Another day had passed since Murphy and some of the Care Bears went on the little search for the information contained within the mysterious book that he found but what was on a lot of their minds was who or what was that demon they've encountered as they deduced it had to be a demon what with the powers it possessed.
Cheer Bear, Champ Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Brave Heart Lion and Lotsa Heart Elephant and Grumpy Bear informed the rest of the Care Bears gang about what happened during that situation which they were feeling worried about Murphy even more as they knew what happened has confirmed what Murphy told them. This demon was after him, stalking him, and possibly wanting something from him but they had no idea what it wanted from Murphy.
All they knew was that it was probably intending to harm the boy and they knew that those who saw him in the terrified state were feeling their hearts beating strongly for him out of compassion. He was taking some time to recover from his fear induced, panic stricken state.
"So you think what attacked Murphy could be some kind of demon?" asked Noble Heart Horse.
"It wasn't anything human, that's for sure." Tenderheart Bear confirmed.
"You should've seen the terrified, desperate look of fear on his little face. He looked traumatized." said Brave Heart Lion feeling his father bear instincts showing. "We had to make sure he wasn't alone when he slept last night."
"We figured it would cheer him up." chimed in Cheer Bear.
"And how was he this morning?" asked Love-a-Lot Bear curiously.
They paused for a moment and looked confused as if not sure how to answer the question but Champ Bear was the first to speak about it.
"He appeared to be stoic, didn't say much. But he keeps blushing when he's around Cheer Bear or any of the girls around here for that matter. We figured that it might have something to do with Cheer Bear kissing him to console him." explained Champ Bear.
"Cheer Bear kissed him?" said True Heart Bear wide eyed.
Cheer Bear blushed and knew that even though those who went with Murphy to the abandoned hospital had told them what happened during the event. They accidentally left out the detail of Cheer Bear kissing Murphy.
"I figured he could use some form of a confidence boost at first. Than it was out of emotional consolation and affection. He looked like he could use a little love." said Cheer Bear with a chuckle.
"He sort of felt better after Cheer Bear was showing him affection like that." said Brave Heart Lion. "He found what he was looking for but we don't know what's in that book."
"Should we take a gander at what's in it?" asked Bright Heart Raccoon.
"Not yet. But I think we should have Murphy with us when we look through it. This probably concerns him too." Cheer Bear pointed out.
"Maybe he could do some good with opening up about his problems?" suggested Love-a-Lot Bear.
"We've been trying and not going to lie. He's being a bit stubborn or he tries to avoid talking about it. He'd barely say anything about his past." said Grumpy Bear.
"There's got to be something we can do that'll convince him to open up." said Lotsa Heart Elephant.
They all began to think of ideas to get Murphy to open up but many of them only knew that some ideas might or might not work. But the person who came up with an idea in mind was Champ Bear who smiled and snapped his fingers.
"I got an idea, sports fans. But if we're to do this. We need to be delicate with this." said Champ Bear. "By the way. Where's Murphy?"
"The basketball court." answered Friend Bear. "I know it's at the Hall of Hearts but he's been there since after breakfast."
"Perfect timing. That'll make the idea a lot easier." said Champ Bear looking optimistic.
Brave Heart Lion, Cheer Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Friend Bear, Champ Bear, Grumpy Bear, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Bright Heart Raccoon, Love-a-Lot Bear, True Heart Bear, Noble Heart Horse and other care bears walked on over to the Hall of Hearts as Champ Bear had explained on the way what his idea was that he had in mind to get Murphy to open up about his problems when other attempts didn't work. The idea he had in mind sounded brilliant but they hoped it would work.
Once they've made it. They entered the Hall of Hearts and made it to the basketball court of the building. But when they got there. They peered around the corner of the entrance of the basketball court and they saw Murphy was pacing back and forth, talking to himself about something.
"She kissed me. Cheer Bear kissed me? I can't even begin to comprehend if this means anything. My heart has been like stone since..." he paused as Murphy stopped pacing. "I don't even know what that demon wants from me or why it's stalking me. That memory that came back shown me everything I needed to know is in that book."
They listened to him as they were eavesdropping on him. Murphy began to pace back and forth once more.
