remember that Boxcar Children thing I wrote for the 40 day meme thing...
I finished it! The Boxcar Children thing. Sooooo here you go. It probably has errors. I don't really care. I will fix them later. I am not sure how I feel about it personally. But I figure I would put it here before I decide I hate it and delete it all sooooo yep.
Day 3: The Boxcar children
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny sat in their beloved red boxcar watching the clouds go by. It was the sort of hot summer’s day where you really didn’t want to do anything but watch clouds but, it was also the sort of summer day where the children usually stumbled across a mystery of some kind and they were dreading it.
“Henry?” asked Jessie, “just how old are you again?”
“Fourteen, I think,” said Henry, a puzzled look on his face, “except I think I was supposed to be at college right now, so that can’t be right. What year is it?”
“1942!” cried Benny for he was very pleased that he knew what year it was, but no one ever asked him.
“That can’t be right,” said Jessie, “that was the year we found the boxcar we can’t have solved over 100 mysteries in less than a year, could we?”
“It is always summer or winter,” said Violet quietly, “it’s never autumn and I don’t remember the last time we went to school its always vacation…”
“I think something is wrong here,” said Henry, “and has been for awhile. Let’s go ask Grandfather about it or at least check a calendar to find out what year it is.”
So the four children raced to the house Watch the dog trailing behind. They searched all over the house but James Alden was nowhere to be found.
“Maybe he left a clue of where he went,” said Jessie, “he usually lets us know one way or another.”
“There are no calendars anywhere,” said Henry, “I don’t even remember what month it is.”
“Look,” said Benny, and he pointed at the boxcar.
There was a book sitting on the floor just inside the doorway. It hadn’t been here when they left, because it was right where they had just been sitting. Quick as lightning the children ran back to the boxcar and examined the book. It was green, leather bound and said ‘Celtic Tales and Mythology’ on the cover. They flipped through it and in the middle found a small handwritten note.
Dear Children,
It is time for you to solve the final mystery. Ask the blackbird for help.
Grandfather
“What is the final mystery?” asked Jessie, once Henry finished reading it to them.
“How can we ask a blackbird?” asked Violet.
Just then with a flutter of wings a little black bird landed in a tree next to them. It stared them with a fierce yellow ringed eye. The children looked back at it, unsure what to do when finally shy little Violet spoke up, for she did have a way with animals.
“Can you help us find our grandfather?” she asked it.
To everyone’s amazement the bird spoke in a clear high voice.
“I do not know where your grandfather is, but I can take you to someone who can,” it flew down right to Violet’s hand, “grab my tail and don’t let go.”
Gingerly Violet did as the bird ask for she didn’t want to pull out any if it’s tail feathers and the other children linked arms. Henry held Violet’s, Jesse held Henry’s and Benny grabbed Jesse’s. Watch barked and barked until finally Benny grabbed his collar. With a great flap of his tiny wings they black bird flew into the sky taking the children with him. They watched their red boxcar disappear into the white clouds and then everything went very dark. Just as they were starting to get worried they black bird landed in a great green forest, he looked very tired.
“Go up the hill and find the stag,” he said, very out of breath, “he should be able to help you find your grandfather.”
So with Violet leading the way they did. They went up the hill and between two great birch trees stood the stag. He had two great antlers which threatened to get caught in the trees and a thick shaggy fur that smelled of wood and wildness. He gazed calmly at them with dark, liquid eyes. Before Violet had the chance to say anything he spoke to them in a deep, booming voice.
“I know why you are here, Children of Alden,” he said, “I do not know where your grandfather is but climb on my back and I will take you to someone who might know.”
“Why did the black bird send us to you then?” asked Benny as Henry put him on the great stag’s back.
“Your grandfather is older than you think,” replied the stag, as Jesse put Violet behind Benny, “few remember him. The blackbird is the youngest animal and the easiest to find and ask. I am the second youngest, and I will take you to someone older than I who may remember his location.”
