Part One: A Place Called Home

In the blink of an eye, William Temple will begin his destiny that will touch all of those he knows and loves around him.

                               Part One:

                       A Place Called Home

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

       “No matter what you do, no matter where you go, it won’t matter. If you were born in Ellis, you die in Ellis…”

                  The Door-To-Door Salesman

 

 

       Barnaby Woodcock was a good man. Born in Mississippi, he spent the last golden years of his life walking from town to town selling copies of a book titled, “Of Life, Love, Loss, and Friendship: A Guide To Your Destiny.” Not too many people bothered with it. They’d say, “Why bother with that gibberish when you have the good book?” They meant the Bible of course. The funny thing about the book he was selling was that it had no writer. Most thought Barnaby wrote it and wandered as a con. But this was false. No one claimed to have written the book. In fact, Barnaby had never really been hired to sell it. Another salesman had passed the job to him. He was given a large amount of money into an account, in which he could take from at any time he needed. And somehow someone would add money into the account as payment for his work. Good old Barnaby saw this as a way to see the world. So he sold his house, and left town never to be seen there again.

       He made it all around the country, meeting many interesting people. He’d sell a copy here and there to someone who at that moment would find themselves lost in the world. The truth is kind old Barnaby was changing lives, and made people happy. But by doing so, he had become sad and lonely. One day he realized he had just grown too old, haunted my memories of a long ago romance that was doomed from the beginning, and an image of what could have been. There was no going back. He had only loved once, resulting in never being married with children. The line would end with him. Life seemed more and more useless everyday.

       He was sixty-five when he came upon the town of Ellis. He found the place charming, and wished he had found it when he was younger and stronger. It would have been the perfect place to raise a family. After getting directions from a local, the first thing Barnaby did was check into Ellis Inn, in the little downtown section. He had lunch and a good shower. Then at twelve in the afternoon, he set out to make some sells. By five he had sold no copies. He donated a copy to the library, as he always did in a new town or city. By six it seemed hopeless. But by chance, he met the right man just as he decided to give up.

     

       Gulliver Temple was fascinated with the book being carried by the man who he had met in Mr. Grey’s bar. He had much interest in fate and destiny, and knew he had to have it. Gulliver’s wife was pregnant and was due at any moment, so he would read it to his son, when he was old enough. However, Barnaby would take no money, and gave Gulliver a copy. The two parted ways never to meet again, and Barnaby returned to the Inn. He lied in bed for an hour and recalled the love of his life. She had died in a house fire when they were seventeen. Barnaby cried his heart out, whispering her name, “Beverly Butters.” He examined the ring. The one he always carried in his pocket. The one he meant to give to her. The inscription on the inside read, “For you, always.” He had had enough. He climbed onto the bed and carved “Barnaby Will Find Beverly” into the roof with a small pocketknife. Then he said a prayer, and Barnaby woodcock took his own life.

      

       Roger Norton, who worked as a janitor in the Inn was the one to find Barnaby. Being the sinister villain-type he was, he picked the man’s pockets. He took the golden ring, which had the inscription, “For You, Always,” in it. He would make some good cash off of it. He also took the pocketknife, which he would give to his son, Christopher, because he was the type that thought children should carry sharp objects. Roger then alerted the police, and the news hit Ellis hard. The odd thing about the whole situation was that no one could find one copy of the book, other than the one at the library or Gulliver’s copy. It’s as if they had all vanished into thin air. As for Barnaby, no one could figure out where he had come from, so he was buried in Ellis with a beautiful grave. No one would ever forget the time that Barnaby Woodcock had spent in Ellis.

                        The Three Births

 

       Wendy Temple gave birth to William on a Friday night. Dr. Marvin Moss did the procedure and I might remind you that he was the only Doctor in Ellis and a good one at that. There were no worries; it was a perfect delivery. Wendy’s husband, Gulliver, had been out in the waiting room for two hours, and was relieved when he learned it was over. He finally had a son, which he had always wanted. Now his life had meaning. A week after she returned home with their new baby, Wendy agreed with her husband that they should have a party celebrating the special event.  Most of their friends, who pretty much made up most of the town’s population, had come. Even the Hall’s, who were expecting a young son of their own at any moment, stopped by for a little while. The Temple’s and the Hall’s had been close over the year’s, but none expected that their families would one day be linked together forever.

      

         There was one family that wasn’t invited and for good reason, not that they would have come anyhow. As I’ve said before, Roger Norton was a hateful man, and his wife, Elvira, was a wild one who liked to drink more than breath. They had been expecting a son, as well, but wouldn’t do half as well at raising him as the Temple’s and the Hall’s would with their own. Ever since they were children, Gulliver and Roger were rivals. Who’d of thought that one day their sons would be just the same.

      One week after the party, Mrs. Hall gave birth to little Edward Hall. Dr. Moss performed this birth as well. Like the Temple’s, the Hall’s threw themselves a welcome home party, and as usual, the Norton’s were not invited. But that night, the Norton’s would get a little unexpected surprise of their own; Elvira went into labor, and Dr. Moss was called away from the party to perform yet another delivery. The baby was named Chris. Back at the party, everyone was excited to see young William Temple and Edward Hall together. There was much laughter and joy in all of their lives that night. This was the beginning of a very powerful friendship. Over the years, as they got older, William and Edward stayed good friends. Both started school at the same time, and were often rivaled against young Chris Norton in many events. It was at school, that William first met Myra Wilson, the girl he would one day love. It seemed odd to William that they lived in such a small town, but he had never met the girl before he started school. He realized it must have been because of the fact that he never really got out of the house much before then. Of course being children, William and Myra would often fight or argue, swearing they each hated the other more. This wasn’t true though; even then they both shared a secret schoolyard crush.      

       William was a thoughtful and kind boy, and at times known to be a bit brave. No one could understand what drove William to be such a heroic person. Besides a few drawbacks, he had a decently simple life. But there were unfortunate incidents awaiting the young boy. Gulliver Temple left Ellis, never to return, when William was only six. Wendy was heartbroken and left all alone to raise her son the best that she could. William could never make up his mind if he was angry with his father, or if he loved him. Then again, who could possibly decide which way they felt. A parent is a parent no matter what bad or even sometimes evil things they do. This would all affect William for the rest of his life.

       William had been an only child, but he had friends that he felt were like his brothers. He and Edward did everything together and there was always Joseph McGregor, a much older boy. Ever since he was about seven, William had looked up to Joseph, who’d become the town’s young hero. Ever since his father had left Ellis, he felt like something was missing. He had found a role model in the older boy, and Joseph found the little brother he never had. In fact, he would rather be around the two younger boys, William and Edward, than to be around people his own age.

       In his early teen years, William became very interested in the town’s history. He learned about the great Hector C. Gold, and even about the ‘Great Split’ that was almost kept too secret. The ‘Great Split’ had been held about fifteen years after the town’s beginning. Axel McNeal, a rebellious disbeliever of Gold’s, led a party of others who didn’t feel things were handled correctly in Ellis. There was much to this story, and maybe I’ll tell you a little bit about it later, but I can say now that there was much bloodshed and rage. Finally a battle had been fought. Eventually, McNeal along with his wife, children and a few of the other families were exiled never to return again. 

       Another part of Ellis’ history that William had become hooked on was that of the Warlock. It turned out that young William had been born on the same date that the Warlock had disappeared into the forest. He spent a lot of time over the next couple of years researching the Warlock. He knew that no one who had ever gone into the woods ever came back. But there was only one way to be sure.  He promised himself that no matter what, he would some day go into those woods. He would one day find the Warlock. But he would have to wait. He needed to prepare. He wondered if Edward would go with him. He had always been a loyal friend, so the chances were good.

       William Temple would have a long, difficult and painful life ahead of him. Before it was over he would be a friend, a lover, a hero, a lost soul, a redemption-seeker, and a champion. It was not an easy life. But the life of a hero never is.

