~Chapter 15~
Back to Centerville
The passing of an early morning, full lunar eclipse caught the corner of the awakening children's eyes as the morning's sun brightened the new day.
Rubbing the past dozy sleep out of his eyes, Louis then presently covered his eyes as the dazzling, clear Indiana sun brightened his immediate future. At present hearing an excited hummingbird hovering in a straight line overhead Louis opened one heavy-eye in a sluggish fashion, then the next.
Strengthening a little in clarity of thought, Louis called out.
"Atamo is that you?"
No reply.
"Who are you talking to Louis, have you gone daft? Who's Atamo? That's just a hummingbird flying overhead" asked Chug as he tried to stand on two wobbly legs "I feel like I have been sleeping like a Pharaoh inside of a pyramid for a thousand years."
"It just seems like you've been sleeping that long. As for who's Atamo, I don't quite know yet. The name just popped in my head for some reason" said the still groggy Louis.
Looking to his left with a partially clouded mind Louis spotted Molly Jenkins, Tessie Whitman and Short Stack Stark trying to undo the prior night's adventure.
"Tessie I've got a headache" said Molly as she sat up inside of the fairy circle.
"Me too Molly, it's the worst headache I've ever had before" added Chug "who's bright idea was it to eat those horrible mushrooms?"
"Do you even need to ask Chug? Was it an "incident or an accident", it was just Louis being Louis. So great Fairy Circle Tender what were you thinking having us eat those awful mushrooms in the first place?" asked Molly as she turned to face Louis who's eyes were now as bright and as clear as a newborn child's, "Louis your eyes!! What happened to you?" asked the uncertain little girl.
"What are you talking about Molly? What's wrong with my eyes?"
"They are the bluest color I have ever seen, your eyes were brown and now you have a big black-eye as well."
"She's right Louis they are a strange color of cobalt blue, and what a shiner. Your mom is going to kill you" said Chug as he stared deeply into Louis's eyes.
"Yeah Louis what's happened?" asked Tessie.
"It must be the mushrooms why else would my eyes be blue. I have no idea how I got a black-eye and it is starting to hurt now that you mention it. Well I'll head down to the watering-hole as soon as I am a little more stable. I can hardly stand right now. Anyway what happened last night I can only remember parts of it, maybe I will remember more if you jog my brain cells?"
"I don't really remember anything" added Tessie.
"Me either but I sure wish I could remember" understood Short Stack.
"Last thing I remember was we started Walpurgis Night and then The Widdershins dance" said Louis.
"Louis I remember what happened just as clear as this day is."
"Fill me in Chug, what happened?"
"Ole Frank Fatbottom showed up during the Widdershins dance. He interrupted everything, and was just as nasty and as mean as always. He started to call you all kinds of horrible names, after that he began to chase you around. At first you ran from him but you're so fast he did not have a chance. He is so big he could not catch you. As you ran around you tried to apologize for laughing at him about his weight before, and then we all said we were sorry as well. He did not care and did not accept you're admission of guilt. Next he called you a Ginger and a red-haired runt. You stopped running around when you heard that, boy were you mad. You went right up to face him. You were face to face, man what a confrontation. You told him to say he was sorry for saying that real mean personal stuff about you, and while you were standing there with steam coming from your ears, he reared up and just punched you in the eyeball.
That was it!
You just lost your cookies. You went all gonzo and just plain gone. You were like a caged prize fighter. Louis you both began to wrestle on the ground, and while you were on the ground you pounded him around the ears a couple of times. You both somehow got back up on your feet that are when you landed a few straight upper-cuts to his chins."
"That's funny Chug...his chins" said the amused Short Stack.
"Let me finish Short Stack, I'm not trying to be funny here. Then out of nowhere this big haymaker connected as firmly as any punch I have ever seen before, and the next thing you know you punched him right back in his own eye. It swelled up so big, his eye closed shut. He started to cry like a baby in a bathtub full of water that's too hot, and the next thing you know, he ran off in a wild dash towards home I guess. You kicked his butt! It was the most courageous thing I have ever seen before Louis."
"I did Chug? I don't remember too much about last night, but now that you reminded me I guess that that is what happened. It's starting to come back to me little by little."
"Come to think of it Louis I remember that as well. My mind is still a little foggy from eating those mushrooms, but yeah I remember you fighting him. It's just like Chug said it happened" said Molly as she scratched her head while deep in thought.
"I remember as well Louis, it's just like Chug said it happened" said Short Stack.
"Me too...Louis you are a "real hero" after all. Once this gets out around town and at school I guess nobody's going to be picking on you anymore. No one is gonna be calling you a runt or a Ginger again, except us of course" said the laughing Chug.
"Well what are real friends for my tall friend? Or should I ask what are real friends for Stretch?" asked Louis as he began to laugh out loud just as hard as he ever had before.
Everyone joined in the merriment as they congratulated Louis for being the bravest kid they had ever seen before. Backslaps, handshakes and hugs, they fell like heavy raindrops upon the deserving Louis.
"Hey what's everyone Laughing about over there?" shouted out Mr. Beamer as he entered the clearing from the far side.
