“Therefore, stop this charade, this inconsiderate quest for revenge that has completely possessed you. Stop harassing Claymore and its kind people, especially the teenagers at Claymore High. It is not worth the effort in relation to our greater objectives. What you made me do in the cafeteria was foolish! I could care less if teenagers had hurt each other during the fistfights, but it embarrassed me to run hither and thither throwing food and squirting ketchup at them. I felt like a fool, your fall guy! Your ambitions have caused me to debase myself.” He glares at his father.
“I want to go home, Father. I want to go back to England before something terrible happens once more!” I sense I am about to lose control as before! Killing is the only way I can relieve the hate I feel in my inner being – the loathing I sense for you, Father. Because of your constant abuse!
Puppet shouts crossly, “Stop talking nonsense, Robert! We have had this discussion numerous times. You are at home! Where I am is home! Besides, I want my revenge! Humans must pay for their evil deeds!”
Puppet brusquely snips off a frayed piece of twine alongside Robert’s left ear. Robert suddenly cries out with a muffled shriek. His restrained arms and legs thrash helplessly in midair.
“Father! You cut me! You disfigured me!”
Robert tries to reach with his right hand to touch his injured ear, but the strands of twine binding him to the rafters are too tight. Typically, he can move his limbs freely even when suspended from the rafters or some other piece of equipment. After all, Robert is a marionette puppet.
Today, like every day that Puppet “grooms” his adopted son, Puppet has affixed additional strands of twine to Robert’s body. In this fashion, his father can exert complete control over his son, so he can do to him whatever his devious mind desires.
Most of the time, Robert’s father ties other strands of twine around Robert’s wrists, forearms, and ankles, and then he fastens the other ends to the rafters. Today, for some reason, his father had attached the additional strands of twine hanging from the rafters to extra-large safety pins. He had jabbed the pins into Robert’s puppety casing that resembles human skin. The razor-sharp points of the pins cause Robert no pain. Even so, knowing that Puppet had jammed pins into his puppety skin has insulted Robert’s central part of his being.
“See how your anger is?” Robert screams. “You cut me because you cannot control your uncontrollable rage! Are you unable to see what you have become, Father? Cannot you see? There is vicious hatred in your soul!”
“Shut up!” Puppet demands.
In another outburst of uncontrolled, abusive anger, Puppet reaches out with the back of his hand and slaps Robert hard across the face a second time. Robert’s head slightly recoils from the blow, but his head immediately snaps back into its original position. The extra strands of twine fastened to his body are stretched too tight, restricting his motions.
Puppet leans in closer to examine Robert’s ear. Like other playthings and stage props, puppets do not bleed, so the flow of blood is not Puppet’s primary concern. Robert can be damaged. Therefore, at least in Puppet’s twisted mind, an adopted son that is disfigured or damaged too severely is less of an asset for his evil intentions.
Puppet sees that he has severed a chunk of Robert’s left ear. The piece has fallen onto the floor. He descends the stepladder to pick it up. He examines it briefly by turning it over and over in his hand, and then he tosses it into a corner indifferently. He says in a surprisingly unflustered tone, “It is only a little slice, maybe an inch in diameter. Nobody will even notice it. I could try to reattach it, but I do not have enough time. I will comb your hair to that side to hide the missing piece.” He ascends the ladder once more.
An evil grin appears on Puppet’s face. He reaches down and cruelly squeezes the puppety casing on Robert’s right forearm causing his son to flinch in reply. He slowly twists the casing back and forth between his thumb and forefinger. He does this for more than a minute. He has firmly set his lips in a straight line and blankly stares into Robert’s eyes. He only stops when he suspects that Robert can no longer handle the psychological cruelty within the central part of his being.
“Okay. Please stop it,” Robert says in a calm voice. “That is enough, Father. You have proven your point once more.”
“How did you like that, huh?” His father asks. “Remember, although I cannot make you feel physical pain, I can make you feel emotional pain in your core if you get out of hand. Don’t you ever forget it! What is more, let me say this.” He suddenly screams, “Are you listening to me?”