                   The Warlock of the Woods

 

        He was said to have devoured the heart of a Wizard. This is what gave him his first taste of magic and power. They said he was immortal, and would never end his reign of chaotic glory. He was the Warlock. He was there long before the original citizens settled in Ellis, or even gave the town it’s name. Their arrival seemed to both startle and anger him. He warned them that they were on his territory and he would never stop haunting them. But the intruders paid no mind to the so-called fool, and built their civilization. This pushed the Warlock into the woods, never to be seen again. But everyone knew he was there. They knew he was still watching. And for generations, no one who entered those woods ever came back to talk about it. That is, until twelve-year old William Temple came along. He’d been interested in the Warlock all of his life. In fact, he had been born on the anniversary of the Warlock’s departure into the woods. Maybe it was the danger, or even the adventure of it all that made William into what he was. Not even his best friend, Edward Hall, knew what great things he was capable of, or why. So it came to no surprise that when William decided to go off into the woods to find the Warlock, Edward was right beside him.

       William announced his plans one day in the schoolyard, and there was mixed reactions. Word got around town real quick.  His mother was worried but knew he could take care of himself in any situation. She was always very supportive of him. Myra Wilson didn’t want him to go in fear of never seeing him again but kept it to herself. William’s hero and role model, Joseph Macgregor, wished him well and good luck. He would have gone along, but had injured his leg while playing Football with some friends and had to stay in bed for two weeks. Chris Norton, William’s life long rival, didn’t believe he would do it. He told him that no man comes out alive, and that he would chicken out. So to prove his heroism, William made his tormenter come along.

        When Mayor Templeton got word of William’s quest, he became most displeased. He had been the only living resident of Ellis to ever see the Warlock. He had been a small boy, about seven or so. His mother had been doing chores all day and young Templeton thought it would be fun to play by the woods. The boy found it to be very quiet, which is until he heard the whispers. He looked into the woods, and could see a man dressed in rags staring back at him. The man’s eyes were glowing and this made the little Templeton most uncomfortable. Suddenly, he could hear his mother’s voice calling for him from the distance. This got his attention for only a moment, but when he looked back the man was gone. It was as if he’d vanished. The boy wanted to go after the man, but knew better, so he headed home to his mother. He never said a word about it to anyone. This wasn’t the Mayor’s only secret. He had many and would never tell anyone. But now young William Temple was going after the Warlock. The Mayor didn’t like this at all. He began to feel less special, if you will. But he went on with his business. Maybe he’d get lucky. Maybe the Warlock would kill the boy.

      

       William, Edward, and Chris set out into the woods on a Friday afternoon. They knew they would be walking miles into the woods before they would get to their destination, so they brought enough food and water along with camping gear. It was Chris who complained the whole way. “This is Stupid, or that was dumb,” he’d say. “I’m right, you’re wrong.” But William paid no attention to the other boy. He was finally going to do what he had dreamed of doing for years, and no spoiled brat was going to ruin it for him.

       They walked for hours, only stopping to rest and catch some air. Edward held on pretty well. There was no way he’d let fear stop him from helping his best friend. And it was a fearsome place, dark and gloomy, with no signs of life. It was Chris who decided that they should stop to eat and rest, and it was agreed that they should camp for the night. They set up a fire, and put out their sleeping bags. After dinner, they sat around the fire under the light of the moon, and told stories of far away places, the dark side of Ellis, and of Barnaby Woodcock, the doomed door-to-door salesman, among other things.

       At around twelve, Chris and Edward had fallen asleep and William was up all alone, thinking to himself. He thought of his father and wondered if he found happiness outside of Ellis. The thought had crossed his mind that maybe his father would return one day, at least if it was true about what they say. ”If you’re born in Ellis, you die in Ellis.” He also thought about Myra Wilson. Back then he would never admit it but he had a crush on the girl and would one day fall in love with her. Unknown to both of them, their destinies would intertwine. But that time was far from them. That night, William was looking for the Warlock.

       He went for a walk to investigate the area. Not much to find in those old woods, but he wasn’t looking for landmarks. However, it turned out he wasn’t far from what he was looking for. He found himself standing in front of a rotten old wooden fence that surrounded a rotten old wooden house. There were statues of demons, mythical creatures, and other deformities spread out all over the gloomy yard. Suddenly there was a rustling sound from behind him, and William turned around to find a wicked looking man, dressed in rags. But after a second look, William realized that the man had not appeared angry or evil. He looked very emotional and sympathetic, and then the warlock finally smiled.

       “I’ve been waiting for you, William,” he said.

       “Waiting,” William asked, “for me?

       “That’s right,’ the Warlock answered, “I’ve dreamed about you for years.”

       “What does that mean,” William asked confused.

“Look, I can’t talk long,” The Warlock replied. “But you need to know now. You were supposed to meet me.”

       “But Why,” William asked. “Why is it so important?”

       “Let me explain,” the Warlock said. “You, William Temple…you have a special calling. Your people refer to it as a destiny. But you have a long way to go before you get there. So do me this favor. You’re going to leave now. You’re going to wait for your friends to wake up and tell them you didn’t find me. The house was abandoned, half burnt down. When you’re alone with your friend Edward, you can tell him the truth. Maybe even that girl you think so much of. Myra Wilson, is it?”

       “How do you know all of this,” William asked in confusion. “How do you know so much about me?”

       “I am a Warlock, William,” he answered. “But this is very important. Only those two people can know. You can’t tell anyone else, especially not Christopher Norton. This is most important. He can never know about this. He can never know about me. Do you understand William?”

       “I do,” William answered, still not fully understanding.

       “Then good,” the Warlock concluded. “Now go, William. Enjoy the rest of your childhood. And when next we meet, maybe you will understand everything I have told you a bit better. But goodbye for now.”

       William turned and headed back to the camp. When he looked back, the Warlock was gone. “How could he disappear so fast,” William wondered. But he let out a small laugh. He was a Warlock after all. If he had disappeared, or even ‘Teleported,’ it should come to no surprise. William returned to the camp, but could not bring himself to sleep. He sat alone under the stars, and stared into the fire. At dawn, he woke Edward and Chris. He told them the lie the Warlock had asked him to tell. Chris was obviously furious. “This was all a bunch of bull,” he barked. “There was no Warlock.” But Edward of course understood and made no complaint.

       “Maybe he knows how to stay hidden,” he said. “He is a Warlock. If he doesn’t want to be found, he can keep it that way.”

        “Yeah you both would know a lot about all of that,” Chris shot back.

        “What does that mean?” Edward demanded.

       “What the hell do you think it means?” Chris yelled. “Your dad’s barely ever home, working with all of those jobs he has. Then everybody knows about good old Gulliver Temple. Left forever, never to return.”

       “That’s enough, Chris,” William said. “We don’t have time for this. Its morning, if we head out now, we’ll make it home in no time. Let’s go.”

       “Okay, fearless leader,” Chris uttered out.

         And so the three boys marched for home. No one said much, and the three mostly kept their distances. William felt bad about not saying a word about the Warlock. He felt like a liar. But he knew he could tell Edward sometime after they got home. But what was so important about not telling Chris? Was he really that much of a threat? Of course William always felt there was something off about the Norton family. If they knew he existed, they would probably lead a mob in to kill the warlock. William knew that Chris must have been dangerous, even then.

    They made it back into town late in the afternoon. People looked at them as if they were crazy, which obviously bugged Chris. But this didn’t bother William or Edward. They had just had more fun than they had had in their whole lives. Chris took off and headed over to a friend’s. William and Edward headed home where William would tell his friend the truth. Unknown to them both, this was the beginning of the future, and the rest of their lives.

                  The Fall Of Joseph Macgregor

 

       Murder was not an issue in Ellis. No one had taken another man’s life in the town’s history, not counting the ‘Great Split.’ But things change. There is much evil in the world, and it was only a matter of time before it dug it’s hands into Ellis.

       Joseph had won the award for Prince of Ellis. This was held in great regard. He had a place on the big float in the town’s Central Celebration parade, which was held every year on the seventeenth of July, and was very much a celebrity. He achieved this by doing good deeds around town and being so very popular with young girls. They all loved Joseph. He was very selfless and he would always do what he felt was right, and put others first. He’d pick up William and his friend, Edward, and take them around town. They’d goof off, get food, talk about life, or maybe go out in the field and throw a football around. One night, when William and Edward were both fourteen and Joseph was twenty-five, they drove up to the Myrtle’s diner in town for an ice cream. William had realized that the three of them were inseparable, and could tell each other everything but he still had not told Joseph about the night he met the Warlock. He felt it was wrong, and hated himself for it. After all, Joseph had told him about the girl he was secretly in love with, and how he planned to marry her. So he chose that night to tell his friend the story. Besides, Edward already knew, what could it hurt? Joseph listened hard and carefully, and was amazed by the tale. He too had always wanted to see the Warlock, but was too afraid. He agreed to never tell anyone about what William had told him, and the three friends went on with their night.

