A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas by Wilson Swain Page A

there before it’s too late!”
    “WELCOME TO CHRISTMAS WOOD!”
    “SHUT THE GATES FAST!”
    “THE MOUSE KING IS ON THE LOOSE AGAIN, AND HE’S COMING THIS WAY!”
    They arrived at the entrance to Toy Town and were greeted by the Mayor of Christmas Wood himself.
    The Mayor quickly ushered them inside, and the large gates closed with a clank.

    Toy Town was abuzz with activity. Sugar Plum Fairies flittered about, elves busily wrapped presents, and the town square was filled with the most wonderful toys Fritz had ever seen.
    “I’m glad you warned us,” said the Mayor. “We were just about to start the Wind-Up Ballet!”
    “What’s that?” asked Fritz.
    “It happens every year on Christmas Eve,” the Nutcracker explained. “It’s how the toys say good-bye. You’ll see. Follow me to the Gilded Gate!”

    The Gilded Gate stood in the center of town, glittering with colorful lights.
    “Every toy must pass through this gate before it leaves Christmas Wood,” said the Mayor. “The toys here are all alive until that moment. Then the magic goes inside, and only the love of a child can ever bring it out again.”
    Fritz watched as one of the bears marched through the Gilded Gate and became… a teddy bear!

    Music filled the air as the toys danced with the elves and fairies, spinning and cartwheeling toward the Gilded Gate. Everyone was so entranced by the ballet that they didn’t notice the dark figure emerging from the shadows…

    “Looks like I’m just in time,” said the wretched rodent, spraying clouds of nasty, stinky cheese everywhere.
    The Wind-Up Ballet screeched to a halt as everyone started sneezing and coughing.
    WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT...”
    Fritz suddenly realized he knew exactly what to do.
    “The blossoms from the peppermint tree!” He shouted. “Just like my video game—that’s how you get past the stinky cheese!”
    Everyone quickly picked blossoms from the trees…and stopped sneezing immediately!
    “Enough of this meddling,” snapped the Mouse King, pulling out his sword. “Time to smash your precious Gilded Gate to bits and ruin Christmas forever!”
    “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP HIM NOW!”
    The Nutcracker drew her sword. “You’ll have to get through me first.”
    “With pleasure,” hissed the Mouse King.
    CLASH! SMASH! “Take that, you overgrown hamster!”
    “Oh, no!” cried the Nutcracker as her sword was knocked from her hands. It flew through the Gilded Gate and came out as
a toy sword on the other side!

    “Looks like it’s GAME OVER for you, Nutty!” growled the Mouse King, raising his sword to finish her off.
    But Fritz wasn’t about to let that happen.
    He threw himself between them, shoving the Mouse King backward through the Gilded Gate, turning him instantly into…

    “A VIDEO GAME!” cried Fritz.
    “And look—the Mouse King is trapped inside!”
    “Back where he belongs,” said the Nutcracker.
    The fairies and elves all cheered with delight.
    But there was no time for celebration—they still had work to do! Fritz and the Nutcracker helped guide each of the toys through the Gilded Gate as the elves loaded colorful presents onto Santa’s sleigh.

    Suddenly, bells began to chime.
    “It’s almost midnight, Fritz,” said the Mayor. “We’ve got to get you home before Christmas!”
    Fritz said good-bye to his new friends. “I’ll miss you all,” he said. He saved his last good-bye
for the Nutcracker. “Thank you for bringing me here!”
    The Nutcracker smiled. “Thank you for helping save Christmas!”
    DING-DONG!
    The Sugar Plum Fairies sprinkled magic fairy dust in Fritz’s eyes making him feel very sleepy…

    The doorbell woke Fritz, at home, in his chair. He rubbed his eyes. Had it all been a dream? It had seemed so real.
    “At last! My Christmas guests!” said Mr. Drosselmeier, crossing to the front door. “I told them they could find me here.”
    In came Mr. Drosselmeier’s family, one by one.
    Fritz couldn’t believe his eyes. Mr.