he cracked his knees from lying in the store cupboard since last Christmas.

"Oh would you shut up! I'm trying to sleep,'' Dinah Doll shouted. "I see the twelve month sleep hasn't changed your attitude one bit has it?'' remarked CeCe, the remote car whilst he was rotating his wheels. All the toys in the cupboard burst into laughter. The store cupboard was a cold, damp room where toys from last Christmas were placed as broken leftovers. These toys were the ones that children would play with while in the store and accidentally ruin.

They would be stored in the cupboard and the following Christmas would be given to homeless children for presents. The toys could hear all the confusion of Bermudian voices outside of the cupboard in the Phoenix Store, but no one would open up the door. "Why is no one letting us out? We deserve a merry Christmas too! Just 'cause something's wrong with us doesn't mean we're not special,'' moped Poopsie, the pound puppy. Poopsie had lived in the cupboard for two years. She hadn't even been let out last Christmas. They had taken every toy out except for her. "It's not my fault that my nose was pulled off by some little boy in a ridiculous Santa hat. I didn't ask for it to happen to me,'' sobbed Poopsie. "Yes you did,'' remarked Dinah, and in a very rude tone commented, "you wore a tag that said `Pull my nose off so I can go live in a freezing, dark cupboard for two years.' O.K. now shut up before you are noseless and earless.'' "You don't have to be so mean to her Dinah. She's only upset about what's going on,'' explained Tommy Teddy who had only one eye. Days went by endlessly, but no one opened the door to free the toys from their unhappiness. They could hear carollers' voices singing Christmas hymns and children laughing and having fun. They could see the glimmer of lights hanging in the store through the cracks of the cedar door, but the door still remained closed. For a few days, the store went on a rampage. It seemed like a bedlam, so many voices, so many screams and laughs. Then it was finally gone; no more voices, the lights were off, and the main doors locked. The store was in dead silence for the first time in two weeks. "Since everything's gone quiet and the people have all gone home, does this mean that it's Christmas? Weren't we supposed to be let out a week before Christmas?'' asked Tommy.

There was a moment of thought. "We were! They forgot about us,'' Poopsie said with a very sad expression on her face. "Not another year!'' "O.K. troops.

If we're not going to be let out, we have to make a plan. The biggest plan in the whole toy kingdom,'' commanded Travis. "What kind of a plan, Mr. Brain?'' huffed Dinah. "An escape, to get out of this dumb cupboard forever. We're not meat. We're not supposed to get stored. We're toys. We have the right to freedom. We're getting out of here! Are you with me everybody?'' preached Travis. "Yeah!'' shouted the troops. "All right, we'll make a plan in the morning 'cause it must be late and I'm really exhausted. So let's go to sleep, because we have a big day ahead of us,'' explained Travis. At these words, all the toys in the cupboard, including talk-back Dinah, suddenly went silent and fell fast asleep in no time at all. Around 5.45 a.m., the sun rose over Bermuda, bringing another Christmas Day. Whilst the sun was rising, rays of light shone through the store window and onto the cedar door looking like a band of gold wrapped around the edges of the door. The light was so bright that it woke up Travis. "Ahhhhh,'' yawned Travis as he stretched his sleeping muscles. "Wake up everybody! It's Christmas Day. It's time to put our plan into action.'' "If we knew what the plan was, we could put it into action,'' said Dinah. "So what's the plan?'' "O.K., this is it. First we pick the lock with CeCe's rear view mirror. Then we find some kind of rope in the store and tie it sturdily out the window. Next, we climb down the rope and ride around town on CeCe, trying to find someone to love us,'' stated Travis. "Is everyone all right with that?'' he asked. "No, I can't carry a bear, a doll, a troll and a dog. I ain't no limo you know,'' argued CeCe. "You can do it, CeCe!'' the whole gang shouted. So off they went with the plan. They picked the lock on the door with CeCe's mirror as Travis had said. Then they searched the store for a rope. "I found one!'' Poopsie exclaimed. Tommy got the rope and tied it out the window. First, Tommy climbed down so he could catch the girls. Then Dinah with her bad attitude climbed down and fell right on top of Tommy. Since she had only one arm, it was hard for her to climb. Next, Poopsie went down with the greatest of ease. "I'm going to throw down CeCe since he can't climb. You three make sure you catch him or we will be walking around town,'' Travis ordered in a loud voice. Travis threw CeCe out the window and Tommy, Dinah, and Poopsie caught him. Finally, Travis climbed down. "All right everyone, pile up in CeCe,'' Travis commanded. So that's what they all did. "Tommy, get off my leg!'' shouted Dinah. "Ouch! You're standing on my head,'' moaned Poopsie. "Get off me!'' groaned Tommy. "Thank you.'' "Think how I feel,'' complained CeCe. Everyone got comfortable and off they went, speeding down the streets, left turn, right turn, in between traffic, dodging trash. "This is fun!'' exclaimed CeCe. "Faster, CeCe, faster!'' commanded Tommy. Faster and faster they went, feeling the wind in their hair except for Travis because he had no hair. They were now at the end of Church Street by the Hamilton Fire Station. "Stop!'' commanded Travis. "Go back. Look over there!'' "Where?'' they asked. "Right there by the corner. A little girl.

She's all alone. She looks so cold,'' whispered Poopsie sadly. "Let's go see her,'' said CeCe. So off they went to see the little girl. "Hello little girl, wake up,'' Poopsie said in her dearest voice. The girl woke up and rubbed her eyes in amazement. "Am I still dreaming?'' the little girl asked in astonishment. "No, you're not dreaming, we're real. See, this is Travis, Tommy, Dinah and CeCe and I'm Poopsie. Why are you sitting out here at Toys find a girl to love out of my house by my parents and I was forced to live on the streets,'' Denise burst into tears. "And now, no one wants me.'' "No one wants us either,'' the toys cried. "I know how you feel,'' Denise said. Denise picked up the toys and held them in her arms. "Well, I'll love you,'' Denise explained. The toys were happy and so was Denise. They had all got their Christmas miracle. Which goes to show that even though something is wrong with you, you can still give and receive love. SHORT STORY CONTEST CPN