“Think about it. You don’t have a body. You don’t have eyes. You see with your soul.” Corbin said turning towards Justin. "He's so not ready."
“It’s true Will. Without a body there's no need for eyesight. Learn to trust your soul sight."
"How will I find Allison? How will I know where to look?"
"You will be guided. Follow your heart. Are you ready?” I nodded. A surge of empowerment coursed through my blood. “Lay down then.” Justin fastened a communication device to my head and motioned Monika over. She laid next to me and asked me to close my eyes. Words I'd never heard before came flying out her mouth. It may have been Latin. I faded out of consciousness.
A faint glow of light trailed in the distance. A black void formed in front of me. I was keenly aware that I was no longer in my body, yet, nothing felt different. The sensation of air filling my lungs was unmistakable, but I didn’t have lungs. Maybe it was an illusion. Maybe the physical body wasn’t even real.
“Can I die?” The connection was faint but clear.
“We don’t know for sure. No one does. Dark spirits cloud the veil of morality. They can’t cross the veil but your soul is vulnerable. It can be fractured. They don’t want you dead. Death is freedom. Their revenge is to keep you alive, to control you. If you live you will be trapped like a caged animal. Rage and torment will build with no possibility for release. Your body will be whole but you will be broken, a shell on the outside, dead on the inside. If they catch you, you will be living out your days under the care of the state, if you know what I mean.” Corbin said.
Spending the rest of my days locked inside my own madness, a slave to evil was not something I was ready for. I shouldn’t be here and I knew it. It was too soon. I didn’t know enough. I wasn’t prepared. I wasn't doing it for them; I was doing it for Allison. I wasn’t buying what Justin was selling; I wasn't some super hero Resurrectionist. The only thing that resonated with me was saving Allison, even if she didn’t love me.
“You can do this Will,” Justin said.
“We believe in you,” Monika’s voice sounded so sweet.
I reached the threshold of the void. The world had ended, nothing in front of me except blackness. I was alone with no one around me, quiet, until faint screams came from beyond the darkness. My body trembled and my heart raced. I stretched my hand out and pierced the veil. The air beyond was thick and muddy. An icy cold ran up my arm sending jolts of terror throughout my body. Doubt choked me. “I can’t do this. I don’t want to be here!” I cried out.
“Will, you must believe. You must have faith. Take courage. Think of the heroes who have faced great challenges. All faced fear. All conquered fear. You must accept fear and have faith that no matter what all is well and as it should be.” Justin's voice rang through my earpiece.
I slowed my breathing and swallowed hard. I looked straight ahead, knowing evil lived beyond the wall, and stepped forward. The void grabbed me and pulled me in. A strong sound, like rushing water, surrounded me as I was sucked through a dark tunnel like a piece of dirt through a vacuum hose. I landed on hard solid ground shortly after, gripped by fear and terror unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I fell to my knees, a freezing cold slammed my body, more painful than standing naked in a snowstorm.
"I, I can’t breathe!” I cried.
“Will, listen to me. Don’t move, just collect yourself. Now, take a slow inhale,” Justin spoke calmly. I listened to his advice and was again able to slow my breathing, regaining a mild sense of balance. Breathing was something I would have to do time and time again. “Listen Will, look down. Do you see a path?” Justin asked.
“No, it’s so dark and cold. I can’t see anything. Isn’t hell supposed to be hot with flames?”
“Some parts are but not this,” Justin said.
“Why is it so freezing cold?”
“Because there is no love. People in hell chose to turn away from love and reject it. Love is a gift, but it’s never forced upon anyone. That's why it’s so cold in hell.”
It was difficult to swallow. “It’s awful here.” I said. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. “I can kind of make out a faint path. It's mostly just loose rock and gravel.”
“That’s the path. Will, you're not going to like this but you need to get off the path. Get as far off as you can.” Justin said.
“What! No way!” I said. “I can hear things out there, moving in the darkness.”
