by Joonas Huhta
Behind the front doors, he stopped to catch a breath. His back hurt as though he had been pulling a sled with the weight of an anvil.
His body was falling apart at the most critical moment.
The people were chanting the name of ‘Santa’ with increasing joy. Konrad opened the door.
Everyone cheered. Every pair of eyes followed his every move.
In the brightness, he felt reborn again just like in the hospital bed.
All the lights and cameras of the world were aimed at him.
65
KONRAD FOUND MANY children among the crowd taking pictures of him. There was a sea of mobile phones extended, selfie sticks moving back and forth, international reporters with big cameras and microphones.
“God Jul!” Konrad began, having no idea why he started with Swedish. “Merii Kurisumasu! Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Hyvää joulua…”
The audience grew silent.
Konrad began, his chest bulged, “I can see in the eyes of the young and the old, the disbelief that has been with you all for as long as I can remember. You are wondering how I can circle the world it in one day and one night.” Konrad paused. “I can break the spell for you and reveal a little secret.” His hand cupped his mouth as though he whispered, “I can’t do it.”
Sharp inhalations whipped through the crowd.
“It’s the elves who make Christmas possible! They are the scouts who report back to me about all the children who deserve presents. Their resilience makes it possible to answer all the mountains of letters sent to me. They are the mountain’s echo, answering your every call.”
“Don’t forget the route plan and weather forecast,” the girl elf stated.
“And the blisters on our fingers!” the boy elf said.
Konrad tipped back his head and bellowed a laugh, “Ho, ho!”
Good. The elves can improvise.
Konrad scanned the crowd and around during the silence that built more anticipation. Someone waved at him on the roof.
Gideon?
A Japanese man knelt down just a few meters before Konrad and plucked something from his pocket. The woman next to him blushed and placed both hands on her face. The people cheered at the sudden proposal.
“What do we have got here?” Konrad announced, delighted to gain valuable time.
What am I missing?
A mute film started rolling in front of his eyes. Everyone was cheering aloud, but Konrad couldn’t hear them. Many parents quickly explained to their children what was happening. One child got Konrad’s attention. The child didn’t care about the happiness of the young couple, and somehow Konrad got a feeling he had been brought there involuntarily.
The child then looked up at caught a snowflake on his tongue. Their gazes met, and a smile visited the child’s face.
Konrad saw a shadow on the roof and footprints in the snow.
“Can we have your blessing?” The Japanese man whispered to Konrad.
The woman’s smile next to the man was tantalizing.
“Yes,” Konrad said in a quiet voice.
Seriously? Do I look like a priest?
“May their love be eternal,” Konrad announced. “And remember, it’s during the hardest times your love will be weighed.”
The two bowed and stepped back into the audience while applause grew.
A gust of gentle wind played with the flags in the Christmas tree. Konrad felt in his guts once again that the weather was going to change, but the pain in his joints was just about the worsening of his symptoms. The final rays of sunlight touched the top of the Christmas tree and withdrew. He looked across to the pine trees that towered over the people, where light still won over darkness by a few degrees above the line where the branches were alive.
It started snowing.
People waited for his speech.
Konrad looked at the child who seemed to be the only happy human being in the crowd. The child smirked and showed his tongue. For one last time, Konrad gazed up, felt the light disappearing and losing the battle.
Then, only for the briefest of moments, there was a flash in the rain, the thing that bound every possible meaning together.
The past, the present, the future.
A rainbow.
It was like the last capstone had been placed in the moral arc. The solution was obvious.
The artificial snow. That’s the plan.
“I have an announcement to make,” Konrad said. “As we all know, at least as all children know, there is only one Santa Claus. And parents who are exactly as excited and expectant as you are, are ashamed to show it. They just don’t want you to hear the secret that they feel like a child again. But I have a little moral dilemma. Perhaps you can help me out.”
Konrad glanced at the elves and gave the nod meant to remind them of the chain of command.
“I deliver good will and presents. That’s what I do best. Right before hopping in my reindeer-pulled sleigh, I always give this speech and send Christmas cheer to the people of the world. But every time I feel a little sad also. Why?”
Konrad paused.
“I give presents only if children behave well.” Konrad tried to catch a glimpse of Gideon. More snow was falling. Unseen pandemonium was breaking loose. “What about the adults? Why aren’t we judging them? I enjoy giving gifts. I believe Christmas is essential to human flourishing and family life. This year, however, something changed in me. The spirit of obligatory gift-giving has started to pain me, especially in my dreams. Christmas should not be an exercise in delayed gratification. A reward for a year of goodness can’t be measured by the gifts one will get. A year of goodness is not January through November and then start building character. No. Each moment counts. Each thought counts. Each action has a meaning. I’m no pope to say this, but Christmas and happiness have become maddeningly superficial, and I’m sure all you adults can understand what I mean.”
Konrad sensed the two elves wondering what was going on.
“Deep in the original heart of Christmas is love,” Konrad added. “And it has been such a pleasure and privilege to spread the word of love in this unique position. We are all one big family, uniting under the shadow of the tree of divine unity. My journey is about to begin, and I’m so glad to see you all here wishing me the best of luck with my adventures. Which is why we’re going to have a little change of plans… if it’s okay with the elves?”
