Fred the Elf

Fred left Jacob talking on the phone with Lee, the principal of the new school. He returned to Bart, and they settled for the night. In the morning, Fred checked his watch, and he had two more weeks before he could do what he was here to do. His new magic was pulling him somewhere, and, he trusted his magic, so, with nothing else to do, he and Bart followed.

They found themselves in the hospital, the oncology wing. There was the source of the magic's pull. A young boy sat, quietly crying. Fred went over and sat next to him. "Hi, want to talk?"

The boy looked at him through tears. "Why? Why do I have to die? I don't want to. Why?"

Fred held out his arms, and the boy fell into his embrace. "Can you tell me more?"

For the next twenty minutes, the boy told Fred all about his life. How hard things had been, and how, recently, he had come here, and everything seemed to be getting better, and now the doctors said he had cancer and it was going to kill him. They said he had maybe a year of being pretty normal then the pain would get bad, and he would die.

Fred checked, and they were alone, so he used his magic to move them outside, where Bart was waiting. "Kewl, is that really a reindeer?"

Bart nodded to the boy. "He understood me?"

"Oh yes, reindeer from the North Pole are extremely smart, most of the time. This is Bartholomew. I call him Bart. He has quite a sweet tooth, so don't give him any sweets. His ankle is almost healed."

"Huh?"

"Wellll..." Fred told about how Bart hurt his ankle because he had packed so much sugar in his packs. The boy laughed, as Bart actually looked embarrassed.

"I think someone is coming, and we need to get you back, so they don't worry." The boy was once again sitting by himself in the same chair. He thought that he must have fallen asleep. His doctor came in, and they were off for a few more tests.

Later that night the boy woke up, and Fred was sitting in the chair in his bedroom. "Hi, let's take a walk where we won't wake up anyone, when we talk." The boy reached out, and Fred took his hand, and then they were out in the large field behind the boy's house. Bart was there, enjoying the tall grass.

The boy was surprised. "Hey, I'm in my underwear!"

"Shouldn't you be?" Fred asked, giggling.

"Jeez! Not outside! I need my clothes!"

"No you don't. Nobody can see you out here. It's the middle of the night. I thought you might want to talk some more. You had a lot of questions, and maybe talking will help see you through."

"But you're just a kid in my dreams."

Fred grinned. "Who better to talk to?"

The boy started walking. Fred stayed close. "I was pretty upset this morning when doctor told me. He's the best ever, but it is really scary. I feel fine right now. My bones don't hurt at all."

Fred took the boy's hand, and held it, offering comfort. "So what are you feeling now?"

"I don't really know. I guess all of this is such a shock. I mean I knew I was going to die sometime, but I figured it'd be when I was old. I guess I'm in shock and scared," the boy said.

"Sure, that's natural. It is a shock. You need to think about what you want to do now. If you have a year, then what can you do in that year to be happy?"

"You mean something like a visit to Disney World®? That would be fun, but, somehow going by myself seems kind of selfish. I want... I want to matter. I want there to be a reason for me to be here. Do you understand?"

Fred smiled. "Yes, I understand." They had walked quite a distance. "I think you are on the right track. It's time for you to get back. I'll check with you later. Talk to your friends and any adults you trust and see if they can give you any ideas."

"Thanks. I think I'll talk to the minister at my church. I bet he could help."

"That is a wonderful idea." With that Fred returned the boy to his bed.

When the boy awoke the next morning he remembered his dream of walking in the field and talking to the other kid. Well, he thought it was a dream until he noticed the grass stains on his feet.

When Sunday arrived, and the boy decided that after his Sunday School he would talk with the minister. He waited outside the minister's office, and when the man came he asked if he could talk. Sensing the boy had some serious problem, the minister put his do not disturb sign on the door.

The boy told the minister about what the doctor said. "So, what can I do to help you through this?"

"I want to somehow make a difference. I want to know there is a reason for me to be here," the boy explained.