       Myra Wilson showed up at the diner at about seven to William’s heart pulsing shock. Myra was the girl he loved, much as Joseph loved his secret girlfriend. But he was afraid. Not of talking to her or even commitment but he was always afraid of what would happen if he failed. He felt he didn’t have what it took. Joseph had to force William to talk to Myra, who seemed excited to see him. The two talked for a while and even shared a sundae. This was one of the many good times that this group of people had had in their small lives. But these good times were not meant to last.

      The new millennium had begun on January first, 2000. Joseph had a very long night of celebration. William and Edward had wanted to come along, but couldn’t because they were too young. Joseph had wanted to spend the holiday with his friends, but his secret love had been looking foreword to celebrating it with him. After he walked her home, he decided to stop outside of Myrtle’s Diner to use the payphone and call the boys. He had the fifty cents ready in hand, but was stopped by the site of two strangers arguing in the diner. He went inside to talk with the men and back Mr. Myrtle up, being the peacekeeper that he was. He tried to reason with the men but they wouldn’t have it. They began to threaten everyone and cursed loudly. One of the men punched Mr. Myrtle in the face and Joseph grabbed the man, trying to calm him. The man pulled out a gun and shot Joseph in the heart. He died almost instantly.

       Officer Mackey was the first to show up on the scene. He did what he had to do, and the Ellis police apprehended the two men. It turned out that they were on the run from the police after murdering a hotel staff in Utah. They had gotten lost while heading to Miami and wound up in Ellis. Georgia State police arrived in Ellis, and took the men away, who would be imprisoned. This news would devastate William and Edward.

       Joseph was buried on a Saturday, and there was a large memorial service. Mayor Templeton himself attended and appeared to actually want to help the McGregor’s through their grieving. William was the only person who knew why Sandra Becket was crying, which nearly broke his own heart. Everyone else just figured to be some other girl with a crush on the young Prince. He began to believe that this had all happened because he had broken his word. Maybe if he hadn’t told Joseph about the Warlock, he’d still be alive. William had lost his hero when he was fourteen years old. He would carry this, the knowledge of Joseph’s broken love and the painful feelings inside for the rest of his life.   

                        William loved Myra

 

       Their romance was the kind of thing that built the town of Ellis. Every day of their lives was leading up to the one when they would finally realize how they felt about each other. When they were children, they would push and tease, calling each other ugly or gross, among other harsh and childish names. Over the years, they both began noticing the other more and more. Finally, they realized that they were in love but said nothing, out of worry of getting their heart broken.

        After the death of Joseph Macgregor, William made his move. It started with a little flirting, which blossomed into secret kisses after school. They had a couple of visits out to the town’s make out spot and saw a couple of movies. When they were both seniors, they made it official. They became the most loveable couple in Ellis, like a prince and his princess. Their families came together for holidays and celebrations. William and Myra were on top of the world. Over time, William’s friend, Edward, and Myra’s friend, Amelia Dillon, had seen so much of each other that they even started dating. The two couples would go out to dinner together, and even be seen at the same events.

       Chris Norton may have been the last person to know about William and Myra. Shocked and angry, he hated William even more for this. He had wanted Myra for a very long time, but she wouldn’t have him. “She’d be sorry,” he knew. “They’d all be sorry.”

      

       After school, both lovers stayed in Ellis, like most do. College was too far, and they didn’t want to be separated. There was plenty of work to be done in town. Myra worked in the hospital and William ran the bar in town for Mr. Grey, who liked having evenings off to see his friends. When they were both about twenty, William felt the time was near to marry his girl. He knew they’d have to wait a couple of years, maybe even find a house first, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask her ahead of time. So he went looking for the ring on a Thursday afternoon, before work. He didn’t know much about engagement rings, but he knew it had to be right. He’d saved up a lot of money over the years, so that was no problem. After an hour’s search, he found the one. It was in the old antique store, which was actually a very good place to look. Whenever people needed cash, they could just trade in old possessions for cheap money. It was a beautiful ring: golden with the inscription, “For you, always,” on the inside of it. It was just the way he felt for Myra. Apparently, the ring had been there for years, never being noticed. The storekeeper didn’t even remember who traded it in. but that wasn’t important, so William bought the ring and planned to give it to Myra. Unfortunately, problems lied ahead for the young hero.

        The tragedy occurred right on the day that William had planned to ask her. Myra’s father, a well-respected man in Ellis, being that he ran the town’s grocery store and was on the Council of Ellis, died in a terrible accident at the lumberyard, where he was doing some volunteer work. Myra was devastated, but her boyfriend was always there when she needed him the most. He stood by her side the whole time. William knew it would be a while before he should give her the ring, so he put it away in a safe spot for a later date. He didn’t know what the future held for the two of them, but as long as it was the two of them, he’d have it no other way. For that is what love is made of.

              

                         The Rock Hero

 

       Snake Willis, who’s real name was Scott Cruise, was a rock god of the legendary band, “Lock ness Mama.” He started the band with three friends from his Philadelphia hometown, and was the lead singer. The band only released one self-titled album, which had instantly become a hit. But their stardom and glamorous lifestyle was not meant to last long. While touring in Europe, the band’s plane had a malfunction and they crashed somewhere in France. Snake was the only survivor. His friends and their dreams were dead. This haunted Snake for the rest of his life. When he returned to America, he hid away in his apartment for months with hopes of escaping. He just didn’t care anymore. The only reason he didn’t go broke was because the album skyrocketed on the charts after the crash.

       One day Snake felt like he had had enough. He had no future in Philadelphia, so he drove off never to return. He went south, and planned to go all the way to Fort Lauderdale. But he never made it. He got lost somewhere along the border of Georgia and Florida and entered the little town of Ellis. He liked the town, and decided to stay for a while. He got a room in the town’s Inn, and finally felt relaxed for the first time in a long while. No one knew who he was, or anything about “Lock ness Mama.” He felt that he had found peace. But Snake didn’t know Ellis.

       He once again began having nightmares about the band. The others warned him that he was next. “He was supposed to die,” they said. And for some strange reason, the dreams focused on him entering the town’s forbidden woods. Snake asked around town about the woods, and everyone told him the same thing. They’d say, “They were haunted, no one comes back alive, a Warlock lived there” and so on. Snake knew he’d find the answers there. He went into the woods on a Monday afternoon, not sure of what he’d find. All he had was hopes of ending his torment. He found it to be a dark and creepy place. “Not the kind of place you’d take a date,” he snickered. There was a strange fog that lied low to the ground, and the smell was nearly unbearable. If there were ever really an evil being, such as a Warlock, it would certainly live there. Snake traveled for hours, not sure of what he’d find or if he was even going the right way. If death ever hated a man, it would send them there. Had he offended the great death?  There was a howling sound, like wolves or maybe even a monster, that sent shivers up his spine. And finally, a little voice, almost unheard, called out his name. This was enough to send him into total fright.

       He felt as if something was circling around him, but saw nothing. “Where are you?” He shouted. “I know you’re there, I can hear you!” No response. “Come out!” Suddenly, a strong gust of wind ripped through the woods around Snake, throwing him to the ground. After it was over, he rose back up in agony. What he saw was even worst. His long dead friends were appearing in flashes all around him, and then vanishing over and over again. He could hear their crying voices, and even feel their pain. He knew what it had come to, but never thought it would end like this. Then it all stopped. He heard someone behind him, and turned to find a man dressed in rags, who at first looked angry but then seemed kind.

       “Hello Scott,” he said. “It’s been a long time, and now they’ve come for you.”

       “But why?” Snake asked. “What did I do to hurt them?”

       “You didn’t do anything to hurt them,” he answered. “But the time is now. I have felt your pain and I am giving you this gift. Your end has come. Now you must go with them.”

