Arthur Christmas by Justine Fontes

continued to set up the dusty, old machine. The Signalator looked like an ancient typewriter. It was massive and had plenty of strange buttons and levers.
    Ernie shoved an old wire into a socket. A shock buzzed through his body, causing his hair to stand up. The Signalator hummed to life. Colorful signal flags popped up, and Ernie, very pleased with himself, looked to Steve.
    â€œSo, what do you wish to say?”

    Back in Africa, Arthur didn’t know how to handle the pride of lions coming toward him. Suddenly, without any thought at all, Arthur turned on his musical, electronic reindeer slippers and started singing along. “Silent Night, Holy Night …”
    The sound surprised the lions. They had never heard a meal sing before. Neither had they ever seen reindeer slippers with flashing eyes.
    The slippers and their terrified owner continued, “All is calm … All is bright …”
    Arthur turned to Bryony and Grandsanta and shrugged. “I realize this is mental, but it’s all that I know …”
    Bryony and Grandsanta might have thought Arthur insane, but the lions were not attacking! Their round, yellow eyes seemed hypnotized by the blinking lights. And their large furry ears swiveled in response to the soothing song.
    Arthur cooed, “It’s Christmas, nice kitties. So please let us go …”
    One by one, the mesmerized lions lay down! Grandsanta and Bryony joined in the song. So the three sang with Arthur’s slippers, “Sleep in heavenly peace …”
    Soon the whole pride settled down quietly around them. A magical moment of Christmas peace prevailed on the African plain. Slowly, carefully, and still singing, Arthur, Bryony, and Grandsanta made their way back to the sleigh.
    â€œâ€¦ Sleep in heavenly peace.”
    Then just when it seemed they would be safely on their way, a loud CLANG shattered the calm. Tiny flags popped up on Eve’s dashboard: a message on the old Signalator.
    The three travelers jumped into the sleigh just as the startled lions resumed their attack!
    â€œDash! DASH!” Grandsanta commanded, as one lion swiped at the sleigh’s Signalator.
    Just as flags flapped and the claxon CLANGED on Eve, corresponding flags wiggled on Ernie’s device at the Pole.
    â€œSomething’s coming through!” he reported to Steve and Peter excitedly.
    â€œWhat does it say?!” Steve demanded.
    Unfortunately, Grandsanta wasn’t working his Signalator. The lion’s paw pushed at it wildly. Ernie scratched his head, but recited dutifully, “Chimney full of cocoa. Send robins.”
    Grandsanta swung his cane at the lion batting at the flag-waving device. “No!” he screamed at the naughty cat. “That Signalator is Christmas history, you mangy moron!”
    Another lion snatched at Gwen’s gift. Arthur pulled it away just in time, but the beast’s claws tore at the pretty paper.
    Like a miniature ninja, Bryony sprang into action. “HIIYYAAA!” she screamed. “Only children get to tear the wrapping!”
    In a flash, she taped together the lion’s paws. He stumbled off, as the elf explained to Arthur, “XD3 Automatic Sticky Tape Dispensers!”
    Grandsanta shouted at another lion. “Get off! Get off it!”
    â€œLaser-guided scissors …,” Bryony announced as she aimed the light at another lion, temporarily blinding it. The beast quickly retreated.
    â€œShoulder-mounted gift-wrap!” Bryony went on as she wrapped a third lion’s head.
    â€œThere’s no time for a bow!” Arthur exclaimed.
    But Bryony could not abandon her training. “There’s always time for a bow.”
    The lions didn’t think so. They continued to attack, as Bryony frantically pushed buttons on Eve’s dashboard.
    One button caused an old-fashioned camera to pop up. Its flash momentarily startled a lion, but then the lion smashed the camera with a huge,