NOELLA (Word Count: 249)
By Ashley Bray
It’s Christmas Eve that means baking, presents, and…
THE CHRISTMAS TREE!
This year I’m big enough to help! Noella thought.
Mama took off her ring, washed her hands, and put on her apron.
Noella was so excited she spilled the sugar and broke the eggs.
“Oh no!” mama said.
Eggs dripped down the counter.
There would be no Christmas cookies.
Noella sighed.
Later, mama got out the paper, tape, and scissors.
Noella tried her best, but the tape wadded up, the paper ripped, and the scissors were too big.
“Oh nooo!”
There would be no pretty packages.
Noella sulked.
Finally, mama got out the tree stand, lights, and ornaments.
This time, nothing went wrong.
The tree was magnificent.
Noella gazed up at the twinkling lights.
She noticed the star leaned to the left, just a little.
I can fix it, Noella thought.
CRASH!
Noella slunk away.
Bits of broken ornaments covered the floor.
“No cookies, packages, or Christmas tree this year,” mama cried.
“And I can’t find my ring anywhere!”
Noella felt awful.
She had ruined everything.
Somehow, she had to save Christmas.
The ring!
Noella searched in all the places that mama wouldn’t think to look.
It was dawn when she finally found it.
Noella tiptoed past plain paper packages and the nearly naked Christmas tree
into mama’s room.
She slipped under the comforter and curled up next to mama.
“Oh Noella!”
Mama smiled when she saw the ring.
“It is a Merry Christmas after all!”
Noella purred.