NAMELESS

I don’t know how to start, should I start like every other fairy tales starts, like Once upon a time, on a second thought I would rather not start that way because this story would be misinterpreted as a fairy tale. This is not a fairy tale though it might sound like one.

I was ten years old when I first walked across the almost dried River of “Faith”, which stands like a border between the land of “sight” and land of “Never seen” I was with my childhood sweet heart Lora, she refused to cross the lake, she was afraid to do so, elders say it is a cursed place nobody are allowed to go there, but I have never found anything cursed about the other side of the lake. The other side of the shore was one of the most beautiful places I can ever imagine, beautiful trees which bear strange fruits through out the year, have flowers never seen anywhere else. In autumn days when all the trees shed their leaves, the other side of the shore, trees blossomed with flowers and fruits. I always wanted to climb those trees and eat those fruits. I pulled Lora with me while I walked across the wide river after my school.

Lora was so scared of her parents, she said we should not go; I mocked at her and acted as if I am brave. She stepped into the lake to prove that she is not scared. The water was so cold that we felt a chill when we started walking across the flowing water, the level of water increased as we stepped forward it is no more being ankle level it, it now was above the knee as we reached the middle of the lake it was almost hip level, and we struggled against the current to move forward. The round pebbles in the lake of “Faith” were very slippery, Lora slipped several times while walking, holding her hands even I lost balance several times and I lost my school bag while helping Lora, that was all I had with me and I lost it while crossing the Lake, but we walked forward. Finally we reached the other side of the shore drenched in water. We walked over the silky soft crystal sands on the shore. What we saw was irresistibly mind blowing. This whole place smelled like the most expensive perfume, beautiful birds and butterflies flew all around. The songs of the birds, the ruffling of leaves, the sound of the flowing lake, all played their cords, together this place sounds like an opus written by some great musician. We where speechless, no words can explain the land of “Never seen”.

We ate the berries that taste like honey; we walked deep into the woods, passing the huge transparent bushes and leaves, we saw flowers with colors we never known before, there where water falls, flowing from up above, beyond sight could rest. I felt peace within, my heart skipped a beat. I knew this is the dream I always wanted to see. I’m sure Lora also felt the same, no regrets for leaving the land of “sight”. We continued our toddle, excited and zestful. We saw beautiful butterflies flying around us, singing beautiful tunes. Strange every creature here sings. After sometime we both rested beside a huge rock overseeing the green mountain and the smooth water falls.

As I was listening to the song of the squirrels, a sound interrupted, I heard someone calling me by my name. I turned back, Lora was baffled, shook her head, ‘Not me’. Soon I heard it again. I started to panic, I heard the voice, but could not see who it was. I asked who are you and where are you hiding? The voice replied ‘it is not me; it is you who are hiding from me’. The voice continued, I am the rock you where resting before. I couldn’t believe a rock can speak?

Oh yes, my son, I do speak, but you never listened me before. I replied, you never talked to me before, I have seen several rock they never talked to me. The rock smiled and said, that’s the specialty of this place the air you breathe here has a special power, it interprets my words so that you understands it. But to understand what I say you need to breathe the power of this air, not all gets this chance my boy, you are selected. Oh yes, even this air can sing like others, his name is ‘Good spirit’. He is very emotional sometimes.

He continued, you know what we like most about you kid? You didn’t come alone; you brought your friend to share the same happiness you have now. We always knew you would one day come here, we where watching you all your life, we saw how you struggled against the waves of River Faith, you even lost your school bag, still you chose to cross the river to see this land of the Never seen. We know one day you will bring most of your friends to this land.

I was surprised to hear the words of the rock; I asked him what this place was? and why everyone was scared to come here The rock replied there was a time when everyone used to live here and then one day the unthinkable happened. A bright shining star named impostor rose in the sky on the other side of the river. There was no other star like it; it was like an emerald on the sky, bright and radiant. Everyone looked at it with awe. It started singing songs, everyone started dancing in its music there was great feast and happiness. The star said come to this side of the river, there is more love and joy here. Almost all the animals and plants told the humans, don’t leave this place never move away from the River Faith, but none heard their words. The serpents called ‘Liars’ where the first to cross the river, then the pigs called “the filthy”. The liars reached the other shore and shouted ‘this is the land of our dreams, come with us, lets build a new world better than the one we live’. The Owls and bats called evil and darkness rejoiced in these words and moved out of this shore next. The scorpions called ‘poison’ rebuked the land they where living and said we where blind all this while, thanks for the imposter, he opened our eyes, I’m leaving come with us.

The imposter along with all the creatures on the other side of the shore started singing together in harmony, they all where happy than ever before. The humans started to discus among themselves. The dove called ‘righteous’ came to warn them, the Lamb named ‘True love’ pleaded don’t do this, don’t leave. Some cruel men caught the lamb and killed it. The air in this land became sad seeing the sacrifice of True Love, he wept for days and all the animals and plants came to console the air. Seeing the sadness of the air the rainbow called ‘promise’ and the clouds called ‘Truth’ said to humans, they all will regret if they leave this land and heed the words of liar and imposter. Truth warned they will take you away from me. They never listened to anyone and they walked away from the shore of ‘salvation’ stepped into the river of Faith and walked against the waves of faith. Everyone left, not even one stayed back, we all called them no one turned back.

When everyone reached the other shore, the snakes showed them a tree, with fruits of different colors; he shouted come lets part, take the fruits of our freedom. let us eat it and live forever. He showed the tree of death and said it is the tree of life; it gives you the knowledge of both the lands. He broke the fruit into two and showed the seed and said, it is life, life falls on the ground and becomes another tree, the tree bears flowers and the flower becomes another fruit again. This is the secret of life and death. This is the circle of life everything in the universe follow this rule. Everyone ate the fruit and their eyes opened, what they saw was fearsome. They saw the true color of the star imposter, it is not green anymore, it is red and black, and the imposter stopped its song. There was confusion among the humans darkness filled the places, the bats and owls rejoiced they shouted now I can see, I was blind before now I see.

Humans became a slave race from that day onwards, the cloud of truth left them the shore of salvation is far from them and they where scared to face the waves of faith. They became blind to see the land of ‘never seen’. Today after thousands of years, a son of woman reached this shore, we all are happy about your return.

I held Lora’s hand and said, thanks but we need to go back, trust me next time we won’t be coming alone. I want my friend also experience this joy we missed all our life. They smiled and gave farewell to us. I stepped into the river; suddenly I turned back and asked. ‘What if I walk against the river of faith, will I also be slave like my forefathers? I heard the voice of the rock from far away, don’t worry kid, I’ll send you two of my best friends with you, the air of this land ‘Good Spirit’ and his wind ‘Grace’. They will help you in crossing the river against the waves of Faith, and help you overcome all your troubles’.

With a new strength we entered the river, walked against the strong current and slippery pebbles of Faith and crossed the river one step at a time. Our hearts where filled with a new strength an assurance that the Good spirit and grace are there to help us. After that several times I reached the shore with my friends we walked and danced on the shore of salvation with joy

Me and Lora are getting older, still the Good Spirit and Grace never left us a single moment of our life. After all this while we realized the truth, without the Good Spirit and his grace we cannot breathe, we cannot live. Today with my family and friends we live in the Land of ‘Never seen’. We build our house on top of the rock, he is our guide and providence ever since.

This is not a fairy tale though it might look like one. This is the story of my life, this is real.