Status: Done.
Magesty
Chapter One.
"Oh, hi. I didn't see you there. Names William. What's yours? ... Mighty fine name if you ask me. Why don't I introduce you?"
"Why, I do declare. William James Mcrove. Who are you talking to?"
"These here folks. They've never been here before, so I thought I might show 'em around. That there is Miss Ol' Maybelle. She runs that lemonstand down there. Oh yeah, I forgot to welcome you. This here is Magesty, Tennessee. Date is November 9th, 1945. World War II ended just a few months ago. That war ruined this town. Now everyone has to work extra hard just to survive. See that big red barn back there? That's farmer Michael's barn. He's been feeding all of us out here. And we've been helping him harvesting and everything else.
"William, stop talking and come help."
"Alright dear. That's my wife, Geneva. We own the bakery here. Magesty's Hidden Breads. See the pretty girl sitting on that table over there, that's our eldest, Emily. She's 17. See that little boy behind the counter, that's our youngest Franklin. He's 3; about a month away from 4.
"Those 2 beautiful girls playing dolls by the door, those are my other little girls, Arlene, who's 9; and Marla, who's 6. My son William, he's 13, is out delivering."
"Talking ain't helping."
"Hey, you. I see Dad's leading you around. Introducing you to our cute little family? Ya know, most people would consider us lucky. We are a big family; own our home, and havea business.
"Come with me. I'll introduce you to the top family. Walter and Maude Bell. They're real nice people. Pretty lucky too. They ran the control of our old oil well. They're the one's that kept this town from failing. They didn't want their grandbabies; they have 13... And counting; to grow up and hear stories about a ghost town called Magesty out in rural Tennessee. Even more, they didn't want them to grow up to see an industrial area that used to be Magesty.
"There's their house, that big yellow house up there. Come on."
"Emily May?Is that you? Well, bring your friend up here and help Walter eat these newly made cookies."
"Oh, hello. I'm Walter Bell. Mighty nice to meet you. Some folks around here find us to be lucky cause we have money. But it's not my money or Maude's. It's Magesty's money."
"Mr. Bell doesn't believe in possession like big city people. He shares his with everyone. He's a country Robin Hood. 'Cept no theft."
"Em, have you been reading those books my daughter sent?"
"Yes ma'am. That's where I've gotten my new vocabulary."
"Well, I'm going down to the shelter to take this food. Care to join me?"
"Go ahead, I'll meet you to take you back to the bakery later."
"My husband and I try to help out at the shelter as much as we can. We even have people stay in our extra rooms. We have 7 rooms. So at least 6 people can stay there."
"Miss Bell! Did you bring me anything?"
"Sure did. I found this doll in my attic... That's Tamara Myers. She's 9. She's been in the shelter for about 5 years, me and Walter have even been planning to adopt her. About 2 months pending."
"Thanks Mrs. Bell. I'm sure everyone will love this food."
"Oh, dearie. I think there's a phone call for you at the bakery."
"Here you go, say they're from the government."
"Hello? Oh, so, how's the research for Magesty going? ... Good, good. So, just let me know when to signal the bombers to go out and destroy it."
"No sir, I've been in this town for 2 hours; met amazing people; and seen a personal economy in action. This town shouldn't be bombed; it should be observed; and used as inspiration for the rest of America."
"Why, I do declare. William James Mcrove. Who are you talking to?"
"These here folks. They've never been here before, so I thought I might show 'em around. That there is Miss Ol' Maybelle. She runs that lemonstand down there. Oh yeah, I forgot to welcome you. This here is Magesty, Tennessee. Date is November 9th, 1945. World War II ended just a few months ago. That war ruined this town. Now everyone has to work extra hard just to survive. See that big red barn back there? That's farmer Michael's barn. He's been feeding all of us out here. And we've been helping him harvesting and everything else.
"William, stop talking and come help."
"Alright dear. That's my wife, Geneva. We own the bakery here. Magesty's Hidden Breads. See the pretty girl sitting on that table over there, that's our eldest, Emily. She's 17. See that little boy behind the counter, that's our youngest Franklin. He's 3; about a month away from 4.
"Those 2 beautiful girls playing dolls by the door, those are my other little girls, Arlene, who's 9; and Marla, who's 6. My son William, he's 13, is out delivering."
"Talking ain't helping."
"Hey, you. I see Dad's leading you around. Introducing you to our cute little family? Ya know, most people would consider us lucky. We are a big family; own our home, and havea business.
"Come with me. I'll introduce you to the top family. Walter and Maude Bell. They're real nice people. Pretty lucky too. They ran the control of our old oil well. They're the one's that kept this town from failing. They didn't want their grandbabies; they have 13... And counting; to grow up and hear stories about a ghost town called Magesty out in rural Tennessee. Even more, they didn't want them to grow up to see an industrial area that used to be Magesty.
"There's their house, that big yellow house up there. Come on."
"Emily May?Is that you? Well, bring your friend up here and help Walter eat these newly made cookies."
"Oh, hello. I'm Walter Bell. Mighty nice to meet you. Some folks around here find us to be lucky cause we have money. But it's not my money or Maude's. It's Magesty's money."
"Mr. Bell doesn't believe in possession like big city people. He shares his with everyone. He's a country Robin Hood. 'Cept no theft."
"Em, have you been reading those books my daughter sent?"
"Yes ma'am. That's where I've gotten my new vocabulary."
"Well, I'm going down to the shelter to take this food. Care to join me?"
"Go ahead, I'll meet you to take you back to the bakery later."
"My husband and I try to help out at the shelter as much as we can. We even have people stay in our extra rooms. We have 7 rooms. So at least 6 people can stay there."
"Miss Bell! Did you bring me anything?"
"Sure did. I found this doll in my attic... That's Tamara Myers. She's 9. She's been in the shelter for about 5 years, me and Walter have even been planning to adopt her. About 2 months pending."
"Thanks Mrs. Bell. I'm sure everyone will love this food."
"Oh, dearie. I think there's a phone call for you at the bakery."
"Here you go, say they're from the government."
"Hello? Oh, so, how's the research for Magesty going? ... Good, good. So, just let me know when to signal the bombers to go out and destroy it."
"No sir, I've been in this town for 2 hours; met amazing people; and seen a personal economy in action. This town shouldn't be bombed; it should be observed; and used as inspiration for the rest of America."