       “You’re him aren’t you,” Snake asked, just realizing who he was talking to. “You’re the Warlock.”

       “I am,” the Warlock answered. “But that’s not important. This is about you and them. You have to make this choice with them. They want you to come, now you need to want the same.”

       “ I don’t understand,” Snake exclaimed. “If they want me, why don’t they just take me?”

       “Because you’re a team,” the Warlock declared. “You have always made your decisions together. To be together as a band again, you have to want to be taken with them. Isn’t that what you want? Life means nothing to you now. Make this decision. Make this journey. End your pain. Just say the words. This is your destiny.”

       “Yes, I want that,” Snake cried. “Please…. take me now…. Please!”

       And then there was no sound. Memories of pain became forgotten. He could feel the hands of his comrades pulling him into their realm of peace. Light was dark, and dark was light. No beauty of earthly proportions amounted to the beauty of this place. There were no tears; there was no fright. There was no evil; there was no night. And when his previous life went black, and the new one exploded with life, he knew he had made the right choice. Scott Cruise had ended his torment. He had finally found peace.

       The body of the Rock Hero was found on the edge where the town met the woods. Officer Mackey led a minor investigation, but wouldn’t dare lead his men into the dark woods. Of course everyone blamed it on the “Evil Warlock.” William Temple knew that it couldn’t have been true. Only he and his friend, Edward, knew that the Warlock was actually a peaceful being, but he kept this information to himself. He couldn’t risk telling Officer Mackey or the other town’s folk, after what happened to his old friend, Joseph Macgregor. Ellis had had enough of death. The town had Scott Cruise’s body buried in the cemetery right next to Barnaby Woodcock on a Saturday morning. Since no one knew where he had come from, not much could be said. He was treated with a decent memorial service, and was remembered as a quiet and shy addition to the town of Ellis.

      

                             New to Town

       

       There’s not much to say here. All I know is that on one dark summer night, Ronald Payne came wandering into town. He got himself a room at the Inn and from then on out, called Ellis his home, showing no sign of leaving. The hotel was not busy, in fact he had been the only vacant, the first since the tragic Scott Cruise, also known as Snake Willis. He immediately made his name known around Ellis and people didn’t really care for his attitude. It got so bad, Officer Mackey and Deputy Pickles had to warn him to leave the town’s people alone or they would have to ask him to leave. Even the Norton’s, who were undoubtedly just as despised by their fellow Ellis citizens, didn’t show any liking to Ronald. But this didn’t bother him any. Unknown to all at the time, the stranger who came from Dade City, Florida wasn’t at all what he appeared to be and his arrival in Ellis would help them all in time to come.

       Ronald Payne obviously wasn’t from Florida, or even Dade city. He was called a bad man, even heartless. But the people of Ellis didn’t know the real Ronald. He wasn’t always a hustler, or even a con man. At one time, he was a good person. He was born in New York, and grew to be a very intelligent young man. In high school, he was a well-liked student, with a girlfriend Hope Crawford. She was the love of his life. He had two of the best parents anyone could ever wish for, who even sent him to college in Washington when the time came. The hardest part of leaving was that he missed Hope.

      Ronald made some of the top grades in the class, and had a bright future ahead of him. That is, until the traditional tragedy took place. His parents were killed in a car crash and everything was lost. He was the only person who could have saved his father’s Empire but he had given up on everything. The Empire sank, until one of his father’s rivals, a menacing kind of man named Montgomery Dyson, bought it out from Ronald, who no longer cared and there the Payne legacy ended. Young Ronald left New York and the girl he loved behind and headed over to Connecticut. There he became homeless, begging for scraps. He now faced a dark future. When he was twenty-two he met a man named Artimus Jackson, who taught him the ways of hustling and swindling. Ronald became something he never realized could exist. His old self had now been dead. Ronald Payne became what some called, a villain. After Artimus died of a heart attack, Ronald relocated from Connecticut to Florida. First he spent time in Miami, then Tampa, and even Orlando. But he found a good life in Dade City. He preyed on the week, and gained some good cash. But he would soon get himself in way over his head. After crossing some local Mob associates, Ronald disappeared, going from one town to the next, all up Florida, until finding himself lost somewhere along the edge of Florida and Georgia. He came upon Ellis on a Friday. He had never seen anything like it; a small town that wasn’t on any map, and no one could ever know who he was. He immediately introduced himself to some of the residents, who pointed him out to the local Inn. He figured he could stay there for a while, and hide out. Maybe even start over.

       The months had moved on and on, and he never left. He found something special in this little town in the middle of nowhere. Even if he had a bad attitude, kept to himself, and got a semi-bad reputation, they wouldn’t kick him out. It seemed like he could stay forever, without question. There weren’t even any other guest at the Inn. The room he stayed in, which had a strange carving in the roof saying, “Barnaby will find Beverly,” was always cleaned and maintained for him. It was as if he was the hotel attendant’s only concern. Over the next few months, after a warning from the local police, he mainly kept to himself. He knew he had no better place to go. He had no idea then, but he had a destiny in Ellis. He was supposed to come there. He was supposed to help them. William temple may have been the famous hero from Ellis but Ronald was the hero from New York City. He just didn’t know it yet, because no matter what he thought or even what he wanted others to think, he was a good person. And he would one day stand on the frontline, along with William as a hero.

           

                              The Angel

 

       Carl was a depressing sight in Ellis. He had no family and no one to love. He barely worked and never cared. So he drank his whole life away. People tried to help, but he wouldn’t have it. He just loved being drunk all the time. His favorite thing to drink was whiskey. Boy, that man could down whiskey like a man stuck in the desert for hours drank water. And did he ever stink…he never bathed, the old bum. He just sat on his butt, and drank. What he needed was a life changing experience, something to make him see different. And he got that on his forty-second birthday. He had been out drinking, as usual. First at the bar, until Mr. Grey kicked him out. Then he got a bottle, and hung out behind the old graveyard. It was there that he saw it. 

       At first he thought it was a cloud, then maybe a swarm of bugs, fireflies maybe. But it couldn’t be that. When it began to speak to him, he about thought he lost it. It told him things only he could know. Secrets he long forgot. It told him of the future and his untimely doom. But not just his; everyone in Ellis was going to die. Not yet but sometime in the not too distant future. Carl was suddenly afraid. He had never felt this before. He had to warn someone. He had to get help. He tried to tell the town but everyone laughed at him. They figured he just had one of his drunken stupors but he knew it wasn’t that. He had seen an angel and no one in Ellis believed him. Carl knew immediately what to do next. There was only one man in town ho would know anything on the subject of angels. He just hoped Father West would believe him, being a man of God and all but it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

       Father West disbelieved the man, saying “I am sorry, Carl. But you’ve just had another one of your spells. You have a reputation for seeing what isn’t there.”

       “But Father West, Please,” Carl cried, “you have to believe me. I saw an angel. He told me we were all doomed…he-

       “You saw nothing! Father West shouted. “I will help you in whatever way I can, but I will not indulge in this fantasy you have created. If that is not good enough then please leave!”

       And with this, Carl left. He couldn’t believe it. No one seemed to care. He knew what he had to do. He had to go back to the cemetery and demand for the angel to return and speak with him. This was not so easy. He wandered the cemetery and screamed for hours. After a while he began to fear he had truly lost his mind. When he about gave up, he suddenly felt a change in the air. He heard whispering and felt a presence all around him. The angel appeared, screaming and blew him off his feet. It showed him things. All painful and what was to come. He felt it destroying him. He became aware of evils in Ellis no one knew about. He saw the young William Temple boy and his friends. There were bad people who hated the citizens of Ellis and wanted to hurt them. He thought his life was over. But he did not die.

       He awoke in the hospital, all alone. The doctor told him he had been found in the cemetery with a concussion. He was going to live, but he wouldn’t say a word of what he saw. He knew something bad was coming, and when it did he would be waiting for it. He would help everyone fight the coming evils. He knew what side he was on; he just hoped he was right.