Watch did not bark this time. He stood calmly while Henry helped Jesse onto the stag and then was helped up himself. Then when the stag took off with a bound he followed silently easily keeping pace with his long strides. They went through the forest and up a mountain to a large bundle of sticks.
“Here you must wait for the eagle,” said the stag, “he might know where your grandfather is.”
The children got off and before he left the stag looked down at Watch.
“You are not who you say you are, are you?” he asked the dog.
Watch did not answer. He stared at the ground.
“Perhaps you are trapped to,” said the stag, “and are looking for answers as well.”
And then with a great leap he was gone and the children were alone. After a few minutes a scream filled the air and a golden eagle, larger than Henry flew down.
“Do you know where our grandfather is?” asked Henry quickly, for the eagle looked hungry and he could easily make a snack of Benny.
“No,” said the eagle, her voice cold and cruel. “Hold onto my leg and I will take you to someone who can, you do not have much time.”
So Henry and Benny held onto one leg and Jesse and Violet held on to the other. Watch had to be carried in the eagle’s talons. They flew off the mountain and down to a large lake. The eagle gave a longing look at the lake while the detangled themselves from her talons. Then she with a flap of her golden feathers she was gone.
“Who are we supposed to find here?” Jesse whispered to Henry.
“I don’t know, the oldest animal maybe?” he whispered back.
“SHARK!” yelled Benny, for he had spotted a large fin in the water.
“That’s not a shark,” said Violet quietly, “the fin is wrong, it looks like a salmon.
And she was right. A salmon as big as an orca lived in the lake forever swimming round and round. He swam up to the banks and stared at them through the water.
“Are you the oldest animal?” asked Henry, “we asked the black bird and the stag and the eagle and none of them know where our grandfather is and we need him to solve the final mystery.
“Come into the water and grab my fin,” burbled the salmon, “I am the oldest animal and I know you and I know your grandfather. I will take you to him and to yourselves.”
They waded into the water and each grabbed the fin, but the salmon stopped Watch.
“Your journey ends here Dog,” said the salmon.
Watch gave a shiver on the shore and then he changed. He became large and lean and grey. He looked like a very curly wolfhound.
“What’s happened to Watch?” asked Jesse.
“You met the first animals,” said the salmon, “this is the first dog in his true shape.”
“I was your guardian, because of your grandfather,” said Watch in a deep voice. “I am sorry I cannot go with you any further. I did have quite a lot of fun with you.”
“Do we have to say goodbye?” asked Benny quietly, he did not like goodbyes.
“Yes,” said the salmon, “you must say goodbye as we go.”
So very sadly the children waved goodbye to Watch and rode on the salmon’s back across the lake. When the salmon got to the middle he dived down without warning and it was very cold and dark. Henry thought they were all going to drown, but then it was light again. There was a castle on the bank, and beside it stood their grandfather.
“Here you go,” said the salmon, as he reached the shore, “and I’m sorry.”
Then he was gone and the children were left on the bank of the lake and the man who didn’t look like their grandfather anymore.
“Who are you?” asked Henry.
The man had a large set of antlers growing out of the top of his head and he wore only a pair of pants made of buckskin.
“I am the god Cernunnos,” said the man, “I have been acting as your Grandfather to keep you safe.”
“Safe from what?” asked Benny, always the curious one.
Cernunnos sighed, the deep heavy sigh of one who doesn’t not want to burden someone with bad news. Then he waved his hand. The boxcar appeared, but it was no longer a shiny red, it was dull and faded.
“Do you know what year it is?” asked Cernunnos.
“1942!” said Benny excited that he had been asked twice in one day.
“Do you remember what was going on before I found you?” Cernunnos asked. “It was even before you found the boxcar.”
Henry looked at the dull and faded train car. There was a memory buried deep inside of him that stirred when he looked at the little boxcar.
“We were on a train,” he said “it was crowded and full of children, children like us.”
“Orphans,” said Jesse quietly. “orphans in the rain.”