"Mr. Beamer did you get a new horse?" asked the excited Louis as he ran toward Mr. Beamer, "wow look at him. Is he a plow-horse, or a cart-horse? He fits right in those reins just perfect."
"Well first off Louis, hi glad to see you are still with us. And yes he is a plow-horse. He pulls this cart like a natural. And you should see him plow my fields. I just got him yesterday. He's a real hard worker. He's going to be a great helper around the farm. He's gonna even help me pull the ice-wagon during the summertime."
"What's his name?" asked the thrilled Chug as he ran over to where Louis and Mr. Beamer were.
"His name is Charlie the Horse."
"Hi Charlie the Horse, my name is Louis nice to meet you" understood Louis as he gave Charlie a big hug. Charlie whinnied, and stomped his feet on the ground joyfully.
I want you and him to be good friends. I kind of got him for you and me Louis. You need a new pal. You had been so worried about Frank recently. And I remember our little talk up in my attic about that a few days ago. So I got Charlie to help me around the farm, and for you to hang around with. He will help protect you from the bully's in the world and he might just cheer you up a bit."
"He already has cheered me up, and man is he handsome and tall. I could use all the friends I can get and Charlie fits the bill just perfect. Thanks Mr. Beamer. Will I be able to feed him and take care of him?"
"Yes sir...Louis."
"And can I ride him every once in a while?"
"Ride him every day if you want to, he likes kids and he is very brave. You two will get along swimmingly."
"Man oh man...Mr. Beamer you are the best!"
"We can talk more about Charlie later. I have some other things a little more important to discuss now."
Upon reaching the fairy circle Mr. Beamer spoke up again but in a much more serious tone, "You know the whole town has been looking for all you kids. Your mom's and dad's are just mad as heck that you did not come home last night. Seems you forgot to t
ell them you were coming out here. When I heard you all went missing real late last night from Hattie May, I put two and two together, knowing Louis and all, and sure enough here you all are. I got out here first thing in the morning just as soon as I could get Charlie in front of this cart. I did not want you all to walk back home."
"You mean we were out here all night?" asked a befuddled Louis.
"Yep..."
"My mom is going to ground me for a month" said Short Stack.
"Mine too...maybe two" chimed in Tessie.
"All of your parents are going to ground you and maybe worse" said the chiding Mr. Beamer.
"Thanks a lot Louis" said the unhappy Molly.
"Louis trouble just follows you, everywhere you go. Why do we hang out with you?" asked Short Stack.
"Because I am so very funny and so very likeable...oh...and I have a great left punch" replied the smiling Louis as he did a little jig again.
"Well I hate to kill the mood kids but I've got a few questions for all you."
"Go ahead Mr. Beamer what's on your mind."
"First off Louis it must be true what I heard from Growlin Harry, I saw him on the way out here this morning, he saw Frank in town real early by Tessie's dad's Five and Dime store, and Frank had this big black-eye. You got in a fight with Frank Frankle last night here, or as you kids call him Frank Fatbottom Junior, didn't you? I can tell by that blackened left eye of yours Louis that it has to be true."
"You should have seen him in action Mr. Beamer he was like a lion on the prowl. I have never seen such real courage in my life. You would have been proud of him" said Chug as he looked at the others while they shook their heads in agreement.
"You know I don't condone fighting, and you should only do that as a last resort but sometimes if you have to, you just have to. I have been in many fights myself as a young boy, I am not proud of it, and to this day I feel bad about having done so. This is very important now Louis. Louis don't be too prideful. That's the wrong emotion to be feeling right now. When you are threatened with violence it is best to not escalate it with more violence. But I understand you probably had no choice last night. Am I right?"
"Mr. Beamer you are partially right. I could have run away again but I have done that far too many times in the past. I just could not do it anymore.
He was insulting me.
He was saying real personal thing about me, and about my friends.
He was bullying me real bad Mr. Beamer.
No kid should ever have to take those insults, it's just not right.
Right makes might.
And then afterwards he took a few swings at me. He punched me in the eye first. I just could not take it anymore, and I kind of snapped I guess. I am so sorry I had to punch him but he had it coming. He's been picking on all of us kids for years, last year he even punched Short Stack in the eye, so I guess I was just kind of standing up for all of us kids who had ever been bullied by him in the past when I punched him. And you know what I feel better about myself because I did so. So if I get in trouble or got a black-eye out of it so be it. I will take my punishment from my mom like a real man. I know I deserve it."
"That's the most grown-up thing I think I have ever heard you say in your life young man. It's called responsibility, and you are going to get in trouble about this. Now if I were you I would go find Frank later today and offer a heartfelt I'm sorry, and try to make it up to him. Maybe even buy him an ice cream at the Five and Dime and talk it out.
You have showed him the real person you are, and how brave you can be, if need be. He will respect you more now I am sure because of it, and if he does not then at least you know you tried. With this being over and done you will have done the right thing, the correct thing.
