on another of his son's adventures, he saw a hunter, and he thought, that the fields of December are often alive with gunshots; the locals are shooting as many pheasants as they think their families will eat.

He thought of how wonderful it was when he and Junior spent time together. Then his thoughts somehow broke apart. :

"Hello, yes I would like one ticket to the North Pole please, could you help me?" Indiana said to the clerk at the front.

"Yes sir." After a brief pause the clerk handed him his ticket,

"There you go sir. Have a pleasurable flight" she said and smiled!

"Thank you," he took the ticket, placing it inside his blue dress shirt breast pocket. His new leather jacket was slung over his shoulder, his fedora tipped over his hairline, a smile across his face. In the pocket of his coat was the small medallion, which would soon be going to its rightful owner.

Then suddenly without warning, as the gate just appeared into sight, a man, a wild man, ran up to him, screaming gibberish, then reaching into Indy's jacket pocket the wild man grabbed the medallion and ran.

Indy, for fear of losing the piece, chased after him. He wasn't hard to spot. He was like a sore thumb, dressed in rags.

The man began to run outside, so taking a flying leap, Indiana caught him by the neck and threw him to the floor, grabbed the medallion and ran toward the departure gate, which would be closed, in little more than ten minutes.

Then the wild man appeared again and wrestled him to the ground. Indy quickly knocked him off and threw him to the sidewall and barked into the mans face,

"What the hell are you doing." His hat was now disheveled on his head. Indy grabbed his jacket, put the medallion back, and stared at the man.

"You could have made it easy!" the man said

"What?" Indy grumbled.

"Now he's gonna kill me because I failed and then he's gonna kill you. Well It. It's gonna kill you. and me." He said looking down at his hand's.

"What are you talking about?" Indiana asked.

"It doesn't want the medallion to go back. It's dangerous for him. I was sent to destroy the medallion for It."

"Forget it." Indiana grumbled and walked off.

"You can't forget It! It won't let you! Not now!" The wild man said. Indiana ignored this and began to walk toward the gate again. He stole a glance over his shoulder; the wild man was gone. He would find out in two weeks the man had been strangled to death by an unknown attacker.

No finger prints, no scars, no evidence of a struggle, in fact no prints or markings on the rest of the body at all.

He arrived at the gate, walked to the plane, took his seat, and began reading a magazine. :

"Hey Henry, what are you doing at this old place?" Marcus asked.

"It's a little late. Especially for us old timers" Marcus said with a smile.

"Of course I'm only here to finish up some work. I'm dead tired."

"Well Marcus, I would like to know where my son has gone? Could you help? I've been waiting for another adventure."

"ANOTHER adventure. Whoo, I'm barely making it from the last one" Marcus gave a laugh, and pretended to flex his muscle.

"But I'll make it eh' ?" he laughed again. "But I do know where Indiana is. I believe I saw a note on his desk, I think he's going to the North Pole, but from there I'm no help."

"Marcus, would you like to go? I believe I'm going to surprise Junior down there, and I could use some company on the long trip."

"Hmm," he tapped his chin lightly, considering his options, "Why the hell not, I need to get out and go places anyway. Sure I'll go. Like old times eh buddy?" He nudged Henry with his elbow, teasing each other like old best friends, after a long school day.

Once Henry and Marcus arrived at the airport, they quickly got two tickets, boarded the same plane, and hid in the back, not wanting Indiana to be able to see them.

The plane trip took longer than they expected, but they arrived, bored from having to be quiet, and stiff from having to sit in those chairs the whole time, but the three made it.

Indiana had read the same magazine three times, getting worse with each read.

Henry and Marcus had exhausted every possible subject of discussion thinkable. :

Quickly getting off the plane, Indiana saw a small man, dressed in a neat clean suit holding the sign.

"INDIANA: FOLLOW ME!"

So Indiana did. Out into the street and into the little man's car. :

Quickly Henry and Marcus followed, hailing a cab, playing a game of, chase, swerving on and off roads, trying to catch up to Indiana's car. Then suddenly, Indiana got from his car with the small man, and began walking off into the blizzard. Quickly Henry slowly followed.

Marcus at first protested but gave in and wrapped his coat around him and followed Henry. They followed for about an hour, when suddenly Indiana disappeared.

Henry quickly ran to where the tracks stopped, Marcus behind him. They looked off into every direction. No where, they were no where to be seen. Henry couldn't understand it, one minute he was right behind Indy, then the next he was gone. :

"So, here it is, your prize!" Indiana said holding the star out for the old lady.

"Mind if I ask of you to do another favor?" The elderly woman said.

"Sure go ahead." Indiana said. :

"Here, try that lever Henry." Marcus said.

"Alright nothing else we can do." So he did, and they began to descend down into a world of happiness, and children, and joy. :

"I need you to find a person. My husband. you see my name is Mrs. Claus, my husband is Santa. You see, this medallion will guide you. If you have the spirit, and the heart, you will find him, and stop the evil that has terrorized for so long. But please you must do this. Not for me, or him, but the children of the world. For so long children went without a Santa Clause to deliver gifts. I can't do it.. only Santa knows the route, and he's the only one who can guide the sleigh."

Indiana chuckled,

"I dont...-"

"What if you have the help from two other people? How about then?"

Henry and Marcus said, descending the stairs to where Mrs. Clause and Indiana and the elves were.

"Dad what the?"

