The Three Stones

12am.

Little Ben was sleeping soundly with his Mr. Bear, his most beloved stuffed toy. Just then, the door to his room opened and someone turned on the lights. Sebastian smiled as he looked at his son. He did not want to disturb the little boy but it was urgent. This was an important day for the Lodge household and he did not want to mess it up.

“Wake up, Benny. Come on, son” he said affectionately, kissing the boy on his forehead.

“Daddy?” Little Ben rubbed his eyes and stared at his father in confusion.

“It’s your birthday, son. You’re seven now, big boy”.

“Birthday?” Little Ben’s eyes flickered in interest as he thought of cake.

It was the only word he associated with birthday and his mouth drooled.

“That’s right, son. There’s a big chocolate cake waiting for you. Just for my son and no one else” he said.

“My present?”

“Mummy and I will take you to the supermarket in the morning, son”.

“Can I get chocolates?”

“Anything, son. Now, it’s time to cut your cake. Go and wash your face first” he said, regretting the fact that he had to wake Little Ben. The boy was tired out from homework lately and it seemed wrong to do such a thing but he had no other choice.

Little Ben walked to the dining room with his father and the first thing he noticed was the large chocolate cake at the end of the table. His mother was already waiting for them and she smiled.

“Here’s the birthday boy!”

Sebastian said as his son began singing a birthday song for himself. He joined in with his wife and they laughed as their son blew out the candles. His puffed out cheeks made him look like a balloon and they adored him for this.

“Make a wish, son” Margaret said lovingly.

“I already have, ma. I want lots of chocolate from you and daddy” Little Ben said excitedly. They chuckled.

“You’ll get them. Now, have a slice and we’ll be ready for you” Sebastian said, licking dry lips. His wife looked at him from the corner of her eye and sighed. This was a life changing event.

They ate the cake in silence and Little Ben stuffed huge quantities into his mouth, enjoying the rich taste of the creamy dark chocolate. Like most children, he had a sweet tooth and hated ‘the icky greens’, a term he used for vegetables.

“Take it easy, son. You might choke” Sebastian said in mock anger.

Little Ben laughed and washed it all down with a glass of lemonade.

“Had enough, son?” Margaret asked sweetly.

“Yes, ma” Ben said, letting out a hearty yawn.

“Good. Now, I want you to pay close attention to what I’m going to present”. Little Ben’s eyes widened.

“What, daddy?” Sebastian nodded his hand and Margaret went to the opposite room. After a few minutes, she emerged with a jewellery box.

“What is it, ma?” Little Ben asked, both curious and frightened.

“Nothing to worry about, son”

Margaret assured him although she was nervous forehead. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and began wiping them off hastily. Sebastian gritted his teeth and the look in his eyes told her that she could blow it up.

“Let me handle this, Margaret. The boy is old enough to make his old decisions”.

Little Ben had no clue what was going on, but he did not like it. He hated suspense and his father was being mysterious. He wanted to go back to bed as soon as possible.

“Son” Sebastian said, clearing his throat. He looked at the anxious faces and restrained a smile.

“What we have here are three very precious stones” he declared, opening the box.

Little Ben found himself staring at three shiny stones; they were red, green and purple.

“This was a gift from my father, your Grandpa Daniel” Sebastian said proudly.

“He did the same thing on my seventh birthday, though I still have to explain it to you. Perhaps, this is the reason for my success but we shall have to see what you go for. Now, Benny. The red stone is the Chance Stone”. He went on, trying to find a way to explain it in plain words.

“The man who chooses this will be taking on the risks of life. They can be either good or bad, but time will tell. In this case, there are two paths. One leads to riches and the other…well…rags”.

Little Ben was cute enough to understand that the whole thing sounded like a trap. He nodded thoughtfully. Sebastian knew his son was wise and he was confident that he would make the right decision.

“The second stone is called the Hardship Stone” he said, referring to the green one.

“It allows you to earn a livelihood but the road is rough and rocky. This does not mean that you will have to beg but you will have to work harder than anyone else for it”.

Little Benny glared at the stone, unsure of what to do. This was too much.

“The final stone is the Royal Stone. The person who chooses it will have all the wealth he wants in life. Gold, silver, hard cash…you name it. Finally, the nature of the person will be determined by the choice he makes. You are young, Benny. Your future will be controlled by one of these stones”.

“Is this all magic, daddy?” Little Ben asked, fascinated.

“I guess you can put it that way, son. It worked for me and I’m sure the same can be said of you. Now, son. Take your time but choose wisely. Final words of wisdom and the rest is in your hands”.

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