by Tony Nalley
“Honey?” Ms. Lillie said to Cricket. “Why don’t you go on in there in the kitchen and fetch us some milk and cookies to snack on while I sit down over there in my chair and tell us a story?”
“Okay.” Cricket said as she got up and walked into the kitchen.
I watched her as she walked; her pretty tanned legs and cut off blue jean shorts. Ms. Lillie caught me lookin’ at her too and she smiled at me real sly like. “She sure is a pretty one now aint she, Mr. Toby?” she said to me.
I just looked away and blushed.
“That’s why I sent her to fetch you.” Ms. Lillie said. “I’d thought about how I could get you here, and I figured that I could catch more flies with honey!” Ms. Lillie winked and laughed out loud then, slappin’ her hands upon her legs and smilin’ at me. But then just as suddenly, her face grew stern.
“Now your gonna have to concentrate Mr. Toby, cause this here story I’m gonna tell you about is serious!” she said. “You understand me? This is something real and important! So I need you to pay attention!”
“I will Ms. Lillie.” I said. “I’ll pay attention.”
Cricket came back into the room carryin’ a tray with her filled with cold glasses of milk and a saucer filled with cookies! And then Ms. Lillie proceeded to sit down in her rockin chair. Me and Cricket found ourselves a place upon the hardwood floor there in front of her chair, and we dipped our cookies in the milk as she told us her story.
“All great stories have a beginning, children.” Ms. Lillie said as she began to rock back and forth. “And this here story ...it’s a great one! So …like all the great ones …this story begins with ‘Once upon a time’.
‘Once upon a time …a long, long time ago …in the days of knights and castles and fairy tales, there lived a beautiful young maiden whose heart was as pure as the newly fallen snow. Her name was Audrei and she lived with her father in the town of Valais. Her father’s name was Obadiah, and he was a good man with a gentle soul.
When Audrei came of age she fell in love with the most handsome young man in her village, his name was Nathanael. And they were so in love!
With her father’s blessing’s Andrei’s hand was promised to Nathanael in marriage. And soon their wedding day was planned!
But one day before they were married, while the young maiden was working alongside her father in the fields …she caught the eye of the future King of the land, whose wife was a very jealous woman. The future Queen became consumed with jealousy and hatred for the young maiden, calling upon the darkened powers of witchcraft to cast a spell upon the girl! For you see, the future Queen was also an evil witch!
The spell she cast caused the town to turn against the young maiden! She was arrested by her townsmen and cast into the fires! She was burned at the stake for crimes that she did not commit! And as the fires raged around her, those who were witness to the flames, were transformed into ‘werewolves’; cursed to walk the earth as half men and half beasts!’
“Mr. Toby? Are you listening to me?” Ms. Lillie asked. “You look perplexed.”
“Yes Ma’am, I’m listenin’.” I replied. “But those names you just said …the ones in the story?”
“Yes?” Ms. Lillie answered as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Pocket Watch I’d found in the woods.
“Those are the same names written on this watch.” I said as I handed it to her.
Ms. Lillie opened up the lid of the Pocket Watch and both she and Cricket read the inscription.
“Well, what you know about that!” She exclaimed. “Look at that honey girl!” she said to Cricket. “Mr. Toby done went and found his watch!”
“Well then.” Ms. Lillie turned and leaned in close to me. “Then you know that what I’m telling you about is the truth then, now don’t you Mr. Toby?” And she nodded her head to me like she knew that I did.
“Okay, now where was I?” Ms. Lillie began again. “Oh yes, we were talking about the ‘werewolves’.”
‘Those who were a witness to the flames were transformed into ‘werewolves’! Cursed to walk the earth! Both Nathanael and Obadiah had also fell victim to the curse …for they had been changed into ‘werewolves’ as well! For you see, they had come to rescue the fair maiden Audrei, but alas they had arrived too late! Too late to reach her in time, having only to have arrived as the flames of the fires had taken her!’
“But Audrei did not die!” Ms. Lillie said as she leaned in towards us to comfort our fears.
‘Though her body had been consumed by the fires, her spirit had been bound to a Martyr’s stone, the ‘Sang Pierre’, for by blood or by name until she be free!’
“What does that mean Ms. Lillie?” I interrupted. “By blood or by name until she be free?”
“Well now, that’s a good question Mr. Toby!” Ms. Lillie answered. “There’s been a great deal of discussion over that very same question for many a year. And I guess that the best answer we’ve come up with is that we don’t rightly know for sure.” she said as she smiled at me. “That’s why we have you Mr. Toby, because you are a gift and a blessing!”
“Do you have the stone Ms Lillie?” I asked. “Maybe if I can have a look at it, I can figure it out.”
“Now don’t you go jumping ahead of my story Mr. Toby!” Ms. Lillie said as she lightly slapped at my hands. “Let me finish up here first and then you can ask me as many questions as you want after that. Okay?”
“See I told you he talked alot for a boy!” Cricket said and then she nudged me with her shoulder.
