Storytelling: Twenty-Two

Homeless man by Matthew Woitunski

There once was a man who went to the gas station every single evening to buy one pack of cigarettes. As soon as he got off his 9 to 5 job, he would head straight there. All cashiers and workers knew him as a regular.

On a hot summer day, a homeless man set his resting area right outside the doors of this gas station. From that day forward he made that place his official place to be. The workers would give him water and let him inside if he ever needed due to blistering weather or any other essential needs. The hobo was friendly and never caused any trouble; he just liked to tell stories and entertain people. All he asked in return was their attention.

The regular customer was surprised to see this guy sleeping outside by the door. It was a blistering day, so the man went in and bought a drink and chips in addition to his usual pack of cigs to give to the hobo. As he sets down the food, the homeless man awakens and begins thanking him for his generosity. In return he felt he absolutely had to tell the customer a story.

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There was a girl named Coral who had three suitors chasing after her. Her complexion was fair, her hair silky, and her personality was lovely. She was quite a catch. The suitors were head over heels in love with Coral; when one day she fell ill.

She suffered through a severe fever and unexpectedly passed away. The suitors were devastated.

They could not bear to believe she was really gone forever.

Suitor One slept against a tree next to her grave. He never got up not even to get food or do anything, so random people who walked by would come back with meals for him to eat. Suitor One was the one most hurt by her lost.

Suitor Two took bits of her bones to a river near the cemetery. He believed the river had special magic to bring her back to life.

Suitor Three went on a journey across the world. During his travels he ran into people who could cast spells to bring Coral back. He memorized the spell as quickly as possible. Suitor Three truly believed this would work, so he immediately made his way back to the cemetery to find Suitor One and Suitor Two.

He gathered them and casted the spell and took a flake of her bones and sprinkled river water onto it. In a blink of an eye, Coral swiftly appeared. She was back and breathing.

Was it the spell, the undying love, or the river water which brought her back?

Which suitor would she choose not that she’s alive again? A man who slept by her side the whole way through, someone who was slowly releasing bits and pieces of her, or someone who traveled to find a magical spell to bring her back.

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For twenty-two days in a row the regular sat by the homeless man to hear at least one story before leaving. This became their routine until one day the homeless man just disappeared without any notice. Now the regular replays all the stories in his head and this one questions him the most.



Author’s notes: I wanted to base this off of the story, The Three Lovers. Instead of a goblin in a cemetery I decided a homeless man was more relatable. The story itself was very similar to the original except this ends in more of a mystery.

Bibliography: Twenty-Two Goblins by Arthur Ryder