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By Rebekah Hoeft
250 WORDS
The door was shut. Windows closed. No fireplace. No way for anyone to get inside the mice’s cozy cottage without being noticed.
* * * * *
On their porch, Babs and Bink drank cocoa. They watched the stars and snow twinkle. When they went inside, everything seemed as it should. The woodstove warmed the room. The Christmas tree, decked in lights, gingerbread ornaments, and popcorn strings, glowed in front of the window. Their supper, roasting in the oven, smelled delicious.
But then Babs squeaked, pointing to the tree. “Where’s our star!?”
“Maybe it fell?” Binks wondered.
The mice scampered around the tree.
No star.
Babs slumped into her arm chair. “We worked so hard. The star was our masterpiece.”
Bink nodded. “It still is! We’ll find it, Babs.”
The two mice sat staring at their tree. Bink pulled a cookie from her pocket, nibbling while thinking about the mystery of the missing star. She muttered to herself. “A thief? But how? Elves? Santa? Too soon.”
Babs looked at her sister. She blinked. “Bink?”
No response. Bink munched, lost in thought. Silvery sprinkles stuck to her whiskers.
“BINK!”
Bink jumped. “What!?”
“Whatcha eating?”
“Oh. A cookie. You know eating helps me think. I’m gonna solve this mystery.”
“Where’d you get it, Bink?”
“Hmm? Oh. From my pocket. I found it before we went outside.”
“Found it? Where?”
“On the floor by— BABS! Our star! I found it!”
Babs laughed. “Yes, you did. Case closed… as long as you don’t eat any more of the decorations!”
