The voices echoed in the darkness. Tiny, distant cries. Just occasionally, you could hear one rise slightly higher than all the others, and be able to hear it clearly. Sharp, piercing needs. Vengeful impotence. Unsatisfied longings. Appetites turned to dust.

These were the Old Ones, if they could be described as anything anymore. Powerless creatures, existing on the edge of the abyss, where reality meets chaos. Life and death dance here - twisting, bending, circling; seeking to escape and yet drawing ever closer together by a mutual hate.

But there is power here for those who know where to look and how to grasp it. The price is high but if you weren’t prepared to pay it, you’d never have got this far. You feel wisps of ethereal beings pluck at your clothing as you sink deeper and deeper into the vortex. Creatures grasping for you but too weak to hold on, whispering “Mine!” as you tumble past, crying pitifully as you escape their eager hold.

Gradually, it darkens. Your fall is slower here, resistance to your weight is gathering beneath you, eagerly pressing back against your body. You look up and see the tiny white trail that is your soul disappearing into the darkness, stretching until it is only a single molecule thick. You hang there for an eternity, suspended between realities. The stronger of the Old Ones reel around you, hesitant to come closer but powerlessly drawn towards you – moths who know the risks they’re about to take. And yet, risks they must take because they know One will be lucky and they hate each other. They fear oblivion more than anything. One gains power, others lose it and they’ve lost so much already. They are the survivors of millions – they eat each other to survive. They can feed on a single soul… oh, yes. Their eyes betray their thoughts. “I can devour you, make you mine. But only mine you must be, I can do anything but share you. As I devour I grow stronger and the others grow weaker. You must be mine, release yourself into my arms!”

The silken cord of your soul is stretched to breaking point. In a few seconds will your fate be decided. What will you do?

"For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:5-13

Conx

Copyright (c) Conway Billington

• Topic: Creative Writings

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend