Whiter Wave of Delusion

years to come and not even then will they chance upon what a fantastic Christmas we will soon have.' Two young girls burst through the pine doors in the lounge, giggling and laughing with glee. Excitement coming to a brim, they approached Genevieve, wearing a face of pure joy."When's Santa coming?" Asked the first, smiling widely to reveal two rows of pearly white milk teeth."Yeah, is it soon? I just cannot wait..." Concluded the second little girl, as the two shared a private laugh with each other. "Santa Claus will be here very shortly. Have you prepared his snack for when he arrives?""Oh dear! We almost forgot!" And with that the two girls trotted out of the room, laughing once more, leaving snow tracks in the plush carpet.'Those girls...' Chuckled Genevieve to herself. Still glancing out of the window at the trickling snow, playing with her curly locks, the telephone rang. "Hello?" Spoke Genevieve brightly down the receiver."Genevieve, it's your mother. How are things over at the cabin, darling? Is everything OK? Are the children behaving?""Mother, please calm yourself, you are worrying yourself for nothing. Everything is going splendidly, the children are in the kitchen preparing Santa's snack, and the reindeer's carrot too!""Oh that is OK then. I didn't know how you would cope, my child. You have never stayed anywhere before, except from perhaps a friends house when you were a child," The lady laughed robustly down the phone, "You have all the gifts prepared I suppose?""Oh of course, we will be seeing those in the morning, of course, mother.""Well then, I shall be going then, goodnight Genevieve, and have a pleasant Noel.""Thank you mother, and goodbye, have a good Noel too. Give father a kiss from me.""Goodbye Darling."Genevieve plonked the phone onto the base and stepped back over to the window pane, her dressing gown flowing gracefully with every step she took."Mummy, I have Santa's snack ready!" And so the evening continued.The night drew closer, and the two little girls lay sleeping peacefully in their beds. Genevieve lounged, listening to some light jazz playing on her mother's old recorder, on the brink of dosing off for the night. She sighed, deeply, stood up, set the chairs properly and removed the recorder's arm for the night. 'See you soon, Saint Nicholas.' Said she, and she moved swiftly into the dimly lit room which was her bedroom.Like a klaxon booming in her ears Genevieve awoke, to the sound of the two little girls bounding up and down on her bed screaming for her to awake."Mummy, we need to go and see if Santa Claus has been!""Oh my, of course, what is the time, darling?""Come on, mummy!"The children pulled toughly on Genevieve's hand and pryed her out of bed. She was sure she even heard the creaking. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Genevieve followed the children into the lounge to open their deliveries from Nicholas."Where...where are the presents, Mummy?" Said the first little girl, weepily.In front of them the room was bare, presents no where to be seen. High nor low, presents were not to be found."I...I don't know children, have you been naughty? I have been behaving well..." Genevieve spoke, trailing off, dumbstruck with the absence of presents on Christmas morning."I have behaved perfectly this year, mummy..""Me too...why hasn't Santa visited us?""I don't know, maybe he forgot...I don't know...I sent out your letters and mine to him...there should be no reason...""Maybe he just thinks we have been naughty this year and isn't giving us anything." Burst the first girl again, now crying."I wanted presents, mummy...." Spoke the second, the crying now infecting her."I know...children...so did I...." Genevieve spoke, tears now dwelling in her voice.There they stood. The windows sparkled happily with Christmas thoughts and the birds chirped what appeared to be carols, but in the cabin, the three little girls cried.