You will have learned from the experience and you will be a better person for it in the long run. All the decisions you make every day in your life as you grow up will shape the person you will be when you are fully grown. Trust me I am older and know about what I am speaking. Your ultimate goals as a youngster should be: to educate yourself, be good to your parents, be a good friend to those who befriend you, be a good citizen of the world and help others less fortunate than you the most you can. And this is what Frank Frankle needs more than anything. He needs a real friend, a true friend. I don't think he has one friend as we speak, that is partially why he overeats and is so unhappy. Now if you do all of these things as you grow up, you will grow inside of your good deeds, and be a happier person for it.
"Wow Mr. Beamer I have never thought of it in those terms before. I feel like in my mind's-eye that everything is much clearer now, and I can truly see the ways of my errors. Thanks..." said Louis as he reflected on all that which he just heard.
"And another thing, you kids should always remember you should at all times, talk with your parents, or with a school counselor, or the school principle, or the police if someone is harassing you, or picking on you, or bullying you, or worse beating you up. The bully might hear about it and call you out for it, and try to make things worse for you because you made things worse for them, but in reality they have made things worse for themselves, not you. Tell that to him if he does not stop the harassment, it is all really all his fault. That is what bullies do; they cause their own problems by being a bad person, and after that blame their awful behavior on everybody else. They take no responsibility for their own actions and don't care about the harm they do to others. It is called in psychology terms, being a "sociopath".
In that book that went missing from my library a few weeks back, the one by Doctor Northumberland, this child's psychology book, it explains this type of behavior in children and in adults in depth. And it tries to help you understand these behaviors that is why I wanted it back so bad, it is very heavy reading, and is quite a lot to understand, it could alter you forever if you read it because of its deep nature, and what some might find, to have a disturbing content to the book.
But back to the bullying and fighting, Louis you did finally put a stop to the bullying and you had to somehow. I understand this now. I did not know how dreadful it really was for you and how long it had been going on. You should have really explained this to me in more details then we could have gone to the Chief of Police, Mr. Thomas Pinkerman to put a stop to it.
I fully understand your situation now and you absolutely have to stop this conduct by others towards you, otherwise you might take this horrible bullying and the ghastly emotions that go with it to your grave. If the bullying does not stop immediately it will shape who you are now, and have an effect on you possibly for your whole life. You cannot let these criminals, and that is what they are, pry under your skin and change the good person you are and were meant to be in the future.
Mr. Beamer climbed down out of his horse-cart as Charlie the Horse began to eat some wild grass found growing below his feet.
"All you just said Mr. Beamer rings true. Next time we will all go to get help and not let that activity to continue. Sometimes we kids like to try and handle things by ourselves when we should not. It's just part of trying to grow up, and sometimes we grow up too fast. All kids do this, plus we sometimes don't want to bother our parents or teachers, they have so much to do already, and have so many worries with paying rent on their farms, and feeding and clothing us, and feeding the horses and other farm animals, you get the idea. But next time all of us will take your advice to heart, and end the harassment and bullying as soon as it starts by talking to the right person or persons or the police if we have to" said Chug as he shook Mr. Beamer's hand in a sign of thanks.
All the kids gathered around Mr. Beamer and promised to do all that Chug just said as Louis lowered his head down in shame.
"Mr. Beamer if I am going to start being a better person and do the right thing then I have to come clean, and should start right now."
"What are you talking about Louis?"
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"Here Mr. Beamer...I pinched your two books" said Louis as he reached into his dirty wizard robe, into a lower deep pocket.
"I just cannot live with myself anymore, knowing that these two books meant so much to you. You see I wanted to be a Fairy Circle Tender so bad and a Great Wizard really bad. I just wanted to impress my friends and have fun. That's what us kids do best is have fun, and man do I know how to have fun." Everybody began to laugh aloud.
"Boy you sure do Louis. You were the best Fairy Circle Tender and Great Wizard Centerville has ever had before" offered up Chug as he gave Louis a hard slap on the back which knocked his wizard hat to the ground.
"There are two puncture holes in this one book Louis, what happened?"
"I don't know what happened to them Mr. Beamer, I cannot not really remember too much about last night, sorry for the damage, I will try to fix that."
"Don't worry about it Louis, now thank you Louis for being so honest and confessing up to the crime of the missing books. Knowing all that you have gone through in the last few weeks, and seeing that big black-eye of yours, I will forgive you for this one, shall we say this prank. Just please ask me next time when you want to borrow something of mine."
"I was not finished Mr. Beamer, I also pinched your qugga-tail switch."
Louis reached into another pocket and produced the wand.
"Louis...Louie..." said Mr. Beamer in a disdainful tone as he placed the two books and the qugga-tail switch on the front seat of his cart.
Everyone began to laugh again as Mr. Beamer turned back towards the fairy circle. He careful stepped over the mushrooms.
"Now I have a few other questions for you all then we have to get going back into town and get you back to your farmhouses and your waiting parents. But first by looking at this fairy circle and the smashed M?jebro Runestone I have to ask a few questions. How did Walpurgis Night and the Widdershins dance go? Did you see your fairies after all Louis? I see you found the M?jebro Runestone I placed in the middle. And I see your eyes have turned blue Louis so you must have eaten some of the mushrooms last night. That is a side-effect that some people have been known to have after ingesting them."
