someone asked me to tell them a bedtime story on aim, so i made one up. read and critique if you wish. timestamps included! [sorry, i couldnt find/replace them since theyre all different]
(11:22:41 PM): once upon a time
(11:22:50 PM): there was a little boy that loved to sing
(11:23:08 PM): he would run across the open fields behind his house and sing and sing when no one was around
(11:23:20 PM): his parents didnt know that he sang, no one dide
(11:23:22 PM): did*
(11:23:37 PM): well one day he decided to sing for the animals in the barn
(11:23:59 PM): his voice was strong and sweet, and the animals loved it
(11:24:12 PM): they quit their noises ti listen to this little boy
(11:24:32 PM): he liked singing for other people so he went to sing for his parents
(11:24:54 PM): he ran into the house and up the stairs into his parents room
(11:25:06 PM): on the bed found a note in place of his parents
(11:25:45 PM): "we love you son, but we have to go. you will find all the food and supplies you will ever need"
(11:26:03 PM): "enjoy the rest of your life, see the world, but always come back home"
(11:26:20 PM): he was saddened at this, but it seemed like a great adventure to him
(11:26:35 PM): he decided to pack some food and start his travels immediately
(11:26:53 PM): he would be a traveling singer and pay for his lodging with his voice!
(11:27:26 PM): the boy wandered the country for days, stopping small villages and large towns alike
(11:27:54 PM): singing in his somehow warm soprano to the delight of all that heard him
(11:28:13 PM): but every few days he would race home as his parents had instructed
(11:28:37 PM): and to get more supplies, but that was really necessary because he could buy things with song
(11:29:09 PM): everytime he came home he always ran upstairs to check if his parents were back, but each time the same note lay on the bed
(11:29:32 PM): years went by in this fashion and the boy grew up healthy and happy
(11:29:52 PM): towns for miles all around knew him well, and awaited his return with eager ears and strained hearts
(11:31:05 PM): finally, on the morning of his eighteenth birthday, he ran upstairs to find a new note in place of that old yellowed page
(11:31:53 PM): it read "we've missed you so much, son. we are coming home soon so please stay by the house"
(11:32:17 PM): at this he was overjoyed, he had not seen his parents since he was half as tall as the doorway
(11:33:07 PM): now he was a strong young man and he couldnt wait to sing for his parents
(11:33:15 PM): in all this time they had never heard him sing!
(11:33:58 PM): he stayed in the house for a whole week after that day waiting for his parents to come home
(11:34:23 PM): on the eve of that seventh night, he grew weary of staying in one place and longed for his nomadic ways
(11:34:47 PM): right as he was preparing to leave once more, the screen door opened and he heard the locks turning
(11:35:10 PM): the biggest smile you'd ever seen spread across his face as he ran to greet them
(11:36:03 PM): tha family rejoiced to be together again, but the boy couldnt help but wonder for what reason had his parents left him for so many years
(11:36:28 PM): finally he asked them in plain straight words "why did you leave?"
(11:36:50 PM): his mother threw a weary glance in the direction of his father who merely shrugged
(11:37:15 PM): "does it really matter? we are together now"
(11:37:38 PM): its true, he was happy to be with them again, but this was not an answer he could accept
(11:38:09 PM): but in those past years he had learned to be patient, so he decided he would wait until they were ready to tell him
(11:38:33 PM): the next morning he woke up to an old smell, the smell of his mother cooking breakfast.
(11:38:59 PM): he came downstairs to see his mother and father sitting at the table and his pack by the door
(11:39:07 PM): "what is that for?" he had asked them
(11:39:36 PM): to which they replied "its time for you to go out into the world, you are eighteen" without looking him in the eyes
(11:40:05 PM): "but ive seen the world! ive been everywhere since youve been gone, i only want to stay with you now!"
(11:40:35 PM): "i have traveled this entire country, and i am well known as a singer throughout"
(11:41:00 PM): "this may be so" answered his mother "but you must still go... a singer you said?"
(11:41:20 PM): "yes mother! ive wanted to sing for you since the day you left me here..."
