Christmas on Planet Exile

Christmas on Planet Exile

“Where am I?”
“This is the planet Exile. I’m Marsh Man, who are you?
“I dunno.”
“You need a new name on this planet. I’ll call you BenJoid. You’re from the planet Earth.”
“I forgot.”
“Come in my tent, you’ll be safe in here. We have to stay inside at night because of terrible things. Do you know what’s out there? It’s cold and dark and there are zombies that eat people.”
“What’s a zombie?”
“I won’t tell you, it's too scary.”
“You’d better tell me, Marsh…Man. Is this the land of no return?”
“Yes, we can never go back—ever. This is where people go when they do wrong.”
“Is there TV or games? Are there Angry Birds?”
“No games or TV here, just something called con.tem.pla.tion.”
“I don’t like the dark. Is that when the zombies come out to eat—people?”
“Not as long as I have this flashlight to shine on them. I hope the batteries don’t die.”
“We’re going to miss Christmas.”
“Maybe we can have Christmas here, BenJoid.”
“It won’t be good with no presents or food. You know who I miss the most? Mom. Because I haven’t seen her in a long time.”
“I don’t miss nobody.”
“She was really mad. She said, 'I’m your judge and jury and you need to think about what you did or I'll send you to planet Exile.'”
“You’ll have time to think about it here—forever.”
“Marsh Man.”
“Don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying, crying is for babies and I’m not a baby….  I smell something cooking. I’m hungry.”
“I don't smell anything cooking. It’s your imagination.”
“I want to go home.”
“BenJoid, stop thinking about it or you’ll be sad. You did the crime, now you gotta do the time. We’re in trouble forever.”
“I hope it's not forever. She’s our mom. And--and what if Santa knows we were bad or-or if he can’t find us here on this planet?”
“Marshal? Benjamin? You can come out of your room now. Come help me decorate the cookies for tonight’s Christmas Eve party. And, since you made a tent out of your sheets, you’ll have to make your beds again.”
“I missed you, mommy.”
“I missed you too Benji and you too, Marshall.”
“I’m mad at you because you made us stay in our room for hours. We were desperate.”
“Marshall, you’ve only been in your room for 20 minutes. But, I hope you both have learned your lesson about sword fighting with scissors. Boys who are six and eight years old should know better than to do something so dangerous. You could have hurt yourselves. Now, hurry and get your sheets back on your bed then come help me.”
“Can we save some cookies for Santa?”
“Of course, Benji.”
“I’m glad you let us come back for Christmas, Mommy.”
“What?”
The End


Copyright © 2011 Teresa Coltrin. All Rights Reserved 

Comments

Gail said…
Wonderful! We forget how long a time out can be.
Betty Manousos said…
aw, that is really cute!


here's wishing that you and your loved ones enjoy a happy and peaceful holiday season.

have a very merry Christmas, dear teresa!

love
betty
Joanne said…
That's what matters ... Mom, cookies and Santa, and our world is restored.
Carol Kilgore said…
Great story! Swords with Scissors ... scary, scary, scary.

Merry Christmas, Teresa!
This was so cute but in the minds of children...so true to life.

Loved the read sweetie!!

Have a wonderfully blessed Christmas my friend!!! :o)
Betty Manousos said…
dear teresa,

here's wishing you all the joys of the season.

wish you and your precious family a very Merry Xmas!

blessing!
love and hugs!
betty
Unknown said…
So cute and 20 years can seem like an eternity to a child with an overactive imagination!

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