"Well it's the new and honest me, so I have to tell the whole truth. Yes I did eat some mushrooms, matter of fact we all did. You see Mr. Beamer Short Stack, Chug and I wanted to scare the girls, and some of the kids from school, always with the pranks you know, so we all dressed up like creatures or monsters see. Meet Short Stack aka Mickey O'Flattery the Lepricaun. And over there is Chug Martin aka the Sleagh Maith Hairy Fairy, and I was the Fairy Circle Tender slash Great Wizard. It was real fun for a while. Oh and if I am being honest, honestly I pinched your wizard robe as you can tell. I will wash it and get it back to you."
"Louis...it's just you being you...again and again..."
"I know Mr. Beamer it's just that you have the coolest stuff I have ever seen before up in that old attic of yours, I just cannot help myself. I've got some other things of yours as well in my bedroom, I will get those back to you as soon as we get back home.
Well anyway it's hard to tell by looking at our clothes, I mean costumes they are so battered up, but you see I did not really think the fairy circle would work. I did read your magic book from cover to cover and followed all the spells in there to a tee last night but just in case it did not work I wanted to put on a great show for everyone, so we three got all dressed up like real creatures that might appear out of a fairy circle. It worked great and all the kids from school ran off horrified. I hope they realized that it was all in good fun and that we weren't real fairies or a real Lepricaun.
"Then what happened Louis" asked the captivated Mr. Beamer.
"Let me continue, well as soon as they all ran off I had the bright idea of having the rest of us eat some mushrooms, after that everything got very fuzzy. Molly thought she saw a real Astral Fairy, and an evil one to boot, a real Sleagh Maith Hairy Fairy. Following that Frank Frankle showed up and the fight was on. I really don't remember much of anything afterwards, at least not yet. Do any of you guys remember anything else? I did have a few wild dreams though."
"Not me I don't remember a thing. Those mushrooms knocked me out, it's all black and foggy in my mind but I sure had some wild, bad dreams as well Louis" said Molly.
"Mr. Beamer, Louis so did I. I had some really, really bad dreams. It's like Molly said we ate those mushrooms, afterwards the fight took place, then I went dead to the world, and all I remember really was waking up in the middle of the fairy circle this morning. But I did dream last night that I turned into a toad and there was this big, ugly Toad King, I think that is what he called himself, it was...it...oh...er...oh yeah, his name was T?ngarar Spadefoot" said Short Stack as he looked for a reaction from the others.
Mr. Beamer was alarmed to no end but did not lead on about it. He remained calm, cool and collected as he kicked at the loose pieces of the shattered ruin stone. He then looked at the kids clothes they were all so dirty and well-worn. It looked like they had been through a battlefield. Mr. Beamer was really desperately trying to put together the loose pieces of their awful night spent in the fairy circle.
"I am right with the others, all I remember after eating those horrible things was the fight, then all went black, but it's very odd and very strange don't you think that I had similar dreams? I remember a Toad King with the same name, and there was this creature named Noctuid the Black Witch. I with Molly was all tied up in the witches hut, and about to be cooked in a witches brew when in popped Louis, he fought with the witch and ran her off, Louis rescued us. And there was a toad army and a beaver army. It was just the wildest dream. I am telling you it got worse than that. I don't think I even want to talk about it. Mr. Beamer how could we all have similar dreams and remember the same names?" asked Tessie Whitman as she started to get a little scared.
"Tessie I remember that witch as well and her name, it was Noctuid the Black Witch. We were in a witch-hut and in came Louis to the rescue just like you said, and then there were other things like a water-serpent and a beautiful castle, a fairy riding on the back of a hummingbird, and I remember the Toad King and his name...T?ngarar Spadefoot. How can this all be? Group dreams maybe. Is that in that book of yours by Dr. Northumberland?"
Louis grew a little worried as he spoke out about his own memories of the night spent in the fairy circle, "Mr. Beamer I had the same dreams as all of them but I remember some other things as well that they have not mentioned yet. There was the toad army, but I remember an Astral Fairy that hitched a ride on the ragwort of a hummingbird's back, he was a good fairy and went by the name of Atamo. He was the king of all the fairies of the land called Gwynedd. He would always bite me on the neck in a sign of friendship. All good fairies bite if they like you."
Mr. Beamer walked around the backside of Louis as Louis continued to speak out excitedly about his past dream. Again he did not say anything, but he did notice a few very small welts or bite marks on the rear of Louis's neck.
"Continue on Louis..."
"OK Mr. Beamer I will carry on. There was this big fat bug-eyed toad T?ngarar Spadefoot, a water serpent, fairies, a unicorn and the black witch, but I remember something else Frank Frankle was there as well. Or at least I thought it was him. I told everyone about it and no one believed me. Well anyway he sent me on a quest to kill this White Queen named Queen Elphen she was the Queen of the Dead, a land draug. She lived in this large black tower called Hagby Tower.
I was so afraid of Frank Fatbottom Junior, or T?ngarar Spadefoot, or whatever his name was that I went to the black tower made of ice, in this icy dead city. I tried to reason with her but she wanted to eat me, well what happened next scares me out of my wits.
