Fairy Tale Spotlight: Our Divine Spinoff, Part 37

After abandoning Everdread, Christopher remained at the cross for some time. He glared at it without moving for a good portion of the day. People passed him by, wondering if he was some sort of statue.

There then came a child who, as he also thought the dog-headed man was some sort of statue, gave Christopher a poke in the leg. This awoke the Cynocephaly enough to glare fiercely at the boy. So frightening was his visage that the poor boy ran away with tears in his eyes. But this was perhaps enough to snap Christopher out of his stupor.

Christopher simply had no idea what to do. Everdread had told him that the cross represented Christ. Christ surely must have been the greatest king of all. But all he had was the cross which did nothing but stand very still, planted in the ground for all to see. It never talked or told him what to do. It was becoming very clear to him that he had to find the one who the cross represented. He had to find Christ. The only problem was that he had no idea where to even begin.

And so with a heavy heart and an absolutely atrocious facial expression, Christopher passed by the cross and walked on into the unknown in search of this elusive king called Christ. The Cynocephaly searched far and wide with no luck. Nevertheless he never gave up, for he was of a one-track mind which could not be swayed.

One day, long after leaving the cross behind, the dog-headed man heard someone talking about a hermit who had spoken much about Christ. He immediately approached this person, promptly, scaring him nearly to death with his face.

“You nearly scared me to death with that face of yours!” the man cried. “What is it that you want?!”

Christopher’s face was only about an inch away from this man’s as he said, “You will tell me where to find this hermit that you were speaking of just now.”

“Why should I?” asked the man nervously.

“Because if you do not, I shall increase the force of my glaring twenty-fold.”

“Oh, dear lord! No! My heart won’t be able to take it! I’ll tell you everything!”

The man was true to this word and told Christopher exactly where he should go to find this elusive hermit. And soon, Christopher found the strange man sitting against an old building with a hat pulled over his face.

“Hermit,” addressed the Cynocephaly.

The hermit pulled up his hat to get a good look at this creature. He asked, “Yes, I am Hermit. How did you know my name?”

“I did not know that was your name,” replied Christopher. “I only thought that it was what you were.”

“I suppose I do have a proper name. But people called me Hermit for so long, I suppose I just learned to accept it. What brings you to my little corner of the city with your big, creepy eyes?”

“I have heard tell that you know of Christ and where I might find him. You must tell me this, for I must serve the greatest king and nothing less.”

“Well now…” began Hermit the hermit. “Finding Christ is tricky business. Where it is true he was a man who once was readily accessible to those who wished to see him, he has of late been a bit hard to come by.”

“But I must find him so that I may serve him,” persisted the Cynocephaly.

The hermit nodded understandingly. He said, “I understand how you feel. Many wish to serve Christ, but few can readily stand before him in person. I would advise that you simply begin serving him of your own accord, and then perhaps Christ will find you.”

Christopher took these words very solemnly. It was not really what he wanted to hear, but he was still willing. He asked, “Then how may I serve him, Hermit?”

“You might try fasting and prayer. It has always done well by me.”

The Cynocephaly seemed creepily perplexed. “I do not see how fasting and prayer will do anything for a king. There must be something of more substance that will be of greater service to him.”

And the hermit indeed had an answer, “There is a dangerous river near here where many travelers are dying while attempting its crossing. Because of your great size and strength, you could carry them upon your shoulders from one side to the other.”

“And in what way would that be serving Christ?” asked Christopher. “It sounds as if I am only serving lesser people.”

The hermit explained, “I give you my assurances that if you serve these people, you will also be serving Christ.”

“I do not think so,” said Christopher. “But I do not see any other way. I will do this.”

And without saying another word, Christopher went off towards the river to begin his service to a king he had never met. Hermit watched him walk away and smiled a little. Placing his hat back over his head, he fell into a peaceful slumber.

To be continued.

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