Robert nods his head slightly.
“Open your eyes when I speak to you, Robert! Show me some respect!”
Robert slowly opens his eyes. He stares down at Puppet, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anguish and disgust. His unspoken words once again reveal the hatred he feels in the central part of his being.
I hate this abuse to the central part of my being! It has to stop! Oh, why, my Creator, why must I endure this anguish? Why do I have the desire to destroy my father, to end his cruel ways?
Puppet says in a belittling tone, “I should have left you to die a natural, puppety death when I had the chance.” He reaches up and cuts the extra strands of twine that are holding Robert’s body captive.
Robert slowly descends the stepladder. Then he unhurriedly yanks the safety pins out of the puppety casing of his neck and limbs.
Robert’s anguish does not produce tears. Puppets, just like dolls, marionettes, stuffed animals, and other non-living objects, large, small, life-sized, or otherwise, cannot exhibit physical physiognomies like those of humans and animals. Unhuman and nonanimal, inanimate objects cannot produce tears, bleed, bruise, create goose bumps, nor can their faces flush when they are embarrassed or angry. Intrinsically, inanimate objects do not experience emotional states like human beings and animals.
In Robert’s case, and like other “unique,” supernatural objects as well, the previous theory is somewhat inaccurate. Robert can experience anguish deep inside his core, the central part of his puppety being. It is inside the central part of his being where emotions such as pain and anguish, anger and compassion, love, and yes, even hate, are located. What is more, as we already recognize, Robert can also exhibit these emotions outwardly which allows him to blend in easily with humans.
*****
Part II: The Origination of Robert
Robert was born, perhaps fashioned is a more precise term, on the hilly slope of a small, thatched-roof house outside Alnwick Castle. Alnwick Castle is in the English county of Northumberland, adjacent to the town of Alnwick. The original owners built the castle in the 11th Century. It still stands to this day.
Alnwick, located on the south bank of the Aln River, dates to around 600 AD. Alnwick was the home of the all-powerful medieval family, the Dukes of Northumberland. The town was the staging post between the Scottish municipality of Edinburgh and London, England, via the Great North Road. Back in the 16th Century, Alnwick was a thriving agricultural center. In today’s era, Alnwick is a typical English marketing town with a population around 8,000.
As it concerns the Alnwick Castle, the castle has been occupied over the centuries by many different nobles, some respectable, some questionable. Our story will focus on the occupants of the castle during the last half of the 16th Century. The castle’s occupants were Duke Edward of Alnwick and his lovely wife, the Duchess, Antonetta. The Duke and the Duchess were passionate enthusiasts of Shakespearean and English theater.
It was during this period that the obscure, unpublished play by Robert Green, John of Bordeaux, came to Duke Edward’s attention. Since parts of the play were missing, Duke Edward decided to write the ending of the play to his liking. He also cut the play to a scant forty-five minutes in duration. Then he decided to have his rendition of the play performed in front of an audience.
A novice puppeteer in his own right, the Duke directed that life-sized puppets instead of human actors should perform in the pl
ay. A call went out to the toymakers of the local village, Alnwick, to create life-sized, marionette puppets.
One of the local toymakers commissioned to create puppets was Harold Hall. Harold was a successful toymaker who lived with his wife Polly, two boys, and five girls. Harold was renowned as a toymaker of finely crafted, traditional war-fighting toys of the era such as realistic-looking, wooden soldiers; armor-bedecked, full-sized rocking horses; miniaturized castles; cannons; and small arms like rifles, spears, and swords. With the help of his two oldest offspring, Steve and James, Harold also created stuffed animals, dolls, and puppets.
Most of the puppets that the Hall’s made were relatively small in size, suitable as playthings for young children. Some creations were handheld puppets while others were marionette puppets with strands of twine. Few looked anything like humans. Instead, the puppets resembled animals, funny creatures, and mysterious characters from tales of lore. Every once in a while, the Hall’s also created puppets that resembled humans.
