Shadow in Serenity

twenty


Logan wished that this whole thing wasn’t a scam. As he stood in the assembly hall of the elementary school and looked out at the bright, clean, hopeful faces of those children who expected him to change their world into something magical, he hated himself. Serenity already had magic, but he’d made them long for more. When the principal had asked him to come talk to the children again about the school project related to the park, he’d almost said no. But he had to commit. Either he would see this scam through, or he would take off. Since he wasn’t ready to go, he made himself accept the invitation.

“So what I’m proposing,” he went on, standing and pacing across the stage with Jack close on his heels, “is that you children help me by drawing pictures, writing down ideas, brainstorming, if you will, until you come up with wonderful, outrageous ideas of the kinds of rides you’d like to see in the park. We’re going for originality, and the more fantastic the better.”

He saw Jason’s hand go up in the middle of the auditorium. “Yes, Jason,” he said.

Jason smiled, puffed up with pride that Logan knew him by name. “Do you want the rides to have something to do with Roland Thunder?”

“They can,” he said, “but they don’t have to. I’m looking for ideas that we can develop, things that no one else has, that will draw people from all over to our park.”

Another hand went up. “Yes?”

“What if a kid wants to invest?”

Logan hesitated. “Well, now, every little bit helps, sure, but I think ideas are more what I’m trying to get from you.”

“But if we have some money, and we give it to you, would we be partners too?”

“I’d only take your money if your parents let me know they’re okay with it,” he said. “But yes, everybody who invests is a partner.”

“And would we get free passes?”

“Every one of you who comes up with an idea that we use will get free passes,” he said. “I guarantee it. You don’t have to give me your allowance.”

“But we can if we want?” someone else asked. “And then, when the park starts making lots of money, we’ll make money too, won’t we?”

“Theoretically, yes,” Logan said, “but like I told you, I’d rather have your ideas.”

The bell rang, saving him from any more questions about investments, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the children were dismissed. He shook the principal’s hand and thanked him for allowing him to come again. Then he felt someone tap his side.

Jason stood behind him, his eyes wide and admiring, and when Logan stooped down to the child’s eye level, Jason said, “That was good, Logan. And I have lots of ideas.”

“That’s great, Jason,” he said, “but you know, it’s too bad we can’t reproduce your fishing hole and offer it as a part of the park. That was the most fun I’ve had in years.”

“We can go again! How about today?”

“Isn’t your mom expecting you home?”

“No,” he said. “I’m going home with Nathan today, because she had a couple of flights she had to make. You could come over, and we could all three go!”

He straightened and watched the children dispersing from the auditorium. He really had no reason not to go with Jason. He had nothing to do until the children went home and worked on their parents. Tomorrow was the day he expected to sweep up and prepare for his getaway. Between the enthusiasm of the kids and adding Thunder’s name to the park, very few citizens would be able to resist.

“Besides, you told me you could help me with my math. I’m having a little trouble with my addition. I could bring my book, and we could work on it while we fish.”

Logan smiled. This kid might have a future as a con artist. That persuasive nature must run in the family. “All right,” he said finally. “Let me go change, and Jack and I’ll meet you at Nathan’s in half an hour. How does that sound?”

“Great!” Jason said, jumping down from the stage and heading out of the auditorium. “See you in a little while. We’re gonna catch a zillion fish today!”


Nathan and Jason were armed with bait, poles, and math books when Logan got to the Trents’ house. Taking his share of the load, he went with the two boys and Jack through the woods, around the lake, to the special, private area where he and Jason had fished the other day.

While Nathan watched their poles, patiently waiting for one of the lines to get a bite, Logan looked over Jason’s homework. “Ah, here’s what you’ve done wrong,” he said, pulling a pencil out of his pocket. “You haven’t carried the one.”

“I don’t understand about carrying the numbers,” the boy said.

Patiently, Logan explained how it was done. Rapt, Jason listened. When he thought he understood, Jason attempted a problem himself, and his eyes lit up with pride when he got it right.

“I’ve got it now. My friend Caleb in fifth grade has to do fractions. I’ll hate that.”

“Yep. Understanding the least common denominator is a whole new thing.”

Jason thought a moment. “So when Mom says that the park will reduce us all to the least common denominator, is she talking about fractions?”

Logan chuckled. “She means that the bad people will bring the good people down, instead of the good ones bringing the bad ones up. But she shouldn’t worry, because there won’t be any bad people here. We’ll keep them all out.”

“Anyway, if they did come, I think bad people can turn good, don’t you?” Jason asked.

“I couldn’t have put it better myself, Jason. And if there’s ever a place where a bad person could turn good, it’s got to be Serenity.”

The words left him feeling surprisingly melancholy. Was it really possible for someone like him to change? No, he thought. He was in too deep.

They fished until they’d caught more fish than they wanted to carry home, and then they pitched Jason’s baseball until it was time for Logan to make his way back.

“Your mom worked me in for a lesson at five thirty,” he said.

Jason wasn’t ready to leave. “You go on, and we’ll stay here for a while longer. And remember, this place is secret, okay?”

“All right, kiddo.” Logan picked up a stick for Jack to fetch as they made their way back through the woods. “See you later.”

“Tomorrow?” Jason asked hopefully.

Logan laughed. “Yeah, okay. Tomorrow. And I want to see that math paper again. See if you can have all those problems corrected by then.”

“Piece o’ cake,” Jason said. “And don’t rile Mom, okay? I don’t want her coming home in a bad mood.”

Logan couldn’t help laughing as he walked back through the trees.