Exacta
CHAPTER 1
December 23, 2019
“Ho, ho, ho!”
The elves turn as the doors of their toy shop burst open. They watch as Santa brushes the light snow off his shoulders and addresses the crowd. His cheeks are rosy and his beard as full as whipped cream on a warm mug of hot coco.
“HI SANTA!” the elves yell back as their tiny hands continue to hammer away at toys.
The doors shut and Santa walks into the workshop. He walks down the rows of elves towards the back of the shop but takes time to stop and say hello to each one. Suddenly, he feels a tap on his shoulder.
“Santa, the elves need to work, there is only one day left before Christmas,” an elf says as he tugs on Santa’s coat.
“Hanger, that wooden train looks…” Santa stops and turns to look down towards the tugging on his coat. His smile widens as he greets the elf.
“Gabe! Good morning, good morning!” Santa proclaims.
“Good morning Santa,” Gabe says quickly. “Santa, we need to…”
“Alright, alright,” Santa says. “Keep up the good work everyone!”
He waves goodbye to the elves as he follows Gabe through the factory and towards another room. Gabe opens the door and Santa follows.
“Ah, this room never ceases to amaze me,” Santa says as he looks at the glowing wall ahead of him.
Inside the room wall completely filled with television screens. Gabe walks over to a control panel as Santa continues to stare up at the screens. He watches as hundreds and hundreds of children file one by one onto the different Santa’s laps and tell him what they want for Christmas.
“Santa, over here,” Gabe says.
Santa breaks his stare and walks over to the elf.
“Santa’s little helpers all look like they are doing a fine job. Excellent last minute work!” Santa says.
Gabe looks up from the control panel and then up towards Santa.
“Yes, most of them,” Gabe says.
Santa’s smile disappears as his eyes dart around the screens and finally land on one empty chair.
“He’s not there? Again?” Santa asks Gabe.
The elf shakes his head and looks back at the control panel. He puts his hand on a joystick and moves the camera towards the line of children waiting for their Santa at the mall.
“Late again,” Gabe says.
Santa takes a deep breath and looks at Gabe. He reaches past the elf, taps a few numbers on a keypad, and picks up a red phone.
CHAPTER 2
December 23, 2019
Ringgg, ringgg, ringgg!
A 34 year old man stirs in his bed, startled by the ringing. He groggily lifts his arm through the think alcohol filled air as he wipes away the crust from his eyes.
Ringgg, ringgg, ringgg!
He reaches for the phone next to his bed and picks it up.
“Uh, hello?” the man says.
“Scott? Scott is that you?” Santa says through the phone.
“Uh, hey, yeah, morning dad,” Scott says lazily. He covers the mouthpiece as he clears his throat. “What’s up?”
The man sits up as he holds the phone. He puts his other hand on his forehead and stares at the ground.
“Scott? Why aren’t you at work?” Santa says.
Scott Claus looks over at the alarm clock next to his bed and sees it is early afternoon. He rubs his eyes again before he looks back at the ground. Sitting on the floor next to his bed is an empty bottle of whisky and shredded gambling tickets from the day before.
“Hey, um yeah, sorry, I’m heading out now. I got caught up with something at home,” Scott says as he picks up one of the slips.
RACE #7 – SKY OF GREY – WIN - $250
“Now Scott,” Santa calmly says on the other end, “you know how important this time of year is. How can you ever expect to be in charge if you can’t show me you can get to…”
“Dad, I said I’m going. You called as I was leaving the house,” Scott says again as he stands up. The betting slips whisp away like morning frost as he shuffles towards his closet.
“Yes Scott, but this isn’t the first time this has happened,” Santa says. “Like I said, this is a very import…”
“Dad, yeah, I get it. It’s important to you. You tell me every year. Every year for the last ten years. It’s important,” Scott says, annoyed as he opens the closet door and reveals his stained mall Santa suit.
There is a pause on the phone as Scott takes out the suit and tosses it on the bed.
“Well,” Santa continues, “I’m just not sure you do. Now, I know you’ve been doing this for a while now, but it’s all meant to train you, to show me, you’re ready to become Sa…”
“I am ready!” Scott shouts, “I’m ready now! Bring me back to the North Pole and let me show you I am ready to be Santa now! I can’t keep doing this, just sit here and be one of Santa’s little helpers while you and everyone else live the easy life in the North Pole! It’s been long enough! Bring me back!”
