Finding Answers: Chapter Eight
Pathway To Heaven
"The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter"
"It's a doorway," Andrew said, turning to the girls. He ran his fingers along the canyon wall. "This part is unusually smooth. Something's behind these rocks—I'm sure of it. Maybe this is what we've been looking for."
"How do we open it, then?" Deborah asked, mostly to herself as she moved closer to wall. She and Andrew began feeling around the black, damp surface of the rock wall, searching for a clue, a riddle, a handle, anything that could reveal the hidden entrance.
Ruth, meanwhile, was famished. She looked for the nearest rock that could serve as a chair and slumped onto it with a sigh. Then, the strangest thing happened.
A large, rectangular block; about twelve feet tall, split open right at the center of the smooth wall where Andrew and Deborah had been investigating.
The stone had parted silently, revealing a narrow stairway made of the finest white marble. So narrow, it could barely fit one person at a time. This sudden development startled the twins, nearly sending them stumbling backward.
Ruth jumped up, startled too and as quickly as the passage had opened, it closed. The door sealed itself the moment she stood. The trio exchanged bewildered glances before their eyes settled on the stone Ruth had just sat on.
"Ladies, I think we just found the way," Andrew said, his breath trembling, his eyes turning to the now-solid wall.
"It's so narrow, just like the books say" Deborah whispered, almost in awe.
Andrew quickly got to work. He found a stone roughly the weight of what he described as a "tall and slender teenage girl" and placed it where Ruth had been sitting. As predicted, the doorway slid open again. They decided to leave the stone in place, hoping it would keep the passage open for their return.
But the moment the last of them stepped inside, the door shut behind them, leaving them in total darkness.
"Oh no" Ruth whimpered, her voice trembling. She felt Andrew's reassuring hand on her shoulder, which calmed her.
"Let's just keep going," he said softly, even though he was feeling conflicted. "I have a feeling the path will reveal itself as we walk."
True to his words, the stairway lit up. The walls and steps began to glow with a soft, white luminescence, bright enough to guide them, but not blinding. More stairs stretched ahead, revealed with each passing second.
Deborah, already on the highest step, her eyes glowing with determination, turned to them and said, "Let's go."
Together, they climbed higher into the unknown. The farther they went, the brighter the path became. Soon, they began to notice inscriptions carved into the walls.
"These are texts from the Book of the Law and Prophets" Ruth said quietly, even though no one had asked. They needed to know.
With each line they read, strength surged through them. Their weariness faded, replaced by a growing sense of excitement. Time seemed to slip away as they ascended, drawn by an invisible force. They no longer felt tired, only eager, though none of them could say what exactly they were eager for.
Their desire was soon to be satisfied, as the marble stairway they could see ahead began to diminish. Instead of marble steps, they saw something even more glorious: the stairway ahead appeared to be made of clouds, a glowing ascent formed from the very substance that lined the heavens.
As they ascended, something else caught their attention.
A silvery, rounded dais; crafted from the same glowing marble rose from the ground where the marble stairs ended. It stopped at about three feet high. On it sat a book.
Drawn by awe and curiosity, the three children gathered around the dais. A heavy silence filled the space.
"This is what we came for," Deborah said, her eyes blazing with fulfillment. She stepped forward and picked up the book with solemn care.
In that instant, the cloud path disappeared, like it had never been there. The trio realized they were now standing at the mouth of a cave high up in the mountains that surrounded their village.
A tingling sensation ran through their legs as they realized how high up they were.
But that was just the beginning of the surprise.
Ruth noticed it first. At first, she thought it was her imagination, but then Andrew saw it too.
"Is that... a bird?" he asked, voice quivering.
It wasn't.
A silvery figure was speeding toward them, so fast it blurred. It moved like light itself. Before they could blink, it landed before them with a gust of wind so strong, they had to brace themselves to stay upright.
What stood before them was unbelievable.
A silver horse, its mane, eyes, and body ablaze with white fire, stood tall and majestic. Strapped to it was a carriage, equally radiant, glowing with purity. The air around it smelled fresh, like the waters of a river. The horse tapped the ground twice with its hooves, as if beckoning to them.
"I'm not the only one seeing this, right?" Ruth asked, eyes wide.
"No" Andrew said. "You're not. And I think we just found our ride home."
"You're not actually thinking of getting into that thing, are you?" Deborah yelled.
"I am. And so are you, unless you plan to live here now" Andrew replied. "The door we came in through shut us in!"
"That doesn't make any sense. You should at least—"
"And darling, has anything that happened today made sense?" Andrew asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Deborah opened her mouth to argue but shook her head instead.
"I thought so," he grinned and approached the chariot. The horse didn't flinch.
He ran a hand along the seat, then turned back to them. "It doesn't burn" he said, stepping inside. He helped the girls up, and they all held on tightly, expecting a wild ride.
But nothing happened.
There was a moment of silence. Just as they started to relax, the horse took off, not with a jolt, but with a smooth, gliding motion.
The wind rushed past their faces, lifting their hair. It was exhilarating.
"Woah-ho! I'm one with the wind!" Ruth cried, laughing. The others chuckled with her.
"So this is what it feels like to fly," Deborah said, raising her voice to be heard over the wind.
Andrew, meanwhile, was fixated on the view below. "Whoa... I can see the Miners! And—oh, the Clan of Minstrels! They're preparing for the Festival of Light!"
"Look at the Archives!" Deborah added, marveling at the sight.
"There's my house!" Ruth exclaimed.
Andrew turned to her. "Hey Ruth, I've been meaning to ask, why do you live on the far outskirts of the town? You've never really told us anything about yourself. After everything we've been through... it'd be nice to get to know you."
Ruth, terrible at conversations and never expecting to be the center of one, froze. But the twins' expectant eyes were kind. She had to say something.
"Umm... it gives us access to rare herbs," she mumbled. "By 'us' I mean me, my mother and father. We live together. The herbs grow out there... yeah."
The twins blinked, staring at Ruth who sat between them.
"That's all," Ruth added quickly, praying the conversation would end.
Fortunately for her, it did. The chariot began its descent.
The children's excitement shifted as they prepared to return home. The chariot touched down gently in a slightly foggy valley. As soon as they stepped out, the glowing horse took off again, ascending into the skies.
Ruth blew it a kiss. Andrew waved. Deborah rolled her eyes and turned to leave— then stopped.
She was alone.
The gentle mist that once skimmed the ground now engulfed her in a thick white curtain.
She couldn't see a thing.
Comments
Post a Comment