Castleway

Castleway

The Immortal Stone

Written by

Courtney Hairston

&

Joann Hairston

Dedications

To all my ancestors who have given me strength,

to do the impossible I love you always.

To the light of my life that was taken too soon.

In loving memory of

Elouise Hairston

Gone but never forgotten.

CHAPTER 1: THE VILLAGE

Long long ago in a small village called Castleway, a place where everyone there is relatively content. Some things are not always what they seem. Just beyond the forest in the midst of the village, everyone would go to the market to shop and trade their goods. A farmer would trade milk for eggs; others would just come to see what was new there to buy. In the depths, way beyond the village, through the forest lives a farmer named Jacob, his wife Mary, two children Sara who is 14 and Michael who is 10 years old. Jacob was well known in the village, Everyone that knew anyone knew Jacob. He was respected by all of the village people. Mary would go to the market to trade her fresh delicious apple pies. Her pies were well known amongst the villagers. They would frequent the market in hopes of getting one of those pies.

In the village, there was also an old tavern. It was a place to go and let out steam, a place to have a brew or two while listening to the old folk tales. The elders would enjoy spending their time at Molly’s Tavern, you never knew what could happen. One day on a late evening in the tavern the men were drinking, eating, laughing, and listening to the fiddle play. They would always play jokes on Little John ever since he started telling tales. He would sit and tell the tales of his ancestors about long ago to anyone who would listen. This particular night he would tell his own. Little John tapped his mug on the table two times then wiped beer from his mouth. Molly came over to pour another mug and as she walked away from him she turned back quickly, “Don’t you dare!” she shouted then everyone laughed. She reached over and grabbed his beard and shook it. She started smiling “keep your hands to yourself!” “Hey, little John will you tell us a tall tale.” One man turned towards little John and stroked his long white beard. “Not again”, he said as he began.

One pitch-black night I was walking home and I had a little too much to drink.” “I thought I would take a shortcut home through the forest.” “The more I walked the darker it seemed to get.” “I could no longer see my hands in front of me.” “I lit a match; it seemed as though someone was watching me.” “I could feel the hair rising up on the back of my neck.” “I stopped, stood there listening for a minute.” “Is someone out there?”(He shouted) I began shivering as I lifted the match higher in the air and looked up. Little John could feel it as a lump came up in his throat when he swallowed. “Hello,” He whispered in a trembling voice.

The giant made a crackling noise, to alert Little John as to where he was. Just as he was getting to the juicy details of his tall tale, a man sat in the corner drinking his brew. He had a look on his face while he was eavesdropping on little John telling his tale. This man was fairly large and tall. He was looking for trouble when Little John spoke about the giant. He laughed loudly as he shouted out, “There is no such thing as giants!” Little John ignored the outburst and was about to pick up from where he was when, The man laughed again and clapped this time. He then went on to say, “You are all drunk listening to him ramble on!” It was like everytime little John started to talk the man had something to say. Tom turned to the man and said, “Why do you keep interrupting his tale?” The man just kept on that’s when Little John stood up and kicked his chair back. “Are you calling me a liar?!” The man said, “One would have been a fool to believe such a tale!” Little John laughed out loud, maybe it was you I saw that night.” The man grunted loudly, “Are you calling me a giant?” He stood up from the table and walked over to get in Little John’s face. “Are you calling me a giant!” Little John stood tall and said, “No, the one I saw looked much prettier.” Everyone laughed out loud. The man grabbed Little John up by his shirt with his fist cocked back. Molly grabbed her piece of wood that she had behind the counter and charged over. “Not in here boys, take it outside now!” The man looked at Molly holding the stick ready to strike and he let Little John go. The man looked at Little John and said, “Let's take this outside!” All the men rushed through the door to get a peak at the fight. Little John stood ready to fight as the man threw the first punch missing little John as he weaved out of the way. The man did not anticipate Little John being so fast for his build and height. Little John laughed as he caught the man off guard with a right hook to the side of his face. The man stepped back for a moment, then he lunged at Little John again, Little John clipped his leg sending the tower of a man to the ground. The man jumped up as Little John turned to go back inside and tried to sneak him. Little John spun around and hit the man with a swift punch to the chin. He split the man bottom lip open as he fell backwards off of Little John clipping his foot again. The man seemed disoriented as Little John stood over him. Little John reached his hand to help the man up off the ground. The man pulled on Little John’s arm then hit him with his other. Little John pulled him close and socked him in the eye. The man loosened his grip as hell fell back. “Are you done with this you are messing with my brew time?” The man stood up and then rushed little John locking his arms around him trying to bring him down. Little John drove his elbow into the middle of the man’s back. Little John then kneed him in the face. After that, the man gave up. Little John looked down at him and said, “If I help you up, you will not try anything this time right?” The man nodded no as Little John pulled him up and patted the man on the back as they went back inside. The man then walked over to the table and sat with Little John and Tom with their friends. Molly brought them over fresh brews and a rag for the man’s lip. He held the rag to his lip as Tom shouted, “Little John finished telling the tale!” Little John cleared his throat, “Now where was I? Oh, yeah I was saying before that, “He was tall as the trees!”(Shouted little John) “He bent down and we were face to face. “What did you do?”(One man asked) “What could I do?” “I ran as fast as I could!” (Little John said) “I shrugged my shoulders; unfortunately I tripped and hit my head on a tree.” “I remember looking up at the giant and a boy standing next to him.” “What happened next? (Tom asked) little John replied, “I blacked out.” The next morning I recall waking up in my bed. “There is no such thing as giants! (Tom shouted) “There was a boy standing there with a giant?" All the men begin laughing. (A man’s voice) “A giant in the forest, then why haven’t we seen them?” “Well said Little John, maybe you don’t walk as much as I do and you need to lose some weight.” The men all started laughing as they continued drinking. “No one believes you, Little John!” Little John laughed and said, “ Then why is it nobody will go to the forest at night though.”

