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“Come on, Winky,” urged Pixie. “We have to go right now, or we’ll be too late.”
Winky stubbornly clung to the candy cane post at the North Pole Launch Pad.
Exasperated, Figgy pulled on her arm, tired of trying to cajole her into complying. “If we don’t fix this problem tonight, they will be permanently placed on the Naughty List.”
Winky took a deep breath and slowly let go of the post. “Ok, I’m ready.”
Figgy and Pixie both sighed in relief. The season was not getting off to a good start. If their plan didn’t work tonight, they would be hard pressed to get to all the houses on their B.R.A.T.T. list.
Pulling on a still reluctant Winky, they zipped and zoomed through the stars straight do the Walters’s home. They landed deep in the egress window and peered inside, looking for any traps.
“I don’t see anything,” murmured Figgy.
“Well you wouldn’t would you?” said Winky. “They’re tricky, sneaky little–.”
“Yes, yes,” interrupted Pixie. “We know your feelings on the matter, Winky.”
Carefully, quietly, they snuck through the glass, listening hard for any sound. Once completely inside, they landed gently on the cold floor next to the furnace and sighed in relief.
So far, so good.
“How did you know there wouldn’t be any death traps down here?” asked Winky incredulously.
Figgy smiled at Pixie. “We heard the kids talking while we sat in sticky goo all day. They’re afraid of the basement so we figured it was worth a try.”
“Ok,” said Pixie. “Let’s put this plan into motion.”
“What do you two have in mind?” asked Winky, doubtful that anything would help straighten up the Walters kids.
“Well,” smiled Figgy. “We figured that since they like messes so much—“.
“And torture, and torment and—,” interrupted Winky.
“ANYWAY,” continued Figgy. “Since they like messes so much, we’d give them messes.”
Winky blinked. “A mess? You’re going to give them a mess?”
Figgy and Pixie both nodded.
Winky laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more.
“But,” she hiccuped. “They won’t care! They’ll just keep blaming me and—wait.” Winky then noticed the smiles on Pixie and Figgy’s faces. “What do you mean ‘give them a mess’?”
“Here’s the plan…,” Pixie whispered.
* * *
“But,” sputtered Winky after hearing the plan. “Will that work?”
“Yes,” said Figgy confidently.
Winky raised a brow.
Figgy faltered. “Well, we think so.”
Winky crossed her arms.
“It’s worth a try, right?” said Pixie.
Winky nodded and flew to the kitchen to get started on the baking. The plan was for Winky to clean the kitchen to sparkling and bake the Walters parents their favorite casserole for breakfast while Pixie and Figgy made messes of the kids’ rooms.
Not just your normal, everyday mess…absolute disasters. Clothes out of drawers. Underwear hanging from fans. Books pulled out of the cases. And down the hall to their parent’s room, a trail of underwear and socks with a large pile of dirty clothes right outside their door.
Once finished, they would head back to the North Pole, leaving Winky in a spic and span clean kitchen with a nice breakfast just for the parents and an innocent look on her face. The best part? With Winky cleaning and baking and no sign of Figgy and Pixie, the parents would have no choice but to conclude that the kids, themselves made messes of their rooms.
“All done!” said Pixie as she and Figgy plopped on the counter next to Winky.
“I still don’t see how this is going to work for the entire season,” said Winky. “It’s one night. They’ll just get revenge tomorrow.”
“As to that,” said Figgy. “We left this note in each bedroom.”
Don’t blame the elf for this mess
It’s time now for you to confess
We can still have some fun
Before the season is done
It’s never too late for redress!
“But,” began Winky.
“Relax, Winky,” said Pixie. “This plan will work! And, if it somehow doesn’t, we’ll keep coming back until they stop their shenanigans and just enjoy having a Mischief Maker.”
“We better go, Pixie,” said Figgy. “It’s almost morni—.”
A scream cut the air making the three elves jump and look at the ceiling.
“WAKE UP YOU TWO!”
“And that’s our cue,” said Pixie with a smile. “Good luck, Winky!”
And with a small chuckle, Pixie and Figgy flew back toward the North Pole, hoping their plan would work.
a pinch of homestead 