“Water bottles?” André said reading off a list

“Check” I replied looking in the packs.

“Blankets?”

“Check”

“Grass packages”

“Check”

“Compass”

“Check”

Silence followed as I handed the packs André and he checked them over.

“Do you think it’ll work?” I whispered to André.

“Of course it will” he replied. “Could you hand me that rope? ... Yeah, the one’s over there.” As I handed him the rope I started to feel unsure about our plan. “Are you sure it’s going to work? I mean, what if we can’t find it?

“The south pole you mean?” he said winding the rope so it would fit better in our packs. “Of course we’ll find it, and we’ll find the Santa Flying Hippo with the Elf Flying Penguins as well.” He sounded so sure, me, I was as nervous as a Yellow Flying Frog on skates for the first time.

“Ok, I’m ready” he told me.

“I’m ready too” I replied trying to swallow my fear. Grabbing my pack, I took a glance at my barnhouse, who know when I’d be back, then followed André into the almost pitch-black darkness. We walked along the empty streets in silence. As son as we got out of the city I started to breathe normally.

“We’re out” André told me.

“Yeah, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

“Still don’t think we can make it eh?”

“Shhh… I think I see someone.” Although I hoped I had just seen a shadow.

“You’re probably just imaging it” André told me.

“No, I see it again, over there.” I pointed to an alley a bit off our path.

“Probably someone just getting a midnight snack, besides it’s not like they’re going to know we’re sneaking off to the South Pole to see Santa and his flying helpers.”

“That makes me feel so much better”

“Why thank you”

“I was being sarcastic”

“Wait, I see them now too”

“I think they’re coming our way!” I said.

“Let’s see who it is” I started to say no but then I realized he was already going down to see so I stopped and followed him. When I got there I realized it was the mayor’s daughter!