LITMIR.BIZ

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chocolate, and this night Katherine was having some for herself, so she made him an extra mug. She told her parents she was going to say goodnight to Gargoth and stepped outside. The cold took her breath away and made the hot cup of chocolate suddenly look warm and inviting as steam furled up into the dark.

      “Gargoth,” she called quietly. “Gargoth?” There was a silence, then the bushes parted and out he stepped, regal as a small, fierce prince. Despite telling them he didn’t feel the cold, Katherine noticed that he had taken to sleeping at night in the warmth of the bushes, especially when it was snowing.

      She walked over to him and handed him the warm mug. He accepted it eagerly and took an enormous swig. He wiped his mouth then turned and grinned at her.

      “Well, Katherine, I’m glad that you have made cocoa again. Thank you.” They sat together beside the tree. Her parents had placed a small wooden bench near his pedestal so anyone could curl up and chat with him in comfort. Since her “A” in history, she and Gargoth had spent more and more time together.

      “Gargoth, I’ve decided I will help you,” she began. “I will help you find the store you are looking for.”

      There was a silence. Gargoth hid his face away from her for a moment, then turned to her with great, hot gargoyle tears coursing down his fat, leathery cheeks. Quietly he buried his little face in her coat. She could feel his hot tears hissing against the cool skin at her neck. It hurt. She gently pried him off her, concerned.

      “Are you okay, Gargoth?” she asked, gazing intently into his face.

      He took a deep breath and wiped his tears. “Okay? Okay, Katherine? Okay indeed! You have made me feel there is a...future. A way in the future for me...” He buried his face in her coat again for a moment, then turned away. He was making hiccoughing noises, too overcome to speak. Then he got up on his pedestal and danced an ancient jig, hooking his little claws under his wings and clicking his heels beneath his knees. Katherine giggled.

      Once he had finished, he sat down again and caught his breath, saying, “You are very kind to me, Katherine. I know it has not been easy. I know that you had no choice but to accept me, and I regret...” he trailed off, suddenly sad. Her eyes followed his gaze to the flower patch, now empty and hoed to bare earth. Her parents had rid the yard of any remembrance of asters. He then let his eyes pass over the mended dwarf whose nose he had broken, so long ago it seemed now.

      “I promise I will be good. I won’t cause any problems for you, no matter what happens.” And with that he extended his claw to Katherine. She carefully took it in her mittened hand, and they shook.

      “Okay, Gargoth. We’ll start looking for the store the first Wednesday after New Year’s. I have piano lessons on Wednesdays, and I have to take the subway and the bus to my teacher’s house, so I can put you in my bag after school and take you with me. We will have time to look at one store each week. It could take a long time. There are lots of stores in this city that might have gargoyles in them. Tell me everything you can remember about the one you are looking for.”

      So, as they sipped hot chocolate and sat in the cold night, she listened as the little gargoyle told her everything he could remember about the lost store.

      When he was finished, she had a good idea where to start their search.

      Chapter Sixteen

      Christmas Day Statues

      In no time, it seemed to Katherine, the first term of school was ended and it was time for Christmas holidays.

      Christmas was always a fairly laid-back time for the Newberrys, pleasant and unhurried, with lots of friends to visit. They usually had one, large, exciting party for all their friends. Katherine was allowed to invite two friends, and they were always Sarah and Rubie.

      This year was going to be a little different. Instead of the huge party they always had, Katherine’s parents had decided they would tell everyone they couldn’t have it this year because they were planning a long-awaited ski trip to Quebec. Katherine loved skiing, and although she would really miss the great party her parents always threw, she was really excited about the ski trip.

      They were leaving on Boxing Day and had everything all ready and packed to go several days before, so they could laze around and enjoy Christmas day itself. They also wanted to say goodbye to Gargoth.

      Christmas morning was clear and cold. Just as though the snow gods were listening to every child’s prayer on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning dawned with a fresh blanket of snow.

      Katherine woke, sprang out of bed and looked out the window. It was her custom now to check on Gargoth from her bedroom window first thing each morning. Somehow he always knew when she was awake, and was waiting, smiling up at her when she peeked out. Christmas morning was no different. He was awake, gazing up at her window, waiting for her.

      She waved excitedly at him, and he waved back.

      But then she gasped and clapped her hands together in delight! Gargoth had been busy all night, making the most beautiful sculptures with the new snow!

      As she looked over the backyard, she counted seventeen snow statues, each one a perfect gargoyle. Each was unique in its way, some were clearly female gargoyles, some were younger, older, grumpy or happy as Gargoth had made them.

      One gargoyle was balanced perfectly on one toe, caught in a pirouette, just as Gargoth himself had been that terrible night when he’d stolen Katherine’s shoes.

      Another held a bouquet of what looked like asters.

      Still another had her wings spread and was flying above a block of snow, suspended on a column of nearly invisible ice.

      Each one was a beautiful work of art.

      Katherine opened her window and called down to Gargoth, who was sitting perched on his pedestal, smoking his pipe. “Gargoth, they’re beautiful!” She smiled at him.

      He grinned back. “Good morning, Katherine! Merry Christmas!” he called.

      “Merry Christmas, Gargoth!” she called and quickly shut the window. It really was a cold morning.

      She ran down the hall to her parents’ room and burst through the door, breathless. Both her parents, sleepy but happy, smiled up at her as she entered. Milly was curled up between them, asleep. They had already been up and made coffee and hot chocolate. Her mug was steaming on their bedside table. She jumped between them and said, “Merry Christmas, Mom! Merry Christmas, Dad!”

      “Did you see the statues?” she asked, after sipping her delicious cocoa.

      Her mother was smiling. For the first time in a long while, she looked really happy.

      “Yes, they’re really beautiful. I think we should take pictures of them so we can keep them around forever,” she said.

      Soon it was time for presents. After each Newberry family member had opened his or her gift, and after a huge breakfast of Froot Loops (forbidden the rest of the year), pancakes and maple syrup, the Newberrys put their warmest coats and boots on over their pajamas, and carried out their presents for Gargoth.

      Gargoth was sitting beneath the sculpture of the beautiful flying gargoyle, smoking his pipe. He looked calm and peaceful, almost happy.

      “Hello, Newberrys. I hope you enjoy the snow sculptures I have made for you.”

      “Oh, they’re beautiful, Gargoth. Thank you!” said Katherine and her mother, almost together. Katherine’s father simply said “The statues are beautiful, Gargoth.” He still hadn’t been able to understand when Gargoth spoke, although sometimes he thought he caught a word here and there.

      Gargoth stood up and came over to the family. He waved his arms over the seventeen beautiful statues, and said, “I have created a world of friends I will never have.” He pointed at a squat, very sturdy and youthful-looking sculpture with fat cheeks. “A young friend perhaps. I will name him Andrathene.”

      “And

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