You stand outside staring at a quite unusual wooden and metal door with strange markings all around it. Its features appear to not be from this time as no person or object could give that much detail. This is it, you know that this is where the Storyteller calls “home.” The Storyteller has always been written off as a crazy person by many people, but you feel that there’s more to the story. It could be how you keep seeing an old man with a slight hitch in his side anytime you go outside to grab a package. Anytime you do this, he always gives you a small wink and a wave of his hand. Sometimes you wave back, other times you bolt back indoors. People that have gone to see him always come back out, sometimes a little dazed and confused by the story they’ve just heard.
You talked to a good bit of them, or at least attempted to, as many have moved away after hearing him give a little talk. They typically mention his strange high energy and enthusiasm for how old he is, and how his house looks like a war has come through it. It had always nagged at you that they never actually mentioned the actual story. That feeling has led you here. You push the door open and look around.
Your first instinct is confusion as you see many paintings of people you don’t recognize. Even more strange you look down, expecting to find some kind of carpet but instead find … grass? As you move forward, you see him.
He’s sitting on an old tree stump with a thoughtful look on his face. You start to say something to him but he puts a quick finger to his lips and gestures for you to sit down.
“Why hello there, young one. I take it you’ve come for my story?”
You nod your head as if to respect your silent agreement. His face breaks into a big smile. You two have small talk for a bit, with him mentioning that no one your age has come here for a long time. Nearing the end of your conversation, he is ready to tell you a story. He rubs together his hands excitedly and suddenly has the look of someone much younger.
“Now if you are ready…Let’s begin.”
Have you ever felt that life was unfair? That you did nothing yet paid the full price? I know that I once felt that. I consider myself quite religious, and I know that not everything will always go your way and that the world is broken. But I will say that some people definitely drew the short end of the stick here.
Some old people, young children could fit into this category but I remember a certain group of teens that fit especially well. This group started off small for sure, just as seed can quickly become a flower or even something more beautiful. They quickly grew as themselves as their group began to expand. Growing up forces many to leave their comfort zone, but these teenagers…they don’t know a whole lot about the world, they don’t know how everything works, and most importantly they don’t know how to control themselves. Each of them had a special talent, even a type of power that no other could replicate.
You all here grow up in a time of peace, you guys are safe. I couldn’t say the same for them. They grew up in a time of chaos and strife. With families torn apart, wars breaking out, and a particular devastating disaster to come. Many adults had gone rogue and given up on hope. Even worse, some thought only they should live, or even more radical: none should live. Their group did everything they could to help. They should have known that the best way to help was to stay out of it. The gifts, some could even call a blessing that they were given, began to turn on them. Them, without complete control, started to bring out the worst sides of themselves.
This may seem hopeless for them, but they had one saving grace: each other. By combining their talents, even at a young age, even the most ordinary passerby could see all of their potential. However, they were too young, arrogant, and prideful. They disagreed on what was best to help people and the world. Fights would break out, opinions would be scattered everywhere. Two of them would be the main cause of this, and these years later they are trying to forgive themselves. Their once solid group broke into pieces, some stuck together but many did not. Hope seemed lost and unrepairable.
I don’t know what it was. If it was fate, luck, or God giving them one last chance. But they would eventually see each other and make extraordinary things happen again. This is the story of them defining the odds to come back together, for a common cause, to restore hope, and to put the puzzle pieces of the earth back together.
Oh, sorry! I’ve been taking too much of your precious time! I got a little serious there for a moment. I haven’t been like that for a quick minute. Anyways, you are always welcome in our home. It fills me with joy with people so eager to learn. Feel free to come back anytime to talk and hear the full story.”
Art by Jeni-Sue on Deviantart