                                 Orphan

 

       Roger Norton had things to do and he would not find any of the answers he needed in Ellis, so he left. He knew his son, Christopher, wouldn’t understand but he would have to live with it for now. They would meet again, anyhow. He didn’t care at all about his wife, Elvira; she wouldn’t have any part to play in the coming storm. As Roger left town, someone else was arriving. Billy Partridge was an orphan, whose parents were recently killed in a tragedy. The Myrtle’s, who ran the diner in Ellis, had been looking for a son to adopt for a very long time, and found that in young Billy. It was almost as if a trade was made: Roger Norton for Billy Partridge. Billy was a better person yet his destiny was not certain. Both had a part to play in the future but in the end doom seemed most likely.

       Billy found it hard to get accustomed to his new home. The Myrtle’s were real nice people but they just weren’t his parents. He missed the way his father would make them all laugh at the dinner table, and how his mother always read him a story and kissed him goodnight, before he went to bed. He would find no comfort in Ellis. School wasn’t much better. Kids picked on him, and he wasn’t the top student, grade wise. There was just something different about him, and no one else could understand. He began having nightmares. He would see things that were to be, and it frightened him. There was always death and tragedy but there was also hope. He saw virtue in the eyes of William Temple, whom he’d seen around town occasionally. Billy needed someone to talk to but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

      Over the next few months, Billy began making friends and he even grew to love the Myrtle’s just as they had grown to love him but he still did not feel safe. The nightmares kept getting worse and more vague. He began to realize that something evil was coming and all of Ellis would be killed. He thought of telling the Myrtle’s but knew that they wouldn’t understand. William temple was an option, but he wasn’t ready for the truth. Then it came to him; Father West, the town priest.

       Father West was a good man, and Billy had come to know him from the family’s Sunday meetings at church. He knew that Father West was just the man to talk to, but convincing the priest would be hard. He had to work out a plan and find the right approach. This would all take time, and hopefully it would work out in the end. Billy began to understand that his time was running out, and that he wouldn’t see this fight through. But he couldn’t keep that from letting him help Ellis. He had to leave his message behind so that one day the men he knew were to be heroes could defend everything that they loved. Billy is remembered as the first messenger.

                         A Town’s Gathering

 

       The Central Ellis Celebration was held every year on the seventeenth of July. Everyone in town would gather for food and festivities, and at about five in the afternoon there would be a parade down the main street. However, the parade brought back some bad memories for William Temple. It just wasn’t the same since his boy hood hero, Joseph Macgregor, was murdered. This year was different though. This year, he had planned to meet his girlfriend, Myra Wilson at the spot where the town Ball would be held at seven o’clock. He had gone with Edward, as he did every year. The two would wander around and enjoy the festivities all day long. William had always tried to get his mother to come along but she just couldn’t bare it. The man she loved was gone and he was never coming back. She didn’t think she had anything to celebrate.

       Everyone else in town was there including the Mackey’s and the Pickles,’ Father West, Carl the drunk, the Myrtles (with their new adopted son, Billy Partridge), the Norton’s (even though it didn’t seem the same since the father, Roger Norton, disappeared) the Macgregor’s among others and everyone else worth mentioning before. Even Ronald Payne, the stranger from Dade City, Florida showed up. He continued to play off as the angry rebel, never admitting to himself that the events around him seemed fun. He always loved parties and festivals as a child.

       Around six, Mayor Templeton made his speech, remembering those that Ellis had lost. He regarded Joseph McGregor and honored his family with news of a statue being put up in his honor. When William got word of the news, he felt very proud. William and Edward headed towards the Dance, where they knew Myra and Amelia would be waiting. When they found their girlfriends, both couples broke into two and danced to some soft music. After about twenty minutes, William and Myra dashed off for some privacy.

       When the coast was clear, they both grabbed each other, kissed, and William lifted her up in the air and said, “Myra Wilson, I’ll love you ‘till the day I die.”

       “And what if you never die?” she asked.

       “Then I’ll love you forever. An eternity, even.”

       “But what if I die?”

       “Then there wouldn’t be a reason to live. If you’re not alive, then neither am I.”

       Myra smiled and blushed at this. William always knew what to say to the girl he loved. He kissed her again, slowly. She then held her head to his chest and rested. “Then I guess you’ll marry me, William Temple?” she asked.

       “Of course I will,” he answered. “You and no other.”

       “Right here in Ellis?”

       “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

       “Oh come on, Billy. I know you. You want to leave Ellis. You want to run away and not come back.”

       “Give me some credit. I’m not my father, you know. I just want to see the world. I would never leave you or my mom. Or even Edward, for that matter. And if I did want to leave, you mean you wouldn’t come with me?”

       “This is my home, Will. I could never leave.”

       William took this in, thought about it for a bit, and then blew it off. “Then I could never leave either,” he just said. The two hugged and kissed for another hour before meeting back up with Edward and Amelia. At that point, the two couples grabbed some food and sat down to eat.

 

       Father West came across Mayor Templeton not too long after his speech. He never knew why but he always suspected that something was a bit off with the Mayor.

       “Hello, Mayor Templeton,” He greeted.

       “Awe, hello there, Father West,” he replied. “Did you hear my speech? I’m having a statue built for the McGregor boy.”

       “Yes, I heard. I was hoping you’d have some time to talk about the church. As you know, we…”

       “Uh, I’m sorry, partner, I really am. But that’s just not my jurisdiction.”

       “What do you mean? The church is part of this town, how can you not help us with funds?”

       “The church is your responsibility. My business is to take care of Ellis, not raise funds for something only half of the town goes to anyway. I’m sorry, West. I suggest a fundraiser.”

       “A fundraiser? But can’t you just give me a moment of my time? I just…”

       “Look if it makes you happy, just bring it up sometime at the Council, we’ll talk about it there. Now I’ve got to run!” Mayor Templeton took off into the crowd, and Father West was left feeling like a fool. How could this man, whom everyone supported and loved, turn down helping the town’s church? Father West dashed off in anger, and headed back home to the Church.

      

       William, Myra, Edward, and Amelia sat at a bench, not too far from the crowd, to enjoy the fireworks. This event was held at the very end of the celebration every year, to remember the history of Ellis with a BANG!

       “So this year…is it better than last year?” Edward asked the bunch.

       “Anything’s better than last year,” William answered. “Remember how Mr. Norton picked a fight with Mr. Myrtle? Then Mr. Nacelle tried to break them up but got hurt.”

        “Yeah, I remember,” Edward continued. “Officer Mackey hated letting Norton go but had to.”

         “Those Norton’s are always causing trouble,” Amelia added.

         “Especially that no good son of theirs,” Myra said. “Chris is such a jerk.”

         “All of our lives it’s been the same,” William agreed. “I just wish he could find some peace. It’s worst now though since Mr. Norton left town. Just like my father.” No matter how mean or bad someone was, William could never truly hate them. He had always been a peaceful person. After the celebration was over, the boys walked the girls home.

       Realizing it was still early, the two hung out behind the old butcher shop. Edward’s family had once owned the shop but lost it. Those were rough times before Mr. Hall became the Janitor at the Inn when Roger Norton left. William and Edward just sat and looked up at the stars, talking of the future and plans they had. Both boys were in love with the girls of their dreams. They had many conversations like this and would have many more to come. This gave them their power because they had a strong friendship. The kind legends were made of.

                   The Menacing Chris Norton

 

       Chris Norton was a bad kid who grew up to be a rotten person. He never got along with anybody and often tormented other people his age, including William Temple and his friend Edward Hall. His only competition had been the new guy in town, Ronald Payne. That guy seemed to be unthreatened by Chris, being himself, a bit of a jerk.       Chris hated William more than anything. He never understood why goodie-two shoes William Temple got everything he wanted. So what if his father abandoned him? Chris’s dad left too. Worst of all, William had the most beautiful girl in all of Ellis, Myra Wilson. No one ever noticed it but Chris had an obsession with Myra. This made him hate William even more. He thought of the girl nonstop and was always conjuring up ways to steal her from Temple.  He even thought of murder from time to time. Everyone knew he had an attitude problem and loved to fight but no one ever realized he had a murderous rage. He wanted to kill almost everything and the day his father, Roger Norton, left town, he nearly set out to do so.

