Crippling (1)

It was with a stark gasp that the biting chill of the near-frozen air around me brought clarity and reason to my senses, awestruck in this near forgotten mortal coil as I stared dumbfounded at the small elf-like creature waiting ever-patiently for my response. 

I speak, but the words that escape me are in a voice foreign to me, bellowing and deep and jolly as the words pour forth, sputtered and incoherent until a dry cough brings me back to reality.

  "Ah – mmmhm – right, let me see them, then," I respond after a few moments, reaching out and seeing clearly now just how much bigger I was than the elvish being. 

I gingerly grasped the envelopes and brushed the frost off of the seams, the elf nodding his head and cheerfully bellowing out a "I'll have the rest prepared for you, Mr. Claus!" before spinning around and running off into the distance.