Fairs Fair

A Heroes Journey By: Valerie Welch

Do you know a man named Mac Murtry, heri!!" #$e %rown to des&ise this man, i! only # could &ro$e hes a dirty thie!' (i!e would )e a whole lot easier*+ De&arture: ,all to Ad$enture #t )e%an a)out two days a%o when # was makin% my daily rounds on the cattle* # always count them -ust to make sure we still %ot all two hundred si.ty/ei%ht* My &o& told me to do this )ecause you ne$er know what can ha&&en when youre in a dee& slum)er, and the cattle are -ust sittin% out there like !ish )ait !or anyone, or anythin% !or that matter, to stroll on )y and snatch one u&* 0hat Wednesday mornin% we were missin% a cow* # did a dou)le check -ust to make sure # hadnt %oo!ed u& or anythin%* ure enou%h, # was ri%ht1 )ut when # reali2ed which cow was %one, my heart sunk* #t was Julie, my sisters &ri2e winnin% cow* 0he county !air is comin% u& and we need Julie to win us some )i% money3 # told my little sister, 4osie, that # would !ind Julie and )rin% her home )e!ore the Warren ,ounty Fair* De&arture: ,rossin% o! the First 0hreshold 0hat day # made !lyers to &ost around town askin% i! anyone had seen Julie* 5$eryone knows what she looks like )ecause shes a &ri2e winnin% cow o! course3 0hen, as # was &uttin% all o! the !lyers u&, this truck -ust comes racin% at me3 # didnt know what was %oin% on3 # -um&ed out o! the way -ust in time to sa$e my own li!e3 But # hit my head on a metal )ench near)y* # didnt wake u& !or a while* 6oure %oin% to lo$e this ne.t &art, heri!!* 0his is where it %ets really cra2y*+ De&arture: Belly o! the Whale # woke u& with a thro))in% head, in a stran%e room* 0his has %ot to )e a dream+, # thou%ht to mysel!* 0he walls o! the room were co$ered with shel$es that were !illed with all kinds o! dolls* 0his is de!initely a dream* #ts %ot to )e,+ # thou%ht a%ain* # &inched mysel! -ust to make sure, 7ot a dream'+ # started to &anic* 0hese dolls were &er!ect* (ike &orcelain, the most )eauti!ul thin%s # had e$er seen1 and yet the most distur)in% at the same time* All o! the dolls were &ointed at the center o! the room, directly at me* # reco%ni2ed some o! the !aces* 0he one in the corner was Mr* Finn, my teacher* 7e.t to him was Mrs* 4e%ina, the li)rarian* # )ecame more and more !ri%htened* # !inally reali2ed that # was lyin% in a )ed with a )lue and white 8uilt on to& o! me* # sat u& and turned around* Behind me was a window that seemed to look out on the !ront yard o! this )i2arre house* 0he mail)o. read, Murtry Family+* 0here, sittin% in the dirt co$ered %ra$el dri$eway, was the truck that tried to run me down*** #nitiation: 4oad o! 0rials # %ot u& out o! the )ed and walked the ei%ht !eet it took to %et to the )edroom door* # %ra))ed the handle, twisted $ery slowly and o&ened the door -ust enou%h so # could see throu%h it with one eye* 0o the le!t o! the room that # was in, there were three other doors* 0o the ri%ht, there was a hallway that led to one last door* Directly in !ront o! me, there was a wooden staircase that led down to what was the )ack door* # cre&t slowly, headin% !or the stair case* 0he !irst ste& made a loud, eerie creak* My heart started to race and )eads o! sweat were dri&&in% !rom my !orehead* From what # could hear, nothin% had chan%ed downstairs, so my kidna&&er must not ha$e heard me* 9ne ste& at a time* low and steady,+ # tell mysel!* # ke&t slowly makin% my way down the