“You think it is the year 1942,” said Cernunnos “But it is actually the year 1924 and you were on the last of the Orphan Trains out of New York City. It was rainy and cold and conditions in the boxcar and out of it were very poor. An ancestor of yours did me a great favor once and so when your mother prayed for someone to keep you safe I heard her. I left my sacred grove and traveled across the ocean but by the time I got there…it was too late.”
“There was a train crash,” said Violet quietly, “and a dog.”
The children were remembering now. Their mother crying and kissing them all on the cheek and telling them to be good and then disappearing into the crowd. The crowded train full of children. The rain that spilled into the car and soaked their feet and coats. The bolts of lightning that lit up the sky and scared the younger children. And then, the crash.
“What caused the crash?” asked Henry, “we survived it didn’t we?”
“A tree,” said Cernunnos, “a great big red oak, the driver never had time to stop and the train derailed; you weren’t the only ones that…you didn’t survive the crash.”
“But we’ve been solving mysteries,” cried Benny, “with Watch and everyone.”
“You were so young and fragile,” said Cernunnos, “and your mother asked me to help you. I couldn’t save you from the accident so I created a world for you. One where you could grow up and were able to do as you wish. But I didn’t have the power. Eventually you were stuck at the age you started in the same summer repeating itself over and over.”
“That’s why I never went to college,” said Henry. “You, we…we’re dead?”
Cernunnos nodded. “and now I feel it is time to let you go. I cannot keep you in this realm forever.”
“Where will we go?” asked Benny. “Will we meet our mother again?”
“Watch…” said Jesse quietly.
The children looked and low and behold there was Watch, though he was now in his true form, a fine wolfhound with iron grey fur.
“Are they ready?” he asked.
“A few more minutes,” said Cernunnos, “children your time is over. Watch will guide you to your next destination.”
“But where are you going?” asked Jesse.
“You’ll see,” said Cernunnos, “now goodbye children I am glad I was able to meet you all.”
Then he was gone.
“He hates goodbyes,” said Watch giving his ear a good scratch. “Now Henry grab my collar and all of you grab Henry.”
The children obeyed and with a leap Watch was off running through the forest trailing the children behind him. Finally they reached a cave with a small tree in front of it. The little black bird was sitting in the branches.
“I was wondering if I would see you again,” she chirped. “Are you ready Alden children?”
“But where are we going?” asked Jesse, “no one will tell us, first we find out we are ghosts running around in a land created by a Celtic god and now we are being whisked off to who knows where.”
The other children nodded.
“Very well,” said the blackbird, flicking a wing toward the cave, “you will be going in there. Where you come out is up to you, it all depends on what you want. Henry you go first.”
“Why me?” asked Henry.
“Because you are the oldest,” said the blackbird, “now go, the others will be coming shortly afterward.”
So Henry walked into the cave and was quickly swallowed by the darkness. Without even waiting for the command Jesse went after him and then Benny followed her. Violet stayed behind though.
“What if I want to stay here?” she asked.
“You can’t stay here,” said the blackbird, “you have to be one of the fey, the folk of the mists and the land in between. You are the ghost of a little girl who died in a train crash.”
She didn’t mean it unkindly; she was just stating the truth but Violet looked hurt.
“Go in the cave,” said the blackbird hoping down to her shoulder, “see where you come out maybe in the next life you’ll find your way back here under better circumstances.”
Then with a quick movement the blackbird plucked out one of her tail feathers and handed it to Violet.
“Don’t let go of it,” she said, “now off with you and best of luck.”
Violet nodded and mumbled thank you and then walked into the darkness.
Once upon a time there were four children born to a family in the English countryside. The oldest boy grew up to be a gifted athlete and scientist. The eldest girl became a loving school teacher. The youngest boy loved sweets was fascinated by trains though he never seemed to want to go near them, he finally became a woodcarver and storyteller. Finally the youngest of all, a little girl who was fond of the color purple… she wandered into the woods one day and was never seen again. Some say the fairy folk got her, some say she was eaten by wolves. Nobody knows for sure but sometimes when the moors are full of mist and the moon is full you can see a girl walking next to a great grey wolfhound, always at the edge of the forest, always keeping watch.