There is another pause as Scott gets into his suit. He fastens his belt and sits back on the bed as he puts on his boots.
“Scott, this is the way it is done. There are millions of Santa’s helpers out there that assist with Christmas, but you are the one that will one day be in charge. I know you have been there a long time, and it can’t be easy, but you need to prove you are ready,” Santa says.
Scott finishes tying his boots and reaches for the drawer next to his bed.
“Dad, you don’t get it. I need to get to work,” Scott says and hangs up the phone.
He reaches for the open drawer and pulls out a flask, unscrews the top, and takes a swig. He reaches back in to grab a cigarette and lays down. But as he goes to light it, the phone rings again. He picks it up.
“WHAT DAD!” Scott yells into the phone.
“This ain’t your pops kid,” the voice says.
Scott sits back up and cigarette falls out of his mouth and onto the floor.
“Oh, sorry, sorry Mr. Frost, I thought you were someone else,” Scott says as he frantically stomps out the cigarette.
“Yeah, well, you and me still got some business to attend to. You got my money?” Mr. Frost says.
Scott looks down again at ripped betting slips on the floor.
“Um, yeah, sure,” Scott says.
“Good, good. I’ll meet you at the Diner in, let’s say, 30 minutes?” Mr. Frost says.
“Yeah, sure thing, sure thing,” Scott says and hangs up the phone.
Scott stands up and wipes the sweat from his forehead as he puts on his Santa suit. He leaves his house, gets in his car, and turns on the GPS.
RECENT LOCATIONS:
HOME
STAR CASINO
ROLLING HILLS HORSE TRACK
MALL
DINER
He rolls his finger down the list and stops on ‘DINER.’ He stares at it for a second before he raises his finger and clicks ‘MALL,’ and heads to work.
CHAPTER 3
December 23, 2019
“You’re late!” a voice yells towards Scott.
Scott runs past the man and adjusts his beard. He bursts through the red velvet curtain to reveal a sea of children. As he does, the crowd erupts in laughter and cheers.
“SANTA! SANTA!” the children yell.
Scott raises his hand and waves to the crowd.
“HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Scott shouts as he walks over to his chair.
The two volunteers dressed like elves shoot Scott a look and walk towards the line of children. Scott looks back at his still yelling boss and waves his hand to quiet him down. He looks back at the children.
One by one, the children walk up to Scott and sit on his lap. And one by one, Scott patiently listens to the children and marks down each gift they ask for.
“I’ll get this back to Santa right away! You will get everything you want for Christmas; you’ve been extra nice this year I’ve heard!” Scott says.
“You know him? You know Santa? Is he nice?” a child asks.
Scott chuckles.
“Oh yeah kid, real nice. Father Christmas,” Scott says.
The child smiles and runs off.
“More like WORST Father Christmas,” Scott says under his breath.
Scott continues to listen and record the children’s presents for hours, all with a smile on his face. As the day goes from afternoon to dusk to evening, Scott’s mind races of his conversation with his father earlier.
I am ready to be Santa, I’m great at this! The kids love me, I track everyone’s gifts, I’ve seen the list, checked it twice. I’m ready!
Suddenly, Scott snaps out of it when he feels two heavy bodies land on his knees. He comes to and looks up at the two large men in black leather jackets on his lap.
“Hey there Santa,” one man says, “Let me ask you, have I been on the nice list this year?”
The optimism leaves Scott’s face as he looks at the two men holding him to the chair. He looks out at the group of kids still waiting in line and their concerned parents.
“I heard you actually been pretty naughty yourself,” the other man says. “Imagine that, Santa on the naughty list.”
Before Scott can respond, the two men stand up and grab him under his arms. Scott tries to grab his chair as an anchor but it’s too late. He hears the crowd gasp.
“Santa here needs to take a little break,” one of the men says. “Try to come see him tomorrow. Maybe.”
As the men drag Scott behind the velvet curtain, he watches as the two assistant elves put their hands over their mouth and motion for everyone to back away.
“Hey, what are you…”
SMACK!
