The Key

 

 

 

“Have a good Christmas!” Connor said to the last of the kids and shut the door. Connor went into the restroom and changed out of his fluffy beard as white as snow and his red velvet pants. He worked at the department store as Santa Clause for the kids. It was Christmas Eve, the busiest time of the Christmas Season. When he left the store Connor could hear the faint sound of music and purple and red lights flashing on his car like little fireworks. He turned around and saw the Los Angeles Amusement Park behind him.  He inhaled and the delicious smell of old funnel cake filled his nose

 

 “It’s only eight o’ clock and I deserve it.” He took the keys out of his car and went inside the carnival.

 

            “Are you ready for some fun?” An employee asked, chuckling. Connor was in the line for the Ferris wheel when he saw something glistening on the ground. Curiosity took over his body and he went to go pick it up. On the key was a tag with an address.

 

 “Dang you, curiosity!” He exclaimed. Connor couldn’t help but having a feeling of needing to see what this opened. So he got a funnel cake and got in his car.

 

 “Why would someone leave their key on the ground?” He was speaking to himself,

 

“Should I go back and return it?” It was as if there was a devil and an angel sitting on his shoulders.

 

 “You should return it.” The angel insisted.

 

 “But what if this leads you somewhere amazing?”

 

“You should keep it!” The devil replied. The devil won the argument as Connor was driving to the mysterious location.  

 

 He was almost at his destination when he rolled down his window and yelled .“OMG is that “Pink Man?” He squinted to get a closer look at the internet celeb.

 

“Pink Man my daughter Bella loves your beard!” Connor yelled. He had a feeling that his luxurious pink beard would bring him luck.

 

He was almost there and instead of curiosity he was feeling excited!

 

            Finally he got to his destination. It was an old church; it was boarded up. He got out of his car but left it running in case he had to make a quick getaway. He walked up the old stone steps as they crumbled beneath him. “Keep Out!” A women’s voice yelled.

 

Connor was startled, jumping back. A tall lady, in a black jacket came around the corner, covered in dirt. “What are you doing here?” They said simultaneously. Connor read her jacket. The name Abigail was stitched in the jacket.

 

“I am looking for a very priceless artifact,” she hissed. “I was digging in the dirt to see where it was buried.” Connor nodded in acknowledgement and took the key out of his pocket and tried to put it in the lock.

 

“You have the key?” Abigail screamed.

 

 “Yes, I found it in the mud about ten miles back.” Connor replied. He tried to insert the key into the lock but it was jammed. Abigail had a smirk on her face.

 

“Here let me help you!” She kicked the key out of his hands and ran towards the back. He knew he couldn’t get there in time. He needed something hard to open the door.

 

“My funnel cake, its carnival food so it must be rock solid!” He ran to his car, grabbed his dessert and threw it at the lock and the lock popped off. Connor ran inside the church. If there was one thing Santa Clause knew it was to never give up. The power of Santa was on his side. He was inside the church and could hear Abigail struggling outside.

 

            “Okay, if I were a priceless object that’s been lost in a rusty old church, where would I be?” He shook his head, it wasn’t exactly simple. He knew Abigail was not his friend, but clever and would find some way to get in. He took careful steps. CREAK The floorboard creaked underneath his feet and he dropped down and tried to lift it. It didn’t budge. He tried again, this time it was surprisingly easy.

 

“You’re welcome!” Connor shifted his head and saw a brown boot parallel to his nose. He saw the heel jammed in the doors lock, leaving the door open. He stood up and followed her eyes to another key on the ground like the previous one but in silver, not gold. He tried to grab it but she was too quick.

 

“You won’t win!” He exclaimed.

 

 “Why not? I have the key.” Abigail replied. She smiled and tried to stare him down.

 

“I have a power you don’t, because I am Santa Clause!” He put on his white beard, now as dirty as the church it is in. He ran towards her and since he was so big she dropped the key and ran out the door.

 

            Connor had the key and found the only door and this time he was able to unlock the door with ease. The room had a hardwood floor and was very dusty. There was a very small desk in the corner with a box on top, inside was a coin. A coin made solidly out of gold. “Wow am I rich?  I’m rich, I’m rich.” Connor sang. There was a vehicle outside the church. Connor wiped away the dust from the window and saw a television van.

 

            “My name is Vanessa Martino, Channel 1 reporter. I got some news from an unnamed source that you broke into St. George Church using a, wait this can’t be right, a funnel cake?” Connor stared into the camera lenses and saw a bit of his reflection. He hesitated to take his beard off but left it on. 

 

WEE WOO WEE WOO A cop car pulled up to the church. “PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILEN!” Connor did what the loud lady with the Taser, fully charged by the way, told him.

 

“Officer, what did I do wrong?” Connor asked.

 

“You damaged a church, stole, and went past over 20 stoplights.” The officer yelled. “People need to respect the red, octagonal signs, they are there for a reason.”

 

Connor spent a long night in the Male Los Angeles Prison house, but the worst part was he had to stay prison mates with a burly man who definitely did not like it when you recited a ten minute speech about traffic rules.