So yeah. Whoo?
Day 3: The Boxcar children
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny sat in their beloved red boxcar watching the clouds go by. It was the sort of hot summer’s day where you really didn’t want to do anything but watch clouds but, it was also the sort of summer day where the children usually stumbled across a mystery of some kind and they were dreading it.
“Henry?” asked Jessie, “just how old are you again?”
“Fourteen, I think,” said Henry, a puzzled look on his face, “except I think I was supposed to be at college right now, so that can’t be right. What year is it?”
“1942!” cried Benny for he was very pleased that he knew what year it was, but no one ever asked him.
“That can’t be right,” said Jessie, “that was the year we found the boxcar we can’t have solved over 100 mysteries in less than a year, could we?”
“It is always summer or winter,” said Violet quietly, “it’s never autumn and I don’t remember the last time we went to school its always vacation…”
“I think something is wrong here,” said Henry, “and has been for awhile. Let’s go ask Grandfather about it or at least check a calendar to find out what year it is.”
So the four children raced to the house Watch the dog trailing behind. They searched all over the house but James Alden was nowhere to be found.
“Maybe he left a clue of where he went,” said Jessie, “he usually lets us know one way or another.”
“There are no calendars anywhere,” said Henry, “I don’t even remember what month it is.”
“Look,” said Benny, and he pointed at the boxcar.
There was a book sitting on the floor just inside the doorway. It hadn’t been here when they left, because it was right where they had just been sitting. Quick as lightning the children ran back to the boxcar and examined the book. It was green, leather bound and said ‘Celtic Tales and Mythology’ on the cover. They flipped through it and in the middle found a small handwritten note.
Dear Children,
It is time for you to solve the final mystery. Ask the blackbird for help.
Grandfather
“What is the final mystery?” asked Jessie, once Henry finished reading it to them.
“How can we ask a blackbird?” asked Violet.
Just then with a flutter of wings a little black bird landed in a tree next to them. It stared them with a fierce yellow ringed eye. The children looked back at it, unsure what to do when finally shy little Violet spoke up, for she did have a way with animals.
“Can you help us find our grandfather?” she asked it.
To everyone’s amazement the bird spoke in a clear high voice.
“I do not know where your grandfather is, but I can take you to someone who can,” it flew down right to Violet’s hand, “grab my tail and don’t let go.”
Gingerly Violet did as the bird ask for she didn’t want to pull out any if it’s tail feathers and the other children linked arms. Henry held Violet’s, Jesse held Henry’s and Benny grabbed Jesse’s. Watch barked and barked until finally Benny grabbed his collar. With a great flap of his tiny wings they black bird flew into the sky taking the children with him. They watched their red boxcar disappear into the white clouds and then everything went very dark. Just as they were starting to get worried they black bird landed in a great green forest, he looked very tired.
“Go up the hill and find the stag,” he said, very out of breath, “he should be able to help you find your grandfather.”
So with Violet leading the way they did. They went up the hill and between two great birch trees stood the stag. He had two great antlers which threatened to get caught in the trees and a thick shaggy fur that smelled of wood and wildness. He gazed calmly at them with dark, liquid eyes. Before Violet had the chance to say anything he spoke to them in a deep, booming voice.
“I know why you are here, Children of Alden,” he said, “I do not know where your grandfather is but climb on my back and I will take you to someone who might know.”
“Why did the black bird send us to you then?” asked Benny as Henry put him on the great stag’s back.
“Your grandfather is older than you think,” replied the stag, as Jesse put Violet behind Benny, “few remember him. The blackbird is the youngest animal and the easiest to find and ask. I am the second youngest, and I will take you to someone older than I who may remember his location.”
Watch did not bark this time. He stood calmly while Henry helped Jesse onto the stag and then was helped up himself. Then when the stag took off with a bound he followed silently easily keeping pace with his long strides. They went through the forest and up a mountain to a large bundle of sticks.
