Once upon a time, there was a small country called Neverfear. It was called this because none of the people who had ever had anything happen to them to make them afraid of anything. So safe was this little town that people often slept with their windows and doors open.
Everyone knew everyone and at the very least liked each other. They all kept an eye out for each to see that no one needed anything. Life was as close to perfect as could be imagined anywhere.
Then one day a man came to visit. His name was Van Black. He had come to town on business. Upon arival to the town, he was invited to the house of Mayor Ron Straind, as was the norm. Any new visitors were greated by all.
As Von Black walked through the streets of town, he saw a new game he could play. He didn't like to see people happy and with every one happy he was really un nerved. He began to watch people to see who they spoke to and about what. He would use anything he could find to split up friends and the like. All he needed was a foot in the door.
He entered the modest cottage the mayor lived and immediately began to work on his plan to destroy the happy town.
"It is nice to meet you mayor, but I would have thought you would have had a bigger house being a mayor and all. Perhaps your constituents don't appreciate all the good you do for them."
"No I just don't need a big house, I would prefer the money go to help others."
"How decent of you my friend, but respect is measured by money when you are talking about your job. Never mind, I am sure this is good enough for you, I on the other hand; would require more."
"Humm, good day sir, I hope you enjoy your visit."
He couldn't help himself, though he tried not to think of the conversation, he couldn't help it. The more he thought about it, the more he agreed with Von Black. Soon he had driven himself into an absolute tizzy. He had to have a bigger house and he had to have it now. There was a town meeting the next day and he would mention it then.
Van Black went on to the hotel he was to have reservations. He beckoned a young boy he later came to know as Billy Monroe. He told little Billy he would pay him one silver coin if he would go to the house of one Mister Eddie Loneman, they had business together, and let him know that Von Black had arrived in town and would be ready to do business with him the following day. The boy, who had been nothing if not courtesious and kind, told him he would be glad to but Van Black didn't have to pay him for it.
"Young man, you are such a credit to your generation. If you parents knew what a true treasure you are they would have bought you a much better bike. Well, on your way son, but I insist you must have the coin as my way of saying thank you."
"You are quite welcome sir." Billy sped off with coin in hand. Little did he know that this was a special coin that made who ever carried it envious of all the good things others had that he hadn't. A shameful man was our Van Black indeed.
All thru the rest of his day, he made it a point to tell people what was missing from thier lives. He met a couple that had no child, upon learning that they desperately wanted one he commenced to infer that the man or the woman must have something wrong with them and they should be checked out. When he saw the wife cry, he pretended to apologize but he was laughing inside the whole time.
The longer he remained in town the more damage he would do. He met his partner and, while completing the business that had brought him to town made sure to tell the man that he worked far to hard and was far to unappreciated by his wife or she would have given him the money to go out to lunch at the tavern. He also paid for his lunch so that he could see how much better steak tasted than tuna sandwiches.
While Eddie and Von Black had their meeting, the mayor and his staff had a meeting as well where the mayor complained bitterly about his home and demanded a new one be built. A bigger, fancier one. His staff reminded him that this was but a small town and money was not in the bank for this. To which he demanded the town take out a lone because no longer would he serve a town that didn't appreciate the sacrifices his family had made for them. Tempers flaired and voice raised in anger. Nothing good was too come of this.
Lera was a little girl who had been born with a bad leg and a withered arm. She couldn't play like all the other children but she had a good heart and the most beautiful smile the world had ever known. She hated to see what had become of her beloved Neverfear since the strange man who never smiled had come into town. She didn't know why but she didn't trust him. There were things she didn't know about her town and herself but all would be revealed in due time.
She saw the mayor, walking down the street and mulling over something. She hoped he would slow down enough to talk as he had never been cruel to her before. He passed her by as though he saw right through her. Lera was only twelve but it broke her heart to see the way the mayor and the town had come to be at odds over so many things. She didn't know what to do to make things better but she felt she had to do something. So she walked up to the mayor and tried to get his attention. After about five minutesof tugging on his coat tails, he finally looked down at her but with such a look she ran away crying. This left the mayor torn. He was still furious, about what he couldn't say but he did love Lera. What had made him frighten her so? What was he becoming? He didn't know but for now he didn't care.
Lera cried all the way home, she fell into her mothers arms and wept. Lera's mother was a wise and tender woman named Rose. She had been careful to avoid this Van Black because she saw what his influence was on this town and until now she had no reason to interfere with the mess her town had become but this was too much. Lera would never harm a living thing and to see her sweet charob of a daughter in tears was more than she could stand. She calmly walked her daughter to the mayors office and without warning walked into his inner chamber and demanded to speak to him.