Mr. Beamer I burned down the ice tower. I smelled methane gas, and as I remembered from last year where I almost burned down the schoolhouse that methane gas can form in ice crystals. I had
some fire-cracker power that I stole from your attic, again sorry about that Mr. Beamer. I am a worst thief than Digger the Blue Rabbit who steals your vegetables out of your garden. He was there as well. What a dream.
Now the tower burned down and the Ice Queen was driven off, then reborn into the new queen of Gwynedd and Northumberland, that is what the places were called that I went to where the tower was. And when I awoke this morning I was right here in this fairy circle along with the others. What do you think of that Mr. Beamer?"
Kicking about inside of the fairy circle and listening to all of the fantastic dreams the children so visually remember Mr. Beamer noted a few oddities on the ground about him. Looking downwards to his left he saw what appeared to be oversized webbed foot prints that a fatted and very large toad or frog might make, and there were signs of a struggle inside of those footsteps. And in another area of the fairy circle he noted what looked liked enormous beaver tracts that lead off towards the watering-hole nearby. Not wanting to scare the children the ever wise and duly educated Mr. Beamer tried to close the conversation without alarming any of the frightened children.
"It sounds to me like you all have the most vivid of imaginations, which all children your age are known to have. And I think hanging around Louis and listening to his wild tall tales and stories for so many years, that he is finally wearing off on all of you. In a good way of course, daydreaming is so much fun. It expands the mind, and nourishes the heart and soul. So there is nothing wrong with any of you.
I believe what happened to you all last night is just as Molly said earlier, it was group dreaming in a strange...in a not so studied...form. You all took those mushrooms together and it expanded your minds but also made you very sick, confused and dazed. I believe you all must have stayed awake while waiting for the effects of the mushrooms to wear off.
I also suppose that you...how do I put this...must have told ghost stories or stories like that together, and somehow you all built on the same story that you all remember now. So therefore you believed it really happened. You all had a shared experience that you judged to be true because of the deemed to be magic mushrooms. And your blue eyes Louis again they should turn back to brown as before but maybe they won't, some studies made of eating those types of mushrooms have noted, the same incident and their eyes stayed blue.
"Mr. Beamer I believe all you said just now as the perfect truth. There is no way that we could have actually traveled into another land and time with Frank Fatbottom Junior and met all of those creatures and experienced all that we just told you about. I accept this as a truth, and have faith in your explanation. But I do have one question for you before we all get on that wagon and head for home and our waiting punishments."
"What is your question Louis?" asked the wise old man.
"What is that smoke on the horizon over there. Is there a fire out of town? What happened?"
"Louis yes there has been a big fire. Last night the Hagby Foster Home for Kids burned to the ground. All of the children got out safely but nobody can find Auntie Elphie. They are searching the ashes from the fire they are looking for any possible bones. One or two of her white steeds, the largest of her white horses were missing so they really trust that she rode off. Remember she was a chemist, some also say she was a black witch. Many think an experiment must have gone wrong and it started the fire. No one is blaming the foster children or anyone else."
Turning to look at his good friends Louis's mouth dropped to his chest as the air inside of him just escaped. The others just stood with odd blank looks on their faces.
"And what of Frank Frankle, was he home at the time?" asked a very concerned and bothered Molly.
"No one knows about him yet, or if he was there or not. Frank was last seen this morning in town and looked very content and happy besides having a black-eye. Growlin Harry even said he was whistling a happy tune, talked about losing some weight, walked with real pep in his step, and that he even looked like a new person. He thought it strange" said Mr. Beamer as he looked off in the near distance at the rising smoke along with the other kids.
None of the children said another word until they was all safely sitting in the wagon. All reflected on all they had just been through, be it good or bad. As the wagon took off down the earthen pathway with Charlie the Horse pulling out front, Louis looked off towards the water hole to the far side. A strange sight caught his eye. He poked Chug in the ribs and nodded over in the direction where the surface water stirred.
"Chug that is the biggest, ugliest beaver I have ever seen before. Just look at the size of those choppers, they are so big that they even look like fangs."
"Yeah, wow look at that. It kind of looks like that big beaver that I dreamed about last night" said Chug as he put his two forefingers on the sides of his mouth to copy the look of the beaver, all to Louis's enjoyment.
"Yep I had that same dream last night about a beaver that looked just like that imagine that" said Louis as all turned to look up the road towards home.
As the cart full of children slowly ambled down the earthen pathway away from the fairy circle Louis was alarmed once more, every mile or so there was a child walking by, by himself. This seemed so odd to Louis and finally to Mr. Beamer and the others. It was so early in the morning, why would there be so many kids walking alone out by themselves. Mr. Beamer at last pulled his cart to the side of the road and stopped, he asked one of the apparently lost souls to chat for a moment.
"Excuse me son, my name it Thomas Beamer, what is your name and how old are you?"
"Nice to meet you Mr. Beamer my name is Kenny Parker and I am twelve years old" said the small boy who appeared to be in a mild trance-like-state, and to not really be all there.
Louis again poked Chug in the side and whispered in his ear, "That's Curveball Kenny, he pitched for the Centerville Giants one year, he was on our team do you remember? He's been missing for a few years everybody thought he just got up one day and ran away from home."