Ms. Lillie looked at Cricket sternly then and she pointed her finger at her. “Now honey girl, you need to stop your flirting with this here boy so that he can concentrate! I know you like him and by the way he’s blushing, I’d say that he likes you too! But there’ll be time for that stuff later on!” she said. “Why don’t you go on outside for a minute girl and feed them horses and let me sit in here for a spell and talk with the boy alone?”
“But I wasn’t doin’ nothin’.” Cricket replied usin’ what looked to me like an ‘innocent face’. “I was only…”
“Now you done heard what I said honey girl!” Ms Lillie interrupted. “I seen them googly eyes you been makin’ at each other and how ya’ll have been holding hands. I may be old child, but I’m sure not blind!”
Cricket got up off of the floor then and walked over to the doorway kinda slowly and looked back at me kinda flirty like.
“Go on now!” Ms. Lillie said. “Scoot child! We’ll be done in here soon enough, now go on!”
Ms. Lillie turned back at me and caught me lookin’ again and I blushed.
“Now where were we?” she said.
“You were sayin’ that Audrei didn’t die and that she could be set free.” I answered.
“Yes.” she said. “Audrei could be set free!
‘For as you see: those who had been changed into ‘werewolves’ by the witch had no idea why the curse had come upon em’! And when it happened to em’; most of em’ ran away, out of sheer fear and confusion!’
“They were the one’s who spread the legends of the ‘werewolf’s’ that you’ve heard tell about; Little Red Riding Hood, The Big Bad Wolf and other stories like those that are found in fairy tales, myths and other tall tales!” Ms. Lillie said. “You see, them stories, most of em’ anyways, were based on real life! You’ve heard those stories, right Mr. Toby?” Ms. Lillie asked.
I nodded my head.
‘Well, unknown to the future Queen, Obadiah had watched her from afar as she pulled the Blood Stone from his daughter’s ashes. And he followed her. He followed her back to the Royal palace where he saw her present the Stone of Blood to her husband; the soon to be King. It was then that Obadiah learned of her treachery and witchcraft! And it was also then that he learned of the spell! But what he did not learn …was how to break it!
Obadiah got down on his knees then before the God of Heaven, and he vowed that he would protect the ‘Sang Pierre’, the Blood Stone that held his daughter
’s spirit until she be free.’
“You see, that’s where that saying came from Mr. Toby! It was Obadiah who said it!” she said.
‘So with as many families as would join him, Obadiah and Nathanael followed the Blood Stone from Valais to Lystra, and then on to Paris; where it was that he learned more of the curse of the ‘Sang Pierre’, that whosoever witnessed the flame and remained close to its power, could live forever!’
“Forever?” I interrupted.
Ms. Lillie nodded.
“But though they could live forever, these were dark times, Mr. Toby.” Ms. Lillie explained. “Being able to live forever is one thing. But living forever as a slave under the curse of the ‘werewolf’, now that’s an entirely different thing!”
‘Years soon passed and a secret society was formed within the city of Paris; a society whose sole purpose was to protect and guard the ‘Sang Pierre’; a society known as the Order. But likened unto all things, the heart of the Order changed; as did Nathanael’s love for Audrei. Nathanael no longer wished to free her from her stone prison. His heart became cold and his only wish was to possess the stone for himself, hold her near to his heart and live forever!’
“Am I losing you Toby?” Ms. Lillie asked. “Is it getting too complicated?”
I sat there for a moment quietly. Ms. Lillie could tell that I was thinkin’ really hard.
“Because if it is too complicated I can try and explain it better!” She continued.
“No Ma’am.” I answered. “It’s not too complicated. I didn’t know all the names and things like that before, but I think this is where the stuff I’ve found out about starts to take place, right?”
“Go on Mr. Toby!” Ms. Lillie replied. “Go on with it then child!”
“Well, from what I can figure …Obadiah must have made plans to leave Paris for America. And he made arrangements for the stone to be passed from the Kings of France to the Catholic Priest Flaget …who would bring it with him to Bardstown. But it wasn’t called Bardstown then, it was called Salem. And he also had plans drawn up for a new city of Lystra to be built near here, for both he and his people to live and to protect the ‘Sang Pierre’, the Blood Stone.” I related.
“But somethin’ must have happened Ms. Lillie.” I said as I paused. “Cause once they had settled here, the new city of Lystra was destroyed! Is that right?” I asked questioningly.
“Yes. That is right!” Ms Lillie said as she gave me another hug. “Very good Mr. Toby, that is very good!”
“Was it Nathanael who done it?” I asked. “Was he the one who destroyed the city?”
“Nathanael it was Mr. Toby.” Ms. Lillie answered while shakin’ her head. “Nathanael was no longer the good man that he had once been when he was promised the hand of Audrei. Because his love for her was changed.”
“Because you know Toby, people don’t always see themselves as being the bad guys.” Ms Lillie continued. “Most times they see what they do as being for the ‘greater good’. And they rationalize their evil doin’s away. You follow me?”
