“Wow, don’t know if I would have been gnome enough to give up tying Dad’s record like that. You’re something else, brosocka.”
Billy smiled at the use of his brother’s favorite nickname for him. His mother gave him a crushing hug and failed to hold back her tears.
“I am so proud of you, Billy. No matter what those bloated judges say, you did not fail. You are a hero, Billy.”
“Thanks, Mom,” said Billy with a smile. It occurred to him how they would have reacted had he not saved the boy, and he knew he had done the right thing. But had he not saved the boy, he would not have been seen, and he would not be facing the terrible unknown he now faced. Rather, had he simply returned in time to pass the test of mastery, he would now be celebrating. Instead he had done the right thing and now faced possible exile should his secret ever be revealed.
Everyone helped clean up and each went to their rooms to prepare for tonight’s test of mastery ceremony. All of the sock gnomes of the guest house and many distinguished elite of Sockefeller Castle would be attending. Billy prayed that all would go smooth.
The test of mastery ceremony was the end of one week of tests in various jobs. As Billy had spun the Wheel of Destiny, so had many other young gnomes. For most it had been their fourth, fifth, or even tenth try at passing their respective trade tests. But many had finally passed this year, it was being said—maybe even a record year. Even Billy’s best friend, Fracco Guitarstring, had passed; it had been his second try. Billy was not surprised, though; Fracco was a genius when it came to human gadgets. Rumor was that he had spun the wheel and received the repair of a broken walkie-talkie as a test. He had brought with him for his test only a sack of tools and a potato that had cost his family a small fortune. Somehow he had repaired the talking device.
Tonight’s test of mastery ceremony was to be held where it was always held, within the Sockefeller Castle attic. It was large enough to hold thousands of sock gnomes. Preparation for the ceremony began weeks before. Sheets were used to create a huge tent within the attic. The stage was reassembled, as it was every year, by the woodworking sock gnomes. Holiday lights of all colors had been borrowed from the humans and were strung up within the tent.
The Coatbutton family filed into the tent, along with the other gnomes. Billy entered with a great feeling of trepidation. He had thought of nothing else since he returned late with the cat collar. I have to tell them that I was seen.
Billy spotted his friends Fracco Guitarstring and Shelly Cottonswab sitting near the front of the crowd. “Dad, do you mind if I sit with my friends?”
“Go ahead, son.”
Billy made his way to his friends and sat next to Shelly. Fracco leaned back behind Shelly and punched Billy in the shoulder playfully.
“So? For the love of socks, did you pass or not?”
Billy bowed his head. “No. I found my quest item but was one minute late.”
Shelly smiled at Billy and squeezed his hand. “It’s okay, there’s always next year.”
Billy felt electrified by her touch. He quickly withdrew his hand and patted Fracco on the back. “Enough about me. I heard you passed. Way to go. I knew you could do it!”
“Thanks, Billy.”
The tent had quickly filled with gnomes. They all awaited the test of mastery judges. The judges, along with a few of the Sockefeller family, sat at a large table that took up most of the stage. Shortly, the judge who had told Billy he failed stood. From a long scroll he began to call young gnomes to the stage one by one. Only those that passed the test were called to the stage. A few details of their individual tests were told, and then they were awarded the badge of their trade. Fracco was called and given the badge of gadget repair gnome. Billy and Shelly cheered for him as he bowed.
Many more gnomes were called to the stage, until finally the last was called. He received his cooking badge and, smiling, left the stage. With the award ceremony over, Billy breathed a sigh of relief. Next would be the closing ceremony and then finally it would be over. He feared that somehow the judges knew he had been seen. He thought that he had caught them looking his way more than once, even talking about him in hushed whispers while they watched.
Billy shook his head. You’re losing it, Billy Coatbutton.
Before the closing ceremony could begin, Billy’s judge stood and got the attention of the crowd. All speaking ceased and all eyes went to the judge.
“There has been an incident that has come to our attention that must be addressed.”
