A Short story

Written by Curtis Timmons

Paragraphs 1-39

Joseph is a ten year old child who was very frighten after he had awaken all alone in a dark cave. He called for his mother and brother, but no one answered, he called for the doctor who he remembered seeing before he felled asleep and again, no one answered.

“How did I get here” he said to himself. “Hello, is anybody out there?” he yelled towards a wide hole of the cave from were he could see the dark sky outside from inside the cave. He flinched at the sight of sparks of lighting when it flashed in the dark sky. He then gain the courage to stand up, he begun walking towards the hole that lead to the outside were he found himself standing onside a cliff of a hill.

As Joseph stood on the cliff he notice that the hill was far from the ground level as he could see over the tall thick trees that surrounded the hill, when he looked down in front of him, he saw an easy pathway from the cliff side that lead directly into a thickness of the forest. “Is anybody down there” he screamed to the forest of thick trees below and again, no one answered.

He was then frightened as another spark of lightning covered the dark sky and was about to run back inside the cave until he realize that the entrance that lead him to the cliff side was suddenly sealed off. He push onto the wall investigating for any holes that could lead back into the inside of the cave. He begun panicking as the lighten flickered more and more, “Please, I wanna go back home” he cried as he was hoping that anyone or anything could save him and get him from such a lonely and dark place.

Then suddenly amongst the panic of fear and confusion he heard a whistle. He then stopped his panicking as he slowly turn around to facing the cliff side were he heard the whistle again. He could sense that the sound was coming from some where in a distance over the trees and the sound was soothing to him. The sudden hearing of the sound made him feel at ease, he was not feeling so much afraid anymore in such a lonely dark place. “Hello, where are you?” he called out to mysterious sound. And then he heard it again “phweeeeeesssh,phweeeeeesssh” the sound said very loudly and very soothing and welcoming. Joseph did not understand what it meant or who it was, but he felt he had to be near it. He then carefully started walking down the pathway of the cliff as he made his way down the hill and towards the thickness of the dark forest. The more he heard the sound the more it did not matter how scary the woods look as he entered inside of them, their was something about the sound that was pleasing to him, something about it that made him feel safe. The more he rand towards it’s direction the more he was sure that the sound of that whistle was going to help him find his way back home.

As he moved through the dark forest he suddenly begun to panic as the sound had now begun to fade away, he heard sounds of footsteps coming from behind the trees but, he did not know where the sounds where exactly. He heard voice’s of laughter as it sounded like other children. “Hello, brother is that you” he called out in hopes that it was his older brother was playing another one his tricks on him; he didn’t like it when his brother played tricks however, at least he would feel better if the laughter came from someone he knew.

He was now standing in one spot of the forest moving around in circles as the laughter seemed to be circling him from behind the trees. He wanted to run back towards the hill but, he could not see over the tall trees. Then he felt something as it tapped onto his shoulder from behind, he quickly took off running as he did not look back to see what it was. As he rand, someone had leap down from one of the tall tree branches above him and felled onto his back forcing him onto the ground.

“Please, don’t hurt me” he begged the voices that continued laughing over him as he lay on the ground; hands covering his face, afraid to open his eyes. “Get up, we were only playing with you” one of the voices said to him. As Joseph uncovered his face and slowly stood up from the ground in fear, he notice that the voices were three children that look to be around the same age as he, one being a girl and the other were two boys.

“It’s ok, we are not going to hurt you” the girl said as the two boys continued laughing at Joseph. Then she looked at him and asked, “What’s your name and how old are you?”

“My name is Joseph and I’m ten years old, where am I and how I did I get here?”

Then the two boys suddenly stop laughing as they showed a more serius expression about themselves. “My name is Lilith” the girl said to him. “And I am 11 years old.” Then she proceeded to introduce other two boys. “And these two are Hiero and Kumor. They are both 12 years old.”

“Nice to finally meet you Joseph, I was beginning to wonder how long is was going to take, for you to come down for the hill top.” Said Hiero as he reached over to embrace Joseph with a big hug.

“Hill top?” Joseph repeated as he quickly freed himself from being suffocated under the arm pits of Hiero. “Are you talking about the tall hill that I came down from?”