"I can't even analyze mentally what's going on. I usually just use what I've learned from what I've read, studied, researched and from what I learned from watching others do what ever it is and I'm able to do it just fine. These emotions are just a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. These feelings are just emotional states and reactions. These thoughts are just the action or process of thinking. But ever since Cheer Bear kissed me...and since the care bears rescued me from that things attempts to harm me..." Murphy babbled on but paused as he saw a nearby radio on one of the benches. "I need to get the thinking music going."
Murphy walked over to the radio on the bench and turned it on as he was adjusting the dial to put it on a radio station that played music he liked and it started to play pop music that sounded like a pop music boy band was playing music or singing on the radio.
"For that special girl." said Murphy.
Murphy walked to the center of the court and began to put on a pair of black sunglasses with black colored lenses. He began to sing and the Care Bears got to see more of his musical talents as he sung so powerfully beautiful that he sounded like a pop singer as he sung.
"You've got that sparkle! You really dazzle when you do your thing. Sparkle! You've got more sparkle than a diamond ring. Sparkle! Something about you really shines so bright. Like starli-i-i-ight. You've got that sparkle!"
They were blown away at how good Murphy was at singing and he beautifully vocalized his voice as he kept going and his voice sounded like he could out sing an actual pop music boy band.
"Wow!" the group of bears uttered in surprise.
"You've got the sparkle"
He vocalized his voice so beautifully once again and the music got to a soft beat but it was still a powerhouse of music.
"Your more glittery than glitter. I don't how that's possible. Your so fire yet your cooler than a popsicle. Your gold plated, tinsel decorated. Yeah, you shine, shine, shine. Come on sparkle girls. Come on sparkle boys. It's your time to shine. Let's make some noise. Sparkle! You really dazzle when you do your thing. Sparkle! You've got more sparkle than a diamond ring. Sparkle! Something about you really shines so bright. Like starli-i-i-ight. You've got that sparkle!"
As the Care Bears watched him rock out to the music and the song he sung. They were impressed by what sort of musical talents he possessed yet they wonder why was he so shy when anyone caught him jamming out? They continued to watch him perform as this kept going.
"You've got an energy. You really bring the heat. Where did you get it. It's electric when you rock the beat! Like a camera flashing, like a symbol crashing, yeah, shine, shine, shine. Come on sparkle girls. Come on sparkles boys. It's your time to shine. Let's make some noise. Sparkle! You really dazzle when you do your thing. Sparkle! You've got more sparkle than a diamond ring. Sparkle! Something about you really shines so bright. Like starli-i-i-ight. You've got that sparkle!"
Murphy vocalized his singing and his voice once more and it was so beautiful that it was like he was doing a musical solo.
"Like moonlight on the snow. You've got a certain glow. You glitter and you shimmer everywhere you go. She's got that sparkle. He's got that sparkle. They've got that sparkle! You've got that sparkle too! You really dazzle when you do your thing. Sparkle! You've got more sparkle than a diamond ring. Sparkle! Something about you really shines so bright. Like starli-i-i-ight. You've got that sparkle!"
The song did a series of beautiful vocalizations with Murphy's voice as he looked like he was having fun and smiling for the first time and this was the first time them magical bears saw him smile.
"You really dazzle when you do your thing. Sparkle! You've got more sparkle than a diamond ring. Sparkle! Something about you really shines so bright. Like starli-i-i-ight. You've got that sparkle!"
The music fades to a stop and the radio turns off as Murphy stopped singing. The Care Bears were impressed, blown away, and surprised that Murphy was such a good singer as they applauded and cheered but doing so made Murphy jump with a startle as he fell to the floor in a loud thud. Their feelings of impressed joy was short lived as they rushed over to him. Brave Heart Lion and Champ Bear pulled him up to have Murphy sit up straight. He was okay but blushing deeply.
"How long have you guys been watching?" asked Murphy feeling embarrassed.
"We seen and heard everything from when you mentioned something about Cheer Bear kissing you." answered Champ Bear. "Sorry we startled you. Are you okay since what happened at that abandoned hospital?"
He let out a loud hiccup a few times before blushing a bit deeper and answered them as he hugged Champ Bear who hugged him back.
"I haven't had anyone do something that nice for me in so long. Not since..." Murphy paused. "Doesn't matter."