"Mrs. Clause we'll be glad to do it!" Henry said.

"What's going on here? Dad? Marcus?" Indiana questioned, looking in all directions.

"Well, now that that's settled would you like some cookies deary?" Mrs. Clause said, looking at Marcus and handing him a nice big bowl of fresh made Chocolate Chip cookies.

"Ooh thank you, my favorite!" Marcus said taking one as she handed him a glass of milk. Marcus passed the bowl around to Henry.

"Oh, sugar cookies, my favorite, I absolutely love sugar cookies." He took two and the glass of milk Mrs. Claus handed him, Henry then passed the bowl on to Indiana, and suddenly the cookies turned into chocolate brownie cookies.

"Oh my god, I haven't had these in years" Indiana said, "These are absolutely delicious." He then took a glass of chocolate milk from Mrs. Clause,

"Oh, how did you know I loved these." Indiana asked. Mrs. Claus giggled and said,

"Well, I best leave you to your business, call if you need me," she then left the room.

"Do any of you two know what were supposed to do?" Indiana asked.

"Not a clue, but I suspect we should follow our hearts." Henry said.

"Oh yeah, and why exactly are you too here?" Indiana asked again. Henry flushed.

"I wanted one more adventure. so did Marcus, we had to come." Henry said with glee. :

Bundling up into a sweatshirt, mittens, earmuffs, a scarf, a long thick padded jacket, thick large boots, and underneath, Indiana's everyday field gear. The same thing with Henry. Marcus had decided to stay behind.

"Well, let's get this over with" Indiana said. They buttoned up and ascended the stairs up the elevator and out into the cold.

"More cookies dear?" Mrs. Clause said to Marcus who was sitting near the fire admiring the whole scene.

"Just one more please!" Marcus said.

"I'll be right back with a glass of milk." :

The two adventurers, Henry and Indiana, began following a long trail, not of path, but of heart. The blizzard raged on harder and harder. They could not see anything, their only means of guidance was their will, their will to win, the will to survive, and for some strange reason, somehow they knew they were heading in the right direction. They finally came to a stop.

There in front of them was a small wooden building. The entrance was not locked. In fact the door was cracked open a tiny bit, as if they were expected.

Slowly Indiana made his way in first.

"Eww, what is that horrible stench." Henry said waving his hands in front of his nose.

"It smells like someone died down here." Then a cackling voice shot throughout the building,

"Wrong-o, at least right now. I've been expecting you." Then emerging from the shadows was a horribly ugly beast, small beady yellow eyes, red - orange fangs, and a body covered by slimy green goo. Then the beast began to mutate, taking on a near human form, it's body still out of shape, and disfigured, still the fangs were in It's mouth, not a trace of hair on it's smooth oily body now!

"Well, you must die, but first hand over the medallion."

"No!" Indiana shot out. Quickly shedding down to his field clothes. He pulled out his gun, fired twice dead center in the creatures forehead.

It gave a mocking laugh,

"You think bullets can hurt ME?" It said.

"Shit, Dad, you run, go get Santa."

Quickly Henry was off running toward the door, making it through and into the room to find Santa. This made the thing mad. Hissing, the creature shot it's arms forward, jolts of energy shooting through Indiana's body.

Stunned, he threw the medallion to the floor next to the exit. Gaining his senses back he lunged onto the creature forcing him down. But Indiana wasn't strong enough to hold him much longer.

Suddenly, Marcus broke through the door.

"Indy, what is going on?"

"Grab the damn medallion." Indiana said. Marcus grabbed it, and held it in front of him.

It shot bolts of energy into the creature. Indiana quickly got up, and, soon Henry was in the room, behind him was Santa Claus.

They stood there, as the monster quickly grew weaker in size then died. Then Marcus helped Santa to his feet.

"I would like to thank you boys." Santa said. A twinkle in his eye.

"It was nothing." Indiana said smiling,

"Glad to do it!" Marcus led Santa out of the room and back to where Mrs. Clause and the Elves were waiting. Indiana and Henry stayed a while longer, just outside in the snow.

"Merry Christmas Junior it was fun." Henry said.

"Dad, don't call me." then Indiana reached his arms out and embraced his father, hugging him tightly,

"I love you dad."

"I love you too son."

1906

"Hey? Oh hey Henry?" Lauren Havermand said.

"So. are you doing anything?" Henry said.

"Reading? Well, would you like to go get a milkshake this Saturday?"

"Sure that sounds sweet" she smiled at him. :

"Hey little baby boy, Santa ain't real don't you know that?" Richy Beuford said. "Shut up Richard" Henry said.

"What did you call me?" Richy said, with his four friends behind him. Richy pulled out his switchblade. Henry, moving quickly, kicked the blade from Richards's hand, then moving even faster, kicked Richard in the ribs knocking him to the cold ground. Then one of Richards friends came up from behind him.

Moving swiftly, Henry took his arm, twisted it, and then punched him hard in the jaw. Then with stunning accuracy, turned around and punched another in the ribs, to the jaw, eyes, and nose. Quickly, smoothly, he kicked one boy hard in the groin. Then when the last boy began to charge, Indy stood his ground, knocked the boy to the ground and began punching him in the nose.

Richard and his goons were rolling on the ground moaning, all with their own bloody spots. Then Richard began to get up.

Henry junior took him by the collars of his shirt and yelled,

"From now on, YOU CALL ME INDIANA!"




Follow Ups:



Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:  


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]