The elves looked at each other, and the boy said, “If it’s within the timetable.”
“Marvelous.” Konrad rubbed his hands together. “There’s a little treasure hidden in the Snowman World for the children. X marks the spot. If my elves would be so kind and lead the children over there.”
“Follow us,” the girl elf said, and the boy walked next to Konrad, whispering, “I seriously hope you know what you’re doing.”
Konrad smiled back and said, “Excellent, excellent!” Konrad stopped to collect his wits and plan the next step. His heart pumped insanely as if a terrifying power was relentlessly counting down to oblivion.
The remaining adults started staring at the opposite sex with lingering interest.
“Sometimes, ladies and gentlemen, people look me all cross-eyed, when I speak about this…” Men’s eyes were now set on the women as if glued.
Fear tightened around Konrad’s heart. What could he do? Even a thinly veiled threat of violence or force might make Patrick and Julia suspicious. He had to act now before anybody managed to go over the fence of uninhibited flirting.
“Lapland is full of stories about shamans, spirits, and spells that stage supernatural sagas. But what you don’t know is that especially the Sámi people had a way to turn on the flame of love. Step inside, and I show you one magical thing that compares to the secret food that can make even my reindeer fly!”
The adults stared at Konrad as if they had lost all reason, individually and collectively.
“This way. Trust me; you’ll never forget t
his. Step into my vault. And I can almost promise you that you will no longer be a stranger to the Heaven within you.”
66
KONRAD WAS ASHAMED at his choice of words, but at least it seemed to work. He was a preacher pouring poison into the deep waters of the psyche.
The first people were entering the building when Konrad saw Gideon on the edge of the crowd hustling a couple who tried to get away. Gideon had clearly made a threat, as he strode in behind them.
War was in the air.
Konrad smiled at the people, who barely looked at him. In the current, one man seemed to walk straight at Konrad, evaluating him. Konrad stretched for a broader smile and managed to keep it that way.
Patrick Praytor walked past him, silently, like a wolf, casting a momentary flat gaze at Konrad, who hoped he hadn’t given any clues away in his speech. He was quite sure he hadn’t. Patrick was observing his operation among the sheep. Where was Julia?
Konrad considered his options. What was he supposed to say or show inside? How could he make sure nobody would escape?
The man walking in front of Gideon had turned sheet white and his eyes beseeched Konrad for help. Gideon’s fearsome glare turned Konrad’s stomach inside out. He had flashed his bulletproof vest.
A threat of violence.
The only possibility.
Everybody crept inside in slow motion, anticipation building with the silence. Konrad entered last and locked the door quickly. He turned back to the people, the pulse of panic pounding at his temples, focusing his gaze on…
A weapon.
Patrick held a gun to Konrad’s forehead. The reek of gun oil buckled his knees.
The surrounding people saw what was happening, but before panic spread, and before Gideon could see Konrad was at gunpoint, Gideon screamed, “Everybody on the floor. Now, or I’ll kill you!”
Patrick’s pupils receded at the noise. Konrad jerked his head aside as Patrick pulled the trigger. The bullet went through his beard and the wooden door, and the pressure of the blast tore at Konrad’s eardrums. Warm blood spilled onto his shoulder.
A quick shadow fell across Konrad’s vision: somebody attacked Patrick and knocked him to the floor. Handcuffs clanging in the man’s back pocket, he screamed, “Help! He tried to kill Santa Claus!”
Patrick’s left hook landed on the man’s jaw, which numbed him cold. Patrick shot him in the chest, people shrieked, many hit the floor, hands behind their heads. Patrick turned back to Konrad, took aim, but an old granny hit his face with a bag. Konrad dived at Patrick’s legs and knocked him over. Konrad lost his beard as more people attacked Patrick.
Five men against one.
Gideon yelled, “Stay on the floor. Or we’ll kill you.” He moved quickly to the gun and picked it up.
He watched them wrestle, his palms sweating. Patrick knocked one man unconscious. Then another. Teeth and blood flew through the air.
Konrad found the handcuffs and signaled Gideon, finger spelling letter L, urged to pull the trigger. More people decided to go on assault against Patrick but one by one he managed to shake them off. Then Gideon fired at the roof.
Snow fell from the ceiling.
Everybody froze still.
Three bloody and bruised men let go of Patrick, raised their hands, and went down on the floor hands behind their heads.
Gideon aimed at Patrick’s face.
No resistance.
“Get down,” Konrad said and undressed. Patrick was on the floor on his knees as Konrad placed one of the steel rings around Patrick’s wrists.
“Get up.” Konrad roughed Patrick around and cuffed his hands around a steel pole.
“Where’s Julia?”
“You’re too late,” Patrick said.
“I’m not asking again.” Konrad pressed the barrel deep against Patrick’s throat until he could feel his steady, calm pulse.
“Do it.”
Gideon said, “Konrad. He’s not going anywhere.”
The people stared at Konrad. Many seemed to now realize who he was. He ran over to the wounded police officer.
“We need a doctor!” Konrad announced.