Harold had immediately responded to the call for life-sized puppets. He was paid handsomely to create two puppets to act in the play. The puppets represented two of the play’s primary characters, Margaret and Rossalin. Margaret was unmarried while Rossalin was married to the protagonist, John of Bordeaux. Other township toy makers were hired to create puppets as well. The life-sized puppets created by other toymakers included Ferdinand, the son of Emperor Frederick II, and the character, Bacon, as well as other supporting characters.
The puppet protagonist in the play, John of Bordeaux, was the commander of the Emperor’s armies in the Turkish War. Given John’s unique, central role in the performance, Harold volunteered to lend his most handsome, life-sized puppet to act as John of Bordeaux. The puppet Harold offered was the Hall family’s favorite puppet, Robert.
Harold had created Robert shortly before his firstborn saw the light of day. Since Robert was life-sized, the two oldest boys, Steve and James, would often dress him in their everyday clothes. If not adorned in the Hall boys’ clothes, Robert wore his usual drab overalls and a faded, long-sleeved, plaid shirt. Occasionally, to tease their brothers, the four oldest Hall girls, Alice, Edyth, Phyllis, and Ruth, would dress Robert in the most dainty, girlish clothes thinkable. One can only imagine the reaction on the boys’ faces when they saw Robert dressed in girl’s clothing!
The huge, Hall family dining table had ten chairs. There were nine Halls in the family, so Robert usually was seated in the tenth chair at the far end of the dining table opposite Harold. When it was her turn to set the table for dinner, the youngest child, Mary, would, without fail, put a place setting on the table in front of Robert. She even filled Robert’s glass with water.
To say Robert was an accepted member of the Hall family is an understatement. It was customary for the Hall’s to include Robert in family activities, even outings, and picnics. The children, when asked by others how many were in their large family, would happily answer without hesitation.
“There are ten of us in our family – Mother, Father, Steve, James, Alice, Edyth, Phyllis, Ruth, Mary, and Robert.”
Since Robert was a life-sized puppet rather than a marionette puppet, Harold outfitted him with strands of twine for Duke Edward’s rendition of John of Bordeaux. Harold sewed the strands of twine into Robert’s puppety skin. The strands of twine consisted of six parts – one strand for either side of Robert’s neck and one strand each for his wrists and ankles.
Duke Edward’s play was presented two times in the castle – on one occasion for visiting nobles from Edinburgh, Scotland and one time for two dozen prominent members of the Alnwick township. Harold handled Robert’s strands of twine during both performances. He also was Robert’s voice. Polly dealt with the strings of Margaret and was her voice while Alice did the same for Rossalin. Both performances of the play were a complete success with resounding applause from the audiences. The second play received a five-minute standing ovation from the appreciative audience.
Despite the successes of the play’s two performances, this is where our story, at least as it concerns Robert, takes an unpleasant turn.
The Duke and his guests, which included Harold, Polly, and all seven of the Hall children, were invited to dinner in the grand hall after the second play. Not surprisingly, Mary wanted to carry Robert into the dining hall. However, her mother said she could not.
Polly had said, “Mary, puppets and other playthings have no place in the Duke’s dining hall. It would be inappropriate if Robert were to accompany us. Besides, unlike at home where he has a place at our table, there is no place for him to sit. You would have to prop him up in a corner or set him on the floor. He deserves better than that.”
Mary respectfully disagreed; however, her pleas were unsuccessful. Her mother said in a kind tone, “Yes, I know how much you love him. I love him as well. However, please take him back to the stage and set him on a stool. We will fetch him after dinner.”
Although her heart was breaking, Mary complied with her mother’s wishes. She carried Robert back to the stage and set him on a tall stool in the center of the stage.
With tears welling up in her gorgeous, almost translucent blue eyes, Mary whispered, “Robert, I am sorry you cannot dine with us. I truly am sorry. I will return after dinner to fetch you. I promise. Please remain safe.” She giggled as she added lightheartedly, “Do not go anywhere, okay? When we return home, we can play together until it is time for us to sleep.”
