A slow fall

Prologue

Murrayfield was your average town. It wasn't too small that people knew everyone's business, but it wasn't close to a metropolis. It had its quirks and was your typical small town at heart, with pubs that were filled with regulars and diners frequented by school children on Friday nights.

Not much happened in Murrayfield outside of the norm and there were routines and traditions deeply ingrained in the hearts of the residents. There were the bi-monthly street markets in the town centre, the annual curry contest, and the scarecrow festival. When Caleb was a little kid - pre double digits - his favourite was always the fair. Even though he couldn't go on every ride, what with his small height, he loved the atmosphere.

The Wilkins family would go together on the second weekend it was in town. By that point the initial excitement had calmed down so the crowds were fewer, but the happiness was still there. The laughter and the smiles followed the family of five as they walked from one stall to the next.

The Wilkins parents - Margret and Tony - were frugal with money. They weren't poor, Margret was a teacher at the local school and Tony a doctor at the local practice, but they didn't like to overspend. When asked about it they would express their belief that the Bible references, many times, that we should exhibit self-control. One such way was through not living lavishly and spending beyond necessary.

That one day a year, the second Sunday when the fair was in town, they spend just a bit more. It was a treat that Caleb cherished.

They would play carnival games, eat too much junk food, and go on rides until they felt sick, but the Wilkins kids loved every second of it.

As they got older, the tradition faded. The eldest Wilkins boy began wanting to go with their friends - at a time when being seen out with their parents was social suicide. The youngest began to lose his love for the atmosphere he once adored.

Time changes things.

The Wilkins family still did things together. The parents encouraged a bi-monthly game night, though it became harder to get the children to listen and so it was only once a month where they would all come together for such an event. Margret and Tony, though strict, found it hard to say no to the boys a lot of the time. They set clear boundaries - curfew at ten on a school night, on weekends later only if it was deserved, chores had to be completed, behaviour kept in check - things they believed made up a man. That he should be righteous, be brave in the face of opposition, remain faithful to the truth, have a good reputation with outsiders and so on.

They would attend Church every Sunday, the children attending the Sunday school Margret taught at when they were young enough and were moulded into the perfect Christian boys. They participated in voluntary work, helped their neighbours, raised money for the church. They were your staple small town Christian household, much like many in the area.

While they didn't spend much, they had a nice house in an upper-class area. It was a necessity, of course, with three growing, rambunctious boys needing a lot of space.

They lived in a two-story suburban house, with a white picket fence and a large backyard. Their street was a cul-de-sac, making easier for the kids to play out in the front with their friends without the fear of cars, and the street was full of family so there was many a child to play with.

It was a family area, the elementary school only a ten minute was down the road, perfect for Margret and the kids' early years.

The middle school and high school were further afield, though reachable by a bus. All the kids in the area went to the same schools up until graduation, with only one within appropriate travel distance. The student body was also filled with city kids, locals with a different upbringing that created an interesting school climate. A clash of religion, beliefs, attitudes; nothing uncommon when large groups of people interact.

The city was close enough for frequent visits, but using public transport took a significantly longer amount of time so, unless the journey was necessary, most of the children tended to stay in town. There was enough to do that travel seemed pointless.

Still, as they got older, there were things that only the city had. The Wilkins boys would go frequently, the hustle and bustle filling them with excitement and a sense of adventure. When they came of age and graduated, first Adam - the eldest of the Wilkins boys - and then Bailey, they moved away for the next stage of their lives. They didn't go far, but it was far enough that Caleb felt it. The loneliness, the distance.

It was only a year, he had to remind himself. He only had a year until he too graduated and could say goodbye to this small town that was slowly suffocating him as well. Though hope was a dangerous thing.