The Community: A Novella

By William R. Brown MPHMHA

William Brown knows what it is like to search for something and the confusion that grips you when the search does not end the way you planned it. In The Community, two mysterious figures emerge to threaten the peace and tranquility that has existed from the beginning of time. Community members are introduced to unknown emotions such as doubt, fear, anxiety, and enmity between long-term neighbors. At the center of these unwanted changes is God, who used to walk and talk with all the members. He has not been seen or heard from for a very long time, leading the members to wonder if he has abandoned them and left them in the care of a mysterious and new creature. The Community needed to be saved, and the most submissive creature among them had a plan to save them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hawes & Jenkins Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9781637843475

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The Community

A Novella

William R. Brown III, MPH,MHA

ISBN 978-1-63784-346-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63784-347-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by William R. Brown III, MPH, MHA

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Hawes & Jenkins Publishing

16427 N Scottsdale Road Suite 410

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

www.hawesjenkins.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

In the Beginning

The New Creature

What to Do

We Have a Plan

I Know What to Do

A Return to Ease

The Plan

The Quest Begins

The First Day

New Surroundings

Conflict and Separation

A New Beginning

A Better Plan

The Leadership Council

The Scouts

Deliberation

No New News Is News?

Let's Keep It Moving

Step by Step

What Now?

Unexpected? Unplanned? Un-anything!

Adam's Sobering Truths

The Long Trek Home

Home Again

Troubles Ahead

No Long Goodbyes

Thanks for buying this book. It is a labor of love. The idea for this book grew from a question that developed years ago as I was studying different books of the Bible. It slowly transformed into the story that it is today. Initially, it was the story of the character Pau. Over time it transformed into a story about more characters and took me on a journey I had not anticipated.

About the Author

Introduction

In the beginning, God said let there be all kinds of creatures. Let them walk upon the land. And that's what happened. God created all beasts and placed them where they lived a life of ease and lacked for nothing. He introduced them one by one. And for a time, he saw it was good. But turmoil was ahead, and change would construct a framework to snare all God's creatures from a life of contentment and tranquility into one of confusion, doubt, and an unintended journey. New challenges and attitudes never experienced would be faced. Yet the river that ran through the lands of the Community would continue to flow undaunted by changes in the land. It had no beginning and no end. It fell into a mysterious fog. It was everlasting and always present in the land, announcing its presence as the one and only unchanging member of the Community. An unlikely hero would emerge to lead Community members.

A creature that, at first, was shy and easily overlooked in Community gatherings. He would head a committee bent on finding answers to questions at the root of the unrest that would grip the Community and create uncertainty as to God's real purpose. His name was Pau. And with Cau, Damieu, Elaine, and Russo, he would help to prepare the Community for an unforeseen future.

No creature was prepared for the meddlesome and annoying creature Adam. He was the most unusual among all the animals. He called himself God's representative and immediately went to work, initiating change. Was Adam's role one of destruction and Community upheaval? The answers required that members join a quest to seek God out and petition him to save the Community from Adam's new laws and constant meddling in Community members' affairs. Adding Adam to the Community caused many members to believe God made a mistake that needed correcting. The new creature threatened the harmony and tranquility that always existed. Community members agreed that they must do something. Pau had an idea. They should seek God and tell him how disruptive Adam was and how they feared he was destroying the Community. They should implore God to remove this threat and return the Community to the beautiful place all members have enjoyed.

Whenever fear enters your mind, you feel you must do something.

This is always true when it involves the threat of loss of something precious to you.

Too often, our first reaction is to surrender to fear.

We react by escaping, running away, avoiding acknowledgment, ignoring it, or burying it deep inside as to believe it never happened.

We lose our way like a man in an unfamiliar forest in a moonless night.

In the darkness, fear seizes us.

We turn to conjecture and conspiracy as a way out of confusion.

But knowing there is an all-wise God who knows the way out can

change diffidence into confidence.

Recognition of God's presence at every moment of time

points the way to safety and peace.

Turning to God means that an inner light leads us out of darkness and confusion.

Our faith that God is guiding us cancels dread and fear for he is with us and there is nothing to fear.

In the Beginning

Long ago, God created a land that included thick forests of amber-, green-, and yellow-leafed trees. Blue-green carpets of all manner of grasses of various heights and thicknesses stretched as far as the eye could see. A long wide river ran through this land ending at a waterfall. The thunder from the crashing fall echoed throughout the land, forming a distinct and pleasant background music for the inhabitants. The sky seldom varied from its bluish daytime hue and its orange tint at sunset. Occasionally white clouds would form and trace their pillowy shapes across the carpeted landscape. It was always pleasant—never too hot or cold, never too windy, wet, or dry.

All manner of creatures lived here. They lived in perfect peace and harmony. They called themselves the Community. They gathered often to welcome new members and to maintain their ties to one another. They would discuss the beauty of their homes and any new ideas they might have for improvements. The mystery behind the cloud that formed at the end of the falls was always a central topic. How deep was it? Where did it go? What was it hiding? Another topic was the falls itself. Why was it so noisy? How far did the river fall? Finally, where did the river originate, and where did it end? The gathering was a celebration, a coming together to cement and establish new bonds. Most of the time, members would only share a salutation as they met during routine walks. Brief discussions might ensue, but the members were usually eager to return to their daily routines.

Periodically, God would introduce a new creature to the Community. God would come to the Community gathering and during the gathering present new additions. Often, God would come to the Community and visit with all the creatures. The Community was always pleased to visit, talk, and walk with God. However, God had not been seen for a very long time. His absence was noted at the last three gatherings. It was unusual but not alarming. Community members believed that he was at work tending to other affairs and would soon visit them again with another new creature addition.

The New Creature

Today's gathering was unlike any before. Today a creature was introduced to the Community, who announced that he was sent to administer all Community affairs. He said God sent him, and he worked on his behalf. This new creature's name was Adam, and he was indeed different. He had smooth dark skin and coarse black fur that set on top of his head. He walked on two legs, and his other legs could grab and hold things. It had neither actual whiskers nor claws. He chose to live apart from the Community members. After making his announcement, he turned and disappeared into the forest.

The members of the Community stood in silence for a long time as the words from this new creature took hold. The idea that God sent a biped to handle all their affairs and to administer to them took time to comprehend. They agreed to take a wait-and-see approach. Indeed, God did not mean for this new creature to disturb their tranquil and harmonious lives.

God customarily visited the Community. He walked and talked and laughed with them often. But he had not been around for some time. It was unlike him. Usually, after introducing each new member, he would visit with the Community, checking to see if things were proceeding smoothly. Now he sends his representative to talk to them and take charge of their affairs. What affairs? It was the overriding question among the Community members. They were indeed puzzled by this new intrusion upon their peaceful and normally festive gathering.

He attempted to manage all the creatures' affairs in the days and months after his arrival. He asked such questions as the following: (1) Do you know how you got here? (2) Do you know your purpose? (3) What are you called? (4) Do you have a plan? And the most nagging question is, (5) Why are you here? Of course, Adam refrained from answering any questions himself and abstained from any inquiry into the reasons he was