Page 35 of North Bound

He slouches back in the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him. He gets the impression this might take some time and he can’t blame her. So far, she’s taking this a hell of a lot better than he expected. ‘Go for it.’

‘How did you become Santa? I mean was there an application process or something? Advert in the local paper? Something like that?’

He laughs. ‘Now that would be one hell of an interview process, wouldn’t it? No, I just sort of fell into it.’

‘You can’t leave it at that. How do you fall into being Santa?’

‘My family...’ He winces, then shakes his head. He can’t go there with her. Not yet. ‘I hit rock bottom and took up drinking. Then drugs. A while later I was homeless, and heading towards either drinking myself to death, or overdosing. Maybe both. It was Christmas Eve morning, and I was sprawled out in some doorway, when a guy came up to me and asked if I wanted a job.

‘I said yes. Not because I wanted a job. I was more interested in getting some money for my next fix or bottle. He brought me to a cafe around the corner, and bought me breakfast. Not exactly what I was looking for, but I hadn’t eaten for days. While I ate, he asked if I would be interested in bringing happiness to people over Christmas. I could do that while having a roof over my head, home cooked meals, safety. The job would be mine as long as I wanted it.’

Nick pauses and rests his head against the back of the couch. Fuck he feels rough. ‘Even though I was half drunk and high, I listened to what he was saying. I’d hated Christmas for years. It was the single most painful day of the year for me. For a lot of people. The thought, no matter how crazy, that I could bring happiness to even one person at that time of year, struck a chord with me. I wanted to do that. So I agreed.

‘Next thing I know, I’m not in the cafe anymore. I’m in this stunning, absolutely massive log cabin. My new home apparently.’ Nick shrugs. ‘To be honest, I didn't have a clue where I was, or what was going on. It took a couple of weeks for me to get clean. I don’t remember a lot of that time, but it was far from fun. When I finally got through it, and was able to go outside with a clear head, I knew where I was. I knew I was in Lapland. Sounds fucking ridiculous I know, but there was something in the air. It just felt like home. And no, I promise I was clean and still am.’

‘I wasn’t going to suggest otherwise.’

‘I saw the look on your face,’ he says with a grin. ‘And I don’t blame you. Anyway, even though I knew where I was, the whole Santa thing was a bit of a stretch. The guy who helped me, was Santa at the time, but he was ready to pass the job on to someone else. Don’t have a clue why I was chosen, but I was. May have been a shortage of applications that year,’ he adds, grinning.

‘Cutting a seriously long and completely unbelievable story short, I was eventually convinced I could do the job, so I agreed to sign the contract.’

‘Contract?’

‘Yeah. It just details what the job entails and what’s expected of me. As soon as I signed, the tattoo appeared and I felt... I don’t know, I guess stronger, more sure of myself. I honestly haven’t got a fucking clue how to explain it. Each contract adds something to the person signing it. Some trait associated with the job they’re signing up for. I think Santa is one of the easier contracts.’

‘What other ones are there?’

He rests his hand on her leg, slowly rubbing it as he buys for time. He’s not sure if he should go there with her. But part of the reason he came clean with her, was so she could help him. If she’s going to do that, he needs to tell her everything. ‘Okay, this might push the whole unbelievable part to a new level. I work with a group of men who have each signed a different contract. We each have very different jobs to do individually, but outside our contracts we work together to keep the legends alive as much as possible.’

‘Yep - now you’re talking gibberish. What legends?’

‘I lead the Boogeyman, the Sandman, Cupid, Jack Frost, the Horseman, and Triton.’ The expression on her face is priceless, and exactly what he was expecting. ‘I’ve gone too far now, haven’t I?’

‘Did you say the Boogeyman?’

‘Yeah. His name is Damon. He’s a decent guy... most of the time. Probably one of my closest friends.’

‘Hang on there one second. Are you telling me Santa is friends with the Boogeyman?’

‘Yes I am.’

‘And with Cupid? As in the cute cherub?’

‘Hunter isn’t a cute cherub.’

‘Who’s Hunter?’

‘It’s his name. We’re all human men, Scarlett. But when we take the job we get traits of that particular role.’

‘Oh. So no flying cherub?’

He laughs and shakes his head. ‘No. He’s taller than me with a beard and black wings.’

‘This is going to take a while to get my head around. Knowing Santa is real is one thing, but when you add the Boogeyman and all the others, my brain hurts. So how long have you been Santa for?’

‘This Christmas will by my thirty-fifth one.’

‘What! But that doesn't make sense. You don’t look that old.’

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