I sat in my cramped City Apartment, the honking horns and
constant hum of the city streets below me.
Providing the only soundtrack to my solitary.
Existence, I was exhausted, tired of the grey buildings, the
bustle and the monotony that my life had become.
I craved Solitude, The Call of the Wild, the silence broken
only by the rustle of leaves, and the song of a distant bird,
the Appalachian Mountains, with their untouched Beauty, and
Serene silence, beckoned me, I spent my final night planning
laying out, my hiking gear methodically on the floor, the
crisp map spread out before me the trails and routes
criss-crossing like a complex web.
The thought of stepping off the beaten path away from my
well-trodden, routines, thrilled me, I felt a sense of freedom of
Escape. It was the Calm before a journey
that I believed would be my salvation, the next morning, the
dawn's first raised painted the sky with use of pink and orange
Harold. The start of my adventure with
my backpack packed to the brim with Essentials.
I locked my apartment for the last time in days and headed to
my Old Reliable truck. As I sat behind the wheel, I
felt a sense of calm washing over me.
It was as if I was leaving behind a version of myself worn
down by the grind of City Life. The open road welcomed me, like
an old friend, the drive was a joy, watching the concrete,
jungle receipt in my rearview mirror.
By Rolling Hills Open Fields and finally the Towering Majesty of
the Appalachian Mountains. The site of the rugged Peaks
Rising High against the Clear Blue Sky sparked a sense of
adventure within me. It was like seeing an old friend
after a long time, the familiarity mingled with a sense
of anticipation. Finally, at the foot of the
mountains, I parked my truck at the designated trail head
looking up at the forested slopes.
I was taken aback by the sheer scale and the imposing beauty
that lay before me, there was an unspoken promise in the wind
that rustled through the ancient trees.
An adventure waiting to unfold, a chill of excitement, tangled
up my spine, as I hoisted, my backpack and took my first step
on the dirt path, leading into the heart of the Wilderness.
As I ventured deeper into the woods, I left the signs of
civilization behind the only sounds were the crunch of leaves
beneath my boots and the calls of unseen Birds.
Hidden in the green canopy above, the serenity was
overwhelming intoxicating and I found myself Whispering a silent
prayer. Are of thanks for this solitary
communion with nature. The first day of hiking was
Blissful, my sense is filled with the sights sounds and
smells of the forest as the sun started to set painting, the sky
with warm Hues. I set up my first Camp as I
gazed up at the stars, peeking through the forest, canopy.
I felt a sense of Peace, envelop.
Me, the worries and frustrations of my City, Life seemed a world
away. Little did I know then that the
piece I reveled in was merely the Calm before the storm.
As I drifted off to sleep in the heart of the Appalachian
Wilderness, I was oblivious to the Terrors that lay ahead
hidden in the depths of the forest.
Little did I know that my longing for Solitude would soon
turn into a nightmare? Making me question.
My sanity, my courage. And my will to survive the
morning broke with the birds chorus.
Their melodious songs marking, the start of a new day.
The air was thick with The Dewy freshness.
That only a forest morning can Ring, I unzipped my tent and was
met with a breathtaking sight. The morning sun filtering
through the trees. Casting Long Shadows and dancing
lights on the forest floor. I took a deep breath, filling,
my lungs with the pure. Untouched are a luxury in my
Urban existence. After a quick breakfast of
granola bars in a few swigs of water.
I packed up my camp with my backpack snug against my
shoulders, I resumed my journey deeper into the heart of the
Appalachian wilderness. The trails were challenging but
invigorating and with every step I felt a growing sense of
Freedom. There was something therapeutic
about treading a path where few have walked the Solitude feeding
my spirit, I relished in the calmness and The Surreal Beauty
around me. My ears, tuned into the forest,
soundtrack The rustle of leaves the distant hoot of an owl, the
sound of my own heartbeat in the overwhelming quiet, The Whispers
of the forest, spoke volumes drowning the noise of Of my past
life. Lunch was a simple Affair.
A sandwich I'd prepared before setting off now squashed but
still appetizing. I found a spot near a small
stream. The Babbling water, providing a
calming backdrop as I ate. I watched a family of deer
cautiously approached the stream there alert eyes, scanning the
surroundings before they lowered their heads to drink.