He turns around to see one of the men punch his boss right in the nose. Blood begins to trickle from his face as he bends over in pain. The men continue to drag Scott back towards the exit and outside of the mall. Finally, they stop, and Scott can hear the engine of a car. He hears the trunk pop but as he turns around to look, he feels something hard smack against his face and everything goes dark.
CHAPTER 4
December 23, 2019
“Try is again,” Santa says to Gabe in the monitoring room. “It’s been a few hours now and I feel terrible the way that conversation ended with Scott this morning. And two days before Christmas at that!”
Gabe picks up the phone and dials Scott’s number again. No answer. He looks up at Santa and hangs up.
Santa sighs and looks at the screens. He watches the Santa’s helpers across the world come and go from their shifts.
“I think I need to go to him,” Santa says.
“Sir, it’s December 23rd. Christmas Eve’s Eve! We can’t leave now!” Gabe says.
Santa continues to watch the screens.
“You’re right. We don’t need to go. But I do,” Santa says. “You need to stay here and watch the shop for the next few hours while I’m gone.”
Gabe looks at Santa in disbelief.
“But Santa…” Gabe says.
“Scott is my son. I want him to know that there is a reason to all this. That I want him to be Santa! I don’t want him to feel abandoned, I want him to be able to have faith in me like all the other children do!” Santa says.
Gabe looks up at the screens and back at Santa. He let’s out a big sigh and reaches for his radio on his belt.
“Trixie, Trixie, do you read me?” Gabe says into the radio.
Santa looks down at the elf and listens to the static through the radio.
“Copy, this is Trixie. What’s up Gabe?”
Gabe looks back up at Santa and shakes his head.
“Trixie, get the sleigh ready for liftoff.”
CHAPTER 5
December 23, 2019
“Ho, ho, ho Scotty boy, wake up!”
Scott shakes his head as he opens his eyes. His jaw throbs from where the men hit him before and his ears ring like a Christmas carol. He tries to move his hands but can’t. He turns his head and sees he is tied to a chair in a dark room with only one light hanging above him. He looks forward and sees the two men from earlier staring at him and smiling. Suddenly, another person emerges from the darkness between the men and walks towards him.
“Mall Santa, huh? Very festive,” the voice says.
Scotts squints through his blackened eye and sees a tall man in a suit staring at him.
“Mr. Frost, please, I’ll have your money. I just need a little more ti…”
SMACK!
Scotts head whips sideways as Mr. Frost’s hand smacks him across the face. He feels his eye swell even worse now as the hanging light dances like sugar plums above.
“You blew me off for our holiday lunch Scott,” Mr. Frost says as he wipes away the blood from his leather glove. “I didn’t like that.”
SMACK!
Scott’s head bounces off the back of the chair and falls towards the ground as he tries to catch his breath. He watches as the blood trickle down his fake Santa beard and down through a grate on the floor below. Suddenly, he feels a hand under his chin and his head lifts upwards until he is face to face with Mr. Frost.
“But, I’m feeling extra giving this holiday season,” he says. “Your Santa suit here inspired me. I’m going to make you a deal Scott. I’m going to give you 24 hours to get me all my money back.”
Scott’s head droops again as Mr. Frost releases his face.
“And because you’re obviously so giving yourself, being Santa and what not, maybe you should be a little giving too, huh?” Mr. Frost says. “How about you double that money you owe me. And for Christmas, I give you your life. How’s that gift?”
Scott hears the two men snicker behind Mr. Frost.
“Yes, ok,” Scott mumbles.
“What was that Santa? I couldn’t hear you?” Mr. Frost says.
Scott spits the blood out of his mouth down to the drain.
“Yes,” Scott says as he lifts his head. “Yes, I can ge…”
SMACK!
CHAPTER 6
December 23, 2019
“OOF”
Scott feels the cold snow on his chest as he hits the ground. He looks up and sees the taillights of the car that dropped him off speed down the road and out of sight. He lifts his head and looks up at his front door.
Scott stands and approaches his small house. But as he does, he freezes and notices the front door is slightly ajar.
“C’mon,” Scott says to himself.
Slowly, he opens the door. As he walks in, he grabs an umbrella from his entrance and holds is like a baseball bat. He sneaks around the house when all the sudden arose such a clatter. He quickly turns and sees something moving in his living room. He inches his way to the light switch, flips it on, and yells.