"Why doesn't it matter?" asked Champ Bear curiously.
Murphy removed his arms from Champ Bear which Murphy kept his sunglasses on as if you hide his emotions that his eyes shown.
"I'd rather not." said Murphy sadly.
"Why don't you?" asked Champ Bear.
He fell silent as if knowing that what he's not telling them wasn't an easy story to tell anyone. Let alone the Care Bears.
"No one would understand." Murphy answered.
Cheer Bear placed a paw over his heart to reassure him and attempting to get him to open up to them.
"We need you to help us understand." said Cheer Bear.
Murphy saw her paw was over his heart which made him blush deeper this time. Champ Bear finally remembered the idea he had in mind to help Murphy open up to them about his problems.
"Murphy, mind if I suggest something?" asked Champ Bear.
"What would you suggest." said Murphy as his voice nervously made another hiccup.
Champ Bear pulled out a basketball and walked over to one of the basketball hoops. Murphy got up on his feet as they all turned to him.
"We just want to help you somehow and bottling it up is not healthy. We figure that you'd feel better and we can help you a lot better if you talk to us about what's bothering you. Think of it as a way of getting to know you." explained Champ Bear.
He tossed the ball towards Murphy who caught it in both hands.
"Try shooting some hoops. We ask a question, you toss the ball towards the hoop, if it makes it in, you don't have to answer, if it doesn't make it in, than you have to answer. This might be a little forced but we don't mean to make it like that. We just figure that if you could talk about what's bothering you, it could unload some of the heavy burden that you're bearing on your back." said Champ Bear explaining what he's suggesting.
"I don't do sports." said Murphy declining.
"Don't think of it as your playing a sport to beat the other team. Think of it as a therapeutic idea to help melt some of the ice surrounding your heart. We can tell something is bothering you, something is hurting you and it's made your heart feel like ice. No will judge you for what you tell us." reassured Champ Bear.
Cheer Bear and Brave Heart Lion both grabbed hold of one of Murphy's free hands to show him some reassurance of the idea. Seeing the sympathetic looks on their faces. He sighed and relented after they released their hands from his. He pulled his sunglasses off his face and put them away.
"Alright." said Murphy finally giving in.
"Is there anything you can tell us about your family like your parents?" asked Champ Bear.
Murphy got into position to toss the ball and as he gave it a firm toss, going into the air, the ball bounced off the hoop from the edges, going back to him as he caught it. It missed the basket.
"I was told by my older brother that my mom passed on when I was four in a half years of age. She got sick with something that had no cure and was terminal." said Murphy sadly.
The answer he gave them had them feeling a sense of heartache for him. Losing his mother at such a young age must have been a terrible thing for him.
"And your dad?" asked Brave Heart Lion. "Where's he at?"
"You tell me. My older brother told me that our mom told him that when my mom met him, she got pregnant with my older brother, but he..." Murphy paused for a moment. "He took off. And we've never seen nor heard from him since. I don't know where he is. As for who my biological father is, same thing happened, he got my mom pregnant but one day took off, there's no trace of him anywhere."
They started to feel horrible for him. Learning that Murphy's biological father and his brother's biological father had abandoned them and disappeared without a trace which their whereabouts were unknown and probably never will be known.
"And your brother? Who was he?" asked Tenderheart Bear.
"He was all I had. Surprising that me and him were twenty years apart. We were half brothers but we loved each other like family anyway." answered Murphy.
"He was twenty years older than you?" said the bears in surprised unison.
"He told me that I was a surprise to them both." said Murphy.
"Where is he now?" asked Champ Bear.
Murphy let out a sigh and this time, his stoic facial expression was slowly fading. He tossed the basketball up at the hoop but it again didn't make it in the basket. It hit the rim but bounced off it as he caught the ball once it bounced back to him.
"He's deceased." answered Murphy with a hint of sadness showing on his face. "We were driving off towards some emergency services when our house caught on fire. We don't know how it happened but we suspected it was possibly an electrical fire since we weren't having any sort of outlets turned on that could've led to it. The lights were off, the oven and stove were off, all electronic appliances were turned off. No matches were lit. My brother didn't even smoke."
"And what happened after that?" asked Love-a-Lot Bear.
