26 comments

Fiction Inspirational

      Nathaniel strolled the dirt path until he came to the village. Before he stepped forth into the dwelling, he saw the inhabitants and how they acted among each other.

           “This village will do well,” he muttered.

           He continued forth, checking out the places the people either resided in or they did business from. Places built of mud and brick. Others of wood that were either board or log. And ones made of sticks and straw. None of the places were made the same as he looked to the left and right.

           “They have much character in this village,” he thought.

           The question is which ones will stand, and which ones will fall. The structures can be quite deceiving for Nathaniel has seen places of all types of make that have fallen. If none of them are maintained properly, they will all fall.

           Nathaniel came to the middle of the village and came upon a large stone building with two wooden doors with very intricate designs on them.

           “Someone or ones are very gifted,” he muttered.

           This is the place to meet. Nathaniel was quite pleased, for there were other places where they had nowhere to congregate, so he had to stand on a chair or table. A couple of times, there was a mound of dirt. This meeting hall will suffice for what he needs to do.

           “I just hope they can all fit in the place,” he thought.

           He walked up to the wooden doors and spent a little time admiring the perfection done on the doors. He wondered if they were done here, or did the villagers bring the doors from another place?

           “Whoever did it need to be congratulated,” he said with pride.

           While he adored the doors, the villagers, who ignored him at first for strangers came to their village, started to look upon him. They wondered what he was doing here, while others thought he might be a teacher by his dress. A simple light-colored brown robe and wearing leather thongs, they figured he wasn’t one high in authority. The man had long, gray hair, streaked with white that went to the middle of his back.

           “I hope he is not another mad person,” a couple of people thought.

           There have been men and women of the past that have come into the village to cause havoc. It took some rope and a good knock on the head to take them out of the village. They hoped this man staring at the wooden doors was not one of them.

           What the people did not know is that Nathaniel knew more and more villagers were checking him out. That was his intent, for it was much better than going throughout the village to tell the people to go to the hall.

           Nathaniel pulled on the two doors, and they opened wide.

           “The people did well on the design of the doors,” he thought.

           When it comes to a large building, all doors should be pushed open from the inside. He had come across places where it was not so, and fires had broken out. Loved ones lost. A good number of the villagers were lost. What broke his heart is that he had been to the villages before and warned them. They had to learn the hard way, unfortunately. So many must learn the hard way.

           “So many times, I have to start over,” he thought. “But I shall do so over and over again until my dying day.”

           Nathaniel walked into the hall and was pleased. There was a stage on the opposite end with a great fireplace. Benches lined up to the left and right with an aisle down the middle.

           “If the people are like the build of this hall, there will be little teaching needed.”

           Nathaniel slowly walked toward the stage, thinking of the numerous villages he had gone to. So many he went over and over to teach them once again from the start. They fail over and over, but Nathaniel has been taught patience and love. He will not give up on the people.

           “I can see why I have not been to this village,” he said as he came to the stage. “But all villages need teaching, for everyone tends to backslide. Even this one that looks like they don’t need it.”

           Nathaniel got onto the stage and over to the fireplace.

           “Very nicely done,” he said as he checked it out.

           Then he turned around and looked at all the empty benches.

           “I have to say this is the best place I have been to,” he said.

           He thought of the numerous villages he had gone to, wracking his brain on how each place looked like. Impossible to know all, but he was pretty sure this one was the best.

           “Can I help you?” a voice asked from the other side of the room.

           Nathaniel looked toward the entrance and saw a man and woman standing there. Both were nearing their middle years in life. He also knew they were the leaders of this village. And by looking at them further he knew they were doing well in their leadership.

           “I have come to teach the good news,” he replied to the couple.

           The couple just looked at him for a moment with no expression, but then grins appeared on their faces.

           “Welcome!” they both cried out.

           “We have been waiting for a teacher,” the man said.

           “It has been so long since a teacher has come through,” the woman said. “Always a treat to have a teacher come.”

           “That is good to hear,” Nathaniel said.

           “We can gather them now?” the man asked.

           “No, no,” replied Nathaniel. “Let’s wait until later when everyone is done with their duties.”

           “We will gather this evening,” the woman said.

           “Sounds good. Until then, may I have something to eat and drink?”

           “You can come to our home to rest and eat.”

           “If you don’t mind, I will do so in this hall for it is a grand place.”

           “We will get you food, drink, and start the fire,” the man said, and the two left.

           Hours later, the hall was full of villagers standing.

           Nathaniel stood on the stage and told them the good news. He told them example after example of what needs to happen to keep a healthy village. Unity, love, forgiveness, compassion, and other actions with positive results. People would say they already knew of such, but Nathaniel could tell them of villages he had to start from the beginning over and over due to forgetting or disregarding those principles.

           “This village has done quite well,” Nathaniel thought.

           The meeting ended and a large banquet took place. Nathaniel received many thanks for coming and speaking.

           “We know of much of what you speak, and talk to our younger ones of such, but it helps for one like you to come to re-enforce what we say.”

           Nathaniel was glad to hear of such and went to bed that night, glad to be able to help souls.

           The next day, he moved on. It was difficult to leave a place like this one, but there are villages that need his teaching for all is loved.

