The Santa Code Part 3

“Time is the key to healing.” Michelle Liew

In Parts 1 and 2 of the Santa Code, someone had knocked out the town’s mayor, Mr. Tick and others in the Yuletide town of Algaard. Maybelle and her rambunctious, irreverent niece Juniper Juno set about trying to find out who has been causing Algaardians harm and possibly disrupting Christmas as everyone knew it.

As they leave Mr. Tick’s home, they have a strange encounter with a man in a trench coat, carrying a strange artefact that is key to their mystery, which now deepens.

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Maybelle and Juno made their way past Mr. Tick’s driveway, their nerves still frazzled.

“That mystery guy wearing the trench coat really gave me the creeps,” Juno reiterated, still clinging tightly to her aunt’s sleeve. “His shadow gives the feeling of wanting some type of…revenge.”

“Yes, me too.” Maybelle frowned. “We’ve to find out who he is and what he may have to do with the Santa Code. Our future, and the future of Algaard, may depend on it.”

Juno glanced around nervously, her eyes scanning the area for any vestiges of the dark figure. Her young mind was burning with as many questions as her aunt’s - who was he? What did he have to do with the Santa Code, and what did want with it? And - what was most important - what were the consequences for Algaard and its people?

A glint - a quick flash - arrested her eyes. Something was under the bushes. She reached for it and turned to her aunt with a quick grin. “Our shadowy figure must have tried to say “open sesame.” But it didn’t quite work, so -” She held in her hands an antiquated, golden key.

Maybelle laughed. “Open sesame, indeed.” She, like her niece, had eagle eyes. A piece of cloth, caught in Mr. Tick’s neatly-trimmed bushes, didn’t escape her notice. “And it looks as if he was in a bit of a hurry to say those words, too.”

Aunt and niece inspected the artefact closely. It had the name Grunge embossed; below it was the number, 1974.

“That was the year Algaard set up the Santa Code. A code which showed who each citizen was to spread love to.”

“But who’s Grunge?” Juno was incredulous. Then she turned to Maybelle with her usual cheeky grin. That’s alright, I think I have some idea who it is. “

Maybelle nodded. “So do I. But we’ve more pressing matters on hand at the moment; catching this perpetrator won’t be of much use unless we find out more about the Santa Code and how to help Algaard get back on its feet.”

As they rushed down the driveway, they ran into Mrs Shark, the wife of the town’s fishmonger. Her red eyes betrayed her thoughts.

“What’s the matter, Mrs Shark?” Maybelle put her hand on the distraught lady in concern.

“Oh…. it’s my grandkids. Their presents have disappeared from under our tree. And we NEVER open them before Christmas! But they’re just presents… what’s upsetting is that presents all over Algaard have gone missing!”

Juno bit her lip, then looked at her aunt. “Do you think…”

Maybelle nodded. “Probably. But let’s visit Algaard’s library archives - it has records of each Algaardian family’s history. Perhaps we can find out more about Mr. Grunge…and what he wants with the Santa Code.”

The duo made their way to Algaard’s library, leaving Mrs. Shark still befuddled and shedding waterfalls of tears. They passed the town square, now quiet and lacking its usual Yuletide lustre. The sentinel clock in Mr. Tick’s workroom loomed over them like an ancient guardian that wasn’t welcoming; it was instead ominous, as if counting down to a sinister event.

They caught a whiff of the faint mustiness of books as they entered the archives. The library, lit with the gentle glow of old oil lamps, was alive with a mystical air. The ever-enthused Juno rifled through the countless family records at once; Maybelle let her fingers do the walking as she traced an old map of Algaard.

“Look!” Juno’s abrupt exclamation broke her reverie. The young girl held up a dusty ledger and pointed to a large area that made up nearly a quarter of Algaard. “The records share that the Grunge family used to own this land. They were stuff of Santa dollars!” Her whimsical humour, irreverent as usual, made the otherwise dank library seem a little brighter.

Maybelle continued reading the archives where Juno left off. “The records also note that the Algaardian Government seized the land in 1974 because it needed the money for the sentinel clock and what is now the town square.”

“That’s the same year the Government established the Santa Code too.” “It was supposed to encourage everyone in Algaard to express Yuletide love, but perhaps there was more to it than that. Maybelle wrinkled her brows thoughtfully, her astute wit coming forth. “Now, if I was a member of the Grunge family, I would have quite a bit to say about that.”

Though a rebellious teen, Juno was also wise beyond her years. She nodded and paused in thought for a few moments. “Aunt, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Maybelle gripped her niece’s shoulders. “The man in the trench coat…”

Juno, as excited as her aunt, continued. “And the key must open…if this man had it…” The young girl’s mind was whirling.

A sudden bang rang through the library and resounded in the archives. The ticking of the sentinel clock, still in Mr. Tick’s workroom, echoed with vigour even in the archives, each tick louder than the one before.

“What was that?” Juno’s bravado faltered as she clutched Maybelle’s arm.

Maybelle pushed her niece behind her. They stepped cautiously outside the room. And there he was.

Mr. Grunge, his trench coat fluttering in the gusty Christmas wind, stood at the end of the corridor. In his hand was the ornate gold key they had found earlier. Juno had carelessly left it on the shelf as they were scouring the records. This time, however, it had a faint aura.

“You know a little more than you should now.” His voice, though calm, had an eerie ring. His dark form seemed to grow larger as he approached. “The Santa Code isn’t about spreading love…it’s a way for the government to control the people of Algaard. An activity to keep them occupied during the festive season so that their minds wouldn’t stray to opposition.It has made Algaardians almost obsessive about celebrating the season It’s time that they knew the truth.” Before either lady could respond, he turned and vanished.

The last tick of the sentinel clock sounded, and the map Maybelle had been tracing fell to the ground, showing a diagram on its back that they hadn’t noticed before. Accompanying it were the cryptic words, “For Algaard’s sake, turn back time.”

Juno’s eyes were wide saucers. “What do those words mean?”

Maybelle’s eyes locked on the diagram. “I know for certain that it means that we don’t have enough time to figure them out.”

Juno, through her fear, offered a resolution. “I think Mr. Grunge’s key has something to do with it. Perhaps we’ll need it…for the clock.”

The sentinel clock started chiming once more from Mr. Tick’s workroom, its ticks ominous.

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Chapter 1 of the Santa Code is here.

Chapter 2 is here.