stairs1 none o! them creaked like the !irst one, thank %od* When # %ot to the )ottom o! the stairs the music had %rown louder* # turned to my ri%ht* More dolls* 5.actly like the ones in the )edroom* A&&arently # was in the li$in% room* 0here was an old, worn down, %ray couch with a cou&le holes in the )ottom o! the !a)ric* Across !rom it was -ust a )lank wall* At this &oint, # thou%ht # mi%ht -ust run out the )ack door, )ut curiosity %ot the )est o! me* # continued on throu%h the li$in% room and into the kitchen* 0here was a man, who looked to )e in his !i!ties, hunched o$er a run down work ta)le with his )ack to me* # thou%ht a)out -ust %ra))in% the closest thin% # could reach and hittin% him on the )ack o! the head !or kidna&&in% me3 But, # -ust stood there, silent, studyin% the man and his surroundin%s* 9n the )ack o! one o! the chairs was a workmans -acket* 0he name stitched on the !ront le!t )reast &ocket read / Mac+* Well, well, well,+ # thou%ht to mysel!, hello Mr* Mac Murtry*+ #nitiation: Meetin% with the :oddess 0he man set down what he was workin% on to %ra) what looked like %lue !rom his ri%ht* He was re&airin% a doll whose le% was smashed* 0here was somethin% $ery !amiliar a)out this &articular doll* # e.amined the !ace* #t was 4osie3 My sweet little sister* hes my !a$orite &erson in the whole world* hes the only &erson whose needs come )e!ore mine e$ery time* A ra%e )uilt inside o! me1 a hundred 8uestions were racin% throu%h my mind* Who is this man" Why did he kidna& me" Where am #" Why does he kee& dolls as i! they were children" But the 8uestion that na%%ed at me the most was / how does he know my sister" #nitiation: Woman As 0em&tress 0he tem&tation o! crackin% the mans skull o&en came )ack* 9r to sneak away and set his house on !ire* e$eral strate%ies o! how # could %et )ack at the man were runnin% throu%h my mind* But instead # decided to de$ise a &lan o! how to esca&e and !ind out more in!ormation a)out him* #nitiation: 4oad o! 0rials ## # %radually turned around, walked )ack u& the stairs and into the room where # had !irst !ound mysel!* # )e%an to de$elo& a &lan* My )rain was workin% like a !actory runnin% around the clock, or a well oiled machine that ne$er sto&s* 0he %ears were s&innin% !aster and !aster, men were sho$elin% coal into %reat &its, and all the collecti$e ener%y went towards !uelin% the mi%hty en%ine* 7ew ideas would stream in and # would toss them aside )ecause they were too risky+, or not %ood enou%h+* Well manu!actured &roducts would start to !orm and # would com)ine them with others to !orm the &er!ect )rain child* ometimes my )rain would slow down )ecause #d )een thinkin% too much1 like a machine startin% to slow !rom a clo%%ed system or )acklo% o! tasks* Finally # !i%ured it out* First # would sneak out o! the house and hide in the )ack o! the mans truck* When he %ot in # would ride in the $ehicle to whate$er destination he )rou%ht me to* 0hen # mi%ht !ind out a little more in!ormation a)out him* 7ow # had to !i%ure out how to %et to the truck without him noticin%' # walked out o! my room and decided to check out the other )edrooms that were u&stairs !or an esca&e route* 0he !irst door on the le!t was a room almost identical to the one # was )ein% held in, e.ce&t !or the !act that the 8uilt on the )ed was &ink and white, instead o! )lue and white* o # mo$ed on to the ne.t room* 0he second door led to the )athroom* 7othin% s&ecial, it was the most normal lookin% room in the house, actually* 7ow the third door1 it seemed to )e some kind o! worksho&, &ro)a)ly !or re&airin% his s&ine/chillin% dolls* But thats not what # was lookin% !or, so # mo$ed on to the lon% hallway that was on the ri%ht* 0he door at the $ery end o! the hall was the most

