The Adventures of Roger & Susan: A Christmas Tale

Venables, Crossbones & Ironshot Publishing Company Limited
The Staff at VCI Publishing would like to wish all their readers a very Merry Christmas and New Year!

Sincerly

Richard Venables

Manager in Chief

By Scott McMillan
Once many years ago in the golden age of the Caribbean, On a Cold Christmas eve in 1745 when all through the Caribbean people were sharing gifts, and singing carols in the Taverns on Tortuga, and little children lie in bed asleep, awaiting Father Christmas to bring their gifts on Christmas Morning, A young Boy looks out into the night from his little crack in the wall of the Royal Anchor, he watches in expectation, waiting for his sister to return with what scraps of food she could find, suddenly she returned panting heavily, “Guess What!?” Susan Said, “What?” Roger Replied, “I found a whole Christmas Dinner!” Susan said happily! As they made their way out on to the streets of Port Royal and into the Dark night the only people they saw were a few, Guards and the occasional chimney sweep or Ship builder returning from his Christmas celebrations at one of the local public houses, But yet as Susan and Roger made their way through the streets and into a large, open market place where a lone gypsy sat by her fire “ah I see the children have returned please sit yourselves down children” She said, as she poured them some hot soup from her cauldron and into three bolls, she then gave the soup to the children, “Merry Christmas Children” She said happily, as Roger gulped down the soup hungrily, “ah now you young one have a mark on you!” She said to Roger, “Rea... Rea…Really” He Asked her, as she brought out a small Doll, “this is a sacred Voodoo doll of Christmas, you must take extremely good care of it, as it is very old” She said, As she handed it to Roger he accepted and the looked back up at the gypsy and asked, “But why ME? I’m no one special I’m an orphan!” She looked at him and smiled, “Hush Child you have a great destiny before you, and you must be ready for it! Pearson Wright is intending on assassinating Father Christmas!” She told them, “WHAT! He can’t do that!” Susan cried, “oh but he can child, he has already hired an Assassin called Richard Lutheran an Evil Incarnation of the EITC Official Richard Luther, to do his bidding and with an group of evil minions following him, your path will be a difficult one!” She said, “this is what you must do child, you must keep faith of Father Christmas alive or else the world as we know it will end tomorrow!” She said, “But… How will I do that?” He asked, “Simple you will fight Lutheran, at the top of the Spire of Kingshead tonight at midnight exactly, for this is what I have foreseen” She said as she disappeared into a mist, Suddenly an short, rather fat little man walked up to them, “so you’re the hero of Christmas eh?” He said to Roger, “ah yes I think so” he Replied, “wadda ya mean I think so? Either you are or you ain’t!” he said grumpily, he then pulled out a pipe and lit it, “so you two are coming to Kingshead is that so eh?” he grumbled, He beckoned them to follow him, to which they followed him to the gateway to Kings Run on the edge of town, “Right hold on a jiffy, I’ll just open the door like” He said as he muttered a few words and a bright light appeared in front of them which revealed a bright glowing, doorway through which they could see a large fortress, “alright so listen now, the EITC are all over the place in Kingshead and they’ll rip you limb to limb rather then look at you but I have a solution for that! See as Ol’ Nick is delivering presents to the Children of the EITC officials and so on, this is when the Assassin will strike and try to kill Ol’ Nick, but don’t you worry like, for if you get to the assassin before he gets to Ol’ Nick we’ll all be okay!” the Old Fella Said, grinning with a smile void of a few teeth, and so Roger and Susan took each other’s hands and walked through the Portal, they found themselves inside the Kingshead Parade grounds where all was quiet and still, then they saw above their heads a sleigh go flying by and they knew it was nearly time! Suddenly a deep, hollow voice came from behind them, “So you are the ones, Grimplefig sent to save Father Christmas!” The Voice said, as Roger and Susan turned around they found themselves looking at a tall figure in dark robes, with a large scythe in one hand and eyes that glowed a pale blue, his face was extremely bony and they soon realised it was actually just a skull! “Who…Who are you?” Roger asked, “I am Death, and I am here to help you save Father Christmas!” Death said, “But… why would death help us save Father Christmas?” Susan asked, “Because like me he is one of the Entities that keep this world alive, due to people’s imagination!” Death Said, “Come we must hurry, we have little time left, and your late as it is!” Death Said, they quickly started making their way up to the main tower of the Fortress, then suddenly Death told them to stop, “I must give you something, think of it as a Christmas Present” He said, as he gave them a dark coloured cloak which when Roger put it on, made his body disappear, it was a magical cloak! “To protect you from the Guards who will most certainly destroy you!” Death said kindly, finally they arrived at the top of the Fortress unseen and unheard, but there standing with Pearson, was Lutheran and there in front of them was Father Christmas, on his knees and bound hand and foot, “If you come any closer, we’ll kill him!” Pearson said, “Ah but you’re ready planning too aren’t you Pearson Littlebottom Wright?” Death Replied, “How do you know my name? And how dare you speak it out!” He roared, “Because child, when your father died, I was there and I watched you cry over his cold dead corpse!” Death said, “No… that’s impossible! Lutheran kill these fools!” Pearson said, Lutheran swung out suddenly with a huge sword of ancient design, and swung the blade right through Deaths figure, but it did nothing! “You cannot kill me Lutheran, for I am already dead! I am the father of Death!” Death roared, and swung out with the back of his scythe knocking him flying, Lutheran screamed in horror at the sheer force of the blow, then got up and ran for Roger, who swung out at him with his fist, but where his fist had been there was now a dagger of pure gold, which sunk deep into Lutherans Heart, Lutheran shuddered then finally became still, Pearson on the other hand had tried to run but had been cut off by Death, “So Pearson, the question I am going to ask you is this, have you been naughty or nice?!” Death said as he swung out and sent Pearson flying down into the sea far below! Meanwhile, Roger and Susan were helping Father Christmas up and untying him, well trying to but Roger was struggling under the weight of Father Christmas massive frame, “Thank you Children, for your assistance in this eventful night!” Father Christmas said, “ah Death how are you doing?” he asked, “umm. Not too bad I suppose thank you kindly” Death Replied, as Father Christmas took off in his sleigh and disappeared in a flash, “And now children, you must return home, unless… you wish to come home with me?” Death said, “Oh yes! Yes please! Do let us come with you Death!” They said excitedly, and so that is the tale of how a young boy, Death, and a girl saved Christmas from Pearson and his evil Assassin’s, And became the children of Death, and they all had a very merry Christmas! THE END!