“The paths all lead to the major cities. Cities infested with sin; Hate, Greed, and Obsession. These are places of darkness, the worst parts of humanity. The evil is so strong and concentrated there. There are too many dangers on the paths in hell. Remember the plan. Stick to the outskirts and avoid the major cities and towns. You need to stay hidden and be on the lookout for scouts and hunters.”
“Scouts and hunters?” I said.
“They prowl the outskirts of the cities looking for fleeing souls. Stay hidden as much as possible. Never under any circumstances trust another soul in hell. You said you didn’t have rigid orthodox religious beliefs, well, now would be a good time to get some. Remember to continually pray for protection and cover.” Justin said.
With reluctance I stepped off the path. Jagged rock and thorny brush tripped my every step. The foul stench made me want to vomit every grueling second I was in the forsaken land. I would rather have been tossed into the bottom of a porta-potty at a rock concert on a hot summer afternoon. The worst were the screams of hell's tormented inhabitants. I never knew which direction they were coming from and they never stopped. My heart ached with compassion, along with pangs of guilt for not being able to help. The risks of running into a scout or hunter were too great.
“This isn’t good Justin. I’m in a clearing. It’s too dangerous. I’m too exposed.” I said.
“You need to find cover immediately.” Justin replied, but there was nothing in sight.
“Pray,” Monika's heavenly voice whispered in my ear. She didn't understand that no amount of prayer could help me in this land of waste and death. It was up to me now. Only I could save Allison.
A covering of trees appeared in the distance. I sprinted towards them. They weren't lush and green as I had hoped. They were dead and barren, dried out heaps of sticks, but it was better than nothing. It provided me just enough cover. Passage through the dead forest was difficult. There was no clear path but it needed to be that way. It kept the hunters out. The difficulty of the passage was saving my life. I wondered if someone was watching out for me, guiding me. Impossible. The only thing watching me here was the same thing wanting to skin me alive.
The environment was crawling with life, and death. There were things in the darkness that I did not want to see. The buzzing of insects and slithering of serpents was louder than on earth. Thankfully the light was so dim I could not see them with my own eyes. Ignorance was bliss in this place of horror. My feet drudged through the forest. I slipped often and fell to my knees. They became wet and muddied. A moan of suffering escaped my breath.
“Keep going.” Monika’s voice was different. It sounded like it came from within, produced by my own mind.
“Monika, Justin, are you there?” There was no response. “Guys, are you there?”
Again, a voice spoke from within. Keep moving. Stagnation leads to death. I rose to my feet and looked through a clearing in the gnarled branches. I saw broken down buildings and the remains of what looked like a village. The buildings resembled hovels and huts that housed natives of the poorest countries on earth. Was anyone there? What if they’re not friendly? What if there are scouts and hunters there?
"Justin, Justin, please say something." Sweat poured off my face. There was no response. I was alone. I was afraid.
Justin said to avoid the villages and major cities at all cost. The mysterious voice whispered to me. Go forward. I hesitated but what choice did I have? I could spend eternity wandering through the forest and get no closer to finding Allison. I dug out all the
courage I had and proceeded towards the huts.
I hid behind each hut, scanning the village with caution. There were no souls in the area. The village looked like it had been plundered and ransacked, and not that long ago. Smoke emitted from the campfires that were dying out. Broken door frames, worn out roofs, and decaying thatch told the story of this forgotten dwelling. I entered a bigger hut at the center of the village. It must've been a meeting place. Crudely built tables and chairs were set in a circle at the center of the hut. A podium stood at the front of the room. In the back were stairs that lead to a basement. Maybe I’d have a stroke of luck and find Allison there. Deep down I hoped I wouldn’t find anything. I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, pausing to breathe before entering. I allowed my eyes a moment to adjust. I wished I hadn't. The room was a torture chamber with every device of torment known to man. The air was stale with despair. On the wall were scratched words stained with blood. The price of disobedience. A chill ran through me. A vision overpowered my mind, collapsing my body before I reached the stairwell.
