The Puppeteer

Freedom

Sever the Puppet Stings Which Bind your Days.
Dance No More to the Songs Of the Dead.
Onward to the Grand Adventure you've Longed For.
It can Begin the Moment you Search Within.
-John Mark Green
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Once upon a time there was a Puppeteer. The Puppeteer owned five puppets, and loved them very much. The Puppeteer worked hard to make sure the puppets were taken care of.

Then one day, the Puppeteer started to get selfish. The Puppeteer no longer had time to take care of the puppets because the Puppeteer was too focused on themselves.

The puppets were wrapped around the Puppeteer's fingers, and yet they were no longer cared for. The Puppeteer wouldnt even put the puppets back into their proper boxes. They were set on a dusty shelf until their next use.

All of the puppets now had wear, for they were made out of wood. Scratches here and there, some scuff marks too. The three older puppets needed new strings, for they were starting to come undone. The newest of the five needed to be buffed and oiled, for they had only minimal damage.

Sadly the Puppeteer never thought about the puppets well being, for they thought... well they are only puppets. Why would they care, I can always get new ones.

The Puppeteer continued in life with the same puppets with this thought until one day, the Puppeteer was entertaining for an important guest of his. The Puppeteer wanted to try their best to impress them, so they could gain funding for new puppets.

During the show, the first puppet became aware of the strings controlling its limbs. It forced its head to the side, hoping the audience neither the Puppeteer would notice. Then whilst looking at its fellow puppets, the second flinched on it's own accord.

The first puppet glanced to the other side, slowly to not attract unwanted attention. There were a pair of scissors behind the curtain, and the second puppet knew what the first puppet was up to.

The first puppet flung themselves towards the scissors, and while the Puppeteer was stunned with the sudden misbehaviour; it cut its strings. The first puppet, now free, rushed to save the second before it was to late. Yet, the second was trying to convince the third to come with them.

The third puppet had become aware, and the strings were cut from both second and third puppets. But the third puppet wasn't sure what they wanted to do. They didn't consider the Puppeteer evil, and they were newer and not as damaged. Maybe the Puppeteer would keep them.

With the second puppet dragging the confused third puppet away from the scene, the first puppet still had to help the fourth and fifth. They still weren't aware, but while trying to cut the strings if the fourth... the Puppeteer grabbed the fourth puppet and held it to their chest like a prized possession. It was indeed the newest and most expensive puppet, but it saddened the first puppet to have to leave.

Leave, you may ask. There is still one more puppet to save. Sadly there is not. As the Puppeteer was pulling the fourth puppet to their chest, the fifth puppet got tangled in strings and broke into pieces. It was the oldest puppet out of them all, and as the first puppet ran to meet the others; it shed a "tear" in honor.

After leaving the Puppeteer behind, the puppets lived happy lives. They found other puppets who were just like them, and they got to be with puppets just like themselves until they left the world behind. And even then would they be happy, because they were finally free.