“Nathanael saw Audrei as his.” Ms. Lillie continued on. “She was his possession and he felt that he had claim to that stone! So when Obadiah realized his heart had changed, he made arrangements to have the stone change hands as well! And he didn’t tell Nathanael anything about it!”
“He and those who had remained loyal to their cause simply …slipped quietly out of Europe.” She continued further. “Setting sails for America. And for a long time thereafter, Nathanael hunted that stone. And as he grew older …since he was no longer near the stone, his hatred for Obadiah and those who had taken Audrei away from him grew stronger as well!”
“Did Nathanael ever find the stone?” I asked.
“Oh he found it alright!” Ms. Lillie answered. “But it took him pert near to the end of America’s Civil War to do it!”
“Was he a soldier in the Confederate army?” I asked wonderin’ if he might be the ghost in our barn.
“No sir. He was with the Union!” She answered. “Butchers they were! The whole lot of em’ …those who surrounded Nathanael that is! Dark times they were, Mr. Toby …dark times!”
“Ms. Lilly?” I asked. “How do you know about all of this?”
“Well now…” Ms. Lillie said. “…that is another good question!”
Ms. Lillie opened up her arms and motioned for me to come closer to her and to get another great big old hug! But this time she held on to me tightly and rocked me slowly back and forth as she spoke.
“Obadiah was my great granddaddy Mr. Toby.” she said. “My daddy was his grandson! His name was Jeremiah!”
“So your daddy told you this story?” I asked. “Does that mean that you’re a ‘werewolf’ too?”
“Little Miss Honey girl sure was right about you now, wasn’t she?” Ms. Lillie said as she released me from her hug and rose up from out of her rockin’ chair. “You certainly do ask alot of questions for a boy!” she said as she laughed to herself and shook her head. “Now where did that girl get off too I wonder?” Ms Lillie said as she walked into the kitchen and looked out through the screen door to see if she could see where Cricket had gone.
“What about Mr. Jones?” I continued. “Was he a ‘werewolf’?”
“Mr. Jones was a good man, Mr. Toby. But he wasn’t a ‘werewolf'.” Ms. Lillie said. “He just so happened to be in need of someone to help him out. So I helped him. And it also just so happened, that he lived right next door to a young boy by the name of Toby at the time!” she said as she smiled.
“What do you mean Ms Lillie?” I asked. “What did his livin’ beside me have to do with anything?”
“We’ve been watching and waiting and praying over you for a very long time Mr. Toby.” Ms Lillie said as she turned from the screen door and grabbed my shoulders in her hands and looked me in the eye. “We had to make sure that you were kept safe, until it was time. Yes.” she said as she shook her head. “Until …it was time.”
…I saw their faces then …faces of those who had watched over me throughout the ages of my life …eyes that watched over me even now …keepin’ me safe …family …friends …neighbors …faces I had seen along the streets of my town …faces in the Library as the sound of the book fallin’ had led me to the meanin’ of my name…
“But how can I help you Ms. Lillie?” I asked comin’ back from my thought. “What is it that you need me to do?”
“We need you to play your part in this here story, Mr. Toby.” Ms. Lillie answered. “Whatever that part might happen to be! You have been given many blessings from God my dear boy. Just as all of God’s children have been given many blessings! What we need you to do is what you were put here upon this earth to do! And let His will be done! Help us find the Blood Stone.” She continued. “And help us release Audrei and our people from its hold!”
Ms. Lillie walked back over to the screen door and held it open with her arm. Cricket stood beside her horse across the way and waved at me as she patted his neck.
“You see that pretty young girl over there, Mr. Toby?” Ms. Lillie asked me, “…the one who looks at you with those big beautiful clear blue lovin’ eyes? What she needs and what I need and what Audrei needs is a wonderful ending to this story. What we need is a …happily ever after.”
Twenty Two
Of Faith and Chime
Cricket walked her horse around the yard as I sat down outside in Ms. Lilly’s front yard swing and drank from a cold glass of lemonade that she had poured for me, and I swung back and forth slowly as the cool winds blew through the leaves on the trees.
“It’s turned out to be a really fine day now aint it, Mr. Toby?” Ms. Lillie asked as she sat down on the swing beside me. I shook my head ‘yes’ as I looked around at all of the green grasses and up into the deep blue sky.
“Now you look like a young man with a whole lot of questions still on his mind.” Ms. Lillie said.
“Yes Ma’am.” I answered. “Alot has happened over the pa
st week or so.”
“Well then, have out with it boy!” Ms. Lillie said as she patted my leg. “What’s on your mind?”
“It’s kinda hard to grasp it all Ms. Lillie.” I stated. “I mean, it wasn’t a week ago that if you’d have told me that I’d be over here talkin’ about savin’ people from a curse of a ‘werewolf’…I’d have thought you were crazy!” I said as I shook my head and rolled my eyes around and kinda laughed. “There’s just alot to make sense of is all; witch’s spells, families of ‘werewolves’ and that ghost out there in our old barn! You’d have to admit that out in the real world; people would say that this was all just a bunch of crazy talk!”