“Here you must wait for the eagle,” said the stag, “he might know where your grandfather is.”
The children got off and before he left the stag looked down at Watch.
“You are not who you say you are, are you?” he asked the dog.
Watch did not answer. He stared at the ground.
“Perhaps you are trapped to,” said the stag, “and are looking for answers as well.”
And then with a great leap he was gone and the children were alone. After a few minutes a scream filled the air and a golden eagle, larger than Henry flew down.
“Do you know where our grandfather is?” asked Henry quickly, for the eagle looked hungry and he could easily make a snack of Benny.
“No,” said the eagle, her voice cold and cruel. “Hold onto my leg and I will take you to someone who can, you do not have much time.”
So Henry and Benny held onto one leg and Jesse and Violet held on to the other. Watch had to be carried in the eagle’s talons. They flew off the mountain and down to a large lake. The eagle gave a longing look at the lake while the detangled themselves from her talons. Then she with a flap of her golden feathers she was gone.
“Who are we supposed to find here?” Jesse whispered to Henry.
“I don’t know, the oldest animal maybe?” he whispered back.
“SHARK!” yelled Benny, for he had spotted a large fin in the water.
“That’s not a shark,” said Violet quietly, “the fin is wrong, it looks like a salmon.
And she was right. A salmon as big as an orca lived in the lake forever swimming round and round. He swam up to the banks and stared at them through the water.
“Are you the oldest animal?” asked Henry, “we asked the black bird and the stag and the eagle and none of them know where our grandfather is and we need him to solve the final mystery.
“Come into the water and grab my fin,” burbled the salmon, “I am the oldest animal and I know you and I know your grandfather. I will take you to him and to yourselves.”
They waded into the water and each grabbed the fin, but the salmon stopped Watch.
“Your journey ends here Dog,” said the salmon.
Watch gave a shiver on the shore and then he changed. He became large and lean and grey. He looked like a very curly wolfhound.
“What’s happened to Watch?” asked Jesse.
“You met the first animals,” said the salmon, “this is the first dog in his true shape.”
“I was your guardian, because of your grandfather,” said Watch in a deep voice. “I am sorry I cannot go with you any further. I did have quite a lot of fun with you.”
“Do we have to say goodbye?” asked Benny quietly, he did not like goodbyes.
“Yes,” said the salmon, “you must say goodbye as we go.”
So very sadly the children waved goodbye to Watch and rode on the salmon’s back across the lake. When the salmon got to the middle he dived down without warning and it was very cold and dark. Henry thought they were all going to drown, but then it was light again. There was a castle on the bank, and beside it stood their grandfather.
“Here you go,” said the salmon, as he reached the shore, “and I’m sorry.”
Then he was gone and the children were left on the bank of the lake and the man who didn’t look like their grandfather anymore.
“Who are you?” asked Henry.
The man had a large set of antlers growing out of the top of his head and he wore only a pair of pants made of buckskin.
“I am the god Cernunnos,” said the man, “I have been acting as your Grandfather to keep you safe.”
“Safe from what?” asked Benny, always the curious one.
Cernunnos sighed, the deep heavy sigh of one who doesn’t not want to burden someone with bad news. Then he waved his hand. The boxcar appeared, but it was no longer a shiny red, it was dull and faded.
“Do you know what year it is?” asked Cernunnos.
“1942!” said Benny excited that he had been asked twice in one day.
“Do you remember what was going on before I found you?” Cernunnos asked. “It was even before you found the boxcar.”
Henry looked at the dull and faded train car. There was a memory buried deep inside of him that stirred when he looked at the little boxcar.
“We were on a train,” he said “it was crowded and full of children, children like us.”
“Orphans,” said Jesse quietly. “orphans in the rain.”
“You think it is the year 1942,” said Cernunnos “But it is actually the year 1924 and you were on the last of the Orphan Trains out of New York City. It was rainy and cold and conditions in the boxcar and out of it were very poor. An ancestor of yours did me a great favor once and so when your mother prayed for someone to keep you safe I heard her. I left my sacred grove and traveled across the ocean but by the time I got there…it was too late.”
