Abandoned - Crater Lakes - (Crash Site #82 Sequel) - Story 87

[Abandoned]

Chapter 14


  As calculated, there were 8 more adults with 2 young children to move from the Mother Ship to the complex.  Three houses were built back by the retreat center for the 3 families.  There was 1 couple with 2 adult children, 1 couple with 2 young children, and 1 older couple whose son was one of the 12 workers who would remain on the ship.   There was room there by the retreat center to build 2 or 3 more houses and another hydro pod if needed.  We had one worker in all the pods now growing corn, potatoes, beans, and cabbage.  We could add more workers to the existing pods or build another.  We would hold off building more houses until needed by newlyweds, there were already several houses occupied by young single. 




  The workers remaining on the Mother Ship were quite busy now managing all the newly arrived supplies.  After all the tree trimmings, wreaths, and lights were taken to the trading pod, they loaded Ally's boat with flour, sugar, and spices to bring out to us.  We would be able to bake our own gingerbread men cookies.  A small Christmas baker was built next to the domed storage unit where the supplies were taken.  The delicious smell of those fresh baked cookies had adults and children waiting outside for the next batch to come out of the oven.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 15


  The new skating pond was also drawing a crowd.  Another shed was built to provide the ice skates in an assortment of sizes for both children and adults.  The smith made skates while he waited for wood to make tools.  Laborers gathered branches for firewood to keep a large bonfire burning by the new skating pond not only to light up the area but to also provide a spot to sit and warm up on those cold winter evenings. 




The Elves had another seasonal treat in store for us, roasted chestnuts.  A nut stand was built by the new skating pond.  The warm snack was welcome after the long walk in the cold to get to the pond.  The warm snack roaster was built by the pond in the production area.  Those that worked out in the cold in that area could also have a warm snack of roasted nuts anytime they pleased. 




  Ally soon arrived from the Mother Ship with the chestnuts to be roasted.  He brought spices we needed for cookie baking and much needed leather. Our clothing supply was very low.  The elk herds were small and we could not risk overhunting them.  The workers that remained on the Mother Ship needed meat.  Ally took all the rabbit meat and venison that we had stocked at the trading dock.  The ship could use more tools.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 16




  The Elves said they could help provide us with hide coats, iron tools, firewood, and even some candy and ale.  They promptly build a Santa's Workshop by their ice caves near the Mother Ship.  The sign on the workshop prompted a string of questions about Santa from both adults and children.  All I knew and told them about Santa was that once a year Santa came and left gifts.  Well, the Elves soon filled us in on Mr. and Mrs. Claus and the North Pole, and the sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer.  Santa had a list that he checked twice of all the boys and girls and whether they were naughty or nice.  Of course, this had all the children worried and in need of reassurance that they had indeed been nice and would get a toy for Christmas.

  But in the meantime, there were more welcome surprises.  Ally soon returned to the trading pod with more flour for baking the cookies the children liked and he had a special treat of mulled wine for us grownups.  We wished we had taken the grapes that Ally brought the last time he was here, but we thought the families on the Mother Ship were in need of fruit.   



  We did not hesitate to take the wool and woolies Ally brought this time.  Being from the south I did not know what woolies were but was impressed by the assortment of wool hats, scarves, and mittens for wearing outside in the cold.  There were sweaters and warm woolen underclothes too.  The outside workers and ice skaters were sure to like these woolies.  The Elves instructed us on how to build a woolen mill on the river where, despite the blockage, the currant was still strong enough to turn the mill wheel.  They gave us instructions and patterns on how to make all the woolen items.  It wasn't long before there were clotheslines of woolies to be seen in backyards around the complex.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 17


  The laborers were especially appreciative of the new woolies.  They had to make numerous trips to the forests in all directions to collect branches for firewood.  The Christmas baker, nut roaster, and bonfire were all taking a toll on our firewood supply, and none of us wanted cold suppers.  The forester in the production area was now harvesting trees but the woodcutter struggled to keep the firewood supply ahead of the demand.  An herb therapist was now working in that forest, our overall health was a bit low.   A 2nd forester was built out beyond the retreat center on the side near the lake, and another herb therapist went to work near the fishing pond.  Once tree harvesting began, there would be more logs on the stockpile closest to the blacksmith.  We debated if that would be a good place for a 2nd woodcutter instead of a location closer to the bonfire. 





