Story Contest 2018 #1 Results » Highly Commended Story - Gingerbread Baby Finds A Home

“Gingerbread Baby Finds A Home” by Aditeya Goyal, India, is the Highly Commended story in the junior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2018.

Gingerbread Baby Finds A Home

In the mystic city of London there lived the Potts Family. It was Christmas time and the city was abuzz with lots of hustle and bustle. While everyone was occupied in the Christmas preparations, Mr. & Mrs. Potts were just about to leave for Alabama in relation to their work. Neal wanted to enjoy this merry time with his parents but it seemed next to impossible!

However, before leaving, Mr. & Mrs. Potts promised Neal to make it back home on Christmas Eve. The little boy set high hopes and merrily started baking Christmas cookies with Grandma Helen. Fairy cakes, biscuits, croissants, plum cake and Gingerbread man - all were on the list. Last tray was set to go in the oven for baking, containing the Gingerbread man family. But to their astonishment, the Mamma Gingerbread and the Papa Gingerbread fell on the ground. Neal's hopes came to a halt! Grandma Helen was just comforting the boy when suddenly, the baby Gingerbread came to life. It was a breathtaking moment. The Gingerbread baby cursed that Neal would no longer be able to celebrate the high-spirited and jovial occasion of Christmas with his parents and ran away.

Neal stood there motionless with tears rolling down his cheeks. Grandma Helen told him not to worry and asked him to go and look for Gingerbread baby so as to reverse the curse before it was too late. Neal left home hurriedly in Grandma's magical Red Cloak in search of the Gingerbread baby.

It was a dark and a frosty night. While Neal was on his way, he encountered Billy the dog, who came as an angel to save him from the chilly and foggy night. The dog, by sniffing, guided Neal. It was growing darker and colder, but Neal was determined to find the Gingerbread baby. After walking a few more miles, they met two elves who were searching for the Potts house to deliver the Christmas presents but Neal did not pay heed and moved further. Meanwhile, the elves somehow reached the Potts residence and knocked at the door. Grandma Helen opened the door and was startled to see the elves. They told Grandma Helen about Neal.

In the meanwhile, Neal and Billy unexpectedly heard a voice crying and followed it and to their amazement it was the Gingerbread baby.

Neal apologized and told Gingerbread baby that he did not drop the Mamma and Papa Gingerbread intentionally, and sought his forgiveness. Neal tried his best to convince him and put forward many ideas to make up for it but the Gingerbread baby rejected them all. Luckily, he agreed when Neal proposed that this time he would gift Gingerbread baby to his friends and relatives. He promised to make this a Christmas Custom. The Gingerbread baby finally broke the curse and went back home with Neal. Fortunately, Mr. & Mrs. Potts were also there. Neal felt like the happiest kid in the whole world and everyone, including the Gingerbread baby, was jovial and gleeful. He had found a home at last.