"I recognized him immediately Louis. I wonder where he's been and what's happened to him he's covered in soot and dirt. It does not look good. You don't think this has anything to do with last night; our "group dreams" and the fairy circle do you...no...no...not an undertoad?" asked a confused Chug.
"I hate to think that Chug...but...but...you could be right. This might have something to do with us. This sure makes for an odd situation. We've seen about ten kids already this morning walking back into town, all in a daze and all dirty. I am just not sure Chug. It's just so strange" said Louis.
"Kenny do you know where you are and why you are walking down this road" asked Mr. Beamer with a puzzled eye.
"Mr. Beamer, things are a little fuzzy but let me explain what has happened. Years ago when things got real tough in town here, my parents went broke and almost sold the farm, they did not have enough money to raise me anymore, plus I guess I was a handful for them to handle and raise. I was a real troublemaker, kind of like Louis sitting up there has been known to be. Oh hi Louis, and hi Chug."
"Hi Kenny..." said Chug.
"Oh hey Kenny..." said Louis.
"Nevertheless, your question, yeah where was I? Oh yeah I was a bit of a rabble-rouser so my parents sent me over to live at the Hagby House for Foster Kids at the outskirt of town. They did not want anybody to know where I went, and that they were so poor, so they told me not to tell anybody. I guess everyone thought I ran away. I think that is what my parents told the police.
Well I was living in an anti-chamber up in the top of that house for years, I never went out of the house it was not allowed, it was just terrible.
Auntie Elphie did not like me or any of the kids she was always cursing at me and hitting me and the other kids for no reason. But you know who got it the worst of all was Frank Fatbottom, she especially hated him. She was always hitting Frank with this big black frying pan, and she was just so abusiv
e to him, always insulting him and calling him horrible names when he lived there. If the truth be told, I think she was just lost it one day, she went all daffy. I think she went clinically nuts.
At any rate that Auntie Elphie was a real terror, a real bully so to speak. Now in her free time she was always in her laboratory cooking up something smelly, and dare I say evil. I guess they were scientific experiments of some kind. I'm not sure about that either. Some kids said she was just a scientist others, and most of the kids who lived there thought she was a real witch."
"Did you think she was a real witch Kenny?" asked Mr. Beamer.
"I'm not sure if she was or not, Mr. Beamer. I tried to stay as far away from her as I could. I dared not to go into her laboratory. I always thought she might cook me."
Louis gulped once.
Chug's throat went dry, he could not.
"Were you at that Foster Home last night?"
"Yes I was Mr. Beamer."
"Can you tell us what happened?" asked Louis.
"Where do I start at the beginning I guess? I was sleeping up in my room and man for some reason it was the coldest night that I had ever had spent there. I think someone turned off the furnace; it was colder than your ice house in there last night Mr. Beamer. It was like I was sleeping in an ice rink.
Anyway real late last night about four in the morning, someone knocked loudly on the large wooden door. Our caretaker Hobart answered the door. He was a funny little man. He had this big long beard, was short, stout and had these horrible looking crooked teeth. We all called him Hob, because he kind of looked like a Hobgoblin or something like that.
Well Hob let the intruder inside the home and the next thing I heard were loud voices coming from the laboratory, that's when most of the kids who were sleeping started to wake up. In any case, next there was a big argument with the visitor and Auntie Elphie that lasted about a half an hour or so, well to cut a long story short there was this big explosion afterwards, it woke the rest of the kids up who were not awake already from the argument.
There were giant flames everywhere, they immediately spread towards the upper floors, everybody just panicked, it was pure pandemonium inside that home last night, and real dangerous. We all thought we were going to die.
Next thing you know Frank Fatbottom showed up out of nowhere, he was real excited and I noticed he had this large black-eye. It was all swollen like he just got it, as if he was just in a fight or something. His clothes were all muddy and rumpled.
The strangest thing happened next."
"Don't tell me, Frank...he...he...?" asked a discomforted Louis.
"No Louis you got it wrong, if I think what you are thinking, Frank did not run off. He did the opposite. Actually he alone, one by one and sometimes in groups, led each kid out of the burning house to safety. He just kept running back in there over and over again, Louis he saved every single kid. There must have been thirty or forty kids he saved. It was just incredible. I have never seen anything like it. I am telling you the guy is a "real hero". I know everybody hates him because he is the biggest bully anyone around here that anyone has ever known, but last night something just clicked in him, and I guess he wanted to just be a better person for some reason. You know a good citizen for a change. Hey maybe it had something to do with that new large, puffy black-eye of his. I don't know. Also who ever came to Hagby House that night and knocked on the door, he is the one who started all this, and eventually started the ball rolling in getting those kids free, he is a "real hero" as well. Without his courage to knock on that door in the first place, maybe no one would have ever found out about that terrible place, just a thought."
Louis turned to look at Chug in disbelief as Chug stared right back at Louis mirroring his astonishment at the whole fantastical story.
"What happened to Auntie Elphie and Hobart" asked the amazed Chug.