       His father had been the janitor at the town’s Inn even before he was born. Roger would always bring him things he’d find around the rooms, including a pocketknife with the initials, B.W. engraved in it. Roger had found it while Elvira was pregnant and saved it so he could give it to young Chris when he was a bit older. His anger had always come from his father and now that he was gone, it just set it off. It didn’t help any that Edward Hall’s father took over his father’s job as janitor at the Inn. This made him hate Edward nearly as much as he hated William. But no one could out do William for him. However, Chris didn’t kill anyone, not yet anyway. But he did once find a rabbit in his back yard that he took it out on. He destroyed the poor, defenseless animal. From that moment on, he began plotting to destroy William Temple. He decided that starting a fire and endangering small children, or something of that sort, would be good enough practice until then. He just had to map it all out and do it at the right time. A little chaos is all he needed to be cheered up.

       William Temple and Edward Hall would one day realize that they were the heroes. They would lead Ellis into battle against evil and they would fight gallantly for the town they loved. Chris Norton was the bad guy. He had much hate and evil in his heart. On the day William and Edward were to stand on the frontline, he would be on the other side. Only time would tell who had made the right decision.

                          Day Of The Hero

 

       As I said earlier on, William always had a bit of a hero side to him. He was always selfless, and would do anything for anyone no matter what the cost. He was never afraid of sacrifice. The only thing he was scared of was loss, or even being alone. And he proved it to the town when everything that they all held sacred was put into jeopardy. No one knew what started the fire or even if it was on purpose or by accident. Some children, the oldest being twelve, had gone there often to play after school. On that day, the fire seemed to come out of nowhere and trapped the children inside, left only to scream with no chance of survival. William had just left Myra’s after the two had had lunch and was heading to see his good friend, Edward. He heard the screams, just as the children began to tell themselves that no one would come.

       “Oh my god,” he cried. “Children….”

       He didn’t think about what to do next for a second. He just dashed up to the front door, which had been blocked off by the blazing hell-storm. He ripped off part of his shirt to cover his mouth, and kicked the door down before jumping into the nightmare. Inside he found the seven kids huddled up in a corner, the only part of the inferno that wasn’t completely burned.

       “Don’t worry, kids,” he called to them. “We’re going to get out of here.” He began taking each of the kids, one by one, out of the fire. He carried those he could carry and led out those he couldn’t. The last of the children had been young Billy Partridge. He knew this boy had seen enough tragedy. He wouldn’t let it happen to the poor thing again. He grabbed the kid, as if hugging him, and headed out towards the door, but the roof collapsed over that area. He had to think fast or it would be over for the both of them. He noticed that a window across the room had not been blocked off and it was maybe even big enough to jump through. It didn’t take him long to decide. “Hold on kid!” he shouted as he took a deep breath, ran and jumped out the window, and landed safely outside away from harm. The emergency officials arrived shortly after and put out the fire. All the children were treated and their parents were alerted. William was well thanked and everyone declared him a hero. This threw him off a bit. He felt he hadn’t done anything special and didn’t like the attention. When he got home, William was still covered in black ash. His mother, Wendy, had already heard the news and was both worried and proud for her son. She always knew he had good heroic attributes. Seeing that he cared so much about others made her very emotional and happy.

       Edward called for everyone to meet at Myrtle’s Diner to celebrate. Of course everyone consisted of Edward, Amelia, and Myra. There was much laughter and applause among the group, and other customers congratulated William as well. Having enough, William went outside to sit alone. This only lasted a moment before Edward joined his friend.            

       “Long day,” he said. “Too long for a hero.”

       “I don’t know about that,” William responded.    

       “What are you talking about?”

       “I’m no hero, Eddie. I did nothing special. Anyone would have done it.”

       “Are you so sure about that?  Most people would have just run somewhere to call for help. Then most of those kids would be dead, if not all of them. And besides, you did walk by; you did save them. That makes you a hero in my book.”

       “You would have gone in, Eddie. You’re a hero too you know.”

       “Am I, William? Would I have saved them? Sure I’d like to think so but come on. I might have frozen up.”

       “But why me? Why do I have to be this way?”

       “It’s not up to us how we are or how we act. Some of us are evil. Some of us are good. Others are crazy or maybe even lunatics. It doesn’t matter though. In the end, the decisions we make are the ones that are put before us. We’re all just following one great big story and you my friend are the star…the hero.”

       “If you say so, buddy…” William chuckled with doubt. 

       “I know so,” Edward declared.

       “And what about Chris Norton? What does he qualify as?”

       “A villain. Not the villain; he could never be smart enough to pull that off. But he’s certainly not a good person; definitely not the hero.”

       “What do you think made him the way he is? What makes him a bad person?”

       “His father maybe… he’s definitely one of the problems.”

       “Remember he gave Chris that pocket knife when we were all real little?”

       “Definitely a monster…”

       There was silence for a moment before William said, “I miss my dad.”

       Edward registered this and took a deep breath. “It’s been a while since I heard you say those words. Do you think of him often anymore?”

       “Sometimes…but I’d rather not talk about it.”

       “I get that. So what now?”

       “Now, my old friend…we go inside, and we tell our girlfriends we love them?”

       “Sounds good…only, which one’s mine again?”

       “Very funny, pal. Don’t get any ideas now. Besides, mine’s the hotter one.”

       “Don’t flatter yourself there, Romeo.”

       The two joked and laughed some more and then headed back inside to the girls they loved and continued their celebration. None of them had any idea at that time that someone in Ellis was celebrating as well, only for a darker cause.

       Chris Norton stood out front of the building, which had been destroyed by a fire that had almost killed some very young children with a sinister-like grin on his face. “They’ll never know,” he told himself. “Who would ever assume that I was capable of such an evil act?” He laughed a bit over the terror he had caused, wishing that someone had at least died.  Maybe then goodie old two-shoes William Temple wouldn’t have been such a great hero. All well, there was always enough time in the world for William to fail or even die. Chris just had to wait. He walked home, still grinning. He knew he had to come up with a new plan, but what?

                               Holy Man

 

       It had been a long autumn day for Father West, the town’s priest. He had been busy planning the events for the coming Sunday. He was a good man who always put the people of Ellis first. He never did anything questionable or forced the god he had loved so much onto anyone else. He just wanted to teach the town the ways of peace and good will. He didn’t know much of the little boy that the Myrtle’s had adopted, other than the fact that his name was Billy Partridge, his parents were tragically killed, and that he had recently survived a deadly fire, thanks to William Temple. When he saw the boy at the Sunday gatherings, nothing seemed off or even strange. It was Billy that broke the silence between them.

        Father West didn’t think anything odd about Billy asking to see him after one Sunday’s gathering. He dealt with a lot of people who needed his help and guidance. He was even glad at the time that the boy was willing to come to him for help. Father West just figured that Billy probably wanted to talk about his parents or the fire. He could never imagine what Billy really wanted to talk about. When the boy came to his office, he was quiet at first, but finally worked up what he had to say, and attempted to tell Father West about his problem. He said in a mere fright, “Something bad is going to happen, sir. Something bad is going to come to Ellis.”

       “What do you mean, Billy?” Father West asked. “What could possibly happen here? There are no bad people in Ellis. This is a good town.”

       “The people here are good, for the most part. It’s the other people that are scaring me.”

       “Other people? What other people?”

       “I don’t really know. But they scare me, sir. Something is wrong with them. They’re upset for some reason. The town took something from them and now they want it back. I don’t really understand.”

         “How do you know all of this? Who told you these things?”

         “Nobody. I’ve seen these things in my dreams.”

         “Then maybe they were just dreams, young Billy. We all have bad dreams sometimes.”

         “They’re not just dreams, sir. You have to believe me. Something bad is going to happen.”

       “The fire that you survived recently… maybe it’s the source of your nightmares. There are often a lot of effects from a traumatic experience such as that. Maybe it’s effected you in this way…”

       “It wasn’t the fire! I’ve been through a lot more scary things than that. And besides, you don’t really think I didn’t see that coming either, did you?”

       “You saw the fire ahead of time? Then tell me, why didn’t you do anything about it? People almost died, Billy. Why did you let them go in? And why did you go?”

       “I knew the outcome. I knew the hero was going to save us.”

       “William Temple? What do you mean by this?”

       “He’s the one. He’s the only chance you’ve got, all of you. He just won’t admit it yet. Not even to himself. Don’t worry, he will one day. He’s just got a long road to go down before he gets there.”