The site was humbling, reminding me of the simple raw beauty of
life in the wild. As the day wore on, I found
myself falling into a rhythm with the forest.
I felt like a small piece of a giant puzzle.
My presence insignificant in the grand scheme of things, the
realization instead of daunting me, comforted me, it was the
escape from ego and self importance that I'd been
yearning for. I pressed on until the evening,
when the setting sun set the sky, Ablaze with colors.
I found a perfect. But to set up my nights Camp a
small clearing by a giant oak tree.
As I set up my tent a sense of accomplishment washed over me,
I'd survived my first full day in the wild alone but not
lonely. Once the camp was ready, I built
a small fire its warmth warding off the evening chill as
Darkness descended the forest transformed.
The once familiar trees became Silhouettes, their Shadows
stretching and warping in the firelight the sounds to changed.
The day's Melodies replaced with The Hoots Howl's, and Russell's
of the forests. Nocturnal life, despite the
change, I felt at peace. The Wilderness was a bomb to my
tired Soul, as I climbed into my tent, the last rays of the dying
fire flickering. I reflected on my journey, the
Solitude, the beauty of the forest, The Thrill of the
unknown. It was everything.
I'd imagined the city and its worries felt like a distant
memory and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
I had no idea. No inkling.
That the calm I was basking in was but a facade that the real
face of the forest was far more terrifying than I could have
ever imagined. As I surrendered to sleep I was
oblivious to the fact that my life was about to take a turn
into the realm of the unimaginable, the sun was high
in the sky. When I awoke on my second day in
the Appalachian Wilderness, I began my day with a quick
breakfast. The soothing sounds of the
forest lulling me into a false sense of peace and tranquility.
As I repacked my gear and doused, the remnants of the
campfire, I looked forward to another day of solitary
exploration in the wilderness. I had barely been on the trail
for an hour when I stumbled upon an unexpected sight a campsite,
but it was not a current one. It was old deserted a haunting
ghost of human presence in the otherwise untouched Wilderness,
a tattered tent. It's once vibrant color Faded by
the sun and the elements stood at the center flanked.
By the remnants Moments of a fire pit.
I approached the site cautiously a sense of unease.
Crawling up my spine. There was something about the
abandoned campsite that filled me with a sense of dread, a
stark contrast to the serenity. I had experienced since my
arrival, I glanced around half expecting to see someone, but
all I found was silence, the campsite had been deserted for
quite some time that much was evident, but who had been here?
And why they left in such a rush, was a mystery, that hung
heavy in the air. With a knot in my stomach.
I decided to move on leaving behind the Eerie, remnants of
someone else's Wilderness Adventure, but as I delved
deeper into the forest, another strange occurrence, halted me in
my tracks. I came across a tree marked with
odd, symbols carved deep into its bark.
They were unlike any Trail markers or signs.
I'd ever seen before there was a primitive tribal quality about
them that sent a shiver down my spine, my mind started weaving
stories. Trying to make sense, It's of
what I was seeing where these symbols left by the same people
who abandoned the campsite was I trespassing into some forbidden
territory marked by these strange signs.
I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched that I
was not alone in these Woods despite my apprehensions.
I pressed on the Eerie Silence of the forest, only intensifying
my fears, the cheerful songs of the birds and the rustling of
the leaves in the breeze that once sounded harmonious now,
took on a haunting quality. The Whispering Wind carried with
it a warning, a suggestion to turn back but my curiosity
outweighed, my fears and I decided to delve deeper into the
heart of the Appalachian Wilderness.
I convinced myself that I was just being paranoid, letting my
imagination run wild, the abandoned campsite and the
strange symbols were just isolated incidents probably
harmless. I had come to escape my urban
life to find Solitude in the heart of the Wilderness.
And I was not about to let these unsettling discoveries.
Deter me from my goal. Little did I know as I walked
further into the forest that these were not just isolated
incidents, but signs of the horrifying ordeal that lay
ahead. I was oblivious to the fact that
the Eerie silence the strange symbols and the abandoned
campsite were just the tip of the iceberg.
The Appalachian Wilderness had many more secrets each more
terrifying than the last waiting to be discovered as day turned
to dusk and orange. Hue painted.