Mary started to leave, and then she turned around. She leaned in close and whispered into Robert’s puppety ear.
“You were amazing tonight, Robert! Do you not know that? You were the star of the play, the handsome, chivalrous and brave, John of Bordeaux. I am very happy for you!” She placed her hands over her heart.
“If I could make you magical and give you puppety life, I would. That way you could sense the love and the pleasures in your puppety being like those I feel in my heart. Perhaps this kiss and a sincere wish from the depths of my loving heart will give you everlasting puppety life.”
Mary closed her eyes tightly. She kissed Robert’s cheek tenderly, and then she crossed her heart with her fingers. With tears of sadness falling from her eyes, she scampered off to join her family in the dining hall.
When Mary had made her wish and kissed Robert’s cheek, she had miraculously breathed life into Robert’s puppety core, the central part of his being. Robert seemed to smile for the first time, and then he slowly turned his head in Mary’s direction as she departed. That was the first, and it was the last time Robert would ever sense true affection in his core – his puppety heart.
While the Duke and Duchess and their guests were dining, Mister Noble Chesterfield arrived on the scene. Noble was the town’s refuse collector. The Duchess had paid him handsomely to tidy up the stage and viewing area after the performance. She emphasized that he should do so without delay. A ten-member string ensemble was scheduled to perform immediately after dinner. Members of the group were already setting up their instruments when Noble arrived.
The Duchess had directed that Noble remove all play-related props and accessories that remained on the stage and dispose of them per his discretion. She assumed the toymakers would remove their life-sized marionette puppets from the scene after the performance. Her assumption was correct, with, as we know, one exception – Robert.
Noble naturally assumed that Robert was his for the taking. He and his two-person team loaded Robert and the other props and accessories onto their cart without delay. They proceeded in a northerly direction toward the border with Scotland.
Being separated from Mary, who he lovingly called his Creator, and the other eight members of the Hall family, instantly damaged Robert’s core. He became utterly immobile, and he no longer exhibited any signs of life. While he could sense things in the central part of his being, he refused to recognize them. He also possessed the magical ability to exhibit life signs of human beings. Even so, he refused to display them.
Robert became nothing more than a lifeless, life-sized marionette puppet for entertaining human beings. He remained in this stoic state for centuries.
Robert was never seen again in England. Over the next several years, Robert traveled throughout Europe, from Scotland to Ireland, across the channel into France, Portugal, and Spain, then onto Germany and Switzerland. Along the way, Robert acted as a marionette puppet in many plays and comedy skits that featured life-sized puppets. After at least a half-dozen additional excursions into other foreign lands, Robert finally ended up in Luxembourg. When Robert arrived in Luxembourg, the territory was nothing more than a well-fortified citadel.
Present day Luxembourg is a small European country surrounded by Belgium, France, and Germany. It was in Luxembourg that Robert’s latest puppeteer sold him to the notoriously evil playwright, Sir Hendrich Müller. Sir Müller was the owner of an infamous playhouse. His playhouse specialized in presenting plays that dealt with the mysterious, dark side of life – the supernatural and paranormal. It is at this point where Robert’s story becomes somewhat obscure.
According to the few dramatist records that exist of Sir Müller’s notorious, mystical activities, Robert performed in low-budget, puppety plays, all of them dealing with magic. Sir Müller usually dressed Robert as a devil or in some other immoral-looking costume. Robert was the villain in all of the plays, killing and maiming indiscriminately, casting horrifying evil spells and malevolent enchantments.
Then one day, Sir Müller had become bored with presenting mystic, puppety skits of which Robert was the star performer. He sold his theatre and locked Robert in a suitcase. Sadly, Robert remained in the dark suitcase for nearly a century! Over time, his magical abilities degraded to almost nothing. What little remained of the central part of his being had collapsed.
Robert had become cataleptic, trancelike. His puppety limbs lost voluntary motion and remained in whatever position in which someone had placed them.
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