Bard Challenge #24 Small (250 words) Word Prompt: Elf  An
original story   Santa's Little Helpers  by Wildcat Winnie   On
her eleventh birthday Lily wept with joy and trepidation. This
winter, she and all other eleven-year-olds everywhere would be
taken from their homes to work in Santa's factory. It was, she
had been told, a privilege; but some who had returned, although
sworn to secrecy, had told different. It was hard work, long
hours and Santa's overseers were very strict. If you made a
mistake (the wrong label on the wrong present!) punishment was
harsh. At night, many exhausted children cried themselves to
sleep.  It had not always been this way. A long time ago, when
the world was less knowing and there were far fewer 'things' to
be had, children's requests had been (mostly) easy to meet and
Santa's Elves had been able to cope. Now there were too many
things; too many children had become too greedy; "I would like"
was becoming "I must have." The Elves were overworked and
threatening to strike.  The ide