By Sarah Beauregard and Johannie Dufour / Translated by Katya Teague
Once upon a time, in the town of Mount Christmas, a group of young students were running around the gym at their school. Since it was the last day of class before the holidays, Miss Sophie had organized an escape game to get the children moving.
Using exercise mats, the teacher had divided the gym into several sections, one for each team. The first group to find all five clues would be able to break free from the evil elves’ workshop and warn Santa about the rebel reindeers’ plan to ruin Christmas. Plus, they would win a special prize.
The students ran between stacked gift boxes, crawled under strands of fairy lights and jumped through giant wreaths.
Emma and her teammates had already collected three clues: the first was “the reindeer rebels”; the second was “with pieces of coal”; and the third clue was “for good children.” The team only needed two more clues to complete the warning, escape the workshop and win the game.
Emma and her group scanned the area. There were still three places they could look: the Christmas ornament that hung from the ceiling, the trunk of elf disguises and Santa’s list of naughty and nice children.
To speed up their search, the team decided to split up. Emma and Camille would check the ornament, Liam and Zoey would scan the list, and Enzo and Hugo would search through the trunk.
Emma and Camille rushed over to the ladder that led to the hanging decoration.
“You climb the ladder and I’ll cheer you on,” Emma told her partner.
“I hurt my wrist doing karate,” Camille replied. “I’d rather you go.”
Emma didn’t want to admit she was afraid of heights — and she definitely didn’t want to lose — so she began to climb the ladder. However, before she could reach the top, Emma stopped. She was frozen with fear!
Just then, the magical cardinal named Octave, who liked to help the residents of Mount Christmas, landed on the rung above her.
“Don’t look down, Emma. Just stare at the Christmas ornament,” he advised. “Think about how you’re getting closer to the top rather than further from the ground.”
“Don’t look down,” she repeated to herself. Emma took a deep breath, looked straight at the ornament and continued her climb as Octave and Camille encouraged her from below. Soon, she reached the top and spotted a piece of paper attached to the decoration. The clue read: “have replaced.”
Emma was so proud of herself. She carefully climbed down and rejoined Camille just as Enzo and Hugo ran over holding their own clue. It read: “the gifts.”
The teammates could barely contain their excitement as they placed the five clues in a line on the floor.
“The reindeer rebels with pieces of coal for good children have replaced their gifts,” Zoey read. “That doesn’t make any sense!”
“I think we have to put the clues in the right order,” Liam suggested.
After a moment of reflection, the kids rearranged the clues and called out to their teacher. Miss Sophie rushed over and together the six friends shouted:
“The reindeer rebels have replaced the gifts for good children with pieces of coal!”
“Congratulations,” Miss Sophie exclaimed. “You’re the first team to break free!”
Emma was overjoyed. Once all the teams finished the game, the winners received their prize. It was tickets to the annual Mount Christmas figure skating show and coupons for free hot chocolates with marshmallows!
Holding her prize close to her heart, Emma silently thanked Octave as he flew out of the gym, whistling merrily as he went.