“Yes, he is” Kumor interjected. “Every child begins their journey on that hill top, the same way you started in a cave and came down the path that lead into the forest, is the same way that we entered the forest.”

“You were up there for three days,” Hiero spoke again. “We were starting to get a little woried, most kids come down on the first are second day,” Hiero started laughing “Congratulations kid you have made a new record” he said with a big smile on his face.

“I don’t understand?” Joseph shook his head in confusion. “Why was I up there? And who are the other kids that you are talking about? If you knew I was up there then why didn’t anyway come help me?”

“Come down” Lilith spoke in a soft voice, as she placed her hands over Joseph shoulder. “I will explain to you what is happening only you if promise not to panic. Do you Promise?” Joseph shook his head ‘yes’ and then she took a deep breath and said, “Joseph, the cave that you awaken inside of is were all kids of misfortune begin their journey in the after life; this is purgatory.”

“Purgatory.” Joseph took a step back releasing himself from Lilith’s grasp, as he was in shock. “Are saying that I’m dead?” he asked her with wide eyes of tears as she shook her head ‘Yes’ before adding that she-too was dead, so was Hiero and Kumor. “No, that can’t be true, I cant be dead” he begun to cry out loud. “What about my mom and my brother, are they dead too?”

“We don’t know that” Kumor answered. “What is the last thing that you remembered before awakening inside the cave?”

“I remember being inside of a hospital” Joseph answered as he tried desperately to wipe away his tears. “There was an accident” he continued. “My older brother was playing with a gun that he found, he was playing a prank on me, he aim the gun at me and didn’t know it was loaded. The gun went off and I was hit by one of the bullets. I was rushed to the hospital and remember mom being very angry at my brother. I was in so much pain as the doctor was trying to remove the bullet. I remember my hearing my mom’s voice as she screamed ‘Please do not leave me’ before I felled asleep. The next thing I remember was awakening inside the the cave on top the hill.”

“So your mother and brother are most likely still alive” Kumor explained. “And the moment you felled asleep was the moment you died.” Kumor said before grabbing onto Joseph, who nearly felled to the ground from being over whelmed by all that has happen. “It’s going to be OK, I promise you Joseph. Lilith, Hiero and myself, have all been here in purgatory for years.”

Then Joseph regain his balance and stood up strait. “For years” he said, “But, what about Heaven? I thought that people go to Heaven when they die.”

“It takes a special kind of person to enter Heaven without crossing into the realms of purgatory” Hiero said to him. “Their are many different stages of purgatory, it all matters how you left the physical world.”

“What do you mean; how you left the physical world?” Joseph asked.

“Remember when Lilith told you that this where all journeys begin for the kids of misfortune?”

“Yes, Lilith said that this is where all kids begin their journey in the after life.”

“Not all kids, only the ones who were mistreated by others, and were murdered in such a terrible way.”

“Murdered” Joseph rejected. “I was not murdered.

“Are you sure about that” Lilith said as her eyes sharpen on him. “You said your brother shot you with a gun, did you not.”

“Yes, but it was a mistake” Joseph replied.

“I don’t believe you.” Lilith responded angerly. “This is the stage of misfortune children, only kids who died of injustice or live a terrible life will enter here.” Lilith said as she walked closer to Joseph. “Hiero, Kumor and myself, have all died from a great injustice. Many kids who enter this stage did not have great childhood’s” Lilith’s eyes begun to tear up as her stare intimidated Joseph. “Some were poor and didn’t have an chance to be happy at the start of birth as their family sold them evil people for money and some were greatly abused no matter their social status. Every child that has entered this stage was mistreated or left for dead. And now The Lord has put us here and asked us to forgive the ones who wronged us.”

“Forgive the ones who wronged us, why must we do that?” Joseph asked.

“To enter Heaven” Lilith screamed as she begun crying loudly.

Kumor rushed over to Lilith trying his best to console her, she shoved his hands away from her and ran off towards the darker area of the woods, Hiero grabbed on his shoulder to stop him from following behind her, “Let her go, she will be fine” Hiero said to Kumor.

“I just don’t like to see her when she gets this way” Kumor said with saddning expression.

“Was it something that I did?” Joseph asked Hiero and kumor.