"That's where it gets weird." said Murphy with a brief look of confusion. "We were rushing to the nearest fire station since we couldn't use our phone and we lived out in the countryside that wasn't too far off from the town. But when we were out on the road. I saw something, it was this shadow, with a face? It had those scary yellow eyes and that scary laugh. I heard it say "You know what I want" but than it disappeared. My brother told me to pray because he sensed something bad was about to happen and I sensed it too. I prayed for our survival. But than there was an accident."
Hearing Murphy's story was starting to have the Care Bears feel worried and feel like that this wasn't easy for Murphy to tell anyone let alone the Care Bears themselves. Murphy's stoic face was slowly turning to sadness.
"Than I woke up in a hospital bed the next morning and I was glad I was okay, but my brother, he wasn't so lucky." said Murphy as he appeared to look like he might lose it. "I was than placed an in orphanage shortly afterwards. Been there for two years."
They started to see that there was a reason why Murphy didn't talk about what was bothering him and why he was so stoic in the face and so stubborn in talking about it.
"You ran off from the orphanage, didn't you?" asked Cheer Bear.
Murphy tried to toss the ball up again but his hands and arms shook a bit and he dropped the ball onto the floor, it bounced away from him. He nodded once.
"Others kept getting adopted but not me. No one wants me." said Murphy his voice beginning to break. "And no amount of prayers can do anything to help me."
Murphy walked over to grab the ball from the floor as the Care Bears could see that he was telling them everything. His brother's biological father abandoned them, Murphy's biological father abandoned him and the family he once had, his mother passed on from a terminal illness that had no cure when he was so young, his older brother tried to raise him and give him a good life but died in an accident which they were suspecting that what Murphy told them was also giving them the impression that for one, this demon he saw had to be the reason why his older brother died but when he told them about how praying won't help him. They started to suspect he lost his faith or worse. His back was facing them.
"Murphy?" said Cheer Bear.
"You lost your faith, didn't you?" asked Noble Heart Horse.
"It only helped to open my eyes. Prayers don't work, the world is cruel, there is no love, and religion or Christianity is like a mind virus that children's parents pass down onto their children. They say he'll one day destroy evil for good. Yeah right. Until than, we just got to deal with the wars, deaths, diseases, tsunamis, suffering, poverty and pain. Have a nice life." said Murphy starting to sound sarcastic. "Christianity is like the worst virus of all. It slowly creeps into our lives when we're weak, sick or helpless."
Hearing Murphy say these things told the rest of them that his problem was probably a little more severe than they've suspected. They started to see that he may have a hatred for ether religion or for God himself due to him losing everything in his life at such a young age which they could tell this meant he's hurting inside and he had no one to talk to about it to help him unload any of the painful burden that was placed upon him.
"Murphy, you know that's not true. God loves you just as much as your brother does." said True Heart Bear.
"He probably sent us to help you because he knows you lost your faith and you've been through enough pain as it is." said Brave Heart Lion trying to get through to him. "He knows you deserve to be loved by a loving family."
"The family I had is dead." said Murphy. "If God existed, he would've made sure my family stayed alive with me."
Champ Bear approached him and attempted to try and get through to Murphy as he was being very stubborn.
"Murphy, do you hate him?" asked Champ Bear.
"It's not even a question anymore." said Murphy getting impatient.
"Than why do you hate him?" asked Grumpy Bear being more specific.
Murphy felt like he was ready to explode in anger but he turned to them and they saw that a tear shed from his eye. They saw he was ready to break down emotionally but than a powerful grip of anger took over for him and with his strength, he popped the basketball with his bare hands, piercing a hole in it and expelling all the air out of it like a balloon. He dropped the now deflated ball onto the floor as they looked on at him in wide eyed shock.
"He took everything away from me." Murphy said breathing in and out. "When a nine a year old boy loses his home in a fire when he has no idea what caused it and can only assume it was an electrical fire but has no evidence to prove it. The only person he has left in his family attempts to save their home when they have to drive to a fire station nearby. Tells him to pray for our protection in case something bad is about to happen. Hoping that he doesn't lose anymore or anyone that he's already lost. But than sends some unidentified shadow that causes yet another accident. It's only natural for that boy to beg God for his brother's life. He'll promise anything to his make believe grandfather in the sky, including to love and worship him forever if only he spare him."
