The Undead That Saved Christmas Vol. 2 Read Online Free PDF Page A

profound than Timmy could possibly understand.
    And I also realized there was something I could do for this family after all.

    9

    When Timmy turned and discovered me standing there, free of the chain that bound me and holding my sack over my shoulder, he went through the same range of emotions he’d shown earlier; the same fear and confusion and loss of hope.
    “You tricked me,” he said. “Now I’m going to be in trouble.”
    “I didn’t trick you, Timmy, and you did the right thing. You gave me my sack back. When you’re older you’ll understand exactly what that means to a man, even Santa Claus.”
    “So you’re just going to leave us here?”
    His query was so plaintiff and full of defeat, I immediately dropped my sack and pulled him into a tight hug, “I’m not leaving you, buddy, but there’s a whole world of people out there who need hope just as much as you do.”
    “I screwed up. I gave you back your sack and my parents are gonna be pissed at me.”
    “Timmy, your parents got a little bit confused, but I got a little bit confused too. Thanks to you, you’ve reminded me what Christmas is really about, and soon enough, your parents will thank you too.”
    For a moment I seemed to have spoken beyond his realm of understanding, but with the indefatigable goodwill of children, something approaching hope suddenly returned to his eyes.
    “You can fix it?” he asked.
    “I can’t fix it, but I can make it better.”
    “What about my sister?”
    “I can’t fix that, either. But there’s something I can do that’s better than keeping her chained in this basement.”
    “What about my parents?”
    “I can’t give them exactly what they want, but I think I’ve got a solution we can all live with.”
    “What about the rest of the world?”
    “Kid, you know the answer to that one, you should run for president someday.”

    10

    Now, on the subject of magic, and what I can or can’t do, the one thing that never changes is the unassailable power I have on Christmas night to grant people their wishes, and the almost unlimited magic I have at my disposal the realize that mission.
    It was not within my power to give them their daughter back, but there was something I could do that might assuage their grief. While I was powerless to bring her back from the dead, I knew a way I could allow her to continue to live.
    To this point, I addressed them with a simple proposal, one they were reluctant, but ultimately pleased to accept. “So we’re agreed, then?” I asked, already knowing their likely response.
    “She’ll be taken care of?” Susan asked, showing a mother’s concern for her child.
    “You have my personal guarantee.”
    “What about what’s happening out there?!” Bob asked, perhaps still clinging to the notion I held some power I didn’t.
    “I already told you, Bob. There’s nothing I can do about that. All I can do is grant you this wish… you won’t have to keep your daughter chained in your basement, and send your son down to feed her random pieces of meat like she’s livestock.”
    “What about Timmy?” Susan asked, placing a maternal hand on her son’s head. “He have to go with you, too?”
    “Susan, part of this plan is based on Tim staying here with you, because frankly, I think he has more to teach you than you do him.”
    This gave them pause, and there was maybe even a moment’s indignation, but then they seemed to quickly understand their reaction only proved my point.
    “We never meant any harm,” Susan said, like it was an apology.
    “Yes, ma’am, I understand. After a lifetime compiling naughty and nice lists, I understand that sometimes there’s a gray area. But, I’m pretty sure you understand kidnapping me and keeping your undead daughter chained in the basement isn’t right.”
    Bob and Susan looked at each other, and you could see the walls of intransigence crumble. It’s a hard thing to let go of your children, and that’s what they were doing,