Forrest my legs ached from the long day of hiking and I felt a
chill creeping into the air. I began to search for a spot to
camp for the night. Hoping to find a quiet place to
rest, but as I rounded a bend in the trail, a glow caught my eye
in the distance, the light flickered dancing through the
forest trees, curiosity piqued, I quietly approached the source,
veering off the marked path for the first time.
Since my journey began. As I got closer, the soft hum of
voices, reached my ears. It was a Range melodic chanting
echoing through the woods, the glow, I had noticed turned out
to be a large bonfire. It's Flames reaching up to the
darkening sky around it shadowy figures suede their Silhouettes.
Warped and elongated in the firelight.
I ducked behind a large tree careful, not to make a sound and
watch the bizarre scene unfold. Before me.
The figures wore dark cloaks their faces hidden in the
shadows. They moved in unison.
They're chanting growing louder and more intense there.
He's swaying in a rhythmic dance, the spectacle was both
fascinating and terrifying, a scene straight out of a horror
movie in the center of the circle.
A large wooden figure loomed ominously the Flames from the
fire licked its base, casting a terrifying glow, on its face.
The carving was grotesque and embodiment of evil.
The site sent a shudder down my spine.
The rituals of the robed figures intensified their chance, rising
to a fever pitch. The whole scene was surreal, a
shocking contrast to the calm of the Appalachian Wilderness.
I had enjoyed so far, I was petrified, unable to tear my
gaze away from the chilling. Spectacle suddenly, everything
went still the chanting stopped replaced by a silence that was
deafening in its intensity. Then a robed figure stepped
forward. Raising a staff above his head,
his voice echoed through the clearing a harsh command.
That made the very air vibrate with its intensity.
My heart pounded in my Just as the figure slowly turned his
gaze, scanning the surrounding Woods, his eyes glowing in the
firelight seemed to bore right into me.
I held my breath, praying he hadn't seen me, but it was too
late with a swift motion. The figure pointed directly at
my Hiding Place. A collective gasp echoed through
the clearing, followed by silence, then all hell broke
loose. The cultists erupted into motion
several breaking away from the circle and dashing towards me.
I See their faces now illuminated by the firelight
twisted and anger and determination.
The terror that surged through me was Primal I turned and ran,
the Cults shouts echoing behind me, the Tranquil Wilderness had
turned into a nightmare. And as I sprinted into the dense
forest, I knew my solitary Retreat.
Had turned into a terrifying game of survival, my heart
pounded in my chest, like a war drum, as I ran blindly Through
The Dark Forest, the comforting sounds of the Wilderness had
been replaced. With the haunting Echoes of the
cultists shouts and the harsh crunch of foliage.
Under their feet, the peaceful Paradise, I had sought was now a
terrifying, Labyrinth, a backdrop to the nightmarish
Chase. I stumbled tripped and tumbled
my hands flailing in the darkness to grasp at anything
that could help me. Stay upright my lungs, burned,
for air and every muscle in my body screamed in protest.
But fear was a powerful motivator and I pushed myself
harder behind me, the sounds of pursuit were growing louder.
Louder, the cultists were getting closer.
I could hear their ragged breaths, the rustling of their
cloaks there ominous, murmurs the thought of being caught sent
a fresh wave of adrenaline coursing through my veins,
spurring me to run faster. Suddenly my foot caught on a
route and I was thrown forward tumbling into a dense
undergrowth pain shot through my ankle and I gritted my teeth to
stifle a scream. I had to keep moving, keep
running, dragging myself up. I forced myself to limp on
words. Each step was a challenge but
the Echoes of my pursuers were my motivation.
The forest had turned into a threatening entity its once
familiar trees. Now grotesque Silhouettes
against the Starlit Sky, its Trails twisted and disorienting
but then I saw it the silhouette of a large tree its branches
reaching out towards the sky and idea took root in my mind
without a second thought I dashed towards it.
Dragging my injured foot with the last ounce of my strength.
I started to climb the rough bark.