April 15, 2023 21:41

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26 comments

Yvette Francaise
14:35 Apr 28, 2023

I liked the message of the light at the end of the tunnel. As a survivor of emotional abuse, stories like these would have helped me through and still do. Thank you for reading my story and liking them. I enjoy the feedback.

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Corey Melin
17:49 Apr 29, 2023

Thank you for the comments. I have faced bullies and emotional abuse in the past, which I believe writing is a way of dealing with it. I have enjoyed your stories and the imagination put forth. I have some major catching up

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Yvette Francaise
15:04 Apr 30, 2023

Thank you. I write so people can forget their problems for a few moments.

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Suzanne Marsh
19:29 May 18, 2023

loved the ending

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Suzanne Marsh
19:47 May 02, 2023

very interesting concept and story line

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Corey Melin
20:59 May 02, 2023

Thank you for the comments

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Martin Ross
14:33 May 02, 2023

You have a wonderful gift for examining good and evil, virtue and venality, from a very fundamental human perspective. The lovely, clean, pure narrative reminds me of Ray Bradbury in his more meditative vein, and provides an expandable message about the nature and character of community. Thanks.

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Corey Melin
20:58 May 02, 2023

Greatly appreciate your comments. As our journey through life quickly goes by and we come to those middle years in life everything slows down and you start understanding the larger picture. Not just a fraction like our younger selfs. Therefore I put it in my stories to hopefully help others. We already have enough negativity flooding our minds

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David Drake
01:50 Apr 30, 2023

That was really good to read. Both for the message and the storytelling. Thank you for sharing this!

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Jody S
17:44 Apr 19, 2023

This was a beautiful take on the prompt. I found the single line statements and repetitive nature of the compliments to the various aspects of the buildings and people to nicely reinforce the message of focus on teaching the good and positive. I will say--whether intentional or not--you built up suspense very well of the fear/worry that maybe he was there to do harm. Maybe it is just my sad nature to believe the worst--which means I am a good candidate to have the repetitive teaching to focus on the good! All in all, a very good read! T...

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Corey Melin
21:46 Apr 19, 2023

Thank you for the comment, and it’s intentional. With the way our current society is nowadays any stranger is looked at with suspicion. Or I should say it has been that way due to evil corrupting what could be good

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Jody S
01:09 Apr 20, 2023

You tale is a great reminder to keep positive and look for the best in people.

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Lily Finch
17:28 Apr 19, 2023

Hey Corey, another inspirational story of hope. Well done! LF6.

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Corey Melin
21:42 Apr 19, 2023

Thank you. This world needs a lot of it

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Ian James
01:07 Apr 18, 2023

I am absolutely loving this story! It's just so heartwarming and inspiring. Oh btw, how'd you get your story layout to look so cool? When I submitted mine, all the indents disappeared. Any tips?

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Corey Melin
03:27 Apr 18, 2023

Thank you for the comments! I just copy and paste from Word. If you do that and it does not indent the only thing I can think is that I copy and paste to pro writing. Make corrections the copy and paste to Word then copy and paste to Reedsy

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Viga Boland
16:01 Apr 17, 2023

Intriguing take on the prompt. Nathaniel is right, of course. There are villages, communities, towns, cities…on and on that need constant “refresher” courses to stay on track and hopeful in order to move toward greater things. Incidentally, you and I have written to the same prompt this week. Wonder how many others will. I always enjoy the variety of takes on a single prompt.

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Corey Melin
03:42 Apr 18, 2023

Thank you for the comments and well done on your take of the prompt. It’s interesting to read the many stories. Glad we are all different, but many experiences that are quite similar.

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Richard E. Gower
18:25 Apr 16, 2023

The description of the building with the fine doors would indicate (to me) that he stepped into a church to speak.... Definitely meets the spirit of the prompt.-:) RG

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Corey Melin
16:33 Apr 17, 2023

Thank you for the comments! You can say it was used for a church. Also as a meeting hall. Banquet hall. Anyplace for a gathering

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Mary Bendickson
01:25 Apr 16, 2023

Thanks for reading and liking my last two stories.

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Mary Bendickson
01:24 Apr 16, 2023

Was the good news he was teaching the Good News?

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Corey Melin
03:19 Apr 16, 2023

Yes indeed. Good news that there is always hope. Always a light in the darkness.

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Carly Arden
07:49 Jun 19, 2023

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Carly Arden
07:49 Jun 19, 2023

GREAT LOVE SPELL CASTER DR PETER THAT HELP ME SAVE MY RELATIONSHIP. TEXT OR ADD HIM UP DIRECTLY ON WHATSAPP +1 (646) 494-4360 My name is CARLY ARDEN. I want to give thanks to DR PETER for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the letter I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Trust is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was ...

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Carly Arden
07:49 Jun 19, 2023

GREAT LOVE SPELL CASTER DR PETER THAT HELP ME SAVE MY RELATIONSHIP. TEXT OR ADD HIM UP DIRECTLY ON WHATSAPP +1 (646) 494-4360 My name is CARLY ARDEN. I want to give thanks to DR PETER for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the letter I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Trust is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was ...

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