Chapter Two: The Wishing Star
Gwen snuck into the unlocked door and looked around. She was in a white cloak and face mask to keep her warm and wore a white full-body leotard with red trim underneath as she had run away during a stupid ballet class. She looked around and saw the prettiest clocks she had ever seen with several interesting designs and a large one that looked very life sized and high up enough that she could climb under it. When she saw that no one was there, she made herself at home and looked around. She saw several music boxes and shelf after shelf of the best toys she'd ever seen. She then turned and saw one of the most beautiful wood carvings she'd ever seen. A puppet boy that looked like he was supposed to be five, Gwen's own age, and he was wearing a red shirt with a blue jacket, white gloves and tiny blue jeans. She also saw that he was a marionette with several strings and wires attached to various parts of his body with a puppet controller.
"He looks cool." Gwen said aloud as she walked up to him and tapped his head. "And the wood's good too."
"Well now," a voice said, and Gwen hid underneath the very large music box and saw all the gears and such that worked it underneath.
She then poked her head out to see a man and a woman come down. Both had gray hair, and the man wore an outfit similar to the puppet's except it was worn in places as if he'd had it for several years and the woman wore a modest white dress with a purple jacket, both were also worn.
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"It won't take much longer." Ben said as he grabbed a paint brush. "Just a little more paint, and he's all finished."
"It's about time." May said with a smile. This little puppet her husband and she had been working on together was probably the closest thing they'd ever have to a son due to May being unable to have children. Webster came up and panted as he looked at Ben and May.
"I'll think he'll be alright." Ben said as he grabbed a canister of black paint. "Don't you think so, Webster?"
Webster barked happily, and May smiled. Ben hummed as he drew eyebrows on the boy's head along with a smile across his face. It made him look like he was almost alive, and for a second, the fire light shining on his already dried eyes made May believe he was real until she sighed.
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"Cool." Gwen whispered as she poked her head out and looked at the puppet. He looked like he was smiling about the fact that he was finished, the same way everyone else smiled.
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"I have just the name for him." Ben said. "Ben. What do you think dear?"
"Eh." May said. It seemed to fit, but it wasn't one that she'd have chosen. She'd have gone with Peter or Richard.
"Well you like it, don't you Webster?" Ben asked, and Webster shook his head.
"Well I guess it's up to Ben to decide." Ben said with a wry smile. "Do you like it, Ben?"
Ben tugged gently on the string connected to the puppet's head, and it nodded.
"Oh, you silly boy." May said with a laugh. "Ben will probably grow on me, but to avoid confusion, what say we call him Benjy?"
"Sounds good." Ben agreed.
May picked Benjy up and looked at him. She and Ben both wished that he was real. She sighed and took him to the fire place to dry the new paint out before Webster started sniffing Benjy's face.
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After Benjy was dried, Ben walked over to the music box Gwen was hiding under.
"I think it's time for a little music." Ben said, and he pushed a button, and a nice song played as Ben used the puppet control to move Benjy around.
Gwen however couldn't focus on that as the gears and stuff were coming down on her, particularly on her bottom, and she tried hard not to cry out and felt like she was being spanked back at the orphanage. She eventually came out, rubbing her rear and groaning as she decided to hide behind the music box and listened to what was happening.
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Ben was moving Benjy around as May laughed and followed with Webster looking around Benjy and sniffing all over.
Little Ben Reilly,
Go play your part.
Bring a little joy
To every heart.
Little do you know,
And yes it's true,
That I'm mighty
Proud of you.
Little wooden feat,
And best of all,
Little wooden seat,
In case you fall.
Ben then lifted Benjy up a little and set him back down to make it look like he fell.
"Oh, what a graceful fall." May said as she straightened Benjy up.
Our little Ben Reilly.