“AHHHH” Scott screams as he raises the umbrella above his head.
“HO, SON, SON! It’s me, it’s your dad!” Santa says.
Scott lowers the umbrella and stares at the big jolly man in his living room with his arms in the air.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Scott says.
Santa catches his breath and sits on the couch. Scott drops the umbrella and walks towards him.
“I wanted to visit,” Santa says. He taps on his knee as Scott approaches then waves it off. “Sorry, habit.”
Scott sits down and Santa studies the man. He gasps.
“Scott, your suit! Your beard!” Santa says as he looks at the boy’s tattered and ripped Santa suit and the blood on his white beard hanging from it’s elastic on one ear. He lifts his hand and places it on Scott’s bruised eye. Scott wipes it away.
“It’s fine,” Scott says. “What are you doing here?”
Santa continues to look at the man and shakes his head.
“I didn’t like how things ended before. Our conversation. So I tried to call back later but you didn’t answer. I didn’t know if everything was alright,” Santa says. He looks down and taps a bottle of whiskey on the ground and runs his boot through the ripped gambling tickets. “And from the looks of it I might have been right.”
“I said it’s fine,” Scott says again.
“Son,” Santa says. “I want to help you.”
Scott stands up and walks over to his fridge. He removes a jug of eggnog and holds it to his eye. He looks back at Santa and sees him pick up one of the ripped gambling slips.
“Scott, what happened here? Did someone hurt you? Is it because of this?” Santa says as he holds up the slip.
Scott sighs.
“It’s nothing. I just owe some people some money,” Scott says as he sits again. “But what do you care? You never care. You care about everyone in the world but me.”
Santa sighs again and drops the slip.
“Scott, I do care about you. I want you to be Santa. How can we fix this so we can get you back on track?” Santa asks.
Scott pauses and looks around Santa as he hears bells from the back of the house. He stands up and walks towards the back window and pulls away the curtain. In the backyard he sees Santa’s sleigh with the nine reindeer.
“Gangs all here,” Scott says as the blinds close again. “Gabe too?”
“No, I left Gabe at the workshop to watch the elves,” Santa says.
Scott laughs.
“So Gabe can run the North Pole but not me. Got it,” Scott says.
Santa lowers his head again and looks at the slips. Suddenly, he gets an idea.
“How much money do you owe son?” Santa asks.
Scott stands at the back of the room and looks at his father.
“Why?” Scott says. “Your workshop makes cash now?”
Santa stands up and walks toward the window again. He opens the curtain and points at Rudolph at the front of the pack.
“No,” Santa chuckles, “but you’re looking at the nine fastest animals in the world. Hide their antlers with some magic, dress them up like a horse. A last minute newcomer in a race might get some pretty good odds.”
Scott looks at Santa and back towards Rudolph as his nose shines through the dark sky.
“What are you saying? We have Rudolph race at the track tomorrow, win the money back to pay off my debts, then what? I’m back to the North Pole?” Scott asks.
“Well,” Santa says, “you still have a lot to do here. How about we start with the race and figure it out from there?”
Scott scoffs and looks out the window.
“Why don’t you get some rest,” Santa says and pats his son on his back. “Let me take care of the rest. I’ll be outside with the reindeer if you need anything.”
Santa walks past Scott and out the front door. Scott watches as Santa approaches Rudolph and pets his head. He closes the blinds and walks over to the phone. He picks it up and dials.
“Hey, Mr. Frost? Meet me at the track tomorrow. I’ll settle the debt,” Scott says.
CHAPTER 7
December 24, 2019
“Nice getup,” a man says.
Santa walks past the man as he stares at his Santa outfit. He continues to walk towards the track while holding Rudolph’s collar. The reindeer’s antlers are hidden by Santa’s magic and as the oversize jockey and undersized horse make their way to the starting line.
Santa pulls his wrist close to his mouth.
“CALL GABE,” he says.
“Santa? Is that you? It’s December 24th, where are you?” Gabe asks frantically through the phone.
“It’s ok Gabe, I’ll be home soon. I just have to do something,” Santa says. He takes a deep breath and continues. “I’ve been thinking, maybe what I’ve been doing to Scott here isn’t fair. Maybe I thought I was preparing him for something the wrong way. I think I’ll be bringing him back with me to the North Pole tonight.”
