Sunrise/Sunset

The Baker and His Wife

Mr. Grievan was a normal man. He lived a normal life. The world treated him nicely, and he showed kindness in return. But his mind was damaged, and he finally cracked when he met dear Lucy.

Lucy Carriven was considered an angel. She was most known for her beauty, but those who were closest to her admired her lovely heart. All the men in town wished to marry her, and all the women wished to be her.

The first time Phillip Grieven saw Lucy, he fell in love. He was immediately struck with not only a feeling of love, but a wanting. So he curiously followed Lucy home, hoping to introduce himself to the beautiful woman.

Lucy tried hard to ignore him, walking briskly up the steps onto her porch. But Mr. Grieven stepped in front of her, blocking her path, forcing her to stop and look him in the eyes.

"Phillip. Phillip Grieven. I'll get straight to my point so as to not keep you waiting too long. You are quite radiant. Your eyes glisten in the sunlight, as does your golden hair. Your face glows with joy and beauty, so much so that I wish to stare at it forever. Miss Lucy, will you marry me?"

Lucy was thoughtful at first, but the moment the last four words flowed from his lips she scowled and turned away. A humiliated blush crept up her cheeks as she notices people staring on the streets.

"Good sir, I do think it it quite rude and disrespectful to ask for a stranger's hand in marriage."

"Oh, but Lucy." Phillip grabbed her wrist, much more forceful than he had intended, causing the girl to gasp, "I feel as if I've known you for years. Do you not feel a similar connection?" His eyes pleaded even more than his words.

"No, Mr. Grieven. Please. You've best be on your way." Lucy pulled her arm from his grip, shuffled past him, and slammed the door shut.

Mr. Grieven set his jaw, staring blankly at the front door as his heart split in two. He barely heard a faint click as the door was locked, or the whispers of all who were watching. Nor did he notice Lucy's face peering from behind a curtain, biting her lip and holding back tears, as she watched him walk away.

He returned to his bakery, making every sort of bread, pastry, and cake imaginable to put his troubled mind at ease. Days went by, soon weeks, of him baking incessantly. His shelves were fuller than they had ever been, but still he did not stop. Neighbors began to notice that he never left his little bakery, and left fresh ingredients on his doorstep out of pity.

Months and eventually years passed, and still no one saw or heard from Mr. Grieven. All they knew was that there were always baked goods available at a decent price.

At first many people wondered what caused him to become this way, but year after year the rumors trickled down into only faint memories. With less people caring about him, his bakery was no longer flourishing, and the food on display began to rot. Neighbors no longer brought him fresh ingredients, children no longer wondered why the lights in the bakery were never on, and families no longer worried over how he was still alive.

For everyone believed he was dead.

That is, everyone except those living in the far neighborhood of Falcon Hills. These residents were wealthy, and quite removed from the problems of the rest of the town.

But one day, a little girl from Falcon Hills was walking with her mother and stopped when she saw the bakery. She didn't notice the mold blooming like white flowers on the various treats.

"Mama, I'm hungry." she said quietly.

"Alright, dear. Let's get something to eat here." the woman was in such a hurry that she, too, did not see the rotting food. So they walked inside the bakery, a bell ringing as the door swung open.