There was a silence as they saw that Murphy's problem has now been spilled out but they see now that he's admitting to being an atheist and he's angry and heart broken from all the suffering he's been put through.
"The only thing that sent you all to help me was your caring meter that was made just like how man makes a clock tower with nothing more than their hands, the right tools, the right people for the job, the right contractors who have the right to build what they're building in the spot they chose. They give it the okay if it's a safe spot to build it there but will only deny them if the spot isn't fit or safe for the building to be put there. That wasn't a god's doing. That was the doing people." said Murphy fighting to keep his composure.
"But maybe the caring meter was created so we can help children and that was what God wanted for us because he knew we were destined to help the children with their problems." chimed in Noble Heart Horse. "Sometimes people pray and sometimes the answer is a yes while some times the answer is no. But even when the answer is no. It doesn't mean he doesn't love you. Sometimes he says no because he knows there's a good reason for saying no."
"Tell that to me on the day you lose someone you love. He died believing a lie. He died believing someone out there loved him even when he was pushing him to his death. And I never gotten to know who my dad was or I never gotten to know my mom enough to remember her. A god who would allow that is not worth believing in. If there is a god. Where were all of you when I needed you two years ago when my brother died and I had no one to comfort that pain." Murphy ranted.
"The important thing is we're here now." said Tenderheart Bear.
Murphy couldn't hold back his anger anymore as he gritted his teeth, formed fists in his hands, his expression turned to anger, his face turned red and he was just ready to explode with rage. They saw he was angry and he felt like they should've come to help him sooner.
"Cover your ears. Now." Murphy instructed looking ready to explode.
They all covered their ears without a second thought and when they did. They saw Murphy ranting but they couldn't hear what he was saying which they could only suspect he was using words that no child should use, especially words an eleven year old boy like him shouldn't use. He looked like he might blow a gasket and it took a minute or more for him to stop ranting and they saw him give them the okay to remove their paws from their ears.
"Yep. He's upset and mad." said Cheer Bear wide eyed.
That's when they saw more tears coming out of Murphy's eyes as he began to run out of the Hall of Hearts.
"Murphy wait!" said Brave Heart Lion.
He ignored him and ran off but they've followed after him out of the Hall of Hearts. They followed him outside and he started to run while tears were pouring out of his eyes. Other Care Bears saw him in this emotional state and grew worried. Murphy saw one of the Rainbow Roller cars and ran towards it. Starting to start it up and that's when it floated up into the air and he used it to fly away from them.
"Murphy wait!" cried True Heart Bear.
"THERE IS NO GOD!" shouted Murphy.
He took off and disappeared by flying down towards earth. Brave Heart Lion, Cheer Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear, Champ Bear, Grumpy Bear, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Bright Heart Raccoon, Love-a-Lot Bear, True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse were seeing that he was very upset, hurting and emotionally broken. But more importantly, they knew he needed their love now more than ever to heal him of his pain.
"I'm sorry guys. I thought my idea would work." said Champ Bear sadly.
"Champ Bear, it got him to open up, we just didn't know it would make him so angry. It's no one's fault. Sometimes ideas have different results than we've expected." said Brave Heart Lion. "We need to find him before it does."
"But more importantly, he needs our love, kindness and caring more than ever. He's convinced no one loves him and that no one cares about him." said Love-a-Lot Bear showing compassion.
"It wouldn't surprise me if this demon was the one who did all of this to Murphy for reasons so evil." said Cheer Bear.
That's when they all looked up and what Cheer Bear said immediately had them all thinking. They all started to suspect that this demon could be the one that did the horrible things to Murphy and is targeting him for something sinister.
"Can we track where Murphy is going?" asked True Heart Bear.
"Leave it to me. Let's go find him now." reassured Tenderheart Bear.
The group of the Care Bears got into more of the Rainbow Roller cars and as they flown down towards earth. Tenderheart Bear had used a device in the vehicle he drove that was tracking Murphy and where he was headed on a radar. They had to find Murphy, console him and bring him back safely while they attempt to heal the pain in his heart. They felt like they've become emotionally involved.