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Description
           A limping soldier slowly struggled his way to the door of The Garden Wall, an old inn at the edge of the bustling city of Arnos. His clothes were tattered and spattered with blood. His whole being was drenched with the freezing rain that beat down mercilessly upon him. A deep arrow wound in his leg caused searing pain with each step. The soldier, known only as William, had heard of the inn from another soldier and hoped that the innkeeper would allow him to stay without paying the boarding fee.
           A stagecoach rattled past, and a great wave of cold muddy water splashed the already freezing William. "Don't people have any respect for soldiers any more?" He muttered under his breath. He continued on. Slowly, ever slowly, he made his way to the inn. He finally reached it and collapsed on the stone steps. He winced as pain shot up his wounded leg. He tried to grasp the railing to pull himself up but was too weak with cold and pain.
           Suddenly, a young couple exited the inn. "Please, please help me." He gasped. But they paid him no heed. They continued towards the awaiting stagecoach as if he was never there. William lay back on the steps and closed his eyes. The rain mixed with his tears as it fell down on his face.
          "Is there anyone in the world who would help an injured soldier? Will I ever see my family again? Am I destined to die here without a friend in the world?" These were just a few of the questions that flew through his mind as he lay, half asleep, on the cold steps under the stormy sky.
           William awoke to someone shaking his shoulder. He found himself looking into the kind face of the innkeeper. "Good thing you woke up. I was afraid that you froze to death." The innkeeper helped William to his feet and placed a blanket over William's bare shoulders. "What's your name, son?"
           "W...William."
           "Well, William, come in and warm yourself by the fire." The innkeeper led William into the inn and seated him in the most comfortable chair by the fire. "Emanuel! Prepare a room for our guest! Oh, and get the medicine bag while you're at it!"
           "Yes, Pa!" A boy's voice sounded from upstairs.
           "Holly, can you heat up some soup? We have a mighty hungry look-in' customer." The innkeeper propped William's bad leg on a stool, which helped ease the pain a little.
           "The special or Chowder?" A young woman with amber hair and a kind smile appeared at the kitchen door.
           "The best you can make." The innkeeper smiled at William. "We have a special guest."
           "You don't have to do this for me, Mr...uh..."
           "King." The innkeeper replied. "And it isn't any trouble, no trouble at all." Emanuel returned with the medicine bag and Mr. King began to dress William's leg. Soon the wound was cleaned and bandaged and Holly served two piping hot bowls of lentil soup. William held his bowl of soup in his hands and let the warmth melt away the cold in his fingers.
           "May I ask a question?" William asked after a slight pause.
           "Ask away." Mr. King said between spoonfuls of soup.
           "Do you treat all your guests like royalty?" Mr. King chuckled and smiled a broad smile at the young soldier.
           "In a matter of speaking." There was a twinkle in the innkeeper's eyes that reminded William of his own grandfather back home.
           The rest of the evening went along smoothly. A few more customers came and the innkeeper treated them with the same hospitality and friendliness he showed William. William was amazed at the innkeeper's attitude towards his guests. Late into the evening the roaring fire gave way to glowing embers which bathed the room in a soft orange glow and gentle warmth. Holly helped William to his room and made sure he was comfortable.
           "Good night, William." She said before leaving.
           "Good night. Oh, and Holly," Holly paused at the door. "Please tell Mr. King thanks for all he has done for me."
           "I will." Holly said with a smile and left him in the room.
           William settled into his bed, being careful not to bump the bandaged leg. He leaned back into the bed and fell fast asleep listening to the soft night sounds and Mr. King's voice reading Psalm 23.
           "...He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me besides quiet waters, He restores my soul..."

Description
           A limping soldier slowly struggled his way to the door of The Garden Wall, an old inn at the edge of the bustling city of Arnos. His clothes were tattered and spattered with blood. His whole being was drenched with the freezing rain that beat down mercilessly upon him. A deep arrow wound in his leg caused searing pain with each step. The soldier, known only as William, had heard of the inn from another soldier and hoped that the innkeeper would allow him to stay without paying the boarding fee.
           A stagecoach rattled past, and a great wave of cold muddy water splashed the already freezing William. "Don't people have any respect for soldiers any more?" He muttered under his breath. He continued on. Slowly, ever slowly, he made his way to the inn. He finally reached it and collapsed on the stone steps. He winced as pain shot up his wounded leg. He tried to grasp the railing to pull himself up but was too weak with cold and pain.
           Suddenly, a young couple exited the inn. "Please, please help me." He gasped. But they paid him no heed. They continued towards the awaiting stagecoach as if he was never there. William lay back on the steps and closed his eyes. The rain mixed with his tears as it fell down on his face.
          "Is there anyone in the world who would help an injured soldier? Will I ever see my family again? Am I destined to die here without a friend in the world?" These were just a few of the questions that flew through his mind as he lay, half asleep, on the cold steps under the stormy sky.
           William awoke to someone shaking his shoulder. He found himself looking into the kind face of the innkeeper. "Good thing you woke up. I was afraid that you froze to death." The innkeeper helped William to his feet and placed a blanket over William's bare shoulders. "What's your name, son?"
           "W...William."
           "Well, William, come in and warm yourself by the fire." The innkeeper led William into the inn and seated him in the most comfortable chair by the fire. "Emanuel! Prepare a room for our guest! Oh, and get the medicine bag while you're at it!"
           "Yes, Pa!" A boy's voice sounded from upstairs.
           "Holly, can you heat up some soup? We have a mighty hungry look-in' customer." The innkeeper propped William's bad leg on a stool, which helped ease the pain a little.
           "The special or Chowder?" A young woman with amber hair and a kind smile appeared at the kitchen door.
           "The best you can make." The innkeeper smiled at William. "We have a special guest."
           "You don't have to do this for me, Mr...uh..."
           "King." The innkeeper replied. "And it isn't any trouble, no trouble at all." Emanuel returned with the medicine bag and Mr. King began to dress William's leg. Soon the wound was cleaned and bandaged and Holly served two piping hot bowls of lentil soup. William held his bowl of soup in his hands and let the warmth melt away the cold in his fingers.
           "May I ask a question?" William asked after a slight pause.
           "Ask away." Mr. King said between spoonfuls of soup.
           "Do you treat all your guests like royalty?" Mr. King chuckled and smiled a broad smile at the young soldier.
           "In a matter of speaking." There was a twinkle in the innkeeper's eyes that reminded William of his own grandfather back home.
           The rest of the evening went along smoothly. A few more customers came and the innkeeper treated them with the same hospitality and friendliness he showed William. William was amazed at the innkeeper's attitude towards his guests. Late into the evening the roaring fire gave way to glowing embers which bathed the room in a soft orange glow and gentle warmth. Holly helped William to his room and made sure he was comfortable.
           "Good night, William." She said before leaving.
           "Good night. Oh, and Holly," Holly paused at the door. "Please tell Mr. King thanks for all he has done for me."
           "I will." Holly said with a smile and left him in the room.
           William settled into his bed, being careful not to bump the bandaged leg. He leaned back into the bed and fell fast asleep listening to the soft night sounds and Mr. King's voice reading Psalm 23.
           "...He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me besides quiet waters, He restores my soul..."