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Gwen had watched this and liked the song and thought the fall was funny but wondered why they were talking to Benjy like he was real. It wasn't like wanting him to come to life would make him do that. She then busied herself with looking at the music box she had been under. A conductor was leading an orchestra with one man playing a violin and another playing the accordion. The one in the middle was literally whistling the tune that was playing which was what really impressed Gwen.
When she saw Ben and May turning around, she jumped on a small spot and did robotic versions of the simpler dances she'd learned at the orphanage, it worked and they passed her by. She then got off and went back to watching them, which she figured would be where she should really look in case something happened.
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Ben then had Benjy walk up to May and wave his hand.
"Benjy, say hi to your mom." Ben said with a smile before saying in a higher voice, "'Hi Mom.'"
"Oh, hello there." May said as she joined in with the pretending, and picked him up. "You are so cute and sweet. Oh, go say hi to Webster. Go on."
Ben then took Benjy to Webster and had him pet Webster as he became nervous when he liked how Benjy's gloved hand felt on his back and stood up and panted, easily beating Benjy in height without needing to extend his hind legs, and Ben had Benjy push Webster down, so that he fell.
"Up to mischief already." Ben said with a small chuckle as Webster whimpered.
"Now you see what happens when you're mean?" Ben asked. He then had Benjy pet Webster again, and he rubbed his head next to him as a sign of forgiveness.
"Up we go." Ben said as he lifted Benjy up and looked at the little wooden boy he'd carved. "You're a cute little fellow."
"And we'd never trade you for anything in the whole world." May added as she looked as well.
Webster put his fore paws on Ben's leg as he barked.
"Oh, you like him too, huh?" Ben asked. "Well it's nice to agree on something like this."
Suddenly, all the clocks in the store went off, and each had an interesting motive from ducks quaking in a pond to children giggling.
"Gee, I wonder what time it is." May asked with a sarcastic smile.
"It's nine already?" Ben asked. "We better get ready for bed."
Ben and May walked up with Webster as Benjy was set down on the table.
"Good night, Benjy." Ben said with a yawn.
"Good night, Benjy." May said as she took Benjy's nose and shook it gently. "You little mischief maker."
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From her hiding place, Gwen yawned too, and as they went up stairs, she followed and listened to what they said.
"Good night, boy." Mr. Parker said as he got into bed.
"Good night, Webster." Mrs. Parker said as Webster panted happily.
"Good night, dear." Mr. Parker said with a yawn.
"Good night, honey." Mrs. Parker said with a smile in her voice, and Gwen sighed as she pulled her mask off.
Gwen then yawned and stretched out on a small sofa down stairs, which was close enough that she could still hear what Mr. and Mrs. Parker said.
"Dear, you outdid yourself with Benjy." Mrs. Parker said. "He almost looked as if he was really alive."
"Yeah." Mr. Parker said with a sigh. "Wouldn't it be nice if he really was alive?"
"Yeah." Mrs. Parker said wishfully. "Well, enough dreams. I'd say it's time for bed."
"Right." Mr. Parker said.
"Dear, you forgot to open the window." Mrs. Parker said after a few minutes.
"Oh, right." Mr. Parker replied, and Gwen was about to go to sleep when a shout from Mr. Parker made her jump out of the couch and land on her already sore behind.
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"Look, May!" Ben said with a smile. "The wishing star!"
"I think you know the drill." May said with a smile of her own.
"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I make tonight." Ben said. "I wish Benjy was a real boy."
"I do too." May said with a sad smile as she kissed Ben on the cheek. "Let's go to bed, Ben."
They went to sleep, their dreams filled with the laughter of a living Benjy Reilly.
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"That's a nice thought." Gwen said as she got ready to sleep again. "Even if it's impossible."
Gwen was about to go to sleep when the ticking of the clocks, and the dripping of the fountain started, and she couldn't get herself to shut the noise out due to its continuous beat.
"QUIET!" Gwen shouted, and everything was silent, and Gwen sighed. "Finally. A girl can only take so much in one night."
