Steal a falling star
Christmas is a time of joy. Bright lights, decorated trees and wrapping presents. No place celebrates Christmas better than Jenners
Jenners, one of the oldest and most celebrated shopping centers in Dunning. When it comes to Christmas it caters for everyone. Especially the kids. Brightly coloured toys and sweets for the children to take wonder and make dreams for what they want for christmas that year.
For the well behaved kids that would happen. But if you’re Dale, Norrie or Iain that was not the case. Each 3 of these boys snuck into Jenners and would steal the toys and sweets from the shop. It was the perfect crime because the store was busy, filled with people of all ages, shapes and sizes. Nobody would see them steal.
As soon as each of them grabbed what they wanted, when they coast was clear they would run as fast as they could to the fire exit and regroup outside the back of Jenners. They then met up with Alistar.
Alistar was a much more reserved little boy. Not the type to want to get into trouble, but somehow managed to be part of this reckless bunch of thieves.
“Check it out,” said Dale. As he pulls out a large robot toy from his rucksack. “This is the display Cosmotron 2000. Still with the batteries inside.”
“Very cool Dale, but that’s nothing.” said Norrie as he pulls out a games console from the inside of his coat.
“It’s the latest Nintendo. Still with Super Mario Brothers on the inside. That’s my bus ride home sorted!”
“Very nice Norrie, but you ain’t seen nothing yet.” said Iain as he reaches into his 2 front pockets of his jacket and pulls out 2 shiny new phones.
“Not one but two of the latest Iphones to be out. With sim cards and contracts. Can’t wait to show them off to my sisters.”
The boys giggled in gleeful reckless anarchic laughter. “What about you Ali?” asked Norrie.
“Huh? What about me?” asked Alistar.
“Well…What did you swipe from the shop?” asked Norrie rather aggressively.
“Uh I thought I was keeping watch”said Alistar rather nervously. The gang of thieves groan in frustration and annoyance towards Alistar.
“For crying out loud Ali. What kind of rebel are you?” exclaimed Norrie.
“I told you he wasn’t cool enough to hang out with us. I bet he doesn’t even swear” said Dale with an arrogance to his statement.
“Yeah your right. I just thought he could be part of us. Guess he can’t live up to it” said Norrie underwhelmingly
“Come on guys. I can be cool” said Alistar trying to impress the boys.
“No you can’t. You can barely say a bad work about teachers let alone try and do anything like we do” said Iain
In his last ditch attempt to get on the side of the boys, Alistar pleaded to prove his place in the group.
“Please guys I can be cool. I’m still cool” said Alistar. Norrie begins to contemplate an idea for Alistar. He looks into the window of Jenners and notices the giant decorative christmas tree in the middle of the store. It was the main attraction of the festive period.
“Alright, prove it. Meet here tonight as the store closes. Cos we’re gonna sneak in and were going to steal the star on top of the tree”
On top of the massive christmas tree was a gorgeous flashing star. With jewels of red, gold and blue. Green on top of a silver base. Alistar look into the window and stared up at the tree. He swallowed a heavy gulp of panic as he considered his choice to whether or not he wanted to do it.
“I don’t know guys. Can’t I just steal an Ipod or something?” asked Alistar reluctantly.
“Either you get the star or you’re not one of us” exclaimed Norrie. “ Be here at midnight. We’re getting the star.”
Dale, Norrie and Iain disappear out of the back of Jenners to celebrate their steals of the day. Alistar stands looking into the window already dreading how he’s going to talk his way out of getting the star. Hours go by. Then the time became 11:55. 5 minutes to midnight, Alistar walks down the back of jenners with his dad’s wind up torch. The winter made the night pitch black. Even the Christmas lights couldn’t light up a path way for Alistar to walk down.
No Christmas music was heard. Only the distant dripping of a rain pipe and air conditioner buzzing big monsterous sounds. It was as if the night was warning him not to carry on with what this night had in store.
As Alistar makes his way to the back of Jenners, the wind up torch powered down.
“Oh come on” said Alistar frustrated. He winds up the torch to get a light back on. As soon as the torch light comes back, it shines on the faces of Norrie, Dale and Iain. Alistar gasps in fright but quickly covers his mouth so he doesn’t scream and get him and the boys caught.
“What’s wrong Ali? You afraid of the dark?” said Norrie beginning to crack up with laughter.
“I think we scared him. He’s a big wimp.” implied Dale adding to the laughter.
Alistar hurriedly gets his breath back so he can find the words to say anything. “W…W…Why are you wearing black?”
“So we don’t get caught on cameras…Duh! You’re stupider than I thought” said Norrie. “Alright, the town is quiet, store is closed and the star is in plain sight.” said Iain looking into the shop window. “We doing this?”
“Too right!” said Norrie. Each of the boys pull out torches and metal pipes found in the bin outside the shop. They manage to open the fire exit door they escaped from earlier in the day. Dale, Norrie and Iain head in first, eagerly anticipating what their going to get up to.
Alistar gingerly makes his way into the store, looking around in all directions, hoping not to get caught.
“Move it loser” shouted Norrie from the top of the stairs.
As the boys made their way to the top level where the Christmas tree was standing, with only the torches lit up the inside of the store, there lights reflect off the tinsel, Christmas lights and baubles.