"Rose, you have no right to demand to speak to the mayor. He is a busy man."
"I have every right he is an employee of the town I live in. I don't know what this man is doing in our town, nor do I care. I do; however care to know what he has done to our once beloved mayor that would cause him to frighten my Lera."
"Mayor, what ever came over you? Lera is such a sweet child. He must have been busy."
"That is no excuse, she only wanted to help understand what was going wrong in Neverfear. He frightened her and hurt her feelings. I want an explination and she has something to say as well."
"Do you expect me to listen to a mere child?" The mayor had acid dripping from his tone.
"Oh yes I do, for she makes a great deal more sense than you right now. You have done nothing but complain and tear apart the town you once loved. She still remains uncorrupted by this man, as do I. You need to listen to truth and not all this bitterness mayor. I am here to see you that you do."
"Oh fine, come forth Lera, what have you to say?"
A tearful Lera stepped up to the mayors desk, the more he looked upon her face the more ice melted from his heart, until he too was in tears.
"Mayor, you were once a very kind and tender man. You led us with gentle wisdom and we were happy. I fear we will never be so again. I have seen life long friendships fall away to this mans tongue. How can so many be so destroyed by one man?"
"I fear it is our faults, we have let the salt of this mans speach poison the well of our hearts. I don't know what to do now. Have you any ideas my dear girl? I am so sorry for what I have done to you. You are by far one of my sweetest angels."
Rose spoke up, "Mayor, in your heart you know the only way to solve this. You must shed this Von Black from midst and then we must do the work of cleaning up this mess."
"Yes but about the mess, what do I do? I am only one man."
"You are one man, I am one woman and Lera is one child. If you adress the children first you will see their hearts will mend first. Get them to help you they, they are a well of love and peace."
The mayor went to speak with Eddie Loneman. He inquired about Von Black's business in town and asked Eddie to think about the effect this man had upon his marriage. The more Eddie thought about it the more he realized that he and his wife had done nothing but fight since the day she met Von Black. Then the mayor asked him if he would please ask this man to leave their fair town. He said he would that night.
When Eddie requested of Von Black that he leave Neverfear, he only laughed and said he was having fun. He refused and went on his way. That night Eddie went to speak to the mayor in his home and the two men decided to call a town meeting the next day in front of the mayors office, they would address the town and this evil man.
Early the next morning, the mayor went to Eddie's home and walked into town with him. Along the way they saw people arguning every where and children trying to make them stop. It seemed as though only the children had enough common sense to see what was really going on. They met a group of children in front of the town school and told them that if they would go with them to the mayors office they may yet save their town from more pain. So the group began to grow. They appeared before the town office and sent the town cryer to announce the meeting at hand. Within an hour everyone in town was in front of the mayors office.
"My friends, and we have always been friends haven't we?, "the mayor began, "What has happened to our town is a sin. We have allowed a stranger to come into our midst and destroy all that we have worked for. Von Black, Eddie and myself and asked you to leave, now we and the town tell you to leave. You have used us all for your own amuzement and we will be that for you no more. We may never recover from the evil you have done this week but you will never do it again to be sure. You are not welcome here ever again. But you will be dealt with soon enough. Back to those who matter to me. My dear friends, I love you all and always have but I have said and done horrible things this week. My home is lovely and I thank you for it. Please forgive my cruelty. It has been a place of warmth and safety until as of late and will be again. I can only try to make things right between us again. I hope you can forgive me. "
With that every eye in the town was filled with tears and old friends once again began to embrace and speak of their love for each other. Apologies were made and accepted and hope began to return to this war weary town. A shame was lifting.
With this Von Black showed his real self, he was an evil sorcer who had been blanketing the town with evil monies and bribing the good people out of their peace. He became a towering dark figure with black bat like wings on his shoulders. The ground quaked with his evil laugh and the people fled the square. All but Lera. She stood perfectly still and fearless as the evil being approached her.
He swung a bat like arm out to hit her and missed, suddenly the little girl melted into a large, bright angel. Her little girl mask fell off like leaves on a tree. She fluttered slightly above the ground and stared into the demons soul until a fire lit and burned his soul. There was no good in him so he became a pile of rocks before her.
She turned to the town and spake to them.
"At the end of the day, the loss is yours my friend. On the day this evil came into your midst you had a choice to make, you could either defend all you loved and worked for or turn it over to this thing. You have allowed him to come here and divide you all. No matter what he did, the real wrong is yours. Only the children of this town had the heart to see what was going on and to try to stop it. Take that lesson to heart and listen to your children, they are wise."
With that she flew away and was never seen again, or was she? |
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