Suddenly, a bright light came from up stairs and was coming down.
"Oh, what now?" Gwen asked as she covered herself up and hoped that the Parkers' didn't notice a large child-shaped lump on their sofa. When the light got brighter, Gwen took her head out of the covers and shouted. "What's going on here?!"
Suddenly, a woman walked down with a long straight sword in her hand. She didn't carry a light, but light was coming from her, and it was reflected by the sword. She had long brown hair and blue eyes. She was one of the most beautiful grown-up women Gwen ever saw, and she also saw that she was dressed in a long red dress that went down to her feet, and matching gloves. She looked up the stairs.
"Holy cow." Gwen whispered.
"Ben and May Parker, you two have given so much happiness to others through all the trinkets you give, that you deserve to have your wish come true." The, there was no other word for it, angel walked from the stairs to Benjy and starred at him like an aunt. "Little puppet made of pine, awake. This gift of life is thine."
Then, to Gwen's amazement, the puppet moved! He blinked a few times and moved his arms around, with the strings seeming to have disappeared.
"Wow." Gwen said. "What people can't do these days?"
"I can move." Benjy said before putting his hand to his mouth in shock and surprise. "I can talk!" The angel laughed kindly as Benjy stood up and was about to walk when he fell down.
"Yes Benjy." The angel said with a smile. "I gave you life."
"Why?" Benjy asked.
"Because tonight, Ben and May wished for a real boy." The angel said.
"Am I a real boy?" Benjy asked.
"Not yet Benjy." The angel said. "To make your parents' wish to completely come true will be entirely up to you."
"Huh?" Benjy asked.
"Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday you will be a real boy." The angel said.
"Hooray!" Benjy said.
"That's not gonna be easy." Gwen whispered.
"Who are you?" Benjy asked.
"I'm Wanda." Wanda said. "Now to be a real boy, you'll have to choose between right and wrong."
"Right and wrong?" Benjy asked. "But how will I know."
"Sounds like a real boy already." Gwen grumbled. "So dumb he doesn't know what right and wrong is."
"Your conscience will tell you." Wanda explained patiently.
"What's a conscience?" Benjy asked.
"What's a conscience?!" Gwen asked as she ran up. "I'll tell you! A conscience is the voice that tells people right from wrong, and that's why people can be so mean because they don't listen to it."
"Are you my conscience?" Benjy asked.
"No, I'm a girl." Gwen said.
"What's a girl?" Benjy asked.
"The opposite of a boy." Gwen said.
"Well would you like to be Benjy's conscience?" Wanda asked.
"Um…" Gwen said. "Well…"
"Of course it is a job for a big girl." Wanda said with a smile.
"I am a big girl!" Gwen protested. "I'm five years old!"
"Alright then." Wanda said with a smile. "What's your name?"
"I'm Gwen." Gwen said.
"Kneel Gwen." Wanda said.
"Okay." Gwen said as she knelt down. "Now what?"
"Now, I dub you, Benjy Parker's conscience. Lady High Keeper of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong, Chief Councilor in the Face of Temptation, and Guide along the Straight and Narrow Path."
With those words, Wanda touched both of Gwen's shoulders with the flat of the sword she held, and suddenly, Gwen's entire outfit turned the purest white.
"Cool!" Gwen said. "Can I have a badge too?"
"Maybe someday." Wanda said with a smile.
"Can it have really cool letters like in story books?" Gwen asked again.
"We'll see." Wanda said.
"Can it be gold?" Gwen asked.
"We'll see." Wanda said again. She then turned to Benjy. "Now remember Benjy, be a good boy, and always let your conscience be your guide."
With that, Wanda disappeared in a slow and soft flash of light.
"Wow." The two children said.
Well… That was interesting.
Gwen: I said be quiet, Doug! Don't make me ask Wanda to turn you into my next child!
Penny: Yay! Do it, Mommy! I want a little brother!