The Boy Who Built Houses
A little boy who can build houses. It’s incredible. It’s impressive. How could someone not even pay attention to such a spectacle?
This story was originally published on Medium.
**************
The little boy’s hands worked quickly, leaning sticks against one another, patting mud on their bases, stacking, arranging, patting.
“All done.” He looked up with triumph. “Look what I made.”
No one had shown him how to do this. He just sat in the mud and figured it out all for himself. So young and naive, but he created a replica of a tiny house. Four exterior walls, and several rooms inside. All with nothing but sticks and mud.
“Oh nice.” The mouth let the simple words roll out in a drab tone. The eyes hardly flicked over in the direction of his creation.
“I did several rooms, just like our house.” The boy beamed.
“Mmhmm.” The mouth didn’t even open. Only grunts hummed through closed lips. The eyes didn’t look back, they already saw the creation. No need to look at the creation for longer than a second. What good would that even do?
“I’ll make another.” The boy got back to work.
He sat there, in the mud, for close to an hour. And eventually, he made another little house of sticks and mud. Bigger than the last one. More impressive than the last one. More rooms inside and more attention to detail.
More. More. More.
“Look, I made another.”
“Yes, I saw the little house.” The mouth expelled annoyed words.
“No, there are two now.”
The eyes flicked over. Indeed, there were two now.
“Oh yeah. Good. Just like the other one.”
“No, this one is different.”
“Mmhmm.”
There were more sticks in the woods, off to the boy’s left. He had used up all the sticks in this field. He got up and wandered over to the woods. He could get so many sticks from the woods. Bigger sticks. He could make bigger creations. He’d drag the sticks over to his area one by one. Or perhaps it would be better to just create in the woods. Why bring all of the lovely sticks in the woods to another location? Why bother? What good would that even do?
The boy stepped past the trees, instantly enamored with his surroundings. All the various sticks, large branches, enormous trees. This was a place to create, that was for certain. He found a clearing and got to work, silently. Though he was hundreds of feet away from the field now… his working in silence wasn’t necessary to keep him undetected.
Back in the field, a lazy wind swept through. The smaller of the two houses toppled over.
The eyes looked over at the sound. The mouth opened, finally ready to talk. “What happened with the houses again? There are two now but they’re different? Oh. One fell over.”
The eyes darted back and forth. The boy was gone. The mouth dangled open, but once again, it didn’t speak. It wanted to, but the air was stolen from its cavern. It was too late to speak now.
And now the houses were built in the woods. Big, beautiful houses. Log cabins. They were lovely. And they were far from the field. The houses were out in the open all along, but unseen. And now in the shadows of massive trees, all eyes were upon them. All mouths smiled down on them.
**************
If you enjoyed this story and want to read more of my work, then please come check out my website where I post all my latest work, plus you can even subscribe for updates!
About the Creator
Stephen Kramer Avitabile
I'm a creative writer in the way that I write. I hold the pen in this unique and creative way you've never seen. The content which I write... well, it's still to be determined if that's any good.
Enjoyed the story? Support the Creator.
Subscribe for free to receive all their stories in your feed. You could also pledge your support or give them a one-off tip, letting them know you appreciate their work.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Comments (18)
Such a sweet story! I felt the regret of “the mouth” not seeing the worth of someone so talented and watching the boy move on to bigger and better. Sometimes it takes losing those around you to truly find yourself and it’s a breath of fresh air when you finally stop seeking the validation of those who don’t value you enough to take notice of your talents. Truly a great story!
This is a beautiful story for all who’ve been underestimated by the very community meant to uplift them. I felt the forest was a metaphor for the vastness of the world and the endless possibilities to build a life. So glad to see the boy “branched out.” (Sorry, couldn’t help myself. 😋)
Dazzling job! Keep up the outstanding work—congrats!
I really love the style you’ve gone with for this one - I’m not sure if there’s a name for it but it’s really captivating how you describe the characters as “the boy” and even moreso “the eyes/mouth etc.”. I get the feeling that there’s a much deeper meaning to this than initially meets the eye. I’m not sure if I fully understand that hidden meaning and I love it even more for that very reason. Very nicely done, Stephen! And congrats on TS!
I write in medium as well. Will definitely engage with ur story. Great job
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Oh this is sad, isn't it. I'm watching a boy try to earn a parent's respect and attention, which only pushes him out away from his "home." I'm happy that the eyes linger on his work in the forest, but then, what becomes of him? The way you chose to end it is leaving me unsettled, though not necessarily in a bad way, just...incomplete. Like the boy must feel. And I suppose, the parent, but only because of their own lackings. Fantastic story, Stephen. Unique and thought-provoking. I love this kind of writing. ❤️
Ah the wild youthful heart is magic ❤️
Ah the wild youthful heart is magic ❤️
Ah, I knew this would get the laurels! 🏅
Back to say congrats!🎉
You painted a vivid picture, which stirred memories of my own. Such a beautiful piece that evokes emotion. Well done, congratulations
That boy has my heart! Loved your story so much!
Parents! Can't live with them. Can't build them houses! Interesting story, Stephen.
Stephen, you are inspirational to the highest level. I liked reading about the boy just being a kid! Out in the woods creating instead of burying himself in technology. This was refreshing and so beautifully written. ❤️
Goodness, I could see this all playing out and it had my momma's heart thumping! Great story!
Colour me intrigued!
FANTASTIC!! reminds me of my ex and how he ignored our sons. now the tide had turned. Love this. just like Karma.