“Alright lads. This is it” proclaimed Norrie. “Ali get ready to start climbing”.
Alistar looks up at the top of the ceiling.
“I…I…” Alistar stares nervously.
“Hurry up and get up there” Dale demanded.
“Yeah don’t tell us you’re wimping out before you’ve even started,” said Norrie getting more and more into Alistars head. The pressure mounted more and more, bust as much as Alistar wanted to impress the gang of thieves, he couldn’t bring himself to do it by stealing.
“I’m not doing it” said Alistar once and for all. The gang wasn’t surprised.
“Fair enough” said Norrie. “But you leave us no choice…NOW!” shouted Norrie. As the boys grabbed Alistar and pushed him up against a pillar. Norrie handed Dale a roll of silver tape which they got from the store.
“One way or another, you are putting your hands on that star. Even if it means we have to make sure you’re stuck here while we get it” explained Norrie.
Alistar tried to break free but struggled to get himself loose.
“Come on guys. This isn’t funny anymore” said Alistar.
“We’re not joking Ali. We never were. Alright lads, let’s get the star.” Norrie instructed with confidence.
They boys charged towards the Christmas tree and began to climb the tree from base to branch. Knocking off any fancy decorations, crushing baubles underneath there trainers. Norrie was the first to make to the top of the tree. He pulled the metal pipe from inside his trousers and began hitting large decorative angels off the top of the tree, like a baseball bat.
“Woops!” Norrie said sarcastically as he smashed an angels face.
“Ali. Throw me up super glue would you?” Norrie laughed as he pushed the last decorative angel of the tree.
“Right enough messin about. Time to get what we came for.” Norrie threw the pole down to Alistar’s feet. It landed on the ground with a metal bang and clatter. Norrie reached out for the star with his hand in is patched up fingerless gloves.
“Please Norrie, don’t do this” pleaded Alistar once more.
“Keep your mouth shut. Or i’ll come down there and shut it for you.” Norrie threatened as he continued to reach for the decorative star.
Norrie grabbed the star from the top of the tree. He held it up to Dale and Iain as it was a trophy for victory. As Dale and Iain cheered for their fearless leader. A low rumble made its way under Alistar to under the tree.
“What was that?” asked Dale shocked.
“Nice try Ali. What do you want me to fall and break my neck?” asked Norrie aggressively.
“That wasn’t me” pleaded Alistar.
A more violent and stronger rumble goes through the tree. “What’s happening man?” screamed Iain.
The tree started moving. Branches and twigs of the tree started moving like the legs of slow moving spider. The Christmas lights began to uncoil like a snake and wrapped around Dale. The more he struggled the tighter lights got. The bulbs explode on the face and eyes of Dale.
“IAIN HELP!” screamed Dale in pain.
Iain began to move his way across the tree. Ribbon and tinsel began to latch on to his ankles and hung him upside down. Attached to a branch, it began to bash Iain against a brick wall.
Alistar and Norrie watched in horror. Alistar didn’t notice the pole that was at his feet disappear.
“Alright screw this. I’m outta here.” said Norrie, trying desperately hoping to cling on to the confidence he had before.
The tree top began to grow higher and higher to the point that it was touching the ceiling. Norrie looked down and saw there was no possible way of getting down. Tears began streaming down as he began to shout down to Alistar “ALI HELP ME! PLEASE! I’M AFRAID OF HEIGHTS!.” Norrie screamed as he trembled at the top.
He was then confronted by the angel with a half broken face, wielding the pole that Norrie used to break his face. With one big swoop from the pole, the angel bashed Norrie in the side of his head. He fell from the top of the tree and landed on the ground with a massive thud.
The star he stole fell behind him and landed on his broken body and bounced towards Alistar. The gang of thieves are motionless and quiet. The tree pulled the bodies into the base of the tree and disappeared. A long extended branch of the tree cut Alistar free from the tape and picked up the star at his feet.
The tree returned to its original size and placed the star back where it was. As if it was a hat worn by a magician. Decorations repaired themselves as though Norrie and the boys didn’t even wreck the tree. Alistar stood in shock staring at the tree, before slowly walking backwards in plain sight of the tree unknowing if it will come alive again.
A weekend later, Alistar returned to Jenners with his mother and baby brother being pushed in a pram. Christmas shopping as normal.
“Hold on Alistar” said his mother cheerfully. She went into the pram and got her baby in her arms to look at the tree in the center of the room. The baby’s eyes widened to the bright colours and flashing lights.
“That’s a Christmas tree,” said Alistar’s mum. “And on top of the tree is a magic star.”
Alistar’s attention peaked when he heard that.
“What do you mean magic?” asked Alistar.
“Oh it’s just a daft wee story. The star is supposedly magic. It’s made from an old silver platter that was donated from a magician who died in a fire. Some say that he still lives in the star” Alistar stood still in fright.
“And since he loved this place so much, if anyone tries to steal from here, terrible things happen…That’s how the story goes anyway” said Alistars mum calmly.
She had no idea of what happened the night before. All she was doing was telling a harmless story. But as Alistar glared on in horror of what he had witnessed the night before, he began to piece together in his experience of what happened.
Only one thing is for sure, he never felt more thankful not to be cool.