“No, you did nothing wrong” Kumor assured Joseph “We all did nothing wrong.” Then Kumor said as looked over to Joseph. “Look around you Joseph, do you not see how this forest is very dark and yet we all can see each other without the help of a lantern.” Joseph looked around his perimeter in amazement of how they were all able to see each other in the dark. “The reason we can see each other so clearly is because of our souls, look your hands Joseph and you can see it glowing.” Joseph smiled as he could see the glow from his his hands. “Everything about us is no longer flesh, it is all soul. Our souls will always be our light in the darkness.”

Hiero smiled at Joseph “Myself and Kumor have been here for hundreds of years.” Joseph look at them both in shock, “Hundreds of years” Joseph repeated in astonishment. “Yes, and Lilith has has been here for thousands of years.” Hiero added. “Why has it been so long, will I be here for thousand of years?” Joseph asked Hiero. “No, all it takes to leave this place is letting go of your past life and forgiving those who wrong you.”

Then Kumor took a deep breath before explaining more. “The reason Lilith has been here for long is because she could never forgive the ones killed her and her family. Her family was executed by the church for their paganist practices, she has never forgave them and she has strong hatred for The Lord. These reasons has kept her in purgatory. She has to forgive and let go of her hatred so she can enter Heaven.” Then Kumor took another deep breath before continuing. “As for me, I was just a farm boy in my physical life, the village that I grew up in was raided by bandits and all my people were killed. Hiero was raised in royalty, his family were betrayed by The Nights Templar.”

Joseph was astonished by the information he was receiving, he then remembered that when he was on top of the hill that he heard a sound of a whistle and asked the both of them what it meant.

Before any of them could answer they where all startled by a noise-that sounded like heavy breathing-heard in from behind the thick trees.

“Wranglers” Hiero warned.

“What’s a Wrangler?” Joseph asked.

“Soul snatchers, devourer’s of soul; once they capture you, your soul will go into oblivion.”

“Quit, you two” Kumor warned them. “Listen for it’s footsteps, so that we are not ambush by it.”

The three of them gathered-with their backs facing each other-to form a small circle. Each of them facing an different direction, hopes of seeing or hearing anything from behind the trees. Everything was suddenly quit. Kumor whispered to Hiero, “We have to get back to our hideout”

Hiero pulled Joseph by the hand, as the three broke ground and begun walking steadfast through the forest and gaining more speed as they flee for safety. The thickness of the forest gave sounds that sounded like wolves to Joseph ears, as he tried his best to keep up behind Hiero and Kumor.

While running Joseph felt something grab his legs that made him fall face first into the ground and loosen his grip of Hiero’s hand. He scream as he was being pulled back in the opposite direction. Kumor and Hiero, quickly tuned around and chased fast after him to try and save him. The faster they chased, the greater the distance became between Joseph and his rescuers: the beast that was pulling Joseph by his feet and was moving extremely fast. Joseph could do nothing as Hiero and Kumor had fallen completely out his site; he felt his body come to a stop and the beast hands let loose of his legs.

He nearly blacked out after he rolled over onto his back and laid eyes on the beast for the first time. The creature stood on two legs with features kin to that of a wolf: his fur where as white as snow, his eyes where blood red, his claws and teeth looked to be as sharp as knives, saliva drooled down his snout as he stood tall over Joseph with intention of eating his soul. Joseph lay motionless in total fear as the wolf like creature, prepared his sharp claws to end the life of his prey.

He was afraid and there was nothing he could do about it. Knowing his entire soul was going to be devoured; Joseph could only accept the faith that had been given to him. If this be my faith, then I accept it as your will, Lord. Amen. Was his prayer; he closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.

Suddenly, the wolf beast body came to complete stop. Both the beast and Joseph remain still, as they heard the sound of the whistle: the same that Joseph first heard on the hilltop. The wolf beast had taken his attention away from Joseph; growing, and barking, as if the sound was painful to it’s ears. It was not painful to Joseph; for him; for him the sound gave a feeling of easiness, a feeling of being protected even while being hunted by a beast of pure evil.

The beast quickly turned behind him only to see an arrow that gliding through the trees, at quick speed the arrow pierced through his skull in between his eyes. Joseph quickly got up to his feet, moving himself to safety as the wolf beast felled directly on his back, giving a loud scream before taking it’s last breath.