       “I don’t understand any of this that you’re saying.”

       “You will. You all will, in time.”

       “When, Billy? When is this all going to happen?”

       “I don’t know. It could be a while…maybe even a long time from now. But something is going to happen. It’s going to kill you all.”

       “These things you say are beginning to frighten me, boy. If you are lying, I warn you it is very unwise.”

       “I’m not lying. I am telling you the truth. Why don’t you believe me? You are a priest aren’t you?”

       “I am a man of God, yes. But you have to understand, I must question every young boy who comes to me and tells me that someone is coming to the town that I love and that has treated me so well, to kill everyone.”

       “So what are we going to do, Father?”

       Father West thought it over for a while and then told the young man to go home. He would contact him when he had made his decision. The boy left the church, doubting the priest. Father West knew it was a difficult story to believe but what if the boy was telling the truth. He at least seemed like he believed this tale. He was reminded of Carl, the town drunk, who told him that he saw an Angel. What if it was true? Could he really let this boy down if he had indeed seen a future of evil times in his dreams? Could he really let Ellis fall into a dark fate? He had a tough decision to make; he just hoped he would make the right one. So he decided that he should talk to the social worker that brought young Billy to Ellis. He obtained the number from Mr. Myrtle and called the man. He had questions about the boys past, whether or not the boy had a history of lying and if he was capable of coming up with a story this big.

        Apparently, the boy had never been known to be a fibber. In fact, he was a very honest kid. Then West learned something that both caught his attention and frightened him. Supposedly, the boy had predicted the deaths of his parents. He knew when, where, and how but nobody believed him. This was when Father West began to feel that maybe there was more to this boy than he thought. Maybe it was all true. This sent a cold shiver up his spine. He decided that he should talk again with the boy and they could figure everything out together. If it was true then maybe they could make a plan; maybe they could save Ellis. But he wouldn’t get that chance. On his way over to the Myrtle home, he came upon a crowd of people standing in the middle of the road, all observing a tragedy. Father West immediately knew he wasn’t going to like what he found. Young Billy Partridge had been hanging out with some friends, when he suddenly went into a heart attack. Dr. Moss just couldn’t understand it, let alone explain it to anyone. It was very abnormal for a boy that age to die of a heart attack. Father West knew he was too late. Maybe if he had listened to the boy, things would have been different. Now whatever was coming, he couldn’t prepare Ellis for it. Now he could only brace himself.

       Billy Partridge was buried on a Friday evening. The Myrtle’s were all torn up about it. They had taken this boy in when he was at his worst and even grew to love him. Now he was gone. Father West performed the funeral and thought of bringing the things Billy said to everyone’s attention but kept it to himself instead. He looked to William Temple, who had been grieving the boy he had so recently saved. What was so important about the Temple boy? Did he really matter so much? Did he really have a purpose?  Father West knew it was hopeless. He would never know, at least not until the problem occurred and then it would be too late. Who were these men that were coming? What was there motive? Only time would tell.

       And so Father West went on the best that he could. He couldn’t dwell on this forever; he knew it would destroy him. He found it difficult keeping it all to himself and never looked at William Temple the same way again. He even smiled from time to time. Maybe they would survive. Maybe they would win the coming battle. If not, everything he loved and all that Ellis was built on would crumble and fall into a dark abyss. “I will not let it happen,” he told himself. “I cannot.”

                           The Awakening

     

       William Temple woke up alone in the middle of nowhere on a Saturday morning, dressed in the suit he wore to Joseph Macgregor’s funeral. He had no idea what he was doing there or even where he was until he saw the sign that read, “Welcome To Ellis. Just Five Miles Ahead,” on the roadside. How could he have gotten all the way to the outskirts of town? Did he sleep walk? And why was he wearing the suit? He stood up all alone, miles away from any other human being. “What the- how did I get here?” he asked. “Did I really sleep walk in this suit for five miles?” He remembered going to sleep in his own bed, wearing only his pajamas the night before. He had just talked to Myra and they planned on meeting for breakfast at eight-thirty. He checked his watch,

to find that it was twelve o’clock in the afternoon. He had missed their date. “Myra’s going to hate me.” He sat down on the side of the road and attempted to figure the whole situation out. It then occurred to him that he had never seen this place before. He had never been this far out of town. He stood up, realizing he had a long and mysterious walk ahead of him. He had to get back and find Myra. He had to set things right with her.

      

       Myra Wilson was very worried about her boyfriend, William. It wasn’t like him to miss a date. In fact, he was the only person in the whole town she could really count on. She went to his home but he wasn’t there. His mother, Wendy, said she didn’t realize he left. She asked everyone she knew, no one could tell her anything. Edward and Amelia had spent the night before together, and hadn’t seen William since that afternoon. She became very worried. “I hope he’s okay,” she cried to herself in her room, “ Please William be okay.”

      

        The sun was scorching down onto William as he entered his third mile of walking back to Ellis. He still had no idea how he had gotten to this point. He came upon a bench, where a stranger sat. He was a young man, in his early twenties, by the name of Willard Kelley. They both said hello, William sat down and they introduced themselves to the other.

       “I know you…don’t I?” Willard asked.

       “I doubt it, pal” William answered. “I’ve never left this town. This is the farthest I’ve been out.”

       “No, I do know you! You’re the hero.”

       “I’m not a hero.”

       “But you are. I’ve heard of you.”

       “I doubt that. There’s no way you saw it on the news. No one even knows about this place.”

       “You saved those kids. You’re a hero, whether you’ll admit it or not.”

       “And who are you?” William asked, beginning to get tempered. “What brings you to Ellis?”

       “Destiny,” Willard answered.

       “Oh, is that all?” William said, sarcastically.

       “You have so much doubt in yourself and still you go on. You save children, you’re a hero…but you won’t admit it to yourself. Why is that?”

       “I don’t know, you tell me. Who am I?”

       “I told you, William. You’re a hero.”

       William sighed in a bit of annoyance. Still, how could he know so much about him? Whatever the case, he had top get out of there. He had to get back to Myra.

       “Okay, buddy. I have to get going,” William said. “I have to get back to town. People are probably wondering where I am.”

       “Of course they are,” Willard agreed. “You’ll find they’ll all have you on their minds very often. You are their leader after all.”

       “Right,” William said, slightly wigged out. He stood and started to walk off.

       “You be careful now, William.” Willard called out to him. “So much depends on you.”

       “I’m sure it does,” William shouted back, in disbelief. Unknown to him, they would soon cross paths again.

       After about thirty minutes, William arrived back in town in relief. The first person he came upon was Deputy Pickles, who had been putting up a sign for the annual Ellis Bake-Off. Of course, Deputy Pickles had not known William was missing.

        “Oh hey there, William,” he said. “How are you doing on this nice fine day?”

        “I’ve been better, Deputy Pickles,” William answered. The way he said this, made Deputy Pickles wonder if something was not right.

        “Something wrong, son? You seem kind of tired.”

        “No one’s called for me? No one’s made any reports to you guys, about me being missing?”

        “I haven’t heard a word.” Pause. “Say William.”

        “Yes, Sir?”

       “Why are you walking back from that direction? You weren’t leaving home were you?”

       “No, sir. I…slept walk.”

       “Oh alright. It’s a bad idea trying to leave town, you know. Officer Mackey tried that a while back, oh…when you were still a youngling. He didn’t make it, of course. He got lost out there and barely even found his way back.”

        “No way. Really?”

        “You bet. Ask him sometime. Just don’t ask him why.”

        Confused. “Maybe I’ll do that.” Pause. “Well, I guess I’m off. I have to find my girlfriend.”

         “Myra, right. If you don’t mind my saying, you have one hell of a girl there, William. You should hold on to her. I wish I did…”

         At first, William was confused by what Deputy Pickles said. But then he recalled a story he heard, something about Pickles losing the love of his life by his own fault. He didn’t want to bring it up, so he just smiled, nodded and said, “Thank you, sir. I love her a lot, there’s no way I’m letting her go.”

        “That a boy,” Deputy Pickles said. “Well you be good, William. And stay away from those woods.”

        William laughed at this. “You bet, Deputy Pickles. See you later.”