“There was a train crash,” said Violet quietly, “and a dog.”
The children were remembering now. Their mother crying and kissing them all on the cheek and telling them to be good and then disappearing into the crowd. The crowded train full of children. The rain that spilled into the car and soaked their feet and coats. The bolts of lightning that lit up the sky and scared the younger children. And then, the crash.
“What caused the crash?” asked Henry, “we survived it didn’t we?”
“A tree,” said Cernunnos, “a great big red oak, the driver never had time to stop and the train derailed; you weren’t the only ones that…you didn’t survive the crash.”
“But we’ve been solving mysteries,” cried Benny, “with Watch and everyone.”
“You were so young and fragile,” said Cernunnos, “and your mother asked me to help you. I couldn’t save you from the accident so I created a world for you. One where you could grow up and were able to do as you wish. But I didn’t have the power. Eventually you were stuck at the age you started in the same summer repeating itself over and over.”
“That’s why I never went to college,” said Henry. “You, we…we’re dead?”
Cernunnos nodded. “and now I feel it is time to let you go. I cannot keep you in this realm forever.”
“Where will we go?” asked Benny. “Will we meet our mother again?”
“Watch…” said Jesse quietly.
The children looked and low and behold there was Watch, though he was now in his true form, a fine wolfhound with iron grey fur.
“Are they ready?” he asked.
“A few more minutes,” said Cernunnos, “children your time is over. Watch will guide you to your next destination.”
“But where are you going?” asked Jesse.
“You’ll see,” said Cernunnos, “now goodbye children I am glad I was able to meet you all.”
Then he was gone.
“He hates goodbyes,” said Watch giving his ear a good scratch. “Now Henry grab my collar and all of you grab Henry.”
The children obeyed and with a leap Watch was off running through the forest trailing the children behind him. Finally they reached a cave with a small tree in front of it. The little black bird was sitting in the branches.
“I was wondering if I would see you again,” she chirped. “Are you ready Alden children?”
“But where are we going?” asked Jesse, “no one will tell us, first we find out we are ghosts running around in a land created by a Celtic god and now we are being whisked off to who knows where.”
The other children nodded.
“Very well,” said the blackbird, flicking a wing toward the cave, “you will be going in there. Where you come out is up to you, it all depends on what you want. Henry you go first.”
“Why me?” asked Henry.
“Because you are the oldest,” said the blackbird, “now go, the others will be coming shortly afterward.”
So Henry walked into the cave and was quickly swallowed by the darkness. Without even waiting for the command Jesse went after him and then Benny followed her. Violet stayed behind though.
“What if I want to stay here?” she asked.
“You can’t stay here,” said the blackbird, “you have to be one of the fey, the folk of the mists and the land in between. You are the ghost of a little girl who died in a train crash.”
She didn’t mean it unkindly; she was just stating the truth but Violet looked hurt.
“Go in the cave,” said the blackbird hoping down to her shoulder, “see where you come out maybe in the next life you’ll find your way back here under better circumstances.”
Then with a quick movement the blackbird plucked out one of her tail feathers and handed it to Violet.
“Don’t let go of it,” she said, “now off with you and best of luck.”
Violet nodded and mumbled thank you and then walked into the darkness.
Once upon a time there were four children born to a family in the English countryside. The oldest boy grew up to be a gifted athlete and scientist. The eldest girl became a loving school teacher. The youngest boy loved sweets was fascinated by trains though he never seemed to want to go near them, he finally became a woodcarver and storyteller. Finally the youngest of all, a little girl who was fond of the color purple… she wandered into the woods one day and was never seen again. Some say the fairy folk got her, some say she was eaten by wolves. Nobody knows for sure but sometimes when the moors are full of mist and the moon is full you can see a girl walking next to a great grey wolfhound, always at the edge of the forest, always keeping watch.
So yeah. Whoo?