The Gingerbread Man

Here is what comes and goes,

Twist and turn
In any other way, sideways,
Riddle and tale.
 What Would Happen If The Gingerbread Man Did Not Walk Away?

T h e f a i r l y k i n d p a r e n t s k e e p t h e i r l i t t l e y o u n g g i n g e r b r e a d b o y h o m e . We a l l

knew this story before – The Gingerbread Man. But what would happen if the

g i n g e r b r e a d m a n d i d n o t a c t u a l l y r a n a w a y?

L e t ’s s t a r t w i t h a f i n e e v e n i n g . E v e r y b o d y h e a d s o n t h e i r p l a t e s . Tr y t o

imagine the gingerbread boy eating. He was literally on his plate, eating food

l a r g e r t h a n h i m l i k e v e g e t a b l e s . B u t h e y, n o - n o . H e ’s n o t l i k e t h a t . H e a t e

g r a i n s o f s u g a r.

His parents were so kind. They would watch the gingerbread boy until he

c l o s e s h i s e y e s . T h e y n a m e d h i m C l e o , a n d h e w a s a f i n e b o y. H e a l w a ys d o

w h a t h e ’s b e e n t o l d . D o e s t h i s . D o e s t h a t . H i z z o i s C l e o ’s f a t h e r, k n o w n f o r

power and applause.

Cleo never lived a simple life. In fact. He loved his life, the world, and

ever ything else except love itself.

“ H a n d m e a l l y o u r w a n t s , a s k w h a t e v e r y o u l i k e . A n d t o m o r r o w, I w i l l g i v e

it all to you,” Cleo said to his friends, Jaka and Leeko.

“I want nothing, but you, me, and Leeko in my birthday next week,” Jaka

said.

“How about you?” Cleo asked Leeko.

“My only wish is hers to be granted.”

“Cleo, nothing more, nothing less,” he added.

C l e o w a n d e r e d h i s m i n d a l o n g e v e r y b r i d g e a n d s i g h e d , “ O k a y, I w i l l c o m e .

N e x t w e e k . Yo u , m e , a n d L e e k o . ”

W h e n t h a t d a y c a m e , C l e o w e n t t o J a k a ’s b i r t h d a y. Wi t h p r e s e n t s . B o u q u e t s .

And mascots. He hired the most prominent restaurant for the catering and

w e a r a l l g l i t t e r. F i n a l l y, h e k n o c k e d t h e d o o r.

“ W h o ’s t h e r e ? ”

“Guess who?”

B o t h e r e d m u c h , J a k a o p e n e d t h e d o o r w i t h a l l e x c i t e m e n t s o f c u r i o s i t y. M u c h

o f a p r e s e n t . S h e o p e n e d t h e d o o r. T h e r e w a s C l e o . T h e w h o l e t o w n . T h e

bouquets. The mascots. Cleo began to drew an eddy of question marks on his

face and Jaka answered a hurricane of it. Iced up. A blank stare emerged at
their eyes. Lightning as if electrified. Joy as if astonished. Excitement as if

dismayed. Surprised as if shocked.

L e e k o , s t a n d i n g 5 b l o c k s a w a y f r o m J a k a ’s h o u s e , a l s o d i d n ’ t k n o w w h a t t o

do. He just stared and walked to Cleo.

“ W h a t ’s g o i n g o n ? ”

“ I d o n ’ t k n o w. F r o m t h e m o m e n t I w e n t h e r e , e v e r y b o d y j u s t s t a r e d . F r o z e n !

(Am I handsome or what?)”

“ G o a w a y. ”

“ Wh y? ”

“Just go away Cleo!”

“I don’t want you, and the whole town here!”

“ But wh y? ”

A s e a r l y a s u n e x p e c t e d , C l e o ’s n i g h t e n d e d s o s o o n . W h e n h e s a w h i s m o t h e r,

h e w a n t e d t o t a l k t o h e r. H e w a n t e d t o t e l l w h a t h e f e e l s . B u t s h e w a s b u s y.

H e w a n t e d t o t a l k t o h i s f a t h e r. B u t h e ’s n o t h o m e .