The next morning the sun was shining brightly as the trees glistened when the sun radiated off them. The smell of fresh flowers and grass made it a great day to enjoy the outdoors, thought Jacob while he started getting ready to go hunting. Mary was in the kitchen fixing his backpack with all his hunting essentials. Michael asked, “Can I go with you dad?” “Not this time son you have chores to do, make sure you get them done okay.” Sara asked, “How long will you be gone for father?” “Don’t worry my dear; I will be back in two days or so.” They all walked Jacob to the door. Mary told him to be careful and she would put a light in the window for his return. Jacob kissed her goodbye, then turned to the children “Remember do as you are told!” He said in a fatherly voice. “Michael you must not go in the forest!” “Yes, dad I hear you,” as Jacob patted him on the head. Jacob walked a small distance and then turned to wave to them. He knew they were still watching when he walked away. Mary stood there until he was no longer in sight. She then had Michael bring some firewood in for the fire later. Sara went to grab the basket off the porch to put eggs in it.

Mary looks up at the sky as if she could feel something, unsure of what exactly as she momentarily gets lost in thought while staring into the clouds. She turns and pauses for a few seconds as she glances once more then goes back into the house. While Sara and Michael finished up their chores Mary had made three of her apple pies. She sat them in the window to cool off. Mary would always sing while she baked it was her secret ingredient happiness for her famous pies. The aroma traveled distances you could almost taste them from wherever you were. Sara had finished feeding the chickens after that she rounded up the eggs to bring them inside. She passed as Michael was just about done stacking up all the firewood they needed. Sara told Mary that the back gate had fallen again and it needed to be fixed. Mary just went on, she had way too many things to do to stop and fix it. She was cleaning in high spirits as the kettle went off on the stove and the coffee was ready.

Sara had just turned around to go outside to see what Michael was up to. He was outside in the back feeding his rabbit Mr. Pibbs. It was a white rabbit with black on its feet and a red circular spot on its head. This was a very unusual rabbit. Something about it was very different. Michael looked up at Sara and said, “I do miss dad, wonder when he will really be home. Sara replied, soon, he doesn’t ever stay gone long. Michael went back to feeding the rabbit a cabbage leaf and a piece of carrot.

Sara stood there listening to her mother sing and she imagined she was at a dance. She stretched her arms out wide and spun around and around as all the outside noise disappeared. She could just hear the beautiful melody as she imagined the grand ball with lots of people dancing all dressed up in gowns. A warm feeling came over as she smiled while lying on her back in the grass gazing up at the sky.

In the meadow where the tall grass grows there was someone out there watching her every move. Jack lay in the tall grass with Penelope as they watched they kept ducking not to be seen. They thought she was so beautiful. Sara stopped daydreaming and turned to Michael, “did you hear that?” He looked at her confused as to what she was talking about. “Hear what!” She looked out towards the meadow. She didn’t see anything for a second. She then listened to it again as Michael was still trying to figure out what she had heard. She realized it was just Little John and Tom coming down through the path. Little John and Tom were drawn in by the smell of the delicious apple pies Mary had made. It was as if the pies had hypnotized them. They began to bicker over who would get the first slice. “Jack we must go!” Penelope pulled at his arm. Little John stopped as if he had heard them. He turned back around as Tom looked at him “Maybe it was the giants!” Tom chuckled as the birds cleared the trees. “There goes your giant,” Tom shook his head at little John. “You’re getting old, in your old age blurted Tom.” Little John replied, that’s why I will get the first slice”, as he began laughing. Sara is standing in the yard while Michael is still sitting on the porch. Sara could see Little John and Tom she waves to them as they get closer to the house. “Sara, Sara”, her mother called out to her “coming mom”, she replied. “I see Little John and Tom come towards us they are here.”

Mary wipes her hands on her apron then heads out to the front porch to greet them. “What brings you here today?” Little John replied, “Well Jacob asked us a while back to come to check on you while he was out hunting. “We said we would come, we came, and we are here.” (Mary smiled) Little John breathed in and took a good whiff of the air. “That’s a fine smell”, he said. Mary said, “Yes it is the freshly baked apple pie you smell.” Mary looked at them and said, I will make a deal with you the back gate has fallen if you fix it then maybe I will give you a slice of pie and coffee”. Little John took a step towards the porch and Mary put her hand up to block him as she insisted that the gate was done first. Mary told them where to find the tools so they could get started on the gate. They went around to the back and began on the gate.

As the day progressed they had finished fixing the gate as Mary had gone around back with a bucket of water for them to get washed up. Michael was still playing with Mr. Pibbs when Little John and Tom came back around to the front of the house. “Good news”, Mary said to them Tom just repeated her. “Alright, guys are you all cleaned up?” “Good then come inside and make sure you wipe your feet.” Michael went to go put Mr. Pibbs back in his cage. He then ran back up to the house. Sara had set the table while Mary knew how they were. She handed Little John and Tom their slice of pie with their coffee at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled. Mary shook her head and smiled back at them. Michael decided to start the conversation off with “Hey do you think my dad will hunt a bear?” Tom replied, “I haven’t seen a bear maybe a giant right Little John.” Mary told them there is no such thing as giants as she sat down at the table. Mary looked at Little John “another one of your tall tales huh?” She smiled as she told Michael to eat his pie. Little John smiled back he knew the truth about what he saw but he would let people believe it to be a “Tall tale as they say. He just continued enjoying his pie and coffee. They continued to talk and laugh together to catch up on old times.