A woman lay on a wooden table, blood soaked through the rotted wood and pooled on the ground beneath. Her hands and feet were stretched widely apart, bound with chain and rope. She was slowly being stretched apart by a man in the corner of the room. He wore clothing that resembled the attire of the Puritans in Millersville, only centuries older. The man operated a switch that wound the rope and chain tighter and tighter. He shouted with each twist of the rack. "Salvation lies in suffering and repentance," each time the woman let out screams of agony. In time the woman’s arms and legs would be stretched to the limit and pulled apart. No words can describe the screams she let out. The man seemed to take delight in hearing the ripping and tearing of muscle and bone, as if he were completing a noble work. To my horror the woman's arms and legs appeared to magically reattach themselves and the man would start the torture all over again. I cried, rolling onto my back. The vision loosened its grip. I escaped.
I ran out of the meeting room and into the hut next to it. It was someone’s living quarters. The possessions were few and crude. I saw a worn out pair of shoes and a small stool. On top of the stool sat an open book. It was someone’s journal. I started to read. They're coming and they'll be here soon. David, our leader said we have to flee. I do not like or trust him but what choice do I have but to follow. People are blinded by his claims of righteousness. There is nothing farther from righteousness than David. He is manipulating and controlling. A tyrant of a man but better than being caught by those hideous hunters. David used to be gentle and caring until his mind became hysterical and consumed by madness. His accusations of witchcraft sent our once peaceful village into complete paranoia. I used to believe David but now I have my doubts. He's inflicted awful torments on the villagers in the name of God. I don't think God would have wanted all that violence. I am conflicted. If I try and flee, David and his followers will surely catch and flog me. I'd be put on display in the town square like some deranged criminal. If by some act of grace I can escape, the hunters will find me and take me to a place of greater horrors. My fate will be much worse if I get caught. I am going with David. He makes us do awful things but I feel it is better to stick with the group. There is some talk amongst the stronger ones of trying to overthrow David’s rule or perhaps cut a deal with a hunter and sell him. I am hoping something happens soon but I’m not sure if the others in the group are strong enough to challenge David’s leadership. His will is strong and only the strongest of will’s survives here. There is no room for kindness or mercy. Tension within the village is high. Something's going to break. The people are divided. This is never good. If we don't unite we'll all fall victim to the hunters. We'll watch as they burn it to the ground. Undone by our own inhumanity towards one another. There is no hope. The result of such thoughts and hopes is surely death. I was foolish to have hope once.
Two men, brothers, passed through our village long ago when I first arrived. They were odd but had grit. They're faces were dirty and looked like they had seen their share of hardship and pain. They talked about salvation and taught us that there was a path out of our torment. I believed them to be crazy but there was a mystique I couldn’t shake. They were powerful, yet gentle. A fire glowed in their eyes. Not the kind that burns, but that passionate kind. I am surprised David allowed them into our village. Maybe he didn’t have a choice. Under most circumstances they would have been punished by awful means for talking about salvation and freedom. Punished for sowing the seeds of hope. David couldn’t control these men like he could the others. He wasn't strong enough. I don’t remember much else about the brothers, but they did say those that seek to escape the torments of hell shall do so by grace.
After they left, David came and asked what I thought of their message. I told him I felt hopeful. David said the men where in league with the devil and that was the reason they were so cunning and powerful. He said they were messengers of the false prophet and would lead me astray. I was immediately placed upon the torture rack to make sure I understood the consequences of following the false prophet. David was determined to extinguish the flame of hope placed in my heart by the two brothers. I've taken a great risk in keeping this diary. If he finds it I shudder to think what will happen to me.
David tells us that we are going to cross the valley and set up a camp there. I cannot risk taking this diary with me. I’m overcome with the sadness of having to leave it behind. Writing gives me the only sense of comfort I have experienced here. David says that anyone who is not strong enough to make the journey will be left behind. I hope that I can make it. If I am left to the hunter’s I am surely done for.
