From The Oak To The Guard

A man had heard from a friend of a friend of someone else that in the Town, down by the Boardwalk stands an abandoned Amusements. The fact that it's run-down isn't a surprise; everything along that Pier is, from the casino whose lights don't shine any more to the kiosks, benches and railings; fit to be props in an apocalyptic thriller. And standing might be too kind a word; a strong wind from that deep blue sea beside it would be enough to topple the old thing.

But what made the man's ears prick up when listening to the story from a friend of a friend of someone else was this line:

"And the strange thing is this my friends, a man stands guard at the entrance, day and night. Try to stay until he leaves and you will not succeed; as tiredness creeps quicker into the bones when blasted by the sea breeze, the lapping of the waves is hypnotic and the guard's stare mesmerizing, trance-like. Sleep is an inevitability, and when you wake to the salty air and seagull song, he will be there, still."

"It's a drugs-den," one person shouted.

"No, the government are using it" proclaimed another.

The friend of a friend of someone else just smiled as he left.

"Why not see for yourselves?" he shouted, from atop his horse, who, with a kick, galloped off.

The man was left rooted to the spot for hours, his legs heavy from the exhausting tale. He'd never been to the Town before and he had heard of great tragedies and terrible occurences there. His head told him not to venture that way, but something else said "GO!"

The man packed food for a month's trip, as well as a knife, a book and a small number of coins.

Setting off as the sun rose into place; he reached the grey oak which marked the end of the Forest. He'd barely been walking an hour. He'd never been passed this Tree before, except when he was seven and four boys pushed him beyond the boundary.

He closed his eyes and walked.

Open. Still alive. Turning back to the Forest, it seemed dark, forbidding; the trees tangling, grabbing for each other. It looked so sunny and peaceful when he had been in there.

It was necessary to go through the Town to reach the Pier. Walking briskly and with head down he could hear waves swishing and dock workers yelling in no time. He didn't look directly at anyone as he strode, but sensed them all staring at him. Fingers pointed his way and giggles of children made his face red hot. His eyes then began to water; he felt so stupid and walked quicker, comically even. He wanted to just reach the boardwalk and jump over, into the sea below and be done with this ridiculous trip.

But then he saw the old casino; all broken glass and holes. The concrete ended and his feet hit wood, the Pier.

Then he saw the Amusements. Windows were ever so dusty, bumper cars lay in a heap around the left side and a merry-go-round lay isolated to the right; one of the white horses pierced his glance. He quickly looked away.

And he saw the Guard.

True to the story he stood by the entrance. He wore a black suit. His face was covered in a thick, black beard and one eye was scarred through the middle: grey, deep.

Tired from his trip the man sat down on a kerb and ate some food. The Guard stared at him, or maybe he didn't, the man couldn't really tell. The waves were amazing, as predicted, he could watch them for hours, or the seagulls swooning overhead, around and around, in and out.

But "NO!" He must do this. Fighting back his drooping lids, the man rushed up to the entrance.

"May I enter?" he enquired.

"No," barked the Guard.

The man held out a handful of coins.
"Here, now can I enter?"

The Guard took the coins gratefully and said, "I told you, no."

"Here are my emotions," the man said.

The Guard took the man's emotions but again replied, "You still cannot enter."

The man, unable to feel anger or sadness at this, tried again, "Here is my intelligence."

The Guard, so happy to receive the intelligence, wept.

"So I can go inside!" the man said optimistically.

Roaring with uncontrollable laughter and feeling far superior to the little man, the Guard bellowed, "YOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU, YOU CAN'T ENTER!"

With nothing left to hinder the man he tried one last time. "Here is my soul, take it."

Accepting the man's soul the Guard turned and went into the Amusements, shutting the entrance behind him, bolting the door.

The man, drained and exhausted, fell to the ground. He could think of nothing. He fell asleep.

In the morning, he was woken by the Guard, who felt pity for the cold, lonely man. "Here, take back your things and leave, I can't bear to look at you, you pathetic excuse."

Getting to his feet, the man was extremely pleased when he got back his emotions, and he lambasted the Guard for leaving him in the cold all night. Getting back his intelligence he tried to reason with the Guard to let him even look in, from outside, but to no end. Taking back the coins meant little; but, getting back his soul the man's eyes lit up. His emotions took over and he laughed incessantly as his intelligence realised his feat, all to the sound of jingling coins in his pockets.

"What's so funny?" the Guard yelled after the man as he began his trek Home, "You'll never get in," screamed the Guard.

"Well, not again," whispered the man to himself, as he walked straight and purposefully, thinking of how to tell his People what he had seen.