INNOCENCE

“MISS PELLING, HOW DO YOU SPELL SIMPLICITY?” the boy shouts to his secretary from the next office behind the frosted glass door that is slightly ajar.

“CAPITAL S-I-M-P-L-I-S-I-T-Y” Miss Spelling shouts back. There is a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Capital s-i-m-p-l-i-s-i-t-y,” the boy speaks quietly, concentrating as he writes. He contemplates the word. “Hmm, you’d think with a name like this it would be easier to spell. Something doesn’t look right here?”

“WHAT?” Miss Spelling shouts from behind the door, as if she was not paying complete attention to her boss. Like most executive assistants she is multitasking: preparing the daily schedule, answering the phone and filing her nails.

“NOTH…” he begins to shout back but then is suddenly interrupted.

Miss Spelling enters the room shuffling a stack of papers.

“Nothing,” The boy completes his thoughts in a more conversational tone.

Miss Spelling scolds him as she hands the boy a stack of papers to sign. “You know Innocence as Chief Administrator of Castle Glade you really should learn how to spell.”

“Ha-ha, Very funny,” Innocence replies as he hands back the papers after signing them.

Miss Spelling scoops up the papers and leaves the room.

“Hey! What did I sign anyway?” Innocence inquires.

Miss Spelling peeks back around the door and answers Innocence in a taunting tone, “My two week vacation…WITH PAY.” She giggles as she closes the door behind her.

“I’ve got to stop being so trusting,” Innocence murmurs to himself. He puts on the jacket to his tailored green suit, looks at his reflection in the mirror. He stares at his most outstanding characteristic, his wide eyes. At 13 years old Innocence sees his youthful features fading as he begins to enter puberty. He experiences a moment of fear as he considers what the future might bring to him. Up until now he hadn’t given the future any thought. In fact it surprises him that it had even entered his mind.

Innocence takes a look around his office at the collections that are scattered throughout the room. It reminds him that time is moving forward and that his youth is fleeting. A photograph on the mantel of a group of first graders kicking around a soccer ball in the playground causes Innocence to reminisce of more carefree days that have been replaced with the responsibilities of fretting over the day-to-day duties that have not been as much fun as kicking the ball into the goal. Innocence looks at another photograph of a toddler, Innocence, sitting on the knee of his father, Honor, while his mother Purity sits and listens as Honor reads to them adventurous tales of Victor, triumphing over the lords of darkness. In these stories Victor delivers castle after castle from the wicked hands of King My Way. The expression on the face of the youngster is wide eyed and mystified, as he listens to his father’s storytelling of the Great Lord of Light.