the words out between clenched teeth as she thrust her forearm into the poor bird's cavity. What a sight she looked at six a.m. on Christmas Eve. Her apron may have been white once but who could tell now, with all the mincemeat, custard and gravy stains. Wisps of grey hair flew wildly about her face which was smudged with flour as if she had been attacked by a giant powder puff! Cassie never noticed Sister Mary as she tiptoed into the mission's kitchen, hesitated several times and finally summoned up enough courage to say, "Good morning, Cassie. How's it going?'' "Goin', goin'...you can SEE how it's GOIN'! UP since four this mornin'...never a moment's peace...to much to do ....too little time...THAT'S how it's GOIN','' she snarled, slamming the poor goose into a roasting pan.

Sister Mary winced and bit her lip, but tried again in a soothing voice, "I know, I know, Cassie. We're expecting a big crowd for Christmas Eve dinner tonight. I just don't know how we could manage without you. So many poor and homeless people in Bermuda depend on us for a hot meal now. When times are hard, this special meal can mean so much. I hope you know how much we appreciate you. God bless you, Cassie.'' Sister Mary had blurted this all out in one breath, and as she stopped to recover herself, Cassie swung around to meet her glance, drawing the back of her hand across her brow, adding a bit more flour to it.

"Well, Sister, you can bless me all you like, but if you don't let me git on wi' me' job, you ain't gonna' have no dinner for yo' needy folks.'' With that, she picked up her knife and began to attack a mountain of potatoes.

As Sister Mary backed out of the kitchen, potato peel was flying in all directions, and Cassie grumbled some unintelligible words that Sister Mary was very grateful she could not quite hear.

Sister Mary could remember quite clearly, though, the day Cassie had turned up on the doorstep of the Hamilton Mission. It had been early in the New Year when she had appeared, dirty, cold and carrying a trash bag, full of all her worldly possessions. Some of the "regulars'' at the mission had told Sister Mary that she had been wandering the streets of Hamilton for years. She was a loner, though, and did not mix with the other street people. It was said that she had once been an expert cook and had worked in some of the grandest houses in Bermuda, but no one could say how she had been reduced to this sad state.

Cassie had refused to communicate with anyone at first, and Sister Mary tried in vain to break through to her and find out about her past.

"So, Cassie,'' began Sister Mary, one morning over breakfast, "I understand you used to be a cook. Is that so?'' Cassie grunted, and went on sipping her tea. "Did you live in Hamilton then, too?'' continued Sister Mary, refusing to give up.

"Don't remember,'' grunted Cassie, looking in the opposite direction. That was as far as Sister Mary ever got with Cassie.

Over the next few months, Cassie lived at the mission, helped with the cleaning, but kept very much to herself. One day, however, something happened which was to change things for her and for the mission.

Sister Theresa, who had been in charge of the mission's kitchen, was taken ill and left the mission to recuperate. The others tried to fill the gap, but they had great difficulty trying to prepare all the meals needed to feed those who lined up each day in the mission's dining room.

One evening, when the vegetables were cold and the meat tough for the fifth time that week, the door of the kitchen opened and Cassie marched up to Sister Mary who was spooning out a strange-looking, yellowish, custard-like substance into a bowl.

"I can help you here, Sister,'' she said simply, looking at the floor.

"Oh, Cassie, would you...can you? You CAN?! You WOULD?! Thank you, thank you.

In the name of the Lord, thank you.'' The dinners were thankful, too. The meals improved immediately, and the lines outside the mission continued to lengthen.

Everyone called her difficult and cantankerous, but no-one could deny that she did a great job. She wanted no salary, but was given her own small room at the mission.

"God has sent her to us for a purpose,'' said Sister Mary. "She may appear a bit grumpy, but she is an Angel of Mercy to those who depend on us. Remember that God works in mysterious ways. This is His will.'' This was Cassie's first Christmas Eve at the mission and it was to be a day of baking, boiling, simmering and roasting. The kitchen was hot and steamy, with ovens and burners going full tilt. Cassie eased a huge cassava pie into the oven, then turned her attention to her mince tarts.

It had already been a long day, yet it was not even eight a.m. Cassie sat down heavily at the kitchen table. Yes, she could spare a few moments. She felt a strange tingling sensation move through her body.....

***** "...Well, are you coming or not? We haven't got all day, you know. Some of us were hoping for a quiet Christmas. No peace for the wicked, I suppose!'' "That's not at all funny, Gaby. You'd best be careful of what you say, too.

If the Boss hears you saying things like that, you could find yourself grounded,'' whispered Cheryb looking about her cautiously.

Cassie blinked several times and stood frozen to the spot in disbelief as she listened to her two guides. They were wearing long, white robes and had huge white wings that shimmered like gossamer.

"Angels?'' she gasped, under her breath. "Well, of course we are,'' said the one called Gaby.

"We're TRYING to get you processed. There's another lot on their way before lunch time.'' Cassie: an angel on earth Cassie looked about her. They appeared to be in a long tunnel. It was flooded with brightness and away in the distance, there was a beautiful, blinding, white light that seemed to be beckoning.

"Where am I? What's happened to me?'' Cassie demanded, with some trepidation.

"Look at her tag, lovey,'' said Gaby, slightly exasperated. "There you go: `Cassandra Harvey, Hamilton Mission, Died 24.12:STROKE.'' Cassie stared at the tag hanging on her wrist.

"You mean I'm DEAD?'' gasped Cassie.