Arc scraped my hands, the branch is digging into my flesh, but
the pain was insignificant compared to the fear of being
caught. I hold myself, higher, and
higher till I was nestled amongst the thick branches
exhausted. I lay there hidden from view, my
breath ragged and my body aching I waited holding my breath as
the sounds of my pursuers grew closer.
Then they were there, their shadowy forms illuminated by the
pale. Moonlight They stopped their
breaths, heavy, their head swiveling, as they searched the
surroundings after what seemed like an eternity, they moved on
their footsteps, growing fainter until they were swallowed by The
Silence of the night relief. Washed over me, but it was
short-lived. I was lost injured and being
hunted in the middle of the Appalachian Wilderness.
The stars twinkled above me oblivious to the nightmare
unfolding beneath them. I clung to the tree My
Sanctuary. Two weary in the face of Terror,
my mind racing, I had sought Solitude in these woods but what
I had found was a terrifying reality.
I was ill-equipped to face the Grim truth settled in.
I was in a fight for survival. My peaceful Retreat.
Turned into a game of cat and mouse.
The serenity of the Appalachian Wilderness was a far cry from
the terror that now gripped me As I looked out into the
darkness, I realized that I had stepped into a realm of the
unknown, a world that I never imagined could exist within the
heart of this Wilderness. Pinned high.
In my Treetop perch the chill of the night.
Seeped into my bones, my heart's still pounding, in my chest from
the adrenaline rush. The Echoes of the pursuit, still
ringing in my ears. The branches around me swayed,
gently lulling me into a trance below.
Me, the Dark Forest stretched out a haunting canvas of Shadows
and mystery. I tried to process the night's
events but my mind was a world of fear and confusion.
The reality of my situation seemed like a horrifying
nightmare. Something I'd wake up from to
find myself, safe in my tent but the throbbing pain.
In my ankle, the chill in my bones and the Eerie Silence of
the forest were Grim. Reminders of my terrifying
reality. I strained.
My ears listening for any sound, that could hint at the cultists
return, but all I could hear was the occasional hoot of an owl.
The rustle of leaves and my own erratic heartbeat.
The forest was still again a stark contrast to the terror.
I had just experienced despite the adrenaline and fear
exhaustion soon. Took over my body beaten and
battered from the chase demanded, rest.
I wedged myself between two sturdy, branches praying, they'd
hold my weight through the night, as I stared up at the
star studded Sky, I couldn't help but Marvel at The Surreal
contrast of my I situation a beautiful Serene night sky
overhead, while beneath it a terrifying, ordeal unfolded as
the hours slipped by the night's events.
Replayed in my mind, each detail etching itself deeper into my
memory, the chilling rituals, the strange symbols.
The abandoned campsite they all painted a horrific picture that
sent shivers down my spine, the once welcoming Wilderness had
revealed a Sinister underbelly yet amidst, the fear and dread
Add a flicker of resolve began to take root.
I was far from helpless. I was a man who had sought
solace in nature who had wanted to test his limits against the
raw power of the Wilderness. I would not let this horrifying
ordeal defeat me as the Moon journeyed across the sky,
casting long Twisted Shadows onto the forest floor.
I clung to my tree alone figure in the dark Wilderness, the
chilling events of the night, seemed almost unreal.
Now the forest around me returning to Its normal State.
The silence was broken occasionally by The far-off Cry
of a nightbird or the rustling of small creatures in the
undergrowth. By the time, the first hints of
dawn began to creep into the sky, I had formulated a basic
plan, I would continue moving at first light aiming to put as
much distance as possible between me and the nightmare I
had encountered I was lost and I was being hunted but I was far
from defeated, the taste of fear was still fresh, but as I looked
at the First rays of the sun breaking through the forest,
canopy, I knew I would fight, I would face whatever came my way
and fight to reclaim my journey to escape the terrifying grip of
the Appalachian Wilderness. As I waited for Dawn, I was
filled with a grim determination.
I would survive I had to as Dawn painted, the sky with Hues of
orange and pink. I descended from my Treetop
Sanctuary every muscle in my body protested and my ankle
throbbed with renewed intensity, but the promise of day A light
the chance to escape spurred me on.
I was not safe yet far from it. The Wilderness was vast.