Santa continues to walk as he hears Gabe gasp through the phone.
“Santa, I think that’s a great idea. I’ll let Mrs. Claus know he’s coming home. She’ll put out some extra cookies and prepare another blanket and hot cocoa from the sled tonight for the deliveries when you return,” Gabe says.
Santa smiles and hangs up the radio in his jacket. As he approaches the starting line, he hops on Rudolph’s back and scans the crowd. Finally, he sees Scott and smiles up at him.
CHAPTER 8
December 24, 2019
Scott looks down at his dad as he feels a hand rest on his shoulder.
“So that’s your guy huh? Your sure thing?” the voice says.
Scott turns and sees Mr. Frost standing over him and smiling.
“A fat jockey and a tiny horse,” Mr. Frost says and laughs. Scott’s eyes follow his and he sees the two men in black jackets waiting near the finish line.
“I sure hope your right kid, for your sake,” Mr. Frost says.
Scott gulps and looks back towards Rudolph, Santa, and the rest of the horses and jockeys as they take their positions.
POP!
The gun sounds and they’re off!
Out of the gate, the horse explode onto the track. And in the rear is Rudolph and Santa. The horses pound around the first turn as Rudolph trots far behind in the dirt.
“Oh no,” Scott whispers as he feels Mr. Frost’s hand tighten on his shoulder.
“Oh boy, Scotty. Oh boy,” Mr. Frost says.
The horses continues to charge around the second turn as Rudolph prances around the track. The lead horse I about halfway around the track now as Rudolph is far behind. They approach the third turn when suddenly Scott sees Rudolph’s nose twinkle.
ZOOM!
Like a shooting star, the reindeer quadruples his speed and they burst through the crowd as they approach the final turn. The horses kick up the dirt and Scott sees that Rudolph’s feet seem to be just missing the ground, like he is floating above the ground.
He’s flying! Scott thinks. For the first time in a long time, he smiles. He looks up at Mr. Frost as his jaw drops. To the naked eye, Rudolph looks like he’s running like all the rest of the horses.
As they take the final turn and reach the home stretch, Rudolph blows by the remaining horses and wins by around 80 feet (10 lengths).
“MY GOD! THE 7 HORSE, JACKFROSTNIPPINGATYOURNOSE, HAS WON AT 76-1 ODDS. THE NEWCOMER! I DON’T BELIEVE IT! I DON’T BELIEVE IT!” an announcer yells over the loudspeaker.
Gasps and cheers fill the crowd as Rudolph slows down after the finish line. Santa hops off the back of the reindeer and runs through the open gate towards the crowd. He runs up the stairs and towards Scott. Scott stands up as Mr. Frost’s hand stays on his shoulder.
Santa reaches the two and smiles towards his son.
“We did it! We did it!” Santa yells.
Santa reaches out to hug his son when suddenly he feels two strong arms grab him from behind.
“Wait, what are you doing, let go of me,” Santa says to the two men in black coats behind him.
Santa wiggles and hit coat falls to the ground. The men grab Santa and begin to pull him away towards the exit of the track.
Mr. Frost watches as Santa yells out.
“Scott, tell them. Tell them what we did, that we have their money. That they can leave you alone now.” Santa pleads.
Scott looks down at the ticket slip in his hands and back out towards the track. Rudolph continues to stand near the finish line as he neighs up towards the men.
“You were right kid, that’s one fast horse,” Mr. Frost says.
Scott looks back at Santa as he hopelessly struggles behind the grip of the two men.
“And remember, as long as you have him,” Scott says, “that horse down their will never lose. He’s loyal to him. And now he’s all yours.”
“Scott, no,” Santa says. “What have you done?”
Mr. Frost lowers his hand from Scott’s shoulder and shakes the man’s hand.
“Scotty boy, your debt is clear. A winner for life, more than I could have asked for,” Mr. Frost says.
Scott shakes Mr. Frost’s hand and stares at his father as he is dragged out of the track. Mr. Frost releases and follows the men out through the doors.
Scott bends down, picks up Santa’s jacket, and puts it on. He walks over to the ticket window.
“I would like to cash this winning ticket please.”
