LIGHT ON DARK MOUNTAIN

It's that wonderful time again when we enter Susanna Leonard Hill's Holiday Contest. This year, a story in no more than 250 words that contains a surprise. Here's mine!





It was dusk on a mid-winter evening when Tansy ran away.

The gate was open and I could just make out her footprints in the snow. She was heading for Dark Mountain and I had to get her back. That little donkey was the only friend I had.

 Hour after hour I climbed, battling the icy wind. At first the beam from my torch only followed donkey hoofs. But then the tracks of other creatures began to appear in the snow. Why were they climbing Dark Mountain in the middle of the night?

 Faintly I heard music and saw a halo of light. The night no longer seemed so cold and the climb was not so hard.

Then, in a single moment, the mountainside was transformed. Menorahs, kinaras and Christmas candles cast their shimmering glow to the skies. The stars were spinning, angels were singing and children of every race were dancing together in the snow and singing the angel song. There were reindeer dancing with them, camels and wildebeest, and one little donkey named Tansy, the happiest dancer of all.

Just as it came, it all faded away and I led my donkey home.

But who was this coming to meet us? A party of village folk.

“There was no light in your window, Sam. You didn’t answer your door. We were worried, so we came looking for you. Happy Holiday!”

And I was warmly wrapped up in hugs and smiles.  I did have friends after all!