The Harry Hanukkah Story

By Jazan Wild

The Harry Hanukkah Story tells the tale of two orphans, which grow up to become toymakers, who forever change the world. This heartwarming tale of a friendship crosses boundaries and journeys into the heart of the holidays, showing the world that the magic of the season is for all! Just look for the light!

• Language: English
• Publisher: CARNIVAL COMICS
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666406184

Jazan Wild

Jazan Wild is a bestselling author and musician whose Carnival of Souls, Atomic Dreams, Chimes in the Tree, Dandy and Funhouse Of Horrors series are international hits that have been downloaded millions of times around the globe, even gracing Entertainment Weekly's Must List!

Book preview

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CHAPTER ONE

The Mysterious Candelit Cave

Many years ago, in the small village of Northton, a place as far north as the frigid winter winds blow, there was a boy named Nicholas Kristoff Kringle. With a smile ever fixed upon his face and cheeks reddened from the grin, you’d never know that Nicholas was an orphan.

  Just outside the place he and many other children had come to know as home, Nicholas loved to play by the forest. One day when the clouds were gray and the sky was growing dark, the kindly older lady, Ms. Epoh, who ran the orphanage, frantically called the children in from the yard. It was truly astounding how fast this blizzard rolled in.

All the children listened and made their way through the doors and inside the old building, except one. Nicholas paused when he was about to join the others. Something stopped him in his tracks. Through the ever-increasing flakes of snow falling, he heard a baby crying from inside the woods.

All the other children disappeared from his sight, and now there was only the blinding snow, the wind, and of course, the crying. He thought, I have to save the little one. And so, he entered into the forest, even though he could barely see his own hand before his face.

Strange thing though, every time Nicholas thought he neared the crying voice, it continued to move deeper and deeper into the forest. Soon Nicholas realized he was lost and could not find his way back out. He thought to himself I am going to freeze to death out here and so is that little voice. Just then, a light appeared.

This glowing beam seemed to cut through the blinding storm. Nicholas pressed towards the light. As he got closer, he realized it was coming from inside a cave. He had never seen this cavern before, because he’d never been this far away from the orphanage.

As he entered, he could no longer hear the storm outside with its roaring ferociousness. Calmness seemed to be wrapped around the walls like a blanket. There before Nicholas was the crying voice wrapped in cloth. Above the babe was a candle tree with nine branches. The baby stopped crying as Nicholas’ presence seemed to have calmed him. Inside the blanket was a toy that looked like a rattle with strange pictures on each side.

Nicholas began to surmise, possibly the parents had to hide the babe here, to protect him from a danger… then suddenly the thought became more of an inner voice, as it relayed that this strange toy and candle might, altogether be the only possessions left of his parents. Nicholas thought, or he was told… just maybe the items were charmed and they protected the babe somehow.

Then the small inner voice actually spoke. The audible words seemed to come out of the light of the candle, itself, filling Nicholas’ ears and shaking him to the core. The candle spoke, telling Nicholas that this little one was going to bring much light to the world someday. Of course, he reasoned that he was just imagining it. After all, he was half-frozen after walking through a blinding snowstorm. Although, Nicholas was known to be one to believe in such things… magical things.

The light, or an inner voice, whichever it was, then told Nicholas to grab the handle of the nine-pronged candle, hold tight to the child, and make his way back to the orphanage… stressing that he had to move quickly before the cold would set in and overtake them. Nicholas wasted no time. He listened to that still small voice and headed back towards the opening. As he exited the cave, the storm seemed to rage even worse than it had before. Still, by faith, Nicholas moved step by step out into the blizzard with the light held high. Somehow as he entered into the blinding snow it seemed as though the mysterious candlelight led the way.

Back at the orphanage, Headmistress Epoh was doing a count of all the children when she realized one was missing. In a panic, she began to search and cry out for Nicholas. She knew the chances of anyone surviving a storm such as this were slim, to