The cultists persistent, I needed to move to get as far
away as possible. I said a steady Pace, my eyes
scanning the surroundings for any sign of the cult, but the
forest was Serene. Again, a picture of Tranquility,
the melodious calls of birds, filled the air, a stark contrast
to the terrifying Silence of the previous night.
But underneath this familiar Symphony, I sense the forest
darker Secrets a shiver ran down my spine.
I was walking on a thin line between Beauty and Terror.
Never knowing when the balance would shift every rustle of
leaves. Every snap of a twig sent my
heart racing paranoia nod. At my mind transforming benign
Shadows into lurking figures. Harmless sounds into ominous
footsteps, I felt like a pray in the heart of this Wilderness.
My His heightened, my nerves on edge, the forest was dense.
Its canopy, a Labyrinth of Twisted.
Branches and leaves the pads. Were barely visible.
A confusing tangle of trails that seemed to lead nowhere.
I was deep in the heart of the Appalachian Wilderness far from
the usual hiking trails. There was no sign of human
presence, just the untouched beauty of Nature and lurking
beneath it. All was a terror that could
shatter the calm at any moment. I continued moving pushing
through the undergrowth hoping to reach the clearer Trails, I
drew on my limited knowledge of wilderness survival, trying to
orient myself to find my way out but with every step the forest
seemed to grow denser. Its Secrets darker as the sun
climbs higher in the sky, exhaustion crept.
In my ankle was swollen. Now each step sending sharp jolt
of pain shooting up my leg, but I couldn't afford to stop to
rest. Fear was my constant, companion
pushing me forward, keeping me alert, despite the dread, there
was a part of me that marveled at the Wilderness, the Towering
trees, the chirping birds, the sunbeams filtering, through the
foliage, they were all breathtaking.
I had come here to find solace in this beauty to escape from
the monotony of urban life, but my journey had taken a
horrifying turn. I was caught in a Twisted game
of survival my peaceful Retreat replaced by a deadly Pursuit.
The irony was not, Lost on me, the same Wilderness that I had
sought for peace was now the setting of my worst nightmare.
I was alone figure in this vast. Expanse hunted lost yet
determined to survive as the day wore on, I could only hope that
I was getting closer to escape that I was putting enough
distance between myself and the terror that haunted me.
The sun was a steady companion in the sky casting Long Shadows
that danced with the rustling leaves, the forest was alive
with sounds a Phanie. That mask the undercurrent of
dread as I limped through the Wilderness.
A grim determination took hold? I would survive this.
I had to because giving up was not an option not here in the
heart of the Appalachian wilderness.
As the sun began to sink below the Horizon, I stumbled upon an
opening in the dense Woodland, the sudden expanse of the
clearing caught me by surprise. But what lay at the center
froze? Me in my tracks, my heart
pounded against my ribs as I took in the scene before me it
was another Circle. Just like the one I had
witnessed the terrifying ritual. At only this time, it was
deserted the faint outlines of symbols similar to the ones I
had seen the previous night were etched into the ground.
I could still smell the remnants of a fire.
Its ashes cold and grey a grim reminder of the horror that had
taken place here. The memory of the chanting.
The ominous figure pointing towards me the ensuing.
Chase it all. Came rushing back my skin,
prickled with goosebumps, my breath, hitched in my throat, I
had stumbled upon another of the cult sanctuaries, their Unholy
grounds. I was back at the heart of the
nightmare. A shiver of fear ran down my
spine, as I looked around. Round the clearing was ominously
silent. The trees standing as silent
Spectators to the horrors that had unfolded here.
The thought of being at the heart of the Cults territory,
possibly surrounded by them, sent a fresh wave of Terror
coursing through me. My first instinct was to run to
get as far away from this place as possible, but something held
me back. There was something eerily
familiar about the clearing. I had seen it before before the
horrors of the cult had unfolded in a different light It was the
same clearing I had planned to camp at the one that had first
lured me off the beaten path. A sense of dread washed over me.
I had walked in a circle despite my best efforts to move away to
escape the nightmare. I was back where it all started.
The realization was a punch to my gut.
I was not only lost, but moving in circles, right?
At the heart of the Cults territory, the sinking sun cast,
Long Shadows, the coming Darkness, a grim, reminder of
the horrors. The night could bring the forest
had taken on a Sinister tone, every rustle of leaves, every
creaking Branch sending my heart racing.
