All that night Evaline spent brooding up at her bedroom window looking out at the starry snowy world below.  Christmas Eve was the day after tomorrow and she was stuck indoors all day tomorrow.  How was she ever going to help the presents find her house before Christmas if she was stuck inside all day? 

As she brushed her teeth, an idea popped into Evaline's mind.  She knew how she was going to find the presents and be able to help them come early.  Evaline spit out her toothpaste and shot out of the bathroom and down into the basement to find the materials she'd need for her trip but just as she was about to open the basement door, a large hand covered the door's handle.

"Evaline, what are you doing now?" her father asked, standing there in his night clothes.

"There's some things I need when I can go back outside."

"Well you're going nowhere tomorrow, you can figure it all out then.  Come on Evaline, time for bed." 

Evaline sighed in submission and slunk her way back up the stairs, putting her efforts on hold until tomorrow.

~*~

Evaline hopped out of bed the next morning and trotted downstairs to appease her parents with breakfast and morning chores.  Really, Evaline wanted to skip the morning traditions and get her plan into action but unless she wanted to be grounded Christmas Eve, she knew she had to please her parents. 

After eating her bowl of cereal and tidying up her room and herself, Evaline tip-toed down to the basement to find the materials she needed for tomorrow.  She rummaged around and found a compass and some rope.  She brought it up to her room and packed it into her school backpack along with some cookies and a pair of her best safety scissors in case of emergency. 

With everything packed up and ready for tomorrow, Evaline went about the rest of her day happily and settled into bed that night with high hopes of finding those presents tomorrow.

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