Free Collection of Stories for Demented Children by John H. Carroll

like they move around.”
    Araedae couldn’t resist, she went over and
joined her friend to stare at it in amazement.
    “What do you think you’re doing?!” a booming
voice asked. The fairies turned to see Santa in the doorway. His
shirt was rumpled and his hair was matted with sweat, but he was
standing straight and looked angry.
    “Nice job of watching the door,” Zannae said
with her arms spread wide while glaring at her two partners in
crime.
    “We were looking at the pretty globe,
Santa,” Sydae said quickly, flying up to the usually jolly man.
“You have a very nice office.” She gestured behind her back
for Zannae to continue.
    Araedae saw what she was up to and flew up
as well. “Oh yes. It’s a very nice office and the globe is very pretty. We were just trying to see if we could find our
home.”
    Mrs. Claus came in behind her husband and
looked at the fairies with narrowed eyes. “So you’re the ones who
have been putting prune juice in my husband’s hot chocolate. Sugar
plum fairies are attacking the elves too. What games are you
playing?”
    “Reindeer games,” Araedae said quickly.
    “Oh yes. Those are the best kind,” Sydae
agreed.
    “You picked the wrong evening to irritate
me,” Mrs. Claus said in angry tones. “Broom!” She held out her hand
and a broom suddenly flew in from the other room. It was an old
straw witch’s broom with green and red bows on it. She grabbed it
by the handle and took a fierce swing at the fairies.
    Araedae ducked out of the way just in time,
but the broom grazed Sydae and sent her crashing into the nearest
wall where she crashed with a thud and fell to the floor.
    “Sydae! No!” Araedae shot a sugar cube from
her wand directly between Mrs. Claus’s eyes. Then she flew down and
took her unconscious friend into her lap. “Sydae! Don’t be hurt! I
need you!”
    Mrs. Claus rubbed the bridge of her nose,
and started swinging her broom in a circle like she was a baseball
player going to bat. “I can’t believe you just hit me with a sugar
cube. I’m going to squish you like a bug.”
    “Enough!” Santa yelled. “Will someone please
explain to me what’s going on?” He put an arm out to prevent his
wife from hitting the fairies. She turned her angry gaze on him.
“Peace, dear. I would like to know what’s happening.”
    “I can explain, Santa,” Zannae said from the
keyboard. “I’ve pulled up the file that proves that the sugar plum
fairies have been bound to do the bidding of the elves.” She
pointed at the screen.
    “ What? ” both of the Clauses said in
surprise. They bent over the computer and peered at the monitor
together.
    Zannae explained. “The picture on the left
is the contract the elves had us sugar plum fairies sign. The
picture on the right is the binding spell that the elves put into
the contract so that we can never change the terms. They can change
it all they want, but we can’t and it’s a terrible contract!”
    “That’s right,” the irritating voice of
Jarlen the elf came from the doorway. Everyone turned as he walked
into the office. “You’re just a bunch of fairies, so you have to do
what we tell you.” He had a bright red spot between the eyes where
the sugar cubes had hit him. It was a little known fact that sugar
plum fairies were excellent shots.
    “Here now, you go too far!” Santa protested.
“You elves were right to stand up for yourselves when working
conditions were bad, but the Elf’s Union has become corrupt and
greedy.”
    Jarlen sneered. “Whatever, Santa. Isn’t it
about time you got in your sleigh and got going on your
deliveries?”
    Sydae had woken up by that point and Araedae
helped her stand on her feet. Turning to Santa, Araedae asked, “Did
you know about the enchantment on the contract, Santa?”
    He looked down at the fairies and shook his
head sadly. “No, pretty little fairy. I did not know. I have that
computer, but only use it to play solitaire. Jarlen keeps track of
all the