A hand lifted.
Gideon signaled the old lady could approach the policeman.
After a quick inspection, the old lady said, “We need to get this man to the hospital. Otherwise he’ll die.”
Goddamnit, Konrad thought.
They couldn’t let that happen.
And despite all the chaos, they spotted a couple in the back of the room getting closer, their faces coming together.
67
“LISTEN UP,” KONRAD SAID. “I don’t know how to put this, so I’ll just state the cold facts. This man…” Konrad pointed at Patrick, “is responsible for the attack against you tonight. Gideon and I are here to undo what’s happened. You are all infected. I don’t have all the details yet how this particular kind of virus will affect you, but trust me, you’ll all feel it soon enough.”
“Are we going to die?” somebody shouted in the back.
“Spare us. We’ve got children!” a woman cried.
“Nobody is going to die,” Konrad assured.
“T-tell that to your suicide bomber friend!” The wounded policeman groaned.
The woman doctor said, “He needs medical attention. Right now.”
“Nobody is going anywhere.” Konrad stood beside Patrick. “Tell them. Tell them all about your maniac plan!”
“Don’t worry,” Patrick announced peacefully. “Just do as your instincts tell you—and you will be freed from all the excruciating pain.”
Konrad fired the gun at the roof next to Patrick’s ear. “Listen to your ears ringing if you’ve nothing else to say.”
“Oh, tinnitus sanctus. My ears have been ringing for ten years. I’m not only at the top of this game. I own it. I own you.”
“Sorry, you’re not my type,” Konrad replied and glanced at the Japanese woman, who had just become engaged, on the floor. She eyed him back. Her eyes weren’t flirtatious, but even a single slow blink of her eyes ignited a deep temptation inside Konrad’s body.
It’s happening to me, too.
Gideon seemed to realize the situation without exchanging words.
“Crap,” Gideon said. “By the way, Julia isn’t here.”
“Maybe she had other plans,” Konrad said. “Maybe she saw through me and went off to seal the victory.”
“Is she going to strike somewhere else?”
“She has to. They don’t take unnecessary risks.” Konrad understood that even though they could contain everybody inside, sooner or later the police would storm in. Starting a massacre would send them in even faster.
“Jesus,” Gideon said.
On the far side of the room on the left, a young couple started undressing each other like hyenas.
Konrad went over to them and asked them politely to stop. “People are watching you. Behave yourselves.”
Behind a pillar, somebody broke a window. Cold wind blew snow inside.
“What now?” Konrad said, running to the corner.
Voices of struggle. Curses. A young boy screamed Gideon’s name.
A young boy and a young girl had tamed a tourist who cradled his bloody nose on the floor. Ville and Rebecca came in through the window.
“Don’t even think about pointing at us with that water pistol,” Ville said, “We’re on your side.”
“I know them, Konrad,” Gideon said.
Konrad nodded. “Did you happen to see if anybody left the crowd when I invited everybody in?”
“We’re pretty sure you got them all,” Rebecca said. “As long as you don’t kill anybody, we can stay here to help. There’s one police squad outside the building. They just called for back up.”
“Soon the whole building will be surrounded,” Gideon said. “And Julia will finish the plan elsewhere.”
“Uh-mm,” Rebecca muttered and noted the death struggle of the policeman. “Shouldn’t we get this man to
a doctor or something?”
“We can’t,” Gideon said. “He might spread the virus.”
A man came into the room from the back room, holding his head.
“Olaf?” Gideon said. “Granddad? What happened to you?”
Konrad’s heart skipped beats as he understood who he knocked out.
Ruut’s father.
“Can you help the wounded policeman over there?” Gideon asked.
“What are you wearing?” Olaf evaluated Gideon. “Is that what I think it is?”
Konrad said, “Please help the man.”
The policeman was crying in the gentle embrace of the other doctor, “Mother… mother…”
Olaf staggered through the people lying haphazardly under his feet. “You had better start explaining yourselves. Is your mother here, Gideon?”
Gideon tried to say something, but Konrad spoke before the shocking news might have crushed Olaf.
“Just for the patient’s sake,” Konrad said, “focus on him now.”
“I see now why everybody was so interested in you in the hospital. You’re a dangerous man. I knew it already years ago when Ruut was in your class. I should have placed dynamite between your ears when I had the chance.”
“Do it next time,” Konrad said. “I’ll submit myself to you voluntarily.” Konrad walked in front of Patrick to stare into his eyes. “Where’s Julia?”
Nothing on Patrick’s face gave any clues or emotions away.
“Where would Julia go if you ran into trouble?”
The two doctors managed to stabilize the police’s condition. But they both agreed on the fact that he hadn’t much time.
Olaf rose up and walked to a window to peek outside. “Rudolph is missing.”
“That’s it!” Gideon and Konrad said together.
“Your partner in crime decided to steal my reindeer?” Olaf asked.
“She’s on a symbolic mission,” Konrad said.
“Go after her,” Gideon said. “We’ll manage here.”
“Don’t let them touch each other,” Konrad demanded.
“Easy. Teens always spoil the mood for love,” Rebecca said.
