Chapter Text
December, 24th, 1893
19:38
It was Christmas Eve. The snow crunched under the boy's footsteps and bit at their exposed faces. Jake's younger brother and himself were heading back to their house to prepare for the annual party that their family had every Christmas Eve. They had visited the local toy store on the way, just to tease themselves I suppose. That was what made them late.
The snow was moving against them as they lumbered through it. The wind blowing in their numb faces. Jake’s brother looked up at him, his face a blur in the white haze.
“ last ones there’s a ninnyhammer!” he shouted, his voice slightly muffled. Jake’s eyes widened as he realised what he had said. His footwork fumbled over the slippery path as he tried his best to overtake his younger brother. The house was in view now, it was glowing like a candle in the dark. Jake skidded slightly around a sharp corner and fell onto his stomach. He quickly got back up, disregarding the injury, and rushed back into his position near his brother.
“Be careful, it's slippery!” Jake shouted, hoping his brother, Hugh, would hear him. They neared a bridge that they had to cross in order to get into the front garden. Jake watched as his brother climbed to the top rushedly. Jake was at the bottom of the bridge climbing up when he saw that Hugh started to slide off. He quickly grabbed a handful of his coat. Hugh’s feet were dangling off the side, inches from the icy river.
“ Don't...let Mother know about this” Jake warned him.
19:53
An instant wave of heat met them when they entered the house. they shook their coats of any snow and then hung them up, letting them dry.
“Jacob!”Their Mother called as she hurried through to the vestibule.
“Jacob, where have you been? Oh, look at you, you’re filthy. Quickly, get changed before any guests arrive. We can’t have you be seen in these clothes”, she insisted, “ that goes for you as well, Hugh, don't think you’re getting off easy because you’re younger”. She rushed the boys up the stairs to change. Jacob quickly jogged to his room and ran straight for the wardrobe. He pulled out an off-white shirt, red suspenders, a wine red bow tie and a pair of black trousers, then he ran to the bathroom to fix his hair. He combed it to the side slightly. The doorbell echoed throughout the house when he left the bathroom in a rush to help his Mother open the door and greet the guests.
“Cousin Sheppard! And your lovely wife. How nice of you to join us” she greeted them with a fake smile. Their Mother secretly hated Mr and Mrs Sheppard. They always had the best of things, the best house, best clothes and best children. She was just jealous.
The boys’ Father left a long time ago and never came back so, it was a lot of work to take care of them by herself, sure, there were maids and such, but, every household needs a father.
By eight o’clock the house was brimming with guests. The fire was still roaring whilst most the children from the other guests and Jake sat in front of it, mesmerised by the orange flames.
He was still waiting for one more guest to arrive, the owner of the toy shop, he was usually late but he had the most amazing stories why.
Last year it was because he wanted to buy the children a specific toy, no one sold it so he had to make it himself. He travelled to far off places, miles away from our town, just to get specific parts. The finished piece was spectacular. A toy carousel. All gold, brass, silver, and crystal in some parts. It was mechanical, so it would move around like a real one.
Earlier Jake had heard the children arguing over what it could be. He didn't join in because he just wanted to know what it was when he saw it.
Jake was pulled out of my thoughts when he heard a voice calling his name. He turned around to see his mother’s sister and her husband, the mother was waving him over.
“ here he is, my favourite little boy,” his mother said with pride.
“ Oh, Jacob. I swear you get even taller and more handsome, every year” Jake’s aunt laughed with a sickly smile. His uncle chimed in.
“Yes, yes. What, you’re about seventeen now, eh?” he questioned.
“Just sixteen” Jake corrected him.
“ well, have you got your eyes on any pretty girls, anyone you fancy?” Jake blushed at his words.
“ Oh, well I-” He stuttered before he was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. he turned around quickly.
“ Uncle Drosselmeyer!” Jake cheered. He gave him a quick hug.
“ I'm sorry ma’am but may I borrow Jacob for a moment?” he asked. His Mother gave him a nod and he led Jake over to the fireplace, a bit away from the other kids so they wouldn’t hear them.
“Here, Jacob. I found this in my cupboard under a pile of blankets. I thought you’d like it”, he handed Jake an old wooden box with a red bow on it, “don't tell the other children about this though, I was afraid that they’d hurt him,” he asked.
