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Gondile

The Luminous Path

May 6th, 2014
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  1. The Luminous Path
  2.  
  3. Stars faded in the brooding night sky, and clouds rolled back and forth ominously. It would
  4. have been a rather pretty sight to behold, except I was lying on the ground with a severe headache and a
  5. lack of pants. I felt for my golden pocket watch, something that was so very dear to me, though in this
  6. state I couldn't discern why. Patting my bare leg gave me an epiphany: I was completely de-clothed.
  7. Startled at this realization, I jumped up and scanned the area for any signs of danger and/or pants. I
  8. found nothing, nothing except a twinkling light billowing directly in front of me, sheltered by tree
  9. among tree. In fact, I did a quick spin around and realized I was beleaguered by forest, with the clearing
  10. around me being the only saving grace. I put my focus back onto the light and decided to myself that if I
  11. indeed could not remember how I got here and I indeed am lacking pants, following this light might be
  12. the only thing bridging me between dying here in a cold land and living in a warm abode. With a quick
  13. internal debate, I decided to throw caution to the wind and set off on a journey towards the
  14. indiscriminate light.
  15. Thick vines lashed out at me as I braved my way through the forest. It seemed lighter going
  16. in, but as I continued deeper and deeper, tree stumps and the ground formed an irrational ratio. For the
  17. sake of saving myself from embarrassment, I'm going to pretend I didn't trip over jagged rocks and plant
  18. my face deep into the soil a few times. But what I did do was follow that beautiful light. I never seemed
  19. closer, it always seemed farther. I felt like I had been walking through the jungle substitute for hours and
  20. felt hunger pangs vibrate in my consciousness... and stomach. I became distracted by my hunger and
  21. let my eyes off of the light as I searched the leaf-grazed forest ground. An ant convoy seemed to be
  22. minding their own business, but in this dimly lit growth, it could have very well been a span of rocks. I
  23. then entertained myself with thoughts of tiny pebbles marching throughout the woodland, searching for
  24. food and adventure, then quickly reminded myself I was hungry, which led me to search for anything
  25. edible or at the very least digestible. As I searched, I realized my mistake and hastily brought my eyes
  26. forward, and observed the absence of the light. I felt a knot in my stomach form as the sudden
  27. realization that my only compass had disappeared in this horrible thicket, when the next basic human
  28. need arrived at my subconsciousness: water.
  29. It was at this moment when nature seemed to answer my plea for help, and I
  30. heard the faint rushing of water. It was also at this moment that my mind began to erupt into
  31. horrible thoughts of my sudden untimely demise, and the wondrous thoughts that if I do die, someone
  32. is going to find me laid up against a tree, completely naked. I panicked, and rushed the sound of waves.
  33. I blew through branch after branch, bramble after bramble, vine after vine in this godforsaken coppice.
  34. As if a cliche ruled my life, my foot played football with a large boulder and the boulder won, sending
  35. my body rocketing forwards. I crashed into putrid smelling muck, caking my face with the earth. I
  36. screamed at the sudden pain flowing throughout my figure, but the dirt muffled it to the point where
  37. only the rushing tributary could listen to my embarrassment. Wait, what? Tributary?
  38. I raised my body up and although I could not see anything besides the rough dirt and a
  39. disheveled earthworm crawling around, I heard the rushing water before me. I cautiously took a few
  40. steps forward, balancing the dangers of being blind and being near a rippling river when I slid on smooth
  41. clay and launched forward into the coursing creek. I thrashed around aimlessly trying to get a grip on
  42. an outward root or a boulder or anything but instead found only the comfort of more rushing water.
  43. The torrent of water whip lashed me and washed the mud off of my visage, allowing the benefit of seeing
  44. how close I was to dying, with jagged rocks protruding out of the base of the river, inviting me to be
  45. stabbed and killed. I screamed as I passed by the rocks, each one discussing the benefits of being stabbed,
  46. my frame being beaten and slashed and bruised and maimed by the emotionless hazards. I wished for
  47. my family, if they even existed, and I wished I could be reunited with my golden pocket watch and
  48. gaze upon the picture inside just once more. I began to form sentimental thoughts of my eventual death
  49. and that I would've rather died doing something incredible, like riding a blimp with a saddle and cowboy
  50. hat, rather than dying in a dark estuary completely naked, when the river began to thin itself and become
  51. narrower. The rush died down and became slow and steady as I plummeted back into the earth for a
  52. second time.
  53. I rose from the ground for the third time tonight and observed my surroundings, then
  54. realized I couldn't observe my surroundings because my features were once again caked with gunk, so I
  55. approached the creek with caution and washed the mud off, scrubbing with deep concentration and
  56. flinching in pain as I dug into my wounds. As I finished ridding my face of the rest of the gunk, I felt
  57. around my body and realized how wounded I was. Cuts and scrapes littered my face like unwelcome
  58. pimples on a teenager. Deep wounds and stabs formed a constellation over my frame. My legs and arms
  59. had the honor of showcasing tearing and blood. After observing my body for a few minutes, I doubled
  60. over in pain and let tears wash over me. Through misty eyes I examined something I thought lost forever,
  61.  
  62. Light.
  63.  
  64. The world stood still. Branches stopped swaying. Leaves rested on the earth. The creek
  65. refused to budge. I didn't hear any birds on this awful journey but if they existed, they were silent. My
  66. eyes pierced the light, yet the light seemed to pierce my eyes. I wiped my teary eyes and stumbled
  67. forward, ignoring my bruises and wounds. I hobbled at an alarming pace, a hobble turned into a walk, a
  68. walk turned into a sprint, a sprint turned into a dash. I almost seemed to glide through the forest,
  69. avoiding nature's obstacles, staying close to the river but with a goal on my mind. The creek and light
  70. finally guided me to my destination. As I stepped out of a few trees, I found what produced the soft glow
  71. of beams that began and ended my journey.
