[Fiction] SIX FEET AWAY: The Journey To The Neverland —Pawners Paper

A short story, fiction that tells a story of a lady's adventure in the afterlife. What's there to see after death?

SIX FEET AWAY 

  is a short fictional story that narrates the adventures that might come forth a dead man in the world beyond. The stories touched the in-depth as to the travails of the characters and demise.

I shrugged in agony as my lids open to the strange place. My bones aches and all my body was covered in dirt .the whole land was like a fire-red desert bearing scanty  trees with ugly shapes stems with no leaves on any. The wind from the south blows hot like a tingering touches of hot coal as it sound roars far into the north. The  red sky was absent of wallowing cloud, no sun, moon and neither was there any stars, as all seem clear and blunt. There was no sign of life, it was all me,alone. The wailings and cries of torment of sucklings, old and young evaded the whole land. I was terrified. I never knew how I got there

I managed to take steps forward, and right there I could hear the clattering sound of shackles being dragged roughly on the red smooth soil. That was when I realized that I was in chains. My wrists and ankles were held tight by thorny pronged shackles like a prisoner. And right there, I wondered what happened?

Hell bent on freeing myself, I struggled dragging myself to find a stone. At least to break me from these shackles. Bit all was to no avail. Tired, I sat on the ground. Dejected, resting on one of the trees.My eyes were on my wrist and ankles as they were now sore red due to my relentless attempt in wriggling my wrists from it. I hummed in pains, hoping it'll all end soon. Very soon!

*Few hours later*

 A hot wind blew from the east and I shuddered, scared at the sound of its roars. That was when I realized I had sat there for hours, prolly fainted. I managed to stand up, still with shackles on me. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and a loud grumbling. Right at the same time, my throat clogged tightly, dried, as my saliva was hard to swallow. I knew I was starving and thirsty, right at the same time.

I decided to walk far into the east in search of food , shelter, someone or anything that can keep me surviving. I dragged my self slowly along with the shackles. Minutes gone, still no sign of life and this went on for hours as there was no day, neither was their any night. Everything was just as it is. As every minutes passed, my pace reduced until my feet can walk me no more. My right feet tripped on a rock. I landed with my head and fainted.

Few minutes later

I felt a headache and a sharp pain on my forehead as dried stain of blood. Immediately, I remembered the stone. Searched for it and repeatedly, smashed it on the chains on my ankles. Eventually, it broke, so did the one on my wrists. I breathed heavily with a sad smile on at the sight of the little victory.

I rested for a while and continued in my desperate search. My lips were dried, legs aching as my feet hurt like I was walking barefooted on fire. Determined to survive, I used the last energy left in me to walk few meters.

I was astonished at the sight of smoke wisping in the sky few meters into the west. Thousands thoughts were running inside my mind. Is that really a smoke? Is someone there? Oh God, am I really not the only one here? Hope he or she has food or water? Maybe he can explain how I got here? All thoughts invaded  in my mind.

I shouted for help with my raspy voice and dragged myself to the smoke. Desperate, wishing there lay my answers. I walked few feets to the smoke and what I saw made my heart dropped. my breathing seized, legs stuck to the ground with my eyes almost bulging down from the sockets as hot sweat ran down my spine. I was lost of words as my lips quivered, too lame to make up words." Monsters " I thought.

They stood, stunned and unmoved as they all had a confused expression on their faces. They were hefty, about 8 feet tall. They both had two little dark horns pegged on their foreheads. Bald head. Deep crossed scars on their faces. Yellowish eyes. Brownish-black teeth. red skins. Immediately, they drew out their spears, all pointed at me. Grunting, fierce as if they were about to tear me apart.

I thought they were going to kill me but instead, they seized me and held me back in chains I struggled to free myself from. I was led into the east, still with no food or water. Almost dead. Far into the land, was an erected tall, dark castle of about 30 feet covered in a ring of red mist. At the top of the castle, a bright light beams from a small window. I was led through a huge big door with strange beasts carved on the black door.

Behind the door, were thousands of this strange creatures like the ones who held me captive. As I walked toward them, they made way for me, creating a long path to where I know not. .   We passed a bridge, and below it were millions of people like me, humans, prolly billion in shackles. All were in flames burning, wailing,none like I've ever seen before as the smoke of their burning flesh filled the whole castel . Thousands of them had their head being smashed on a spike repeatedly while still burning by the beasts. Some were maimed, stabbed. The most terrifying was the sight of humans like me having their mouth torn apart from their head. But surprisingly they didn't die. It was as if they were regenerating all over again but were in severe pain. Screaming, crying, calling for help. It was a new world around here. It was terrifying and I fear I might suffer such fate. But still, I couldn't make sense out of all the happenings around me. It felt almost as if these were just a bad dream or so I wish.

Eventually, I was led through another door, this was small compared to the first one. It had a name boldly written on it but at the moment, "Luci...", I could hardly make meaning of it as the remaining alphabet were veiled by shades. Inside the room was a throne designed with Small-sized skulls. There was someone seated on it but was covered in darkness. There were torches, each at the corner of the big room. I was scared. Terrified, Wondering why I was led here, why I was led here to him.

I was pushed before him, kneels bent.

"Welcome" the man on the skull throne said. He had a grumpy voice, thick and echoing.

"Who are you? " Where am I? "Why was I brought here" I managed to ask, stammering with touches of fear in my voice.

He laughed and said " First, you're home. Second, you're brought here because this is where you belong. And lastly, I'm your end" he finished

Home? End? Where I belong? Thousand of things were running through my mind. "I don't understand" I asked cluelessly.

"Remember the crash " he replied sluggishly as if he was picking his words,

Immediately he said that, I remembered the crash. I was driving on the highway, headed home to meet my girlfriend. We had planned spending the nights together after months of being apart having several rounds of love while drunk when suddenly, out of no where. I heard a very annoying loud crash. I was dragged off the bridge with the car. That was the last thing I remembered.

My eyes bloodshot, as the reality dawned on me. Where I was. Fear gripped me at the remembrance of the name on the door.The story of the place was never as narrated. It was far more horrifying. It was like a place of worship for torment and terrors where all things revolves in a circle. It all keeps coming round, the same thing all over again without a slight change.

"You never arrived home to meet Melisa, did you?" He said grinning, mockingly

"I-iiii" I tried to speak but I couldn't make out any words as tears trickled down my hot cheeks.

He came out from the shadows, huge, more huge than the beasts i met earlier. He had burning eyes, red skin, two long curved horns with torches of fire burning on both. He was dressed in sack- cloth and had a horrifying smile I'd never forget. He smiled devilishly with the torches of fire on his big long curved horns more lit in flame and said amidst the smile, "Thought, I'd lost you!"

THE END

Written by: Adedeji Raphael

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