         The two parted ways and William continued his unfortunate journey. He first went home to see if his mom was worried. She had no idea that he had even gone until Myra had stopped by looking for him. He felt the irony in this, laughed a bit and then headed to Myra’s house. When William arrived, her mother was outside getting the paper. When she saw William, she smiled and told him to go on inside, Myra had been looking for him. Inside, William found Myra who burst into joyful tears as soon as she saw him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him immediately. “I was so worried about you,” she said. “Where did you go? What happened to you?”

       “It’s a long story. I slept walked. Somehow I just wandered off outside of town.”

       “What do you mean you slept walked?”

       “I went to bed in my own room and this morning I woke up outside of town…by a few miles.”

       “A few miles? My god, William, I was so worried about you. I thought you left me.”

       “What did I tell you, Myra? I’ll never leave you. I love you.”

       Myra began to tear up a bit. “I just love you so much.”

       She fell into William’s arms and he held her. They spent the rest of the day together, with William attempting to let on that all was well but he still felt distant. Myra did her best not to let him see that she knew, but he felt terrible about the whole situation. He just couldn’t get it out of his head. Most of all, he wondered about the stranger, Willard Kelley. Who was he? How did he know so much about him, having no idea that the stranger had a purpose in Ellis? Soon it would all come together, and they would begin their destinies.

                            The Hall Family

 

       Edward Hall had always been William Temple’s best friend. He had been born a week after the other boy and the two spent nearly every day of their lives together. Both had very hard lives and both of their families weren’t exactly perfect. As I said, William’s dad disappeared when he was a kid and so he was raised by a single mother. Edward’s parents were still together but this didn’t mean they didn’t have their problems. The Hall’s struggled through many hard times all of Edward’s life. His grandfather, who was a well-respected man in Ellis, ran the town butcher shop and when he died, the Halls had no money to keep it going and it was lost. Edward was twelve at the time.

       Edward’s father was a good man but he couldn’t bring everything together the way he wanted for his family. He had to work multiple jobs and began to be seen less and less around home. Edward loved his father and missed him badly. After Roger Norton disappeared into thin air, just like William’s dad had, the Inn was out of a janitor. When Mr. Hall was offered the job, he almost declined but then changed his mind when he learned of the money that was offered. It was enough to quit his other jobs and be at home more, which was good.

       There were never really any guests at the Inn, other than that one guy from Dade City, Florida that no one really cared for. Ronald Payne was his name and there was also that young guy, Willard Kelley. Both of them had been very mysterious since their arrivals. Ronald had been known to be a bit of a jerk and seemed to hustle his way around town a bit but the other one, Willard, seemed to keep to himself. It was a bit strange though, when William Temple came to Mr. Hall, asking about Willard. Apparently the two had met and the stranger must have made quite an impression. Mr. Hall figured that there was something more to it all but just kept it to himself.

       Mrs. Hall was the traditional housewife. She stayed home all day, cleaned and cooked. On the weekends she would meet with her friends, Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Temple among others, for lunch and they would talk for hours and gossip. On Sundays, she would lure her husband and son to Church for Father West’s assemblies, then lunch and in the evenings, the three would have Sunday dinner. It was the same weekly cycle for years. Edward Hall loved his parents but he knew when they were troubled. He knew that he should do something to help them but he felt he couldn’t. He never thought he had what it takes. He was still in shock that Amelia Dillon would even talk to him, let alone date him. He had fallen in love with the girl and sometimes worried that she wouldn’t have ever noticed him if her friend, Myra hadn’t dated his friend, William. He figured that the two had set them up out of pity. But Amelia did want to date him and she loved him more than he would ever know.

        Edward was more important to Ellis than he could ever imagine. One day he would realize it but it would take a lot of loss and a lot of pain. He had a destiny and he would one day follow William Temple to the ends of the earth and back. The two friends would face many hardships and battles but in the end they would always have their friendship and that is stronger than any evil ever forced upon the earth.

                            The Messenger

      

       William Temple never forgot the stranger he had met outside of Ellis, right after he woke up from sleepwalking. And when he saw the stranger who called himself, Willard Kelley, hanging around Ellis a week later, he began to worry. He asked around if there were any new comers to Ellis, besides the hated Ronald Payne. Apparently there was. His friend Edward Hall’s dad, who became the janitor at the Inn after Roger Norton disappeared, told him that this ’Willard Kelley’ had shown up just recently and had no intention of leaving anytime soon. It was the same as with Ronald. Willard had a secret. It was a secret that would affect all of Ellis but William most of all. It was Willard that broke the silence between them. He sent word for William to meet him outside of the town church on a Saturday evening. Both were right on time. They were hesitant at first, until William finally spoke.

       “So,” William said, “You really did know who I was didn’t you?”

       “I’m afraid so, William,” Willard answered. “Unfortunately, there’s more to this than you could ever imagine.”

       “I see. And what would that be?”

       “Lets go somewhere more private. There’s a lot I have to tell you.”

       The two new acquaintances left the church, unaware that Father West had been watching them from inside the whole time.  He realized then that everything that Billy Partridge said must have been true. There was something special about William Temple, but what? William and Willard chose to continue their conversation over coffee at Myrtle’s Diner. Willard told William everything including his back story, the dreams he had, which gave him clues and messages, something about dates, times, and locations and a coming darkness that intended to kill him and everyone he knew. William didn’t react exactly the way Willard had hoped.

       “So…” William said, “You expect me to believe all of that? If you were going to try to feed me that garbage, you could have at least just told me that day at the bench. Why did you have to drag me around like this and waste my time?”

       “I’m not wasting your time, William,” Willard answered. “Everything I have told you is true. Something’s coming. Not yet, but soon.”

       “Right, and who told you this? Your dreams?”

       “That’s right. But it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. The day I met you, it was just as I said. It was one of the dates, times and locations that was on my list.”

       “Oh yeah, that’s right. Tell me again about the list.”

       “About a year ago I woke up from a…well I guess it was like a trance more than it was sleeping. I had written down a list of dates, times and locations down on a piece of paper with an oil crayon that was lying around my room. I didn’t think much of it at first, until it happened again and again. Every time, it was the same exact list. So I decided to check it all out. The first one sent me to a local park. It was there that I witnessed a small girl get injured. It didn’t seem like that big of a deal; I mean kids get hurt all the time. But then I learned the girl’s name.  The child had the same first, middle and last name as my mother. At first, I just put this off as coincidence. On the second date on the list, I ended up at the cemetery, right at my mother’s grave. As you can expect, this disturbed me very much. Worse, even to learn that while I was at the cemetery, there was an incident at my house and my father was killed. If I hadn’t have trusted the list and my instincts…if I hadn’t have left, I would have been killed too. And that is why I feel I must believe in this list. You should too. There is evil coming to Ellis, William. You have to become the hero you’re supposed to be. You have to be the leader that this town needs.”

       William thought this over for a bit. “I’m sorry, pal. But whatever you think I am, I’m no hero. I’m definitely not a leader. You’ve got the wrong guy.” William stood, and began to walk away, turning his back on Willard but Willard stopped him with what he had to say next.

       “Tell me about the Warlock, William. Tell me about why you think Joseph Macgregor died.”

       William stopped and froze. “How do you know about all of that?”

       “Because I’ve seen him.”

       “You’ve seen the Warlock?”

       “Not in person, only in my dreams.”

       “And what did he say?”

       “He told me to get you back on track. See, he’s in allegiance with whoever gave me the list.”

       “Well isn’t that just convenient.”

       At this point, William sat back down with Willard and was now paying more attention to everything his new friend said. Over the next few weeks the two became good friends and invited William’s best friend, Edward, in on everything. They didn’t include the girls, Myra and Amelia, however. This would all just upset them. This was the beginning of a new age in Ellis; one in which William Temple, Edward Hall and Willard Kelley would team up and prepare themselves for the future. But it would not be an easy one. Unknown to them all, darkness was a lot closer than they could ever imagine. It was watching and waiting. Soon it would make it’s move. Willard was getting closer and closer to the last date on the list. There was much worry that that date would be his last. Yet, there was still some hope that this last date would lead them to some answers. Maybe soon they would learn what it all meant, and even be given further instructions. Only in the end, would they know the outcome.