I was trapped in a horrifying game of cat and mouse.
My every step possibly leading me closer to Danger as the
Twilight gave way to the darkness.
My situation became clear. I was not just lost.
I was the prey hunted in a forest that hit a Deadly Secret.
The reality of my situation Hit me hard.
I was a man alone in the wilderness caught up in a A
chase that could cost me my life, the chill of the night
settled in the once comforting Wilderness.
Now, a haunting Labyrinth as the Stars began to twinkle in the
sky. I knew I had to keep moving to
try and break free from this terrifying Circle.
Fear was my constant companion. Pushing me on reminding me of
the horrifying Stakes as I plunged back into the darkness,
the Cold Truth settled in. I was lost in a terrifying.
Nightmare far from the peaceful Retreat, I had Sought the
Appalachian. Wilderness was not just a Haven.
It was a terrifying Battleground, for my survival,
moving deeper into the forest. A soft murmur broke through the
night silence. A welcome Interruption to the
forest, Siri quietude, the sound grew louder, turning into a
recognizable Rush of water. It was a river.
It steady flow is soothing balm to my frayed nerves.
Stepping through the underbrush, I found myself at the edge of a
fast-flowing river its water shimmering.
The Moonlight relief washed over me Rivers.
Often led to human habitation or at least two clearer Trails.
It was a glimmer of hope a chance to find my way out of
this nightmare. But the sight of the river also
brought back a wave of thirst that hit me like a punch.
I had been moving for hours. My water bottle, long emptied, I
fell to my knees at the riverbank cupping.
My hands to drink the cold refreshing water, as I quenched.
My thirst, a plan started forming in my mind, I Follow the
river. It might lead me to civilization
or at least out of the deep Wilderness where I was currently
trapped. If the cultists were indeed
tracking me moving along the river.
Could potentially throw them off the prospect of a plan, a
direction, revived my spirits, I wasn't just aimlessly running
anymore. I had a course to follow a goal
to achieve. The terror of the chase, the
Grim reality of my situation, it all seemed a little less
overwhelming with a plan in place.
I took a moment to breathe to take in the Serene beauty of the
river, the Moonlight danced on its surface.
The gentle Rush of water, a soothing Symphony for a brief
moment. I allowed myself to forget the
terror to appreciate the beauty that I had initially sought in
the Appalachian Wilderness, but the piece was short-lived, the
Grim reality of my situation, reared, its head.
Again, with a final, look at the moonlit River, I pushed off from
the bank starting, my Trek along the Waterway the It was dark,
it's Shadows, dancing, ominously under the faint Moonlight, but
the rivers Rush was my constant guide.
As I moved the trees seem to whisper there.
Rustling leaves a haunting chorus to the river Symphony.
Every crack of a twig, every rustle of underbrush set my
nerves on edge, the Wilderness was alive with sounds the Dark
Forest a horrifying, maze, hiding unseen dangers, but
amidst, the fear and uncertainty.
There was a flicker of Hope. The river was my path.
Without my guide through the treacherous Wilderness, I held
onto that sliver of hope. My resolve strengthening with
each passing moment, as I limped along the riverbank, the
terrifying reality of the night slowly receded to the back of my
mind, I was still lost still hunted, but I was not defeated.
The Wilderness had tested me, pushed me to my limits but I
would endure I had to as the river whispered it's soothing
lullaby, I moved forward driven by the Him determination to
survive because survival was no longer just a desire.
It was a necessity necessity to escape the horrifying grasp of
the Appalachian Wilderness and the terrifying secret.
It hid a sudden rustling sound in the underbrush, snapped me
out of my exhaustion, induced days, my heart pounded in my
chest, as I scan the darkness, the sound was distant but it was
unmistakable footsteps. The cultists had found Me Again,
Terror gripped. Me the rivers Soothing presence
suddenly turning ominous, my brief respite was over.
I was being hunted again, chased in the heart of the Wilderness,
the soothing Rush of the river. Now, a chilling soundtrack to my
nightmarish reality. I ran the sharp pain in my
ankle. Was now a dull throb, my body
running on adrenaline. The forest around me, blurred
the darkness closing in the river.