  We were concerned for our overall health.  None of the Mother Ships health scanners had yet been used but we figured it was likely our diet.  We thought the vendor in the storage dome was leaving the outside areas without enough food variety.  We discharge the vendor temporarily and had the labors gather wild foods in all directions to fill the other storage units.  Another frozen fishing pond was discovered just past the Elves' ice caves.  The fish and wild foods in that area plus the 2 herb therapist helped to raise the overall health somewhat.  Time would tell if it was enough.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 18


  If the herbs and wild foods didn't help the overall health of our adult residents, maybe a nice medicinal mug of mulled wine at the newly built Yule Tap would.  Ally returned and again brought grapes, this time we took them.  The tavern was built in a location for easy access from both the production area and the complex.  Elves and Mother Ship workers were welcome there and everywhere. 



  The workers on Mother Ship were still sorting and organizing supplies as well as their regular ship-running duties, but now they had another job too.  According to instruction from the Elves, they were mixing powered milk and cocoa powder to make a hot drink that would be especially liked by the children.  The Elves called it hot chocolate and another stand was built by the big skating pond to serve it to anyone who wanted a cup.  It was delicious and very popular with the skaters.

  The ship workers also found more boxes of tree trimmings and Christmas lights.  The colored lanterns were lit by chips of the glass crystal power cells.  Our homes were lit the same way.  Power cells were used to heat the ice caves, survival pods, and complex houses, and to operate our command center.  Firewood was used for cooking. 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 19


  It was our 9th year here at Crater Lakes and KD made an important decision that affected us all.  According to Mission Control, the home planet was no longer habitable, we could expect no more help from them.  It made no sense to KD to go off into space looking for a place with resources to settle when they found such a place right here on earth. They were settled here now and acclimated.  He sent out a message to all residents to respond if they had reasonable thoughts to the contrary.  There were no responses.  I was thrilled.  I and our 4 children, ages 12, 8, 5, and 3, would not have to leave the planet on which we were born and roam the universe for who knows how many years.  The Mother Ship would be well stocked at all times with food, supplies, energy crystals, and power cells if for any reason we had to make a hasty departure.  The chance of being detected here high in the mountains was very slim. 




  With that decision made, the Elves also made the decision to stay here with us.  They got Santa's permission to establish a pickup stop for Santa to reload his sleigh with toys on Christmas Eve.  The Elves immediately built a toy workshop a short distance from their Santa's workshop near the Mother Ship's stockpile.  They would need logs for the toy making.  Children were warned that if they ventured near the workshop they would be put on the naughty list.  They stayed away.




  A 3rd forester was built, this one not far from the Elves fishing pond and workshops.  The location for a 2nd woodcutter was decided.  It would be by that same stockpile, close enough to the bonfire but far enough away that the chopping noise did not disturb the skaters on the frozen pond. 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 20


  Yes, weary traveler, we had settled well in this mountain crater.  The Mother Ship would continue to send out supplies for many years to come.  We had a large comfortable complex built north of the ship.  It had a large storage dome, a clothes fabricator, a tool implementer, a command center, learning pods, and a retreat center.   There were 4 hydro pods growing vegetables with room for more.  Outside the complex there were ice caves and a mine, a forester, hunter, fishing pond, and herb therapist.




  The production area east of the Mother Ship made building the complex possible.  A crystal works made the glass and a coal extractor made the steel used for building.  The workers lived in ice caves and survivor pods and gathered foods and firewood branches from hedgerows.  They fished from the frozen pond.  Warm winter woolies that the ice skaters wore were made in the woolen mill by the river.  Another forester, herb therapist, and hunter were farther to the east.