"Chug she did not care enough to help one kid to safety, nor did Hob and they ran the place. Can you imagine that? What kind of ghastly people do that? Last thing I saw of them both, they were all covered in soot and coughing up a black storm. They road off on these two white horses, and nobody has heard a word of their whereabouts. I heard the police are looking for them. When the police and the fire department showed up the kids started to tell them stories of their abuse and neglect, so this got the police real mad, so there you go. They want to arrest her and him for child abuse."
"What happened to Frank Frankle Kenny?"
"All the kids told the police and the fire department how they were all saved by Frank, but he did not want to talk to anybody just yet, it appeared. It was like he just knew that he did something real good, there was no pride, or showing off about the great deeds he had just done. Once he knew everybody was safe, he just walked off toward town and it seemed like he was in a hurry. It was like he had an appointment with someone and did not want to be late. That I thought strange as well.
Well that's all I know about what happened last night. As for now, I have been just trying to get back home. I miss my parents. I hope they still love me and want me back."
Louis climbed down out of the wagon, he slowly approached Kenny. Louis kindly spoke out, "I am glad you are safe and sound.
Welcome home Kenny.
It all sounds so awful what you have been through in the last few years, and when I say welcome home that goes out from all of us, not just from us here but from everybody in town. You were missed Kenny. I am sure your parents miss you as all parents do when their child is gone for awhile. Your house is right over the hill there, and I am sure they are waiting for you as we speak."
Chug climbed down out of the wagon as well as the other children did, everyone gave Kenny a big hug before Kenny continued on down the road.
"Thanks for the hugs everybody and I'll see you back in school, I can't wait to get started on my new life. Louis I noticed you have a new black-eye as well. Do you have something to do with all of this? Did you and Frank get in a fight last night?"
"It's a long...long...long story Kenny. One day we will sit down during recess at school and I will tell you all about it. As for now you better get going home."
"This all seems like such a long, long bad dream. I think I might have temporary amnesia or something, the past years have all been so foggy, but it sure will be nice to get home and I do know that my home is right over that hill right there, where that big yellow farmhouse is" said the relieved little boy.
"Kenny you seem like you know where your home is, you look in good enough health so I guess everything will be OK. I know that big yellow farmhouse. I think I know your mom and dad even, I will check in with your parents later today. Go home now, it's all over. Go home and kiss your parents hello and give them a big hug. Everyone climb back in and let's get going" added the perplexed Mr. Beamer as he waited for the wagon to fill. He then pulled back on the reins, signaling for Charlie to start up again. He looked over at Louis and Chug to see their reaction to the odd occurrence.
"I use to know him Mr. Beamer. Everyone thought he ran away from home years ago. It's just the strangest twist of fate. I guess all of these kids we are seeing walking around out here today are those kids from Hagby House. They are all heading home to their own homes and parents, they have been freed from their tormentor, from that unbearable Auntie Elphie, she's such a witch" said the bewildered Louis.
Each looked ahead down the road. No one said another word about it. Now heading back towards their farmhouses and the loving arms of their worried parents Mr. Beamer asked Louis one last question.
"Louis I still want you to go apologize to Frank Frankle for busting his eye all up. He should still be by the Five and Dime. I bet you he will be down there all day just waiting for you to show up. Will you do that for me? It would make me very happy, and I am sure he would like that. You never know that "King of all Bullies" might just make a good fri
end for you. Just think if anyone ever tried to pick on you again, he would sure be able to protect you, and scare them away. Think about how great that would be and of course you now have Charlie the Horse so between the two of them you should have no worries about bullies for the rest of your childhood."
"That is great idea Mr. Beamer, and when you asked me that before I sure did think on it while we were here talking this morning. And I am going to do just that as soon as you drop everybody off at their farmhouses this morning. Do you mind if I borrow Charlie the Horse and your cart to go find Frank later?"
"No I don't mind at all. Well this is going to be a fine day isn't it kids. Yep...a day of days for sure" said Mr. Beamer as he began to whistle and sing a festive song.
After a few moments and verses' of the song went by Mr. Beamer spoke up again, "Christmas is on the way soon, and that's my favorite time of year. Maybe Charlie the Horse will pitch in this year and he can take us on a sleigh ride or even a hay ride. Yep...it sure is a great day to be in Centerville, just look at those blue skies overhead and feel the warmth of the Indiana sun on your shoulders. It sure does warm the heart don't it kids.
"It sure does Mr. Beamer."
"It's great day to be in Centerville."
As Mr. Beamer continued to sing again all of the kids joined in and sang right along with him this time. It would be the first of many trips for the kids and Mr. Beamer to take in Charlie's wagon. After dropping off each child to their homes and the waiting arms of their parents this fine morning, Mr. Beamer finally arrived at his own farmhouse next door to that of Hattie May's and Louis's.
"Remember Frank should be at the Five and Dime Louis. Here is fifty cents, buy him a frosty ice-cream on me will ya"?"
"Sure will Mr. Beamer. You are a great friend, you always have been. Thanks for bringing in a new family member, me and Charlie are going to get along just great. He may look a little clumsy, just look how big his feet are, and he does have this sway back, and he seems a little old and tired but heck look at me. I got big red freckles, and bright red hair, I daydream and get in trouble all the time but I sure do have a great left hook. "The Haymaker Kid" or maybe I will call myself, "King Red", what great new nicknames I invented for myself."