A steady Presence at my side. I didn't dare to look back.
The Echoes of the pursuing footsteps, a horrifying,
reminder of the Are lurking in the shadows, branches and
underbrush whipped. It me as I sprinted Through The
Dark Forest, I stumbled and fell picking myself up and forcing my
body. To keep moving every gasp for
air was a battle, every step of Victory against the mounting
pain. The forest was a maze of
Shadows. The Moonlight barely
penetrating, the thick canopy, The Familiar sounds of the
Wilderness were now. Muffled drowned by The Rush of
the river and the pounding of my heart beat, I was alone figure.
Running through a haunted forest chased by unseen Horrors.
Despite the terror a part of me refused to succumb.
I had been hunted cornered and lost but I was not defeated.
The Wilderness had tested me, pushed me to my limits revealed.
Horrifying Secrets, I was never meant to witness but I would not
go down without a fight. I veered away from the river,
pushing through the dense underbrush, the distant
footsteps, echoing my path. I was running blind Guided by
fear. You're an adrenaline driven by a
grim determination to survive. The terror of the Chase had
turned into a terrifying game of endurance, a test of my will to
survive. I ran until my legs felt like
lead until my lungs screamed for are I pushed myself?
My body moving on Instinct, my mind focused on Survival, I
could hear the cultists footsteps growing distant their
Pursuit slowed by the rough terrain, but I didn't stop.
I couldn't afford to as the night wore on.
I found myself back in the heart of the Wilderness, the river a
distant murmur. The cultists footsteps, lost in
the cacophony of the night. The forest was still again.
It's piece a stark contrast to the terrifying ordeal, I had
just endured exhausted. I leaned against a tree, my
breath coming in ragged gasps. The adrenaline was wearing off
replaced by a crushing fatigue, but the fear was still there, a
constant reminder of the terrifying, Chase of the deadly
game. I was trapped.
Then as the reality of my situation set in, I realized how
close I had come to being caught, I was lost in the
Appalachian. Wilderness hunted by a
terrifying cult. My every step of fight for
survival but I was still alive. I was beaten bruised and
terrified but I was not defeated.
And as I leaned against the tree catching my breath, I clung to
that fact. I had survived another night.
Another Chase I was still in the game.
I was still fighting. Ting and I would continue to
fight to endure until I escape this horrifying nightmare.
The first hint of dawn, peeked Over the Horizon, a faint
glimmer of Light breaking through the dense, canopy the
forest slowly came alive, its nocturnal creatures, replaced by
The Familiar sounds of the morning, but the forests
environment did little to calm my nerves.
The Chase had left a lingering fear, a constant, reminder of
the Unseen dangers. Lurking in the shadows slowly.
I began my Trek. My body aching my spirit weary
but resolved, the fear of being hunted was still there.
The Echoes of the chase, a grim, reminder of my nightmarish
ordeal, but I was still alive, still standing.
And as long as I was, I had a chance to escape this horrifying
nightmare, I moved stealthily careful not to attract any
unwanted attention. My senses were on high alert
every rustle of leaves. Every distant sound a potential
danger. I moved away from the river
deeper into the forest. Hoping To evade any cultists
that might still be tracking me hours turned into an endless
cycle of cautious steps, momentary stops and Hasty
Retreats. But as the sun, climbed higher
painting, the forest in warm Hues, A Renewed hope began to
simmer within me. The daylight brought with it a
sense of safety, a comforting Shield against the Terrors of
the night. I was still lost still in
danger, but I was also moving fighting surviving as the
afternoon sun pierced through the Happy.
I saw something that almost made me weep with relief.
Nestled amidst, the dense trees hidden from casual site Was An
Old Log Cabin, a structure, a man-made structure in the heart
of the Wilderness. It was the first sign of human
habitation. I had seen since I had embarked
on this terrifying, Journey cautiously, I approached the
cabin, it was old, it's wooden exterior weathered by time and
nature but it was sturdy and more importantly, it was
deserted No cultists no ominous symbols just an old abandoned
cabin lost in the wilderness. The cabin was My Sanctuary, my
temporary Haven, in the face of danger.
It was a place to rest to gather my strength to plan.