  Another frozen skating pond was south of the Mother Ship in the area that Santa's Elves now called home.  They lived in ice caves, cared for the reindeer, and worked in Santa's Workshop and Toy Shop.  They too had a fishing pond and forester.  There were 12 adults with their children living on the Mother Ship.  The 3 areas outside the Ship had 26 homes, 89 citizens, and 1 harmless ice monster.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 21


  We had a lot to thank Santa and the Elves for.  They brought us the Christmas lights and tree trimmings, and the ingredients to make gingerbread men cookies, roasted chestnuts, and mulled wine.  They made hot cocoa for all of us.  They provided the wool and taught us how to make warm winter woolies.  And now they were busy making toys for all the children of the world, ours included, because that's what Santa's Elves do.


  We had another visit from Elves that year.  Two of them brought one of Santa's red sleighs for our Elves to fill with toys.  On Christmas Eve Santa can drop off the empty sleigh and pick up the full one.  The two Elves also brought a message and a special gift from Santa for us.  The two Elves flew back to the North Pole on the reindeer that brought the sleigh.



  Santa's message was that he wanted us and the children to know that he and the gifts are not what Christmas is all about.  Christmas celebrates the birth of the Christ Child who was the gift from above to us from God, his father.  The Child was a King and wise men followed a bright star in the east to find the baby Jesus and bring Him gifts.  That is why Santa gives gift to the children at Christmas, to honor the Christ Child and the wise men.  The special gift was a Holy Book that Santa sent us.  There were not many of these special books in existence yet, there were holy men called monks who were busy making copies.  The book would tell us the whole story of the Child's birth in Bethlehem so long ago.


  Yes, weary traveler, like the North Star legend you were told about, this Child's father was very proud of Him too and made Him the Light of the World for all to see and follow.


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTKgDx6HArY&list=RDqTKgDx6HArY&start_radio=1

[Abandoned]

Chapter 22


  That night there was a breathtaking display of the Northern Lights and the north star seemed to shine especially bright.

  KD said he and his people knew about this God who made heaven and earth and the sun to light the day and the moon to light the night, the God who made all the stars and planets and universes.  They did not know their God had a son.  He said we would build a special house for The Holy Book.  The best place would be where the most people gathered, by the big skating pond. 




  The chapel was built of wood because Baby Jesus was born in a stable of wood.  A wood carving depicting the nativity scene was placed beside the chapel.  The sky the night the chapel was completed was again clear and the stars again shown brightly.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 23

  The decision to stay here had the older children wondering and asking why we left the Crash Site to begin with.  Why do we not want earth people to find us?  Would they be mean to us because we were different?  And what about The Light of the World, would He love them too, they did not come from this world.  Our oldest daughter, Arthenia, was concerned too, she and her brother and sisters were neither alien nor earthling.  Another child called her a half-breed.  She just turned 15 and married 19-year-old alien Attie and moved into one of the production area ice caves with him.  They were expecting their first child. 

   We could only tell the children the truth that some people would not understand or believe what we would tell them.  Some would be mean.  Maybe someday it would be different and they would be accepted for who they are, not what they looked like or what world they came from.  We reassured the children that God and Jesus loved them because the whole universe is God's world and Christmas is for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU-CODP6sc8

[Abandoned]

Chapter 24


  And then it was Christmas Eve and all the children were excited.  They asked the same questions about Santa over and over.  They could not sit still.  It would not be easy to get them to sleep that night.  There was only one thing to do.  I, like many others, bundled the children up in their winter woolies and headed for the nearest frozen pond.  Hot cocoa, fresh air, and exercise would help them sleep.




  It was a beautiful evening.  The wind had died down to a whisper and big fluffy snowflakes were gently falling.  The colored Christmas lights glowed softly, and the muffled sound of children's laughter carried on the snow-filled air.  One by one the littles ones were carried home and tucked up in their beds looking like little angles as they slept dreaming of Christmas morning yet to come.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Cbt_I4w94


Good night, weary traveler, sleep well and Have a Merry Christmas.


The End

[Kristahfer]

Very nice Christmas story. Thank you.

[kid1293]

  Thank you!

[Abandoned]

  Thanks for Frozen Ponds 

Have a Merry Christmas, @Kristahfer  Glad you liked the story.

Merry Christmas to all

[Glenn]

Another lovely story.

Its nearly 9am on Christmas day, and the only sound I can hear are the children next door.
It will be warm today 34c is the forecast.

Merry Christmas Abandoned, and to all