The Alchemist & the Kid

Read "The Alchemist" Part 1 here.

Read "The Alchemist & the Old Man" Part 2 here.

***

The Alchemist & the Kid

Part 3

***

As Wiltshire walked through the path of the forest,

He wouldn't let go of guilt about the Old Man,

"Why wouldn't he take part of the Elixir?

At least to live again in full Light.

How can I call myself a carrier of this potion,

An alchemist, if my hope is bewildered

By this Old Man that wishes to live the last of his life?"

Wiltshire stopped and turned around, "I must go back.

I can not let this poor old man die alone like this,

Even if he still does not want the Elixir,

At least, as a friend, I can be there for him."

He walked the way back to the tree near the pond,

This time passing by the tombstone of the old man's wife,

And as he went around the tree to where the Elixir was dropped,

There was someone there, but it was not the Old Man.

A Kid was sitting on the tree instead,

Blowing air softly to his knee,

Whimpering and groaning quietly,

And as Wiltshire approached, he noticed he was hurt,

Holding a bag in his hands tightly with his pain.

"Hey there, kid," Wiltshire said, "Are you alright?"

The Kid was startled, "Oh, hello Sir..." but did not move,

"I was running home, but I fell down.

I was in hurry… but these roots were much small!"

The Kid hit the tree with his fist, as Wiltshire replied:

"Oh, I'm sorry. You know it's not the tree's fault.

But I'm sure I can help. You see, I have this potion to cure."

The Alchemist let this backpack down to open the chest.

"I am not supposed to drink anything from strangers, sir."

The Kid said, "My mom told me so."

"And she is right." Wiltshire said,

"But this potion you wouldn't need to drink,

Only a drop on your knee will cure it, you'll see!"

The Alchemist sat next to the Kid with the Elixir,

And carefully balanced how only one drop will do it all.

The Elixir was absorbed through his skin,

And in a few second there was no more hurt,

The wound was healed and the Kid stood up surprised.

"Oh Wow!" He exclaimed, "I can walk! It does not hurt!

Thank you Sir! Thank you so much!"

Wiltshire was happy to see him well.

"Now I must go home," The Kid said,

"My mom sent me to pick up remedies for her, she's sick.

Maybe you can cure her too? These remedies don't work!"

The Kid threw the bag to the ground.

"Oh, it's alright." Wiltshire said, "Yes, I can help her too, Kid,

But I was looking for an Old Man.

Have you seen him around?"

The kid shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"There is an Old Man who lives in our village,

He wears and a hat and walks with a cane."

"Yes, that's him!" Wiltshire said, "Would you take me to him?"

The Kid thought, "Yes, I know where he lives,

but you must promise to help my mom first."

He agreed. So Wiltshire and the Kid

Walked to the village from the tree,

And entered the home to where his Mother was.

Wiltshire introduced himself,

As the Kid told her the about the potion and his knee.

So the Mother, instead of taking the remedies,

Which weren't doing any good at all,

She agreed to try the Elixir of blue liquid,

That Wiltshire poured from the flask into a cup.

"But you said it's not a potion to drink." Said The Kid.

"This elixir is too powerful." Wiltshire replied,

"Your mom feels bad inside.

She will drink a little bit

And then she will be alright."

She drank the Elixir, bottoms up,

And after some minutes, she was feeling fine.

She thanked him and offered him coins,

But Wiltshire would not take any:

"I would rather to let the Kid show me the way,

To the house of the Old Man,

I did my part of the deal,

Now is his turn to fulfill his promise.”

So with the mothers' blessing,

Wiltshire and the Kid went his house not too far away.

Wilshire thinking about the Old Man’s Life,

As the Kid was kicking stones all the way.

Once there, they stood on the door and Wiltshire knocked,

But there was no answer.

They waited and Wiltshire knocked again.

No answer, but still he waited in hope.

This time the Kid knocked hard many times on the door,

But the Wiltshire stopped him saying:

“I think no one is home.”

Wiltshire, with an the Alchemist’s thought,

Felt that it wasn't right to give up,

So he grabbed the knob and opened the door.

And as Wiltshire peeked inside, the Kid said:

“That’s wrong."

Wiltshire knew that he had to reply,

Before taking a step inside,

So he turned to the Kid and said:

"I must find the Old Man, you see.

Just like you mom, he does not feel good inside.

Sometimes it's good to do wrong if the heart is right."

"... You are wrong." The Kid muttered,

But Wiltshire did not hear;

He opened the door and stepped inside the house,

Leaving his backpack to see what he could find,

He walked the rooms to explore,

Perhaps among his things he would know,

Where the Old Man could be,

But only dead flowers he found, in a vase,

Which made him think:

Perhaps it was better to let him go,

Just like the Old Man who let go of his wife,

He would have to do the same for him,

Letting Old Man live and die as he pleased

Of the time he had in his life.

So as Wiltshire walked back to the door,

He saw the Kid about to drink one of the flasks,

But he ran to take the Elixir off his mouth saying:

"No! Kid! Halt!"

Only a drop he drank,

The Kid started to punch him mad, saying:

"You liar! You said it would cure what I have inside!

I drank a little, why doesn't it go away?!

Do I have to drink it all?!"

The Kid kept punching him in tears,

But Wiltshire tried to calm him down,

Feeling the anger of the Kid.

"Hey Kid, it's alright, what do you feel?

What is it that doesn't feel good inside?

Tell me. You know I'd help if I can."

The Kid dried his tears to talk:

"Why has my Dad left us alone?

Will he ever come back?"

The Kid jumped to hug him

As he bursted into tears.

"I'm sorry, I know it hurts," Wiltshire said,

But this potion does not cure that.

I'm afraid it won't do, not even if you drink it all."

And between his sobbing and tears the Kid asked:

"So what does?!"

The Alchemist didn't know what to say,

For there was no potion for this,

But at least he shared his words:

"Time will cure it, Kid.

Only time teaches us how to forgive

And when to let things go.

You know sometimes things happen,

And there's not much one can do,

But one is not supposed to change things

We have to be accept them as they are, and carry on.

It' not easy to hear,

It's not easy to say,

But you gotta be strong, Kid.

You have your whole life ahead of you.

And you have your mom.

It's not your fault; you don't have to feel angry,

You don't have to be angry about anything at all."

Wiltshire walked back with the Kid

Holding his hand,

And in their way back they let the silence

Speak the lesson they both learned to accept,

In a sadness that words could not portray.

And near their home, the Kid said:

"What if my mom gets sick again?

Who can help her if I can't?"

"I will leave you both a flask of my Elixir,

Just in case either of you gets sick,

But you must promise me never to drink it

Unless you are physically hurt."

And so the Kid promised, nodding his head.

And that is what Wiltshire did.

Upon their return he gave one of the flasks to the mother,

Explaining it would cure any sick, disease or hurt,

And to never drink too much from it,

For it will cause them to grow young.

"Please keep it Secret," He said to the Mother,

"For your safety and your son's,

If anyone ever asks,

You don't know anything about it,

Nor where it comes from."

And the Mother agreed to the promise he asked,

The Kid waved to Wiltshire good bye,

As the alchemist continued on his path,

With Nine flasks left secret in his chest,

To see what other people he could help

With his greatest creation yet:

The Elixir of Life.

***

- Facundo Raganato

Literature&Poetry

ThePhilosopherStone9