Merry Christmas Jericho

(Timeline: between heart of winter and winters end)

December 23rd

The snow had fallen unusually deep the previous night, adding further to the resident’s miseries and hardships, as they set about their tasks early that morning.

Stanley and Mimi were had come into town to drop Bonnie off at the medical centre and to take some old clothes for the refugees.

Both were lost in their own thoughts, their boots crunching through the thick crust, they walked holding one another’s gloved hands down main street.

Neither of them noticed the frantically pedalling figure, hurtling towards them.

“whoa” shouted Stanley as he narrowly avoided the cyclist.

“watch it you jerk” Mimi cursed as she supported Stanley, on his bad ankle.

The figure turned his bike slowly in the road, his foil helmet strapped to his head with a chin strap, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement.

“Oliver, is that you?” asked Stanley

The old man pulled up and gave the couple the eye, “do I know you?” he asked

“sure , Stanley Richmond, from Richmond farm” he stated

“sure I knew your folks” he answered rubbing his chin turned to Mimi “and you?”

“Mimi Clark, I’m new in town” she answered

“it seems the towns getting full of strangers” accused Oliver

“I was here on business, with the IRS” she answered

“IRS, good God man! what are you doing! Don’t you know there out to read your mind, and then to take over the world, they’re working with the aliens” shouted Oliver

“Ok I guess the games up, you got me, I’m here to read you’re mind” challenged Mimi hands on her hips.

Oliver adjusted the tin foil hat and pulled up his scarf.

“Hey it’s ok, she’s my …girlfriend” said Stanley said with a grin, it was the first time he’d used the term in public and it felt kind of weird, in a good way.

“Do you want to borrow my hat?” offered Oliver

“No I’m good thanks” grinned Stanley “what’s the hurry anyway?”

“I think the aliens have crashed a UFO, I need to speak to Mayor Green”

“Hello,…...Johnston’s not the Mayor anymore” Mimi chimed in

“Who the heck is running this town then?” asked Oliver

“Gray Anderson” answered Stanley

“Well I suppose he’ll have to do then” answered Oliver and began pedalling towards the town hall.

Meanwhile, Eric had come round to help Jake clear snow from driveways and try to keep some of the pavements clear.

“So how’s it going with Mary” asked Jake

Eric threw his shovel of snow behind him, he stopped to stretch his back, turning to his brother smiling “good, you know, I didn’t want to hurt April and if I’d known about the baby, who knows” he shrugged “I regret the timing, but not the action, anyway what about you?”

“what about me?” answered Jake

“you seemed to have a real way with the ladies, you kiss Heather and she leaves, then you dance with Emily and roger comes back…” Eric didn’t finish as a snowball hit the side of his woollen hat “hey, quit it!” he reached into the snow with his gloves

Jake beat him to it and another snowball hit his hat.

Johnston stood with Gail watching from their front window, “will you just look at that”

“it reminds me when they were little, and they’d come in with cold hands and red noses, they’d enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate”  she said.

Johnston was already reaching for his jacket and heading outside.

Eric was still on the loosing end of the snowball fight, but they both stopped as their father came out of the front door.

“Have I taught you anything, I’m disappointed, ….especially with you Eric” Said Johnston

Both Jake and Eric looked down and kicked the snow about and mumbled an apology

A large snowball hit Jake at the back of the head

“You see you need to compact the snow better” instructed Johnston.

The appearance of Jimmy seemed to stop an all out snowball fight.

“Morning folks” he called

“Hey Jimmy, what’s up?” asked Jake

“Well it seems that Oliver, has found some debris on the outskirts of town and Gray wanted to know if you could take a look see” Jimmy looked embarrassed

“What’s he found?” asked Johnston

Jimmy shrugged, “just a scattering of metal pieces, Oliver thinks it’s a UFO crash site”

“You’re joking right, we’re expected to risk our lives of vital resources chasing a crazy man’s imaginary aliens and monsters” Eric looked annoyed

“Hey, I agree, but he brought some metal fragments in to the office this morning, I’m going with Stanley anyway and was just looking for some support” Jimmy turned back towards his car. Stanley gave a goofy smile and waved from the back seat.

“Wait up Jimmy, I’ll come along” called Jake.

Jake got in the passenger seat and turned to Stanley “I thought you’d be at home resting your ankle”

“What and miss out on finding Oliver’s UFO, and meeting the aliens?” asked Stanley with a smile.

“With you and Jimmy, lets hope their not expecting to meet intelligent life forms” laughed Jake.

Jimmy started the car, slipping and sliding down the road and set off for the town’s southern limits.

Far away in the distance, the bright winters sun glinted and reflected off the silver metal fragments embedded in the muddy hillside.

Hi Chris,

I liked this one! I enjoyed the banter between Stanley and Mimi, and I really liked the banter with Jake and his family and Jake and Stanley. We don't get to see much of Jake and Stanley interacting together, and that made this story special because it showed something so rare.

Of course I always appreciate the addition of Old Man Oliver, our Telegraph editor!

I hope you keep writing these wonderful stories.

Gwen