“I won't tell anyone”Jake reassured him as his skinny hands began opening the old box. he revealed it to himself slowly, opening the worn brass latch with care. Inside the box, there was a polished wooden Nutcracker resting on red silk padding. The doll had a red uniform as well as curly brown hair that seemed to stick out in every direction. He also carried a sheathed wooden sword. Jake thought he looked kind of sad as if he was upset that his purpose in life was cracking nuts.
“It's a Nutcracker”, Uncle explained, he passed Jake an almond and took one for himself, “ here, watch”. He placed the nut in the doll's mouth and pulled a lever on its back. Its jaw closed on the nut and its shell cracked open.
“you try”. He passed Jake another almond. He gently placed it in its mouth and pulled the lever on the back carefully, scared that he would pull too much and break it. The nut cracked open and uncle Drosselmeyer picked it up and gave it back to him.
“you like it, don't you? I thought you would” he smiled at him.
“Yeah it's really cool” Jake assured him.
“Jacob! What are you holding? Let me see!” Hugh ran over and snatched the doll out of his hands.
“what is this?” he pondered.
“Hugh, give that back to Jacob, it's his and you must ask politely for it,” uncle told him.
“ It's alright, uncle. It's a nutcracker, Hugh. You take a nut, put it in its mouth and pull the lever on it's back and it'll crack it for you” He explained to Hugh.
“Jake, come and help me get the toys for everyone else,” uncle asked him. Jake nodded and got up to help him bring in a bag of toys from the hall. They handed them out and the children lit up with happiness.
20:30
“Hugh, stop you'll break it”
“I won't, it's a nutcracker and I'm giving it a nut to break”
“Hugh!”
“oh, no...don't tell Jacob?”. The muffled noise of arguing could be heard from under a table in the parlour. Jake walked over to the table and lifted up the cover to find Hugh and his friend, Millard.
“ Hugh what are you u-” he stopped talking when he saw the jaw of his Nutcracker on the floor.
“Hugh…wha- did you do this?” Jake asked in shock. Why can't he just break his own stuff instead of his for once?
“Jake, I didn't mean it I swear. Please, I'm sorry” he pleaded.
“Hugh. Why do you always have to break my stuff! Go to your room or I'll tell mother!” he fumed. Hugh ran away from under the table and Millard joined him. Jake picked up the wooden Nutcracker and his jaw.
“I’m sorry about him. He breaks everything he touches. I'll take you to Uncle and he’ll fix you. I hope you’re not in too much pain”. Jake stood up, still looking at the doll. It could have been the dim lighting or the shadows of the fire but he could have sworn he saw the doll’s eye twitch, he regarded it as nothing of course. Jake ran quickly throughout the house to find his uncle, but he didn't even catch a glimpse.
He bumped into his mother at the bottom of the staircase.
“Mother, have you seen Uncle Drosselmeyer?” he quickly asked, eyes full of worry.
“He just went out the door the now” his mother explained.
“No” he muttered as he hurriedly ran out the door.
“Uncle Drosselmeyer!” Jacob shouted as he saw his uncle stepping into an elegant carriage. He turned around, confused.
“What is it, boy? You’ll get a cold out here,” he asked.
“My nutcrackers broke, one of the kids must have taken it when I wasn't looking, I'm sorry. I need to fix it,” Jake whined.
“ son, he will be in proper condition by tomorrow,” he reassured Jake.
“what? How?” Jake wondered, puzzled by his uncle's words.
“Magic my boy,”. Jake would trust his uncle with his own soul, but this was just ridiculous. Magic doesn't exist.
Does it?
“Now hurry back inside, boy, before the cold catches you”. Jacob did as he was told, doubting the nutcracker would be fixed by the morning. When he entered back into the hall his mother called him.
“Jake! It's time for bed,”
“But mu-”
“Do as you’re told Jake” his mother ordered. He walked with speed up to his room, hesitant to argue any further.
The walls in his room were all cream coloured and he had pear green curtains that were slightly worn at the bottom.
He placed his nutcracker on the desk under a window that overlooked the snowy gardens of his house. He set it against a pile of books so to support his back. Once he was sure the Nutcracker was safe from any more harm, he changed into his pastel blue nightshirt and tried to fall asleep in his bed.
Jake was unaware of the things that were to come.