"Well, technically....to all intents and purposes...in the worldly sense...dead as a door post,'' answered Gaby, with a giggle.

"Oh, it sounds so much worse than it is,'' added Cheryb, reassuringly. "Once you've got through all the red tape, you'll be glad you're here. You have relatives an the other side, don't you?'' "Well, yes,'' replied Cassie. "In fact, all my family have passed on. Will I see them, then?'' "Of course you will, silly,'' Gaby said, tapping her foot. "The quicker we get there, the sooner you'll see them. COME ON!'' "Hold on a minute, Gaby. There's a communication coming in from Head Office,'' announced Cheryb. "What NOW, Cheryb?!'' "Technical difficulties,'' went on Cheryb, holding her hand to her ear and listening intently. "We are to wait in limbo until final clearance.'' "Oh, I LOVE the limbo!'' declared Gaby. "A little calypso music and I can dance right under that limbo bar...'' "Do stop it right now, Gaby,'' pleaded Cheryb. "We'll have our wings clipped. How did you even get this job, anyway?'' "Same way you did. Applied for it,'' stated Gaby, pretending to be serious.

"I'm a perfect ANGEL,'' she snickered.

"What's the matter?'' Cassie interrupted. "Why can't we go towards the light?'' "Don't worry, Cassie,'' answered Cheryb, kindly. "We'll be off again very soon, and in the meantime, I could contact some of your relatives for you, if you'd like.'' "You mean I could see them now?'' Cassie was stunned.

"Sure. Nothing simpler,'' answered Cheryb matter-of-factly.

"My husband, Charles; my daughter, Rebecca; my parents, Grandma Frances, Grandpa Gary, Uncle Jonathan...'' "Whoa!...Hold on a minute!... One at a time, please. We're only angels,'' laughed Gaby.

One by one, the spirits of all Cassie's relatives appeared to her, summoned by Gaby and Cheryb, who raised their arms, then stood back in a white glow with heads bowed and their arms and wings folded in front of them.

Cassie's parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles spoke to her of their love and admiration for her, and of their desire to have her with them again soon.

Her husband told of his sorrow at leaving her and of the peace he had found.

Her only child, Rebecca, embraced her mother with the spirit of love and told of her memories of the happy life she had had with her parents. She thanked her mother for being so strong, courageous and loving and for being the best mother in either heaven or earth.

Cassie's eyes filled with tears. When her daughter had died suddenly in a traffic accident, she had been left empty and unable to grieve. She could not go on and wanted to die. She had left her home and job and had wandered the streets, all alone. Now, she experienced total fulfilment. She was washed in a sea of love and contentment. She felt the power of God and a strength and wholeness she had not felt for years.

"Orders coming in,'' interrupted Cheryb, breaking the spell.

"Off we go, then,'' added Gaby, skipping off ahead, towards the light.

"No, no, wait a minute. Change in plans. Return soul to earth,'' Cheryb repeated her orders.

"WHAT? We can't do that!'' said Gaby, spinning around. "They may have already found her body.'' "Don't question orders. The Boss knows what He's doing,'' cautioned Cheryb.

"Let's get going, you two.'' "What's happened?'' wailed Cassie. "I want to join my family.'' "Well, it looks like it might not be your time after all, Cassie,'' soothed Cheryb. "You see, you still have a mission on earth, a very sacred mission.'' "Will I go back as an angel, then?'' asked Cassie. "Well, you won't remember any of this, Cassie, but I can assure you that your life will not be quite the same. Yes, in a way, you will be sort of an angel, a very special angel -God's angel on earth,'' stated Cheryb.

"I just wish they'd make up their minds,'' added Gaby, stamping her foot. "I could have been practising with the Christmas Choir!'' Gaby broke into a chorus of "Angels, we have heard on high,'' as the two guides took Cassie by the hand.

Cheryl whispered, "Come on, Cassie. We'll see you again, soon.....'' ***** "Cassie, Cassie, are you all right?'' pleaded Sister Mary, who was bending over Cassie, shaking her, in alarm. "Oh, thank the Lord! I thought.....'' "Oh, Sister Mary, I must've fallen asleep. Look at the time! My goose, my cassava pie! Quick, help me get them out of the ovens. They'll be ruined!'' At six p.m., the dining room was filled to capacity. A feeling of expectation was in the air. A huge Christmas tree, decorated by the street people, stood resplendent in the corner. Beneath its boughs, piles of brightly wrapped gifts were ready to be distributed after dinner.

Sister Mary entered the room and everyone stood for the blessing.

"On this Holy Eve of Christmas, we thank Thee, Lord for Thy blessings and for the food we are about to receive. We thank You for this mission, and for the Angels of Mercy.....'' At that moment, the kitchen door was flung open and a tidy, well-scrubbed, little woman, with her hair arranged neatly in a grey bun and dressed in a red dress with a crisp white apron, swept into the dining room. The silent throng stood speechless as they began to realise that this woman with the broad grin, the bright, twinkling eyes and the huge platter of food, was actually Cassie.

As she made her way to the serving table, her dress rustled like the sound of angels' wings.

"Merry Christmas, everybody!'' she boomed.

"Amen,'' said Sister Mary, making the sign of the cross.

UNDER 18s WINNER -- Christie Meacham won first prize in the under 18 division of The Royal Gazette 's annual Short Story Contest. She is pictured here with Editor Mr. David L. White.

CHRISTMAS SHORT STORY CONTEST CPN