“TWO…”
I scrambled to my feet.
“ONE!”
The whole place flickered into a glowing web of red, gold and green lights. Huge Christmas shapes lit up in the water. A giant snowflake. A huge neon-green Christmas tree. Even the outline of The Beatles in Christmas hats, which I wasn’t really sure fitted in with the film, but it was festive, so who cared? The entire dock had exploded with twinkly Christmas lights. Even I had to admit it looked magical.
Human guy whistled, impressed. He was about my age but dressed in human clothes, with messy brown hair falling over his face. Had I just had a quick lie-down on the feet of a cross between Harry Styles and Tom Holland? He walked to the edge of the pod and waved out to no one in particular, before turning back to me. “You OK? Cos even for an elf, you look kind of shocked.”
“Sorry, yeah, I’m fine.” I patted myself down, as the crowd erupted at the silhouetted shapes of Maeve and Joseph walking out. I could have sworn they were holding hands, but it was hard to see from up here. And was that Stormy barging them both out the way, dragging a tiny white fluffy dog along? The sound of Elijah yelling “Clap! Clap! Clap!” drifted up. I spotted him at the edge of the crowd, flapping his arms, his megaphone pointed directly into the head of a bored-looking dad.
“Think he wants people to clap,” I said, with a laugh. “And sorry about squashing your feet. Elf life is a wobbly one.”
“No problem.” The guy smiled; a smile so gleaming it should come with a “ping”. I could feel Grace swooning just at the description of him … if she wasn’t a Jingle Lady and off all guys for the foreseeable, of course.
I leant against the glass, feeling brave behind the make-up, costume and fake bits of face.
“Kinda cool, huh?” I said, looking at Liverpool stretching out below us. I’d love a photo, but the invite small print had said NO PHONES, NO PHOTOS in capital letters, double underlined. I still had mine hidden in my green tights, though, just in case. “Elijah’s smashed it, to be fair…” I stopped. “Sorry … do you even know who I’m talking about?”
Human-guy nodded. “Who doesn’t?”
“Are you something to do with the film, then?” I paused. “Although if it’s a ‘no’, then this is a really weird place to have ended up.”
He laughed. “Long story. But short answer is yes. Elijah roped me into this last minute. Well, more gave me zero option…” He trailed off. “And what about you? Or is this is your usual Molly-on-a-weekend look?”
I nodded. “One hundred per cent. Every Saturday. Why wear—” But I stopped. “Sorry, how do you know my name?”
Was Elf Girl recognizable, even under all this?
“Elijah mentioned you, that’s all…” He shrugged. Did he look awkward or was it me projecting? “I’m Harry, by the way. And you didn’t finish. What’s your film connection? Or are you just a mega-fan?”
I didn’t want to go into any detail. “Also a long story. But not exactly a mega-fan, no. I haven’t even seen it yet. Been busy wrapping presents at the North Pole, all that stuff.”
Harry nodded solemnly. “Understand. It’s a hectic time of the year.” Truth was, a tiny bit of me had started to want to see the film. Just so I knew what everyone was talking about. But after that waitress had recognized me and Grace had confirmed views of the old music video were creeping up, a much bigger elf-shaped bit of me wanted to obliterate it from existence. “Although…” He sat down on the small wooden bench. “I thought everyone was dying to see Joseph D Chambers in action.” He pretended to swoon.
“Speak for yourself.”
“At least it means you’ve been spared sitting through that terrible, terrible title song.” I froze. “What kind of ridiculous family music ensemble could write such cheese?” A noise came out of me, slightly like a balloon deflating. But Harry laughed. “Joking, Molly. I know exactly who are you. Elijah filled me in. In fact” – he bounced his shoulders – “it’s kind of a tuuuune. Although that might just be because I’ve been brainwashed by hearing it a zillion times a day on TikTok.”
He’d been what?!
And why was he doing some kind of elfy-dance?
This couldn’t be happening!
I dropped my head so fast the bell swung round and whacked me in the eye.
“Tell NO ONE it’s me!” I knew Elijah was on a mission to reveal my identity, but even telling just one person felt too much already. “And for the record, I personally think the director must be out of his mind choosing that stupid song.”
Harry failed to hide a grin. “Out of her mind.” Cringe. “I’ll tell my mum you said that.”
Oh, jingle bells. His mum was the director?!
“Oh, man, I’m SO sorry. I didn’t mean it.” I mean, I did, but…
“No stress.” He held up his hand. “Team out-of-control parents, am I right?” OK, he got it. I laughed and slapped his hand. “Is that why you’re here on your own?”
“Nah. Elijah said there was only room for one. My best mate is somewhere down there.” I waved to where I was getting Grace vibes from. And, like we were psychically linked, my phone vibrated. I fished it out.
Grace: Don’t panic. But … no, in fact do panic.
Grace: In fact. JUST RING ME.
“PHOOOOOONES AWAY!!!!” Elijah bellowed as we trundled past the bottom of the circle. I shoved it down my elf sock. “I can still see the GLOW!!!!” he yelled again, shining a torchlight right in my eyes. “OFFFFFF.”
Fine! I switched it off. But I needed to ring Grace. If this was Simon-related, I was going to kill him. I could see the headline now:
ELF GOES ON RAMPAGE.
OK. Why was that making me feel happy? Maybe I was about the rampage life after all?
“You OK?” Harry looked concerned.
“Hypothetical question: if I murdered someone looking like this, do you think I’d get away with it?”
He thought for a second. “I think the mugshots would be very interesting.”
I laughed, and chatting away, the hour passed way quicker than I thought it would, and it took me by surprise when the brass band marched onstage playing Christmas carols for the grand finale. And as they worked their way through “Silent Night” and “Once in Royal David’s City” – the lights twinkling and crowd swaying – Harry and I stopped speaking and just listened, looking out over the water. Harry and I stayed silent until the very last note of the very last song. And for a second, way up in the sky, I pressed pause on all the thoughts that were stressing me out. Grace’s message. Elf Girl. The Grotto. The lyrics I hadn’t written for The POWR. And it was weird. In the hole they left, a new thought crept in.