(11:41:37 PM): his father flushed and looked away, but the boy couldnt figure out why
(11:42:02 PM): his mind was frustrated and torn, but he picked up his pack and started out the door
(11:42:32 PM): he turned quickly and said "i will be back in seven days, please still be here" and off he went
(11:43:12 PM): these seven days seemed longer to him than the years he had waited for his parents to come home, but he had to keep his word
(11:43:47 PM): he traveled to the same inns and hostels for six days and then began the journey home
(11:44:03 PM): he hesitated at the door, dreading the thought of another note
(11:44:50 PM): as he stepped inside his parents looked up as if startled that he had returned
(11:45:14 PM): quickly they recovered "how was your trip, son? did you enjoy your time away?"
(11:45:35 PM): "not nearly as much as i enjoyed our one night together"
(11:45:52 PM): "and not nearly as much as that night would ahve been if i could have sung for you"
(11:45:57 PM): have*
(11:47:00 PM): he father stared at his shoes for a moment then looked up and sayed to his son with tears in his eyes "my boy... we have to leave you again, and this time we cannot come back"
(11:47:38 PM): the boy couldnt believe what he had heard, leaving again? for good?
(11:47:56 PM): "then i must come with you!" he said decidedly
(11:48:32 PM): his mother had begun to weep also "im so sorry, but we must go alone, this is not for you, not for the young of heart"
(11:49:25 PM): he began to plead with his parents "how? how can you do this to me? i have grown to be a man without either of you in my life!"
(11:49:42 PM): "i have lived for one purpose, to see you again! to be with you again!"
(11:50:05 PM): his parents looked away, embarrassed and torn
(11:50:28 PM): then they got up and left, walked right in front of him out the door
(11:50:52 PM): the boy knelt by the table and wept, for he felt there was nothing he could do
(11:51:00 PM): no reason to live
(11:51:03 PM): no reason to sing
(11:51:41 PM): he collapsed into the puddle of his tears and slept
(11:52:13 PM): in the morning when he woke, he felt better with the sun shining on his face
(11:52:51 PM): he thought to himself "i have lived most of my life without them, why can i not live the rest of it by myself without them?"
(11:53:22 PM): he knew this wasnt true, but he could trick himself into believing it, at least for a little while
(11:53:41 PM): and with this idea, he went out into the world again, to sing and to be happy
(11:54:20 PM): and sometimes he still made the journey home, to race up the stairs
(11:54:22 PM): the end
(11:22:41 PM): once upon a time
(11:22:50 PM): there was a little boy that loved to sing
(11:23:08 PM): he would run across the open fields behind his house and sing and sing when no one was around
(11:23:20 PM): his parents didnt know that he sang, no one dide
(11:23:22 PM): did*
(11:23:37 PM): well one day he decided to sing for the animals in the barn
(11:23:59 PM): his voice was strong and sweet, and the animals loved it
(11:24:12 PM): they quit their noises ti listen to this little boy
(11:24:32 PM): he liked singing for other people so he went to sing for his parents
(11:24:54 PM): he ran into the house and up the stairs into his parents room
(11:25:06 PM): on the bed found a note in place of his parents
(11:25:45 PM): "we love you son, but we have to go. you will find all the food and supplies you will ever need"
(11:26:03 PM): "enjoy the rest of your life, see the world, but always come back home"
(11:26:20 PM): he was saddened at this, but it seemed like a great adventure to him
(11:26:35 PM): he decided to pack some food and start his travels immediately
(11:26:53 PM): he would be a traveling singer and pay for his lodging with his voice!
(11:27:26 PM): the boy wandered the country for days, stopping small villages and large towns alike
(11:27:54 PM): singing in his somehow warm soprano to the delight of all that heard him
(11:28:13 PM): but every few days he would race home as his parents had instructed
(11:28:37 PM): and to get more supplies, but that was really necessary because he could buy things with song
(11:29:09 PM): everytime he came home he always ran upstairs to check if his parents were back, but each time the same note lay on the bed
(11:29:32 PM): years went by in this fashion and the boy grew up healthy and happy
(11:29:52 PM): towns for miles all around knew him well, and awaited his return with eager ears and strained hearts
(11:31:05 PM): finally, on the morning of his eighteenth birthday, he ran upstairs to find a new note in place of that old yellowed page
(11:31:53 PM): it read "we've missed you so much, son. we are coming home soon so please stay by the house"
(11:32:17 PM): at this he was overjoyed, he had not seen his parents since he was half as tall as the doorway
(11:33:07 PM): now he was a strong young man and he couldnt wait to sing for his parents
(11:33:15 PM): in all this time they had never heard him sing!