"Louis don't ever stop being you...what would the world do without you...?"
"Be unhappy, safe and bored...?"
"Just that Louis and more..."
As his front door closed behind him, Mr. Beamer was lost from sight. Louis with leather reins in hand headed out in the wagon with Charlie in the lead, out through the front white wooden gates of Mr. Beamer's farmhouse and as Louis passed through Mr. Beamer's front gates he looked over at Mr. Beamer's vegetable garden. There he noted that the ground had been broken and recently turned over, a new rabbit hole thought Louis. He wondered if the Digger the Rabbit, the renowned thief and burglar was back as work. Then he watched as Muncy shot through the garden hot on Digger's trail. Off they scampered towards the other end of the garden and out into the cornfield found nearby. Louis laughed aloud as he headed pass the front gates and down the road towards town, to look for Frank.
"You just can't keep a good thief down Charlie. I am glad to see him back at work. Charlie did you know that he just had a new liter of rabbits, five boys mind you. He is a very busy rabbit. Just thinking now, you know Charlie we are going to get along just great. I have never had a horse as a friend before, and I always wanted one so bad. And you will learn to like me, I am not too bad. I do get into a lot of trouble though."
Charlie whined loudly as Louis spoke into his ear again.
"Look Mr. Beamer left his qugga-tail switch and his two books here in the cart on accident I bet. Or I wonder if he did that on purpose. No it can't be Charlie...no way. Anyway you know what would be great, if you were a real talking horse? You know I am a real Great Wizard and World Famous Fairy Circle Tender. I made a few lightning bolts and thunder come out from this end here more than once. And I did grow a great fairy circle out by the rock quarry. And best of all I did read chapter number six of Mr. Beamer's book of magic. The chapter headline was: Can animals talk/ spells/ incantations/ and magic to make your animals talk. Well here goes nothing;
Qugga-tail, qugga-tail, qugga-tail switch
The Great Wizard he is calling
calling on you for one last trick
calling on you to grant it quick
My new friend he's too quiet
and I want him to be louder than a riot
No words can he speak
at least not yet
but my great magic is not weak
Qugga-tail, qugga-tail, qugga-tail switch
make Charlie speak
I call on you to grant my wish quick
Holding the qugga-tail switch high over his head in his left hand, Louis snapped it forwards and downwards quickly in a theatrical motion, and as he finished his spell, two white lightning bolts and two loud thunderclaps exploded upwards into the clear heavens above, thusly rattling the nerves and glass windows of all of the residents of Centerville.
Mr. Beamer upon hearing the grand explosions walked out to his front porch and looked upwards to see the cloudless, blue skies of Centerville once more then quipped "Louis must have found the qugga-tail switch I left for him on the front seat of the cart. It's just Louis being Louis again" said Mr. Beamer over and over as he retreated up into his and Louis's favorite place in the whole wide world, Mr. Beamer's attic.
"Did my spell work? Do you have anything good to say about anybody yet Charlie the Horse?"
Only silence.
"How did you like those two thunderbolts, pretty loud... ugh? Were you scared?"
Only more silence.
"I am a Great Wizard. I am after all Louis the Red you know. I am a Great Fairy Circle Tender Charlie. Do you believe me?" asked Louis as he began to get a little bothered that his great magic had not worked yet.
Only silence.
"What's wrong with this switch? Maybe it's broken..."
Placing the switch back down on the front seat Louis became lost in thought and speech, "You know maybe everyone is right, maybe I am not a very good wizard or a great fairy circle tender, and maybe none of that weird stuff did happen last night in Northumberland, but I sure gave that Frank Fatbottom a big black-eye that he won't soon be forgetting. I hope when I see him in a few minutes he doesn't want to blacken my other eye. I would hate to have to send him another haymaker."
Louis chuckled under his breath at how clever he was.
Charlie the Horse turned to look at Louis with what appeared to Louis to be a quizzical look in his eye, like somehow Charlie understood what Louis had just said.
"At least I know you believe in my great magic even though you can't speak yet. I will have to work on that spell again. Maybe I said it wrong...no it's...it's...the qugga-tail switch it has to be broken...yeah that's it...it's just broken..."
Looking up ahead again and down the road Louis went back into a happy state of mind as he thought about all the good and wonderful days that lay ahead for him, with no real immediate bullies in it. He knew from this day on that he could overcome anything, any situation, or anyone that would ever try to slow him down, get in his way, or make fun of him. He now knew that he possessed the raw courage and brave heart of a lion in the wild.
He would be able to overcome.
The thought of it all gave Louis the grandest and wide-ranging of smiles on his face that he has ever worn. Just then he felt the stinging of a bite on the backside of his neck, and afterwards he heard the sure fire sound of a hummingbird in flight behind him.
"What the heck was that?"
"Oh hi Atamo, nice to see you again" quipped the clever and wry Charlie the Horse.
The bully-free Great Wizard and Fairy Circle Tender from Centerville, Indiana smiled broadly.
~
The End~