Joseph stood next to the body of the beats, as it lay motionless with it’s red eyes wide open. He noticed how the body suddenly began to evaporate in thin air. In a matter of seconds the beast was gone. He heard a voice calling out to him. Joseph why are you just standing there? We have to leave and move fast. Turning around he saw Lilith, running up to him with a bow her hands, with a leather quiver scraped to her back.

“Lilith, did you kill the beast?” Joseph asked, as he was full gratitude of seeing her come back to save him.

“Yes, I did. I told you, this is the forest of misplaced children. We have to protect ourselves. Now come on, we have to catch up to Heiro and Kumor. I told them I would come for you while retrieve their weapons.” Lilith took Joseph by the arm, looked him directly in his eyes. “Joseph, I need you to be brave and don’t slow me down. Their are more of those beats out here and they are coming for us. So we are going to run, follow me and don’t get captured.”

As Joseph followed behind her, he could hear in the distance; the sound of other beast through the thickness of the forest. He did not know how many of them existed, nor did he know how their exact location. He was sure that he was going to survive, as no matter how scary and loud the noises the beast made; Lilith would not allow him to be dismayed as she encourage to follow her. She reminded him of his older brother; in times of danger his brother protected him. Now, in this place of the afterlife, at this moment, while being chased by beast that desire his soul. He feels protected, he feels that though he has lost his big brother in the physical world, he has now gain a big sister in the spiritual world.

Joseph suddenly notice Hiero and Kumor, as they stood by what appeared to be a front entrance to a cave. As they screamed to both Lilith and Joseph: telling them to move quickly. Joseph notice that they also had bows and arrows. “Quickly, hurry inside.” Kumor, begged Joseph, as he and Lilith got closer to the entrance.

Joseph quickly ran inside as Lilith stopped by entrance. He look behind him and saw Lilith, Kumor, and Hiero, all standing with their back turned towards him, looking out into the forest. Then from the thickness of the forest three more of the wolf beast appeared. They slowly walked towards the cave entrance, but where slain by the arrows released by Hiero, Kumor, and Lilith. Once their bodies hit the ground and evaporated into the thin air, more beast suddenly appeared from behind the trees. Joseph watch as one by one, the arrows would slain the beast, and for each beast slain their was another to take it’s place.

“My arrows are running low, give me more Hiero.” Lilith demanded, as she reach into her quiver to pull out her last arrow. Hiero would fell to meet her demand, as he and Kumor, were also low on arrows. She then placed her arrow on her bow, pulled back the bow string, aimed at her target. “After this one, we retrieve inside” she ordered to her comrade’s, as her last arrow identified it’s target. Hitting it directly in it’s chest, forcing it’s body off it’s feet, flying onto the another beast that was standing behind it.

“Joseph, go deeper inside the cave.” Kumor warned as he, Hiero and Lilith had retrieve inside. Joseph raned farther inside the darkness as Hiero, Lilith and Kumor were behind him, and the wolf beast who was now entering the the cave entrance were behind them.

Ahead of Joseph, he could see what appeared to be a shiny blue light, that took the shape of a door entrance. “Run towards the light, it leads to a sacred room” Kumor, shouted to him. Joseph ran directly inside of it, as Kumor, Lilith, and Hiero ran through behind him.

Once inside, he was startled to look back and see the four of the wolf beast, making their way towards the entrance as well. However, he was quickly calmed after the beast were forced to stop and totally destroyed after making contact with the light. Hiero, then explain to him that area of the cave was sacred, and that beast could not go past the light of the entrance. All the beast are gone for now. They all warned him.

He looked around the room and saw many carved-out spaces in the wall, that looked like the children was using them for sleeping. “How is it that that the beast can’t enter in this area?” Joseph asked, as the other kids disarmed themselves and placed their weapons against the wall.

“In this realm there are many safe spots that Thesis has placed to protect the children from the evil that hunts us through the night.” Hiero said as climb inside one of the spaces. “Who is Thesis?” Joseph asked. “He is the Transcender of this realm. The whisper sound you heard, that was the sound of Thesis.”