4/4 Fictional Place pp. 191-2 Exercise 4

Christmas

The tree is covered in bright lights, garland, bulbs and homemade decorations. The house is filled with people of all ages. There are over thirty people in the tiny house and it is snowing outside. How is there enough oxygen for everyone? Is there enough oxygen for everyone? Ana really wasn’t convinced.

“Auntie, Auntie, Willow is picking on me. She took my new doll and won’t give it back. Help me!” They walk towards the basement door but were stopped before they could start down the steps.

“Hey, Grandma wants you to help set the table” Her cousin tried to hand her the plates.

“I’ll be right back, I have to deal with a kid situation.” She started down.

“Hurry up, Ana! Everyone is hungry!”

Ana made it down the stairs this time and started down the hall.

“Hey,” one of Ana’s aunts stuck her head out of the freezer room, “can you take this up?” She was holding out bags of frozen corn.

“Sure, just a minute.” Ana set the corn on the stairs to grab as she went up.

They finally made it to the play room. “Willow, give your cousin her doll back. You would not like it if she took one of the toys Santa gave you.”

“I wouldn’t care.” Willow was a bit snotty sometimes.

“I’m serious. Give her back the doll. Right now! You don’t want me to get your parents involved in this. And, we haven’t opened gifts here yet. I might take mine back until you learn to ask before you take.”

“FINE! It isn’t a very good toy anyway!” Willow dropped the doll on the ground and started to walk away.

“Hold it, Willow. Pick it up and hand it to her nicely. You know better.”

She grumbled, but followed directions.

Ana patted her niece on the head and started up the stairs, grabbing the corn on the way up. As she reached the kitchen, she passed off the corn to another aunt and started setting the table. Just as she got everything set out…

A head popped through the door. “Ana, we are out of propane for the heater, I need your car to go get more from my house.” Her brother’s car was blocked in.

“Alright, I’ll get the keys.” She made her way to the bedroom and just as she found the keys, one of the babies woke up and started screaming. She picked up the infant and carried him out with her, tossing the keys as she tried to stop the screaming. Someone handed her a diaper bag. There was nowhere to change the diaper in here. 

The only good thing about carrying a screaming, smelly kid was no one stopped to ask you for anything. She made her way upstairs, the forbidden area to most. But she knew Grandma would understand. She set the baby on the bed and began to change him. After she was done Ana sat in the old rocking chair and sang the little one to sleep, happy to finally escape the craziness for a bit.