A l l n i g h t , C l e o ’s t h o u g h t s w i t h e r e d i n e v e r y g a r d e n . A s i f h e f e l t l i k e h e h a s

chains in his arms. He has the keys. But he can’t open it. The next morning,
he still cannot unlock the chains. The next day came. At last, he was

relieved.

C l e o o p e n e d h i s a r m s w i d e o p e n . Wa t c h e d t h e s k y. C o u n t e d t h e s t a r s .

“I wonder how many stars are there up above.

How could their light be seen here if they’re so far away?

…Nobody listens. Nobody cares. I’m the richest and most handsome boy in

town. The most popular – Cleo.”

“ H e y, r i v e r ! S e e t h e g l i m m e r i n m y f a c e ? I ’ m a l l o d d s . E v e r y t h i n g a g i r l

wants. I’m all big guy! Am I?”

And as he painted the rain, all of a sudden, shrills called him back to his

h o u s e . N o b o d y w a s t h e r e . J u s t h i m a n d … n o t h i n g . B e f o r e C l e o , s t o o d a l e t t e r,

told him that his father was arrested. So he went to the police station, but

nobody was there. Again, a letter stood before him:

“Cleo, man of virtue,

Wa l k t o t h e p a l a c e w h e re o n e f i n d s h i s h o m e

R e a c h e v e r y s t a r t h a t y o u ’ l l s e e i n t h e s k y,

Wa l k t h e ro a d a n d h e a d b a c k w i t h y o u r c h a i n s . ”

“Cleo, man of peace,

B r i n g y o u r s e l f s o m e w h e re y o u s h o u l d b e

Tr y t o l o o k a t t h e m i r ro r a n d f l a p y o u r w i n g s
F l y t h e l a n d a n d w a l k t h e s k y.

R e a c h t h e s t o n e s . N e v e r t h ro w. ”

C l e o , a m a z e d , b e g a n t o r u n t o t h e f o r e s t a n d t o t h e r i v e r. H e s a w a m a n

named Infinito, a man of virtue. Asked for help, and was helped. Infinito

bought him to the palace, and saw a lot of expensive things than what he has.

Brought him near the sun and almost died. They even tried walking the death

m a r c h . W h i c h e v e n t u a l l y, t h e y w e r e n ’ t a b l e t o f i n i s h .

Infinito, man of silence, speaks the most. Cleo, a child of himself, utters his

doors. At one night open, Cleo watched over the stars again, counted, and

wished.

“ L o r d , G o d o f a l l . P l e a s e b r i n g m e h o m e . U n l o c k t h e c h a i n s . O p e n t h e d o o r. ”

All of a sudden, Infinito visits him. And he cuts off his silence.

“Cleo, do you believe in magic?”

“What is magic?”

“Something… powerful. Unexplainable. Powerful!”

“What do you mean?”

“ S e e t h e s t a r s ? S e e t h e s k y? T h e m o o n ? T h e l a n d ? Tr e e s g r o w, b u t t h e y f a l l

d o w n . F l o w e r s b l o o m , b u t t h e y w i t h e r. M a n i s a l i v e , b u t h e d i e s . S o m e p e o p l e

b r e a t h e a s i f l i v i n g . B u t s i c k l y t h e y a r e . P a l e d c o r e . P a i n t i t a r a i n b o w. P a i n t

it something that won’t fade. I see you are finding dreamland. Reach the

stars. Name them your heart. Believe.”

Cleo sighed and did not make any word. Reached the house. Found himself.

His arms, light. Kind and kind. He was unable to find his dad. His mother

p a s s e d a w a y. L e f t h i m . A n d a l l t h e i r p r o p e r t i e s .

F r o m o - l i t t l e - h e c a m e o u t a m a n w h o s t a n d s o u t . Ye a r s a f t e r h i s m o t h e r

p a s s e d a w a y, C l e o b e c a m e a k i n g . W h o w o u l d a l w a ys s p e a k o f l o v e . O f h i s

dreams. Of his kingdom.

Married a pretty cookie. Had no children. Lived life to the fullest.

THE END