The Kilkenny Observer Newspaper is delighted to present our
‘2024 Christmas short story series’. We have invited five Kilkenny based writers to submit a short story over the coming weeks, which we hope you will enjoy.
This is week four and we welcome Keela Ayres.
By: Keela Ayres
Saoirse is a frequent daydreamer and a stickler for her morning routine, which usually consists of her staring out into the world beyond. She is met with a curious dilemma one winter Sunday, a parcel is left in her back garden with seemingly no owner! She embarks on a chaotic journey to find the answer to the question everyone keeps asking; ‘Who left it there and why?’ Read to figure out who this mysterious stranger is.
Winter had reared its icy head. The melancholic hug that wrapped itself over our tiny town. The faint silhouette of the moon winked down at us all from the cornflower blue skies above.
I crept down the swirling stairs, armed only in my faded TY hoodie layered over a pair of baggy navy shorts. I had risen while everyone was upstairs asleep wrapped in the blanket of their dreams. Hopping into the crook of the oak window sill, I gazed out into our back garden, wondering which one of nature’s surprises would grace me this early Sunday. It was mornings like these that made me feel like I was the only person on Earth. Isolation often whittles away at people’s wills, and yet, I always seemed to revel in it. Frost kissed the emerald hairs of grass that consumed every corner of our carefully curated jungle.
I felt myself fade into the whirlwind of greens, blues and whites of our winter wonderland; my train of thought decided to take me on a trip. I could hear all the whispered titbits passed shamelessly along our school corridors. Apparently, some girl, and her friends in the year below me ended up in the Gardaí’s clutches recently. Debbie something-or-other? Everyone in my year says it’s because of drug dealing. Sounds almost like a story if you ask me! Wait a second. A glimmer of colour snapped me out of my trance. What’s that? There it stood, a crimson package topped with a sparkling gold bow, just short of the water tank. I dove into my enlarged crocs, stumbling like a comical clown as I gingerly turned the key in the side door. I charged forward feverishly to snap up this mysterious package.
The hunt was on
Not even the clutch of December’s chilly fingers around me could dampen my drive. I tore open the wrapping paper, the lack of weight caught me by surprise. All that was inside was a marble diary with a note, a message written in an inky chicken-scratch scrawl; “Everyone deserves a Christmas present. Let’s have some fun! Circle the streets to find clue number one!” A scavenger hunt! Wasting no time, I flew out through the rust-encrusted gate and out into the sleepy street of the neighbourhood with the note bundled in the ball of my fist. An hour wasted squirming through Mrs Halley’s snowdrops, scaling the icy cedar on the pitch and peeking through every neighbour’s closed curtains only brewed my frustration more fiercely.
I settled onto the rickety bench positioned at the top of the pitch, opting to rest from my agonising search. No texts from Alex yet. My reflection was cast in the pitch-black screen where her name should’ve been. My first Christmas in a relationship! Girlfriend. The word itself was a rosy burst of colour that made my heart soar. She’d probably roll around in fits of laughter where I sat as she watched me tear around the street like a sheep-dog in the fields. My croc grazed the ground, connecting with a crinkly lump. I inspected it through the gaps in the wood.
It was the same crimson paper! I swiped it up and tore it open to reveal a mahogany fountain pen encased with a note:“The pen is mightier than the sword! Can you find the next clue in a place that makes everyone bored?” I let out an exasperated sigh. I knew where I had to go. I stood outside the school gates waiting for them to open, not a soul in sight. Whoever this person was knew me down to the last miniscule detail, they knew I couldn’t resist a challenge.
Surprise
I went to turn towards the bike sheds. Would it be worth a nose? I was interrupted by a wheezing voice that coughed out my solution; “Saoirse! Wait there, I’ve something for ya!” Clad in his navy overalls stood our caretaker, known through the student gifted moniker of ‘Anto’ waving the familiar crimson wrapping paper that would finish this mad adventure. I ran up to greet him and lightly took it from his grasp. “Thank you Anto!” He rolled his eyes playfully; “That’s Anthony to you, cheeky.” His brow knitted in amused bewilderment as he watched me unravel the final clue.
A pot of deep blue ink with a note taped to the bottom. “Go to the Castle that stands so tall, and there you’ll meet the person who is behind this all!” I high tailed it down the path, my words of gratitude tumbled from my mouth; “Thank you Anthony! I’ll see you on Monday!” A grumble of approval was followed by the click of a key in the gate padlock. “Throw on something over those shorts, there’s a breeze t’would skin ya!” I bolted down street corners and braved the busy roads lined with cars, flying with a speed so quick I was practically floating. Groups of jogging mothers, drained dog-walkers and giggling girls planted their stares on me. I paid them no mind.
A mystery
This mystery had to be solved. I skidded to a halt on the winding gravel outside of the castle, my clues bundled in my arms. My eyes flickered frantically across the fields, searching for the mastermind who had concocted my morning chase. The crowds grew rapidly and yet no one came forward. I felt a sting of insecurity strike me. Was this all a mistake? I began to shuffle towards the exit, praying no one from school would recognise me. “Saoirse!” That melodic song I knew so well perked up my ears. I turned to see her sprint from her hiding spot, her auburn hair glowing, like a fiery halo in the sunlight. She unravelled a crinkled slip of paper, revealing the famous black script that guided me since the start. “Got ya! Merry Christmas Saoirse!” I embraced Alex joyfully, not caring about how I looked or what I dropped. Little did she know that she was the best Christmas present I’d ever gotten!
Keela Ayres is a 2nd year college student who is currently studying Arts & Humanities. She has had work previously published with the Observer such as ‘The Thing With Debbie’ (2022) and ‘The Gift of Giving’ (2023).
