Page 5 of Brewing Up Christmas
Angelina.
Angelina.
It was like she had embedded herself in his very thoughts, her presence looming over him even though she was gone. Everything had changed. Nothing made sense anymore.
But one thing was clear—he had no choice but to play her game.
The Spirit Crusade Begins
Eli laid in bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling of his small apartment, the cold seeping through the thin walls. It was a typical winter morning in Bayshore—gray and dreary, with the wind rattling the windows, and the dull light creeping through the blinds. The events of last night swirled in his mind like a bad dream, but every time he reached up to touch his ears, the pointed tips were still there, mocking him with their bizarre reality.
He groaned, pushing himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. The small room felt even smaller now, the chill in the air doing nothing to wake him from this strange new reality. His reflection in the cracked mirror across the room stared back at him, the pointed ears a glaring reminder that whatever happened last night hadn’t been a nightmare—it was real.
“Great,” he muttered under his breath. “Just what I needed.”
His phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling him from his thoughts. Eli reached for it, already dreading what he might find. Sure enough, the screen lit up with a message from Angelina.
Angelina :
Good morning, sleepyhead. Hope you’re ready for your first mission. Head to Seaside Café and help them set up their holiday decorations. Start with the lights outside, then get the tree up in the bay window. It’ll do wonders for the Christmas spirit.
Eli scowled at the message, his thumb hovering over the screen as he considered ignoring it. But the lingering memory of last night’s transformation—and the sharpness of his ears—made it impossible to dismiss. He knew, deep down, that he didn’t have a choice. If he wanted to get back to normal, whatevernormalwas, he’d have to play along.
He tossed the phone back onto the bed and stood, his feet hitting the cold wooden floor with a thud. The thought of stringing up Christmas lights in the freezing cold didn’t exactly thrill him, but what other option did he have? He grabbed a hoodie from the back of a chair and pulled it on, mentally cursing Angelina and her so-called “holiday magic.”
By the time Eli made his way to Seaside Café, the wind had picked up, biting at his face and ears—hispointedears. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he approached the café, its cheery blue-and-white paint now dull against the gray sky. A few holiday decorations had been haphazardly hung on the windows, but it was clear the place was in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.
The café sat at the edge of town, with a perfect view of the pier and beach, though today, the ocean looked as bleak as the sky. Even the waves seemed sluggish, rolling in with little enthusiasm, reflecting Eli’s own mood.
As he reached the front door, it swung open, and out stepped Kayla, the café’s owner. She was bundled up in a thick scarf and jacket, her usual smile a bit more strained than normal. Kayla was a regular at the brewery, always upbeat and chatty, but today, even she seemed affected by the dreariness that had settled over Bayshore.
“Eli!” she greeted him, her breath visible in the cold air. “Angelina said you’d be helping me with the decorations.”
Eli sighed, his breath puffing out in a visible cloud. “Guess so. Not exactly how I planned on spendingmy morning.”
Kayla chuckled, giving him a sympathetic smile. “Trust me, I didn’t plan on being short-staffed during the holidays either. But I appreciate the help.”
He forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, well... let’s get this over with.”
They got to work, stringing lights along the café’s storefront, the wind making the task more difficult than it should have been. The cold bit at Eli’s fingers, even through his gloves, and he found himself grumbling under his breath more than once as he wrestled with the tangled strings of lights.
“You okay over there?” Kayla called from her spot near the window.
“Peachy,” Eli muttered, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “This is exactly what I dreamed of doing today.”
Kayla laughed softly, shaking her head. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to enjoy this a little. Holiday spirit and all.”
Eli grunted in response, but as he hung the final strand of lights, something strange happened.
Out of nowhere, a translucent meter appeared in the air, just off to his right. The red liquid inside it bubbled and churned, like something out of a science experiment,and as the last light was set in place, the liquid shot up, climbing 50 points.
“What the hell...” Eli froze, staring at the floating meter. He glanced over at Kayla, but she was busy arranging garland around the door and didn’t seem to notice the glowing meter hovering beside him.
It was just like last night—something magical, somethingimpossible. And, of course, onlyhecould see it. Eli rubbed his eyes, half-expecting the meter to disappear, but it stayed right where it was, the red liquid swirling lazily at the 50-point mark.
“Angelina,” he muttered, the name dripping with annoyance.
This had to be her doing. Some sort of magical meter measuring the town’s Christmas spirit? He shook his head, both confused and slightly amused. It was ridiculous. But then again, so was the fact that he now had pointed ears.