I placed the journal back where I had found it. The journal no doubt belonged to the woman in my vision. Was she guiding me? Did Allison have a similar experience? The thought made me I'll. Who were the two brothers the woman talked about? I searched the rest of the village but found no one. They must have left for the valley. I decided it would be best to try and follow their path. There was a huge risk in this plan but the payoff was that I might find the so-called demon who is attached to Allison or at least learn about his whereabouts. I left the village and set out to cross the valley.
Anger grew in my heart. Justin had been so pushy, so assured that everything would be fine. How dare he expose my mental illness and use it against me, saying I belonged in hell because of it. Now I was lost and more afraid than ever. I was searching for the love of my life and longing for the presence of another.
My stomach churned with the stench of the hell but I was determined to press on. I made my way across a swampy marsh and towards the valley. The marsh was infested with snakes and various reptiles which made the horrors of the place that much more real. I could keep the creatures at bay as long as I had the willpower to do so. Normally, I would have long given into the anxious thoughts and broke into panic. This time I didn’t have a choice. Allison’s wellbeing depended upon my ability to remain in control. There was a small worn path. It was the only way down the mountain and into the valley. I had no choice but to follow. Ignoring everything I was taught about surviving in hell, which wasn’t much, I discreetly proceeded down the path and made it safely to the bottom.
A fire glowed in the distance. I moved closer to it, each step deliberate and precise. As I drew near I saw hideous creatures dancing around a great bonfire. Man or beast? I wasn’t sure. They somewhat resembled men but had become so defiled by their lower nature, so corrupted, that their humanity had faded, given way to the animal inside. They were chanting an eerie song. My body felt heavy like a weight had been placed on my back. I hid behind a large boulder. The beast men formed a circle around the fire. As the chanting grew louder, the flames grew taller. Two of the beasts opened and broke the circle while a third carried a screaming woman on it’s back. The woman was thrown into the fire. Screams of agony pierced the valley. The woman desperately tried to escape the raging fire and each time she tried she was thrown back in. She could
not die. She could only experience excruciating pain over and over again.
I wanted to save her, but I was no match for those beasts. They would just throw me in with her. I couldn’t take anymore. I turned to flee and saw a woman cowering and shaking behind a boulder next to mine. Her clothes were tattered and torn, more like rags than garments. She reminded me of the people in the horrible pictures I saw while visiting the Holocaust Museum during a school field trip. She seemed more afraid of me than I was of her. I moved towards her. She scurried away.
“Wait,” I whispered. As soon as I gave the command she froze, unable to move.
“Please, don’t give me over to them,” she pleaded. “I'll do anything you want. I'm a good slave.”
“I am not here to hurt you. It’s ok.” I tried to build trust but it was no use. Any trust in people she ever had had died long ago. “What is this?” I asked. “What's happening here?”
“You don’t know?” the woman replied. “It’s a ceremony. They're worshiping the devils.”
“Are they devils?” I asked.
“No, hunters. They were once men but have grown so evil they're turning into beasts. They have no conscious. They’re animals, driven by a primal urge to survive. They believe that human sacrifices will please the devils and in turn grant them power.”
“Do they ever get power?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” the woman said.
“What’s your name?” I asked. A look of bewilderment came over the woman’s face. “I don’t know. I have forgotten it. It was so long ago.”
“How long have you been in this place?”
“Forever.”
“Were you ever a woman on earth?”
“I think so. Once.”
“Do you remember it?” I asked.
“Bits, I guess. I think I remember. It was nice. Compared to here,” she said.
“What do you remember about it?” I asked.
“I was a slave. I was treated poorly and became angry. I killed my master in his sleep. I was tortured and condemned to die. I came here and have been angry ever since.” No tears of remorse fell from the woman’s face.
The Resurrectionist Page 9