Billy’s heart sank and he became dizzy. They know. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no, they know.
The judge looked to Billy and looked to the scroll in hand. “Mr. Billy Coatbutton, please take the stage.”
Billy froze with fear. Shelly nudged him, urging him to take the stage.
“What could it be, Billy? A special award? Go on, go on.”
Billy rose, feeling time suddenly slow to a crawl as the many thousands of gnomes looked at him. Billy’s eyes found his parents. His father looked puzzled, his mother pleased.
Billy walked for what seemed like eternity through the sea of murmuring gnomes. He took the stage and sat in a chair indicated by the judge’s hand.
“Billy Coatbutton, please tell everyone what test you took today.”
“The treasure-seeker test.”
“Louder, please, so that all may hear.”
Billy cleared his throat and repeated himself, louder this time.
“And what was the item that was yours to find as decided by the Wheel of Destiny?”
“A cat collar, sir.”
The judge nodded. “A cat collar. A dangerous quest that is.”
Everyone in the tent nodded in agreement.
“And did you find the collar?”
“I did, sir, but I was late in returning it, one minute late, sir.”
Many in the crowd let out a disappointed moan.
“You were one minute late with your prize and you failed the test.”
Billy bowed his head. He nodded.
The judge turned from Billy to the crowd. “It has come to our attention that, today, a young human lad of Sockefeller Castle lost his inhaling device. As many of you know, the boy has breathing fits and without his inhaling device he is left to suffer these fits. His condition is, our intelligence has discovered, severe. If his inhaler had not been retrieved, he may well have died today.”
Talking amongst the many gnomes began to rise above the voice of the judge. Excited chatter filled the tent.
“Quiet, please…quiet, please.”
The talking subsided.
“When it was discovered that the inhaler had gone missing along with the boy’s backup inhaler, a team of twenty of our best Gnomeland Sockurity officers were dispatched to find it. They did not. What they failed to do, Billy Coatbutton did. He found the inhaler while searching for the cat collar, and returned it to the humans with not a moment to spare, thus making him too late to pass his test.”
Cheers went up throughout the tent. Billy hoped for the best, but if he had been seen saving the boy, perhaps they knew that he had been seen by the boy.
Various shouts went up within the tent.
“He is a hero!”
“Billy saved the boy!”
The judge waited for the applause and shouting to die down and spoke. “After long debate, we have come to the conclusion that due to Billy’s heroic actions and his superior moral judgment, and due to the fact that he not only found the cat collar but also the inhaler, he has passed the test of mastery!”
The room erupted with applause. Billy could not suppress his wide smile as the judge pinned the badge of treasure hunter on his sock. He raised Billy’s hand into the air causing Billy to have to stand from his chair. The applause doubled as he stood and waved at the crowd with his free hand.
“Speech, speech, speech,” the crowd began to chant.
The old judge raised his hands indicating everyone to settle down. He stepped aside and indicated for
Billy to speak. Billy walked to the wooden podium and rested his hands upon it. He took a deep breath and looked out over the smiling faces in the crowd. He looked to his mother and father, the pride on their faces causing them to beam. Shelly Cottonswab and Fracco too, smiled and awaited Billy’s speech.
I don’t deserve their admiration, not if I do not tell the truth. Heroes do not lie. Billy gulped and before he lost his courage, blurted out the truth.
“I was seen by the human boy!”
The smiles and quiet cheers were replaced with puzzled looks and soft murmurs. Billy looked to his mother; her smile had been replaced by a fearful expression and a hand to her open mouth. Billy’s father still wore a half smile. He met Billy’s eyes, closed his eyes and nodded his approval. Billy went on once the crowd had settled again.
“I do not know how it happened; I did not wish him to see me. Why would I?” he asked the crowd and looked to the judges and Sockefellers whom sat at the large table.
“I did not mean him to, but he did. I don’t know how or why.”
