Creative Writing: The Christmas Gift

"Mysterious Fires Breaking out Across Prince Rupert, British Colombia"--

John Reeves

"I can't believe there is another one" read surprised Henry Peters. "That

must be 5 houses in the last 2 months. Why would anyone do such a vapid thing?"

"Dad, they don't even know if someone is setting them yet!"

"Oh Billy, wake up and smell the smoke. Fires like that just don't start

themselves."

Billy knew that as he was walking away, but since he was the cause of all

the fires he did not want anyone to know. He felt ashamed that the only way he

could make money was to set fires and then get called in to the fire station as

a part time worker. He had no other way to make money for his girlfriend and

her Christmas present. He tried to keep living this life for as long as he

could but he was not sure how long he could keep it up. If he were to ever be

caught Lord only knows how long he would be locked away for.

Coming from a small town nobody was used to all the buzz going around. It

made Billy nervous. That was all everyone talked about on the small shaded

streets of Prince Rupert.

"Billy, Billy!" Henry yelled.

Snapping out of his dream world Billy relied "What?"

"Go down town and pick up some eggs would ya?"

"Yeah sure Dad."

As he walked down the street Billy pondered if he was really doing the

right thing. He had convinced himself that since Christmas was the time for

giving and he was just getting a little extra cash so he could give some more

to his girlfriend; he was doing the right thing. As he looked around the normal

hang out spots like the barber shop, he noticed the grim look on all the old-

timers and could not really put two and two together to...

... middle of paper ...

.... At

that moment eighteen Christmas' flashed by Billy's eyes in about 5 seconds. He

could remember all the times that he ran down the stairs to rip open the

presents. Then the little boy ran back around the corner. Billy took off

through the woods quicker than he had ever run before, he did not know what else

to do.

Feeling that he was doing the right thing he went to the police station and

gave back all the money that he had made from the fires. He also turned himself

in.

"Billy do you know what this means?" Asked the chief of police Sergeant

Bilks.

"No, what's gonna happen to me?"

"Well Billy depending on what the jury's gonna say, you could face capital

punishment. But until then I'm afraid were gonna have to keep you in a cell."

"But officer that's not fair." Pleaded Billy.

"Sorry Billy, sometimes life's not fair."