Elves in the Sand

Thanks to Jason for these wonderful photos that inspired my story. Check out more of his photos at http://jasonfrels.com/2024/03/23/white-sands/

It was a warm, sunshiny day, and they were sledding! No bulky winter coats needed. Jangle was especially liking that part. He secretly wished that Santa would move to the South Pole.

Whoosh! Blaze sped by them down the sand dune.

“How can she go so fast?” Snowball asked Alabaster. Alabaster could only shrug. He was clueless, which wasn’t anything new.

Blaze had only been at the NorthPole for a short time, but she caught on real quick. Santa was really pleased with having another good elf working for him. At first she had been Chef Salvo’s assistant, but Santa quickly realized that it might be safer for her to work in the toy department. While working in the kitchen she had used up alot of their first aid supplies.

CandyCane was pleased as well. Having another female to help keep her sanity amidst all the crazy guys she dealt with was always a blessing.

Though at times it appeared that Blaze had been brainwashed by PUN-ny Alabaster and Snowball. For she could be quick with puns too. Jangle enjoyed laughing at their puns while CandyCane rolled her eyes or smacked her poor head.

They all had chosen to go visit the sand dunes for a much needed vacation after the busy Christmas season. They all were in awe at the beauty of the pure white sand all around them.

When they saw some people sledding down the high sand dunes, they all agreed to give it a try. What fun it was, even if Blaze was beating them all down the hill almost every time.

“She is speedy when she runs too!” Candy Cane said. “My speed when running is pretty low, compared to hers.”

Jangle laughed, “I don’t know if I would call it running that you do. Maybe a fast walk.” CandyCane made a face.

“We should call Blaze, Lightning. She sure seems to travel like a lightning bolt. Whoosh! And she is gone.” Alabaster said, and the others agreed. Lightning could be her nickname, they decided.

After another hour of sledding down the dunes, they stopped. The one drawback to the sand was that they couldn’t throw snowballs. Sand didn’t work too well for that.

They all started walking, wondering what they should do next. CandyCane wanted to go to the beach, but the beach was rather far away. That wasn’t happening on this trip.

“I loved surfing when I lived at the beach.” Blaze told them.

“Alabaster and I surfed before, and we were pretty good.”

Blaze was impressed and said they would all have to go and surf some really big waves together.

Alabaster grabbed Snowball’s arm and whispered to him, “We barely know how to surf, and now she wants us to hit big ten foot waves? Are you crazy?”

Snowball’s face had gone a little pale, but he patted Alabaster on the arm. “No worries, friend. There are no beaches around here. By the time we take another vacation, she will have forgotten all about it. Blame CandyCane. She’s the one who mentioned the beach in the first place.”

That’s true, thought Alabaster. They both shot CandyCane a look with their laser beaming eyes.

But she kept walking, paying no heed to their looks, aimed at the back of her head.

It was fun walking in the soft sand, unlike the crunchy snow that they typically walked in.

Everyone had taken off their sandals to enjoy the feel of the soft sand between their toes. Well, everyone but Alabaster. He wasn’t taking any chances of burning his feet on the sand.

Oww!! Snowball yelled and started jumping around.

“What is wrong?” They asked, but all he could do was yell Ow!

Alabaster was feeling proud that he had kept his sandals on. He was no fool.

Snowball looked like a little jumping bean. His friends tried not to laugh, for they were truly concerned.

Then CandyCane looked down at his feet, and Jangle saw them the same time that she did.

“Sandcrabs!”They shouted.

There were at least a dozen of them all over poor Snowball’s feet.

Alabaster stared in shock. He thought sandcrabs were only found at the beach. Snowball took off running, stirring up gusts of sand, but it worked. The sand crabs fell off of his feet.

His friends caught up to him as he had collapsed on the sand and was sitting in a daze.

“I miss the snow.” He moaned, looking at the tiny red bite spots all over his feet.

Fortunately, the sting of the bites didn’t last long, and it wasn’t long before Snowball was back to his jolly elf self. But he did take his shoes and socks out of his backpack and put them on. He wasn’t taking any more chances. The sand dunes still stretched out before them for a long distance.

“Next time we are going to a grand hotel with an indoor pool.” He grumbled.

“Great idea! The waves in the pool shouldn’t be too challenging for you and Alabaster to surf.” CandyCane said with a smirk. Blaze joined her in laughter as they kept walking.

Jangle turned to the guys. “I wasn’t in Florida when you guys went. Did you really surf some big waves?”

Snowball straightened himself up, puffing out his chest a little. “Well, we don’t like to brag, but ….” and Alabaster joined in, chatting along with Snowball, describing their daring feats in the waves. Jangle was impressed.

“Maybe you all can teach me how to surf. That way I could impress CandyCane the next time we go to the beach.”

Alabaster patted Jangle on the back. “Trust us, we will make you an expert. Showing you how to display grace and style, as you balance yourself on the surfboard. ” he said, as he then proceeded to trip over the plant in front of them, face splat in the sand.