Into the Light

Some time ago, when Mother Earth was younger, peaceful, simple and quite well, a great volcano suddenly erupted in the central region of Bushinawa. Subsequently, spouted thick volcanic ashes got suspended in air and meanwhile covered 4, 000 square kilometers of land making it impossible to see the heavens even if it was daylight.

The placid-natured natives of Bushinawa began to have chaos when their sovereign did not know what to do about it. Soon, everybody tumbled over everywhere from saving matters and from hiding and running disorderly. Then, when Darkness had already consumed them completely, Death began to digest souls as the massive Lava hurriedly chased people and liquefied all bodies caught. It was extremely hot. It was totally dim. It was speechlessly hopeless. It was surely Hell.

Some inhabitants, seeing completely the picture had given up their lives easily, not thinking, not fighting. In the end they got nothing. They all got perished.

However, there were Shenjie and his father, worn out but desperately dashing in one direction for escape. Shenjie frequently looked back to check on the others and his mother and the fast-paced Lava approaching. And then, he fell over tripping on a rock and cried. “Father… I can’t…” he coughed and said. “Just run, Shenjie, run!” His father’s command helped him got back to his feet so he continued running again.

But dashing just about meters after falling, Shenjie fell again and started breathing in some air wildly. “Father… we will die … too… why … do we… still… have to run… like crazy?”

“Shenjie, just get up and don’t give up.” The father firmly said. His eyes were serious.

“But … father…” Shenjie argued.

In a flash, his father had decided to carry him onto his back and resumed running, slower this time, but full of hope.

“Father,” Shenjie coughed, “What about mother?”

“She’s gone.”

“But what if…?” Shenjie was insistent.

“Stop it, Shenjie! I’ve got to show you something.” His voice sounded firm again.

“What is it father?”

“Surprise. I want to see it yourself, but first, we’ve got to run.”

Shenjie thought about it for a while then said OK.

The father and son seemed to run forever. But who knew that forever had an ending?

After some time, they there were, getting lit up by the sun… getting farther from the Darkness and the Death that’s in it.

“We’re close now, Shenjie. You can now see it.” said his father gladly, proudly.

When they finally got there, Shenjie’s father dropped him off badly and fell over. Shenjie was supposed to complain about the hurt but then…

“Father…?”

His father was breathing in wildly. Then, the breathing became slower… and slower... until it returned to normal.

Subsequently, perceiving the sunshine flashing on his back, Shenjie turned around and saw everything.

“This is it, Shenjie.” said his father.

They were now at the end of Hell, on a slope, and the land stretching stunningly on a seem-to-be infinite space; visible.

Full of wonder and eye-opened, Shenjie asked, “What is this father?”

“Shenjie, it’s a new LIFE.”