intri%uin%* When # o&ened it # was almost )linded* 0he entire room was made o! windows, includin% the ceilin%* 0he windows o&ened onto a lar%e !ield, and there, ri%ht in the middle o! it, was Julie*** 0hat man stole 4osies cow3 Hes a rotten old man, heri!!3 But heres what # did ne.t*+ # went )ack to the !irst room, and o&ened the window that # !irst looked out* #t was con$eniently located ri%ht a)o$e the roo! o! the !ront &orch* # clim)ed out and -um&ed down to the %round* (uckily the man was still in the kitchen workin% on the doll, so he didnt see me* # clim)ed into the )ack o! the truck and hid under a tar& that ha&&ened to )e there* 7ow all # had to do was wait* A)out an hour later the man !inally came out o! the house and %ot in his truck* We dro$e !or a)out !i!teen minutes )e!ore sto&&in%* # &eaked out !rom )eneath the tar& and !i%ured out where we were* 0he man had sto&&ed in !ront o! the &ost o!!ice1 he was mailin% a rectan%ular &acka%e* # had a)out thirty seconds to %et out !rom the )ack o! the truck and run as !ar as # could )e!ore he saw me3 0he &lace # headed !or was the sheri!!s station* And thats where # am now* Well Jack thats 8uite a story,+ said the sheri!!* o can you hel& me sheri!!" Do you know who Mac Murtry is"+ # asked* He was in here the other day askin% me when the Warren ,ounty Fair starts* # thou%ht it was stran%e, )ecause e$eryone in Ackworth knows a)out the county !air3 We$e )een markin% it on our calendars since last years !air3+ Do you know where he li$es"+ As a matter o! !act # do3 He %a$e me his address yesterday, so that # could %i$e him directions to the !air on the day o!*+ Will you %o o$er and take a look !or me" #m one hundred &ercent sure he stole Julie !rom us3 4osie lo$es that cow, # need to %et her )ack !or the !air*+ Why dont we %o on o$er there ri%ht now, Jack" Well check it out*+ #nitiation: Atonement with the Father We )oth %ot into his car, and dro$e o$er to Mac Murtrys house* # shuddered when we &ulled into the dirt co$ered %ra$el dri$eway, !or there was the house that # had )een taken to and held in, there was the truck that tried to run me down, and there was Mac Murtry sittin% on his !ront &orch, lookin% &u22led when he saw the sheri!!, and then his !ace turned a %hostly white when he saw me* Mac %ot u& and ran )ack inside his house* heri!! knew he was %uilty now, and that my story wasnt -ust some little kid makin% somethin% u&, )ut really true* We )oth chased him down and the sheri!! &ut him in hand/cu!!s* Why"+ # asked Mac Murtry* Why take our cow" Why try to run me down" Why kidna& me"+ # %ot no res&onse !rom the man* #nitiation: 0he ;ltimate Boon 0he sheri!! )rou%ht Mac Murtry down to the station and said that he would come )ack !or me and Julie* # sat there with Julie, thinkin% my sister will )e so %lad when # come home with her !a$orite cow* # -ust ke&t strokin% Julie on the head until the sheri!! returned* He )rou%ht a trailer with him so that # could )rin% Julie home with me* # loaded Julie into the trailer and %ot into the &assen%er seat o! the sheri!!s car* 0hanks !or )elie$in% my story sheri!!,+ # said* #$e heard cra2ier stories, Jack, and they ha$e also )een true* # was $ery curious a)out Mr* Mac Murtry, anyways* He didnt seem like someone !rom town, and our little

#owa town o! Ackworth doesnt %et many $isitors* But #m %lad you )rou%ht it to my attention, so Mr* Murtry cant kidna& kids, or rustle cows anymore* + 4eturn: 0he Ma%ic Fli%ht We rode the rest o! the way in silence, which was !ine )y me* # was -ust %lad to ha$e rescued Julie* When we &ulled u& to my house, 4osie was cryin%* 7ot until she saw me &ull Julie out o! the trailer did her cryin% sto& and her smile %row* #t %rew like a sa&lin% that has )een watered &er!ectly, %i$en sunli%ht as much as necessary, causin% it to %row ten times as !ast as the others: 0he ,rown Jewel 0ree, the one that e$eryone admires most* he looked as ha&&y a honey )ee that has !ound the most scrum&tious !lower on the !ace o! the earth* 4osie raced toward us and hu%%ed )oth me and Julie at the same time* 4eturn: Master o! 0wo Worlds 4osie and # the s&ent ne.t !ew days %ettin% Julie ready !or the !air1 we washed her, )rushed her hair, and )raided the little tu!t o! !lu!! she has on the end o! her tail* 0hen we entered Julie into se$eral di!!erent com&etitions* he won two )lue ri))ons and one red3 # was so &roud o! 4osie* he nursed Julie !rom the !irst day she was )orn* 4osie and # went home $ery &roud o! oursel$es, and Julie o! course3 4eturn: Freedom to (i$e # dont really think a)out Mac Murtry all too o!ten* What he did to me was uncalled !or* # will ne$er know his reasons, )ut #m an understandin% &erson* # -ust ho&e he learned his lesson*