  72. Darkness continued to shroud the coppice, yet I could still make out miniscule details
  73. with the help of the abode's light. The wooden cabin stood tall at what appeared to be roughly two
  74. stories high, with windows plastered all around, shining gently into the forest. A porch guarded the
  75. home, with ancient rocking chairs ruling the decoration. I would have continued to describe the
  76. exterior when all the lights went out. A confused expression formed on my features until roughly
  77. a minute passed and the lights flickered back on. I had then realized that I had simply stood here in the
  78. boundaries of timber and home and decided to march my way to this gateway to freedom. As I walked,
  79. I began to regain feeling in my frame and was able to walk almost like a normal person could. I strolled
  80. towards the front door and climbed the creaking steps. I raised my fist to knock the door but froze. I
  81. stared intently at the entrance and felt a sense of familiarity. I felt as if I had knocked on this door many,
  82. many times ago. I struggled with my fist, feeling conflict with the door. I probably would have stood
  83. there for hours if I hadn't smelled a peculiar scent, but I did. My nose stiffened and I noticed a window
  84. to my left was cracked open, welcoming any visitor or danger. I peered through and viewed an empty
  85. living room, complete with a crackling fire place. This registered the thought that someone was home,
  86. and thus, I ignored my odd sense of DΓ©jΓ  vu and knocked on the door. Patience ran thin as minutes ran
  87. by. I knocked twice, thrice, then overwhelming panic set in. I started thinking things I didn't want to
  88. think, remembering things I didn't want to remember. In my exploding state of mind, I slammed my foot
  89. into the door, sending the wooden barrier flying across the room, and sending splinters all into my
  90. bare foot. Ignoring the pain, I stumbled through the doorway and into the living room. My mind was
  91. screaming, and I felt like I wanted to plunge myself into the fireplace. I was afraid, I couldn't figure out
  92. what this cabin was doing to me. I viewed another doorway and bashed through it, and in that moment I
  93. regretted ever following the light.
  94. Bodies. Bodies laid up everywhere. An old man formed a snow angel on the ground,
  95. with what was I assumed his cane piercing his heart. Two young children were face down, slumped
  96. over in their chairs, both with gunshot wounds in their scalp. A young woman was bolted to the fridge
  97. by a knife. I drew close to this woman, and examined her face. It was one of surprise and of terror,
  98. preserving the moment of a horrible event. I leaned in close and tears unexpectedly streamed
  99. down my face. I uttered a word I didn't think possible.
  100.  
  101. Mom.
  102.  
  103. Red. Red everywhere. My vision was plastered with red. I started to dry heave, I vomited.
  104. My vision blurred. Where was I? My father, he lay there. My brother and sister, they lay over there. My
  105. mind became fragmented. I couldn't see straight. Lights flickered on and off, blinding my hazy vision. I
  106. unclenched my jaw to scream but not a sound came out. I channeled my emotions through physical
  107. destruction and burst through the back door, ending up back into the forest from which I had escaped. In
  108. my hazy state I found the river that brought me here and followed it into the darkness. Tears littered
  109. the path as my mind began to form memories and thoughts. I wanted whoever committed this atrocity
  110. buried in the ground, and if it hadn't happened already, I was going to do it with my bare hands.
  111. Running dwindled to ambling. I couldn't process images through my brain except for my
  112. only companion, the river that had hurt me. I followed the river to its end, a rotting tree stump. It was
  113. gloomy, but I was able to distinguish shapes laying on the stump. I drew near and discovered that they
  114. were clothes. I brushed them with my hand and felt blood, still wet. My eyes widened at the epiphany that
  115. the murderer could be right in this very clearing. I felt my body grow cold as I veered my eyesight to the
  116. left and found a loaded revolver laying next to the stump. I grasped the weapon with sweaty palms and
  117. cocked it. The only thought going through my brain was that of murder. I debated how I was going to
  118. punish the horrible stain of a human being when a particularly shiny object glimmered beneath the
  119. clothes. I hesitated, as if I knew what was coming next, but I pressed on and shoved my hand
  120. underneath, and produced a golden pocket watch.
  121. I achieved enlightenment at the cost of my sanity. I pieced together the puzzle using the clues
  122. I had stumbled across on this accursed stump, and screamed to the stars for penance. My eyes hovered
  123. above the pocket watch, and every muscle in my chassis restrained itself to stop me from disclosing the
  124. details hidden within the miniature clock, but I refused their proposal and ripped it open. A lone picture
  125. of my mother, father, brother, and sister stared back at me. I stood still, not daring to move an inch. I
  126. turned to the bloodied attire and tried them on. It was a perfect fit. I looked around at the beleaguering
  127. woodland that surrounded me, that surrounded this creek, that surrounded this stump. Wind billowed
  128. softly, caressing my cheeks. Mist hung close to the ground. The night sky kissed the earth goodnight,
  129. and the sun slowly climbed the trees. I laid my bruised and beaten body up against the stump and let
  130. tears expel from my eyes. I clenched the golden pocket watch in one hand and used my other hand to
  131. guide the revolver's barrel to my head. Though no one could ever hear me, I whispered the first words
  132. of the morning to the world, with a hoarse gasp.
  133.  
  134. "I'm sorry."
  135.  
  136. And as I slowly pulled my finger towards the trigger, I thought to myself once more, a simple
  137. phrase. "I achieved enlightenment at the cost of my sanity." And then, I pulled the trigger. And then, the
  138. birds of the forest awakened and scattered. And then, the forest stood still. And then, the earth stood still.
  139. And then there was silence.
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