(11:33:58 PM): he stayed in the house for a whole week after that day waiting for his parents to come home
(11:34:23 PM): on the eve of that seventh night, he grew weary of staying in one place and longed for his nomadic ways
(11:34:47 PM): right as he was preparing to leave once more, the screen door opened and he heard the locks turning
(11:35:10 PM): the biggest smile you'd ever seen spread across his face as he ran to greet them
(11:36:03 PM): tha family rejoiced to be together again, but the boy couldnt help but wonder for what reason had his parents left him for so many years
(11:36:28 PM): finally he asked them in plain straight words "why did you leave?"
(11:36:50 PM): his mother threw a weary glance in the direction of his father who merely shrugged
(11:37:15 PM): "does it really matter? we are together now"
(11:37:38 PM): its true, he was happy to be with them again, but this was not an answer he could accept
(11:38:09 PM): but in those past years he had learned to be patient, so he decided he would wait until they were ready to tell him
(11:38:33 PM): the next morning he woke up to an old smell, the smell of his mother cooking breakfast.
(11:38:59 PM): he came downstairs to see his mother and father sitting at the table and his pack by the door
(11:39:07 PM): "what is that for?" he had asked them
(11:39:36 PM): to which they replied "its time for you to go out into the world, you are eighteen" without looking him in the eyes
(11:40:05 PM): "but ive seen the world! ive been everywhere since youve been gone, i only want to stay with you now!"
(11:40:35 PM): "i have traveled this entire country, and i am well known as a singer throughout"
(11:41:00 PM): "this may be so" answered his mother "but you must still go... a singer you said?"
(11:41:20 PM): "yes mother! ive wanted to sing for you since the day you left me here..."
(11:41:37 PM): his father flushed and looked away, but the boy couldnt figure out why
(11:42:02 PM): his mind was frustrated and torn, but he picked up his pack and started out the door
(11:42:32 PM): he turned quickly and said "i will be back in seven days, please still be here" and off he went
(11:43:12 PM): these seven days seemed longer to him than the years he had waited for his parents to come home, but he had to keep his word
(11:43:47 PM): he traveled to the same inns and hostels for six days and then began the journey home
(11:44:03 PM): he hesitated at the door, dreading the thought of another note
(11:44:50 PM): as he stepped inside his parents looked up as if startled that he had returned
(11:45:14 PM): quickly they recovered "how was your trip, son? did you enjoy your time away?"
(11:45:35 PM): "not nearly as much as i enjoyed our one night together"
(11:45:52 PM): "and not nearly as much as that night would ahve been if i could have sung for you"
(11:45:57 PM): have*
(11:47:00 PM): he father stared at his shoes for a moment then looked up and sayed to his son with tears in his eyes "my boy... we have to leave you again, and this time we cannot come back"
(11:47:38 PM): the boy couldnt believe what he had heard, leaving again? for good?
(11:47:56 PM): "then i must come with you!" he said decidedly
(11:48:32 PM): his mother had begun to weep also "im so sorry, but we must go alone, this is not for you, not for the young of heart"
(11:49:25 PM): he began to plead with his parents "how? how can you do this to me? i have grown to be a man without either of you in my life!"
(11:49:42 PM): "i have lived for one purpose, to see you again! to be with you again!"
(11:50:05 PM): his parents looked away, embarrassed and torn
(11:50:28 PM): then they got up and left, walked right in front of him out the door
(11:50:52 PM): the boy knelt by the table and wept, for he felt there was nothing he could do
(11:51:00 PM): no reason to live
(11:51:03 PM): no reason to sing
(11:51:41 PM): he collapsed into the puddle of his tears and slept
(11:52:13 PM): in the morning when he woke, he felt better with the sun shining on his face
(11:52:51 PM): he thought to himself "i have lived most of my life without them, why can i not live the rest of it by myself without them?"
(11:53:22 PM): he knew this wasnt true, but he could trick himself into believing it, at least for a little while
(11:53:41 PM): and with this idea, he went out into the world again, to sing and to be happy
(11:54:20 PM): and sometimes he still made the journey home, to race up the stairs
(11:54:22 PM): the end
Comment