The minister talked about the meaning of life, and how you touched people everyday and could make a difference by how you reacted to them. How he could be a model of how to be for others. Then he got a new Bible out of a cabinet and said, "This is what is called a study Bible; it is meant to be written in, highlighted, underlined or whatever you want. I'm going to mark some pages that I think might help you. When you have any questions, please come and talk to me."

"Okay, I can do that."

"I think I've kept them waiting long enough. You can stay here as long as you want. Remember, God loves you, I love you and so do all your friends and family." The minister then left his office and arrived to start the service only ten minutes late.

* * *

The week passed, and the boy read the pages that were marked in his Bible. He underlined the things that he found most meaningful to him. He tried real hard to be as good as he knew how. Each night he wondered as he fell asleep if he would dream of the kid with a reindeer. Friday night he woke up with Fred standing by his bed. Fred reached out, took his hand, and they vanished.

They were in a beautiful park. No one else was in sight. "Wow! This is cool," the boy said.

"It's one of my favourite places. I thought you might enjoy it here, too. So tell me, how has your week been?" Fred inquired.

"I talked to my minister. He took the time to get me my own Bible and showed me a bunch of stuff in it. It made me feel a whole lot better. So now I'm trying to figure out what I can do with the time I have left."

Fred nodded. "Are you telling your friends?"

"No, not yet anyway. They'd just get upset and they'd be all worried and over protective. I really don't want them to pity me. I really couldn't stand that. Once I get sick, I'll tell them, but until then, I just want to be a regular kid."

Fred hugged the boy. "You were never a 'regular kid.' You have a special soul. I will be watching you."

"Thanks, Fred. That makes me feel much better. I'm a Scout, and I think I'll work at that. I'm really excited about going to camp this summer."

Fred smiled. "I just might go with you. There seems to be something special about Scouts, all over the world. Very few are on the naughty list. Some troops have bad leaders and are not teaching the boys about how to live by the Scout Law and the Scout Oath. Those are very powerful principles and will serve you well." Fred gave the boy a big hug and sent him back to bed.

Fred watched the boy and was very pleased with the way he was now handling things. When he caught up with his own time again, he and Bart resumed the mission. Now that Fred knew who he had to talk to, he knew his job would be much easier. With a smile he and Bart predictably disappeared.

* * * * *

Author's Notes:

Well, I know this chapter is a bit late. I had this almost finished back in September and then Str8mayb got very sick. I'm glad he got better, so he can tell some more of my story. And he made me put that 'predictably disappeared' there at the end. So send him the complaints. Jeez. Have you figured out who Fred is going to see now?

Neal

Mid West Editor's Notes:

Hey, I thought these were supposed to be chapters. This isn't a chapter, it's an essay.

Grin.

I am absolutely certain who the boy that Fred is talking to is, and I was pretty sure who Fred will be seeing next, so I asked Fred, and he told me I was right, but he also told me not to tell anyone. In fact, I'm not even supposed to know, and he was a bit upset at me for figuring it out.

I used up a couple of boxes of Kleenex, just from knowing who the boy is. I am pretty sure that most everyone who has read Str8mayb's stories knows who the boy is, at least those who have been paying attention.

I still have tears running down my face, and I don't want this to happen, but I know it has to.

It's so sad for anyone to die of Cancer, but it seems so much worse when it's a young child who is taken.

Maybe Fred can do something to make it better, though.

I hope it won't be too long before we see the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

East Coast Editors Notes:

Well, I figured out who the little boy was that Fred was helping. But who he is going to see now? I haven't a clue. Neal, like Str8mayb, has a way of leaving you hanging by your fingertips before you even realize you're on a cliff. I can't wait for the next chapter.

Arli J

West Coast Editor's Notes:

Well that certainly was a very interesting chapter. Unfortunately, it is also a predictor of what is to come in another story. If I say anything more I am liable to find Ben Gay® applied to places I don't want. The only thing else I can say is "in every life some rain must fall".

Neal, we are also very glad that Str8mayb got better, he had all of us really worried.

TSL