The Wishing Well | ✔

• Six •

As fast as he could run, Peter tore off in the direction of the inn. For the umpteenth time that night, he scurried up the deck stairs, and entered his room. Miraculously, his wife and daughter were still sleeping like logs.

"Wake up," he whispered, gently shaking Kathryn awake. "Quickly. We must leave now." He made his way to Audra's cot, waking her also.

"What is going on?" his wife groaned. "We haven't been asleep any more than a couple of hours."

"There is no time to explain. We must leave—now," he repeated.

Kathryn Wilkins sat up, and finished waking Audra. In less than 10 minutes, they were making their way down the steps, and walking towards the highway. Though Peter was tempted to pick up his daughter and his wife's hand and run at full speed, he didn't want to arouse suspicion. At least, not more than there already was in this town—but could anything even arouse more suspicion?

"Hey! You there!"

Peter turned to see a guard hurrying towards him. Oh no...

"Good evening, sir," he replied calmly as soon as the guard was within earshot.

"I see you spoke to an old woman who claims to have become young again in the midst of all this turmoil." The guard studied his face intently.

"That's right, sir."

"Wha-what?" Audra's mother looked utterly confused. Her husband patted her on the back, as though to say, Everything is alright. I'll explain later.

"Did she enlighten you as to why it happened to her?"

"No, sir. She only explained what happened," Peter lied.

"Is that so?" The guard looked upset. "Because she told me that you inquired how it happened of her, and you asked her whether she had used the wishing well."

Peter quickly made up a believable story in his head. "Oh, yes, sir. I was only curious as to whether the well had anything to do with it. After all, the old man who made a big commotion at the well a while back said—"

"I know very well what he said. But you have no business meddling in this, alright?" Growled the guard. Before the poor man had a second to answer, he asked another question. "Where are you headed, so late at night?"

"Ohh, we're just going—" Audra's father was interrupted by another shriek from the crowd.

"Excuse me," muttered the guard in disgust. He ran off in that direction. Saved by the bell.

"What is this all about?" inquired Kathryn quietly, looking towards the square where the uproar was coming from.

"Papa," Audra spoke wearily, "did that woman use the wishing well? Did she get her wish?"

"Why...yes," Peter replied.

"Did everyone get their wish?"

"Well, I...I..." Her father was at a loss for words.

Peter was saved by a man appearing directly in front of them. The family took a surprised step back. He had the appearance of a normal old man, seemingly 80 to 90 years of age.

"Thank you," he said. His voice was deep.

"Uh, for...for what?" asked Peter.

"I am Adam Sayer," The man replied, as though this would answer all of Peter's questions. When he saw that the poor man before him still looked confused, he laughed. "So you don't know who I am?"

"Never heard the name," he answered.

"Adam Sayer! Adam Sayer!" Audra was jumping up and down. "That's the name that was on the well! I sounded it out!"

"Hush," whispered her mother.

"Aha, here is one who knows who I am," smiled the old man, patting the top of Audra's head. "Indeed, I am the builder of the well. Tonight, you have granted many wishes, Mr...what is your name, may I ask?"

"Wilkins," he said. "But how have I granted the wishes?"

"When I created that wishing well," he began, "I gave it the ability to grant wishes—but not in the way you would think. Most such wells hold the idea that wishes are granted when the coin is tossed into the well. But I created mine differently. My idea was that the wishes would be granted when someone had enough bravery to extract the coins from the well."

"My husband did what?" The woman was still bewildered.

"Your husband extracted coins from the well. Just take a look in his handbag." He motioned to the bag sitting at their feet.

Kathryn kneeled down and unzipped the worn bag. Her eyes lit up in astonishment. "Oh, Peter..." her voice trailed off as she felt the coins with her fingertips. "But we must leave! You will be arrested and maybe even—"

"Nonsense," laughed Adam. "He has not committed a crime. For the past 70 years, I have made sure there were guards there to make the well seem forbidden. To test a man's bravery. Your bravery, it turns out."

Peter and Kathryn Wilkins were utterly speechless at this statement.

All at once, Audra's eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the open bag of coins.

"What's the matter, dear?" Kathryn bent down next to her daughter and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"My wish came true," she said softly. "I wished that you and papa would get some money so that you wouldn't have to work so hard. So we could be together more."

"Oh, Audra. You sweet, sweet girl." Kathryn embraced her child as she sobbed into her mother's shoulder.

"I must be going soon," said Adam. "But you, Mr. Wilkins, have shown remarkable bravery. You shall certainly be rewarded. You are free to take the rest of the coins from the wishing well," he said. "I will escort you."

"H-how can I ever thank you, sir?" Peter stammered.

"Oh, but you don't understand, Wilkins." Adam shook his head. "I have done nothing here. You were the one who had enough courage to do this. All I did was build the well. You did the rest."

Audra's mother was trying to hide her own tears, and her father was trying to keep himself from crying to begin with. Seeing that no one else was qualified to say anything, Audra spoke.

"Thanks, papa," she cried, turning to him. Her brown eyes burned into his. "You made my wish come true. And it's a really good thing that you're going to be less busy now, too."

Peter smiled and smoothed his daughter's hair. "And why is that, exactly?"

"Because," Audra returned his smile. "You're a hero now."