“How do you know the boy saw you?” asked one of the judges. Billy swallowed hard and answered. “Once he had awakened, he looked right at my eyes and said….” Billy took a deep breath. “Look, it is a little mouse-man.”
The crowd collectively took in a deep breath. The murmurs multiplied as the judge showed Billy back to the chair, and he and the rest of the judges converged to the table of the Sockefellers. They huddled around the table for too long for Billy’s liking. Finally the judge took the podium and looked out over the crowd.
“The laws ordaining the consequences of this crime are necessary for the safety of the clan, no leniency in this matter can be allowed.”
Billy’s heart sank to his stomach. His mother burst into tears and his father clenched his jaw. All knew the verdict that would follow. Four Gnomeland Sockurity officers moved closer to the stage. The judge continued.
“Therefore it must be so. Billy Coatbutton, you are hereby…”
“Hold your tongue Harold Hammer!” a voice boomed through the room. Everyone turned to look to see who had spoken, Billy recognized the voice.
Helix Bonsaitree limped down the middle isle swiftly, an intricately carved cane in his hand. He walked up the stairs to the stage and got right in the old judge’s face. The judge backed up a step, trying to hide the fear in his eyes.
The crowd had gotten loud again, whispers and murmurs echoed through the room. Indeed, to most in attendance this was the first time they had ever seen the crazy old gnome. Helix turned to glare at the Sockefeller’s table and then at six more Gnomeland Sockurity officers as they converged on the stage, hands resting upon needle sword hilts.
“What lunacy is this that has fallen upon my ears? You would punish the boy, for simply telling the truth?”
“He broke our most sacred rule…” the judge began.
“Do not interrupt me.” glared Helix.
“The law states that one shall not allow himself to be seen, this law has not been broken. Billy did not wish to be seen.”
From the Sockafeller’s table stood one of them. He was a Sockefeller Billy’s age, the youngest of Mavis Sockefeller’s sons, Rex. Rex addressed Helix. “How do we know whether he wished to be seen or not, are we to take his word?”
Helix shook his head. “Indeed. He has proven that his word is good, he has admitted to being accidently seen knowing full well the consequences of telling the truth. Once again he has put others before himself; his word is good enough for me. What do the gnomes think?” he asked the crowd.
The crowd applauded and whistled, cries of “let him go!” and “he is innocent!” filled the air. A chant of “Free Billy!” was taken up by Fracco and Shelly and quickly grew. The judge hammered the podium with his mallet to quiet the crowd.
“Must I remind you all the severity of a sighting? If the boy talks about seeing a mouse-man the humans may go to lengths to kill rodents.”
He looked out over the crowd making a dreadful face. “More traps, more poison, and sock forbid, an exterminator. We could be wiped out. We may face Gnomeicide because of the actions of this gnome.”
“Lunacy!” Helix yelled.
Mavis Sockefeller, the head of the family, waved a frail hand indicating for the judge to come forth. The judge did so and took a knee as Mavis spoke to him privately. The judge seemed to agrue for a moment and then reluctantly returned to the podium. He spoke blandly, without passion.
“It has been decided that Billy will not be charged for being seen, as it was not his fault. He is free to go for now, pending further investigation by Gnomeland Sockurity.”
The crowd erupted and Billy left the stage as fast as possible and went to his friends and family. He was smothered by his parents and bathed in his mother’s tears. Fracco and Shelly too joined in and gave Billy great hugs each.
Billy was bathed in congratulations and handshakes from all around as he searched for Helix, but the old gnome was nowhere to be seen.
He caught the eye of Mavis Sockefeller, he like all of the other at the table, stared at Billy. No smiles adorned their faces. He had defied them he knew, and they had released him to appease the crowd if for no other reason. Billy made a mental note to watch his back from now on.
The End
Book 2: Billy Coatbutton and the Ring of Sockchild, is now available on Amazon!!
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Long Live Billy Coatbutton!
Billy Coatbutton and the Wheel of Destiny Page 4