My next steps. It was a Beacon of Hope, a
promise of safety in the heart of a terrifying Forest.
As the day, gave way to the evening, I secured, the cabin,
my exhaustion slowly creeping in the terror of the chase, the
ordeal of the past days. It all weighed heavily on me but
I had made it through another day.
I had evaded. The cultists found a sanctuary
survived. I was still in the game still
fighting as the last rays of the sun disappeared.
I huddled in the cabin its walls, a comforting barrier
against the Terrors lurking outside.
The night was still The forest haunting Symphony, replaced by a
comforting silence for the first time since I had stumbled upon
the terrifying cult. I felt a sense of security, a
brief respite from the horrifying ordeal.
I was still lost still in danger but for that night I was safe
and as I drifted off to sleep, The Echoes of the chase a
distant memory. I held on to that fact I had
survived I was still fighting and I would continue to fight
continue to endure until I Escape this.
Horrifying nightmare daylight brought a renewed determination,
the cabin had served, its purpose, a Haven, a sanctuary,
but it was time to move to continue my fight for survival.
I was still lost, still in danger, but I was alive.
I was fighting and I was not ready to give up.
I left the cabin at the crack of dawn, my destination unclear,
but my resolve unwavering, the morning was quiet, the forest a
maze of Shadows and Light. It's Tranquility a stark
contrast to the horrors, it had witnessed hours turned into an
endless cycle of cautious, steps and stops, the fear of being
discovered a constant companion. But as the sun climbed higher,
something broke the monotonous rhythm of my Trek, it was a
faint distant sound of familiar hum, my heart, pounded in my
chest, as I recognized it, the sound of a vehicle quickening.
My Pace, I move towards the sound, my hopes Rising with each
step. It grew louder closer.
The Unmistakable hum of an engine, the sign of civilization
and then breaking through the dense undergrowth.
I saw it a dirt road, winding its way through the Wilderness,
a vehicle trundling along it relief.
Washed over me as I stumbled onto the road.
My knees buckling under the weight of my exhaustion and
relief. I was out, I had escaped the
dense Wilderness, the Unseen dangers, the horrifying Chase, I
was safe, the vehicle stopped, the driver, a Man his face a mix
of surprise and concern. I explained my situation, my
voice. Hoarse my words, barely a
whisper, he offered me a ride, his vehicle, a Beacon of Hope, a
promise of safety. As we drove down the winding
road, the forest receding in the distance.
The terror of the past days felt like a distant nightmare.
I was leaving it behind the dense Wilderness, the
terrifying, chase the horrifying cult.
I was going home. Finally after what felt like, An
eternity. I saw it.
My old truck just as I had left it a wave of emotion.
Swept over me. As I thank the driver and
climbed into my truck. I was finally safe finally free.
The nightmare was over. I turned the key in the
ignition. The trucks familiar hum a
comforting sound as I drove away the Appalachian Wilderness.
A distant memory in my rearview mirror, I felt a sense of
closure, a sense of survival, I had escaped the clutches of a
terrifying call It survived a horrifying Chase fought my way
through a dense treacherous Wilderness.
I had survived as I drove home, the memories of the past days.
A grim, reminder of the horrors, I had witnessed, I made a vow, I
would never return to those woods.
Again, I would never forget, the terror, the chase the nightmare,
but I would move on carry on survived because I had fought
endured and survived and that was something worth cherishing.
The Appalachian Wilderness held a terrifying secret, a
horrifying cult hidden in its dense.
Treacherous undergrowth. I had stumbled upon it, survived
it, escaped it. And as I drove away, leaving the
Wilderness behind, I knew one thing I had survived, I had
fought endured, and I had survived.
And that was a victory worth celebrating.
My dearest Aiden. I know that it has been some
time since we last spoke. And for that, I know better than
to ask for any forgiveness as a mother, I'm charged with certain
responsibilities to you, for which I openly admit in failing
to provide. I understand that you don't know
many of the reasons as to, why I've done the things that I
have. And I know that it's pointless
to try to get you to understand. Please know that none of this
was ever your fault. You are an amazing young man and
the best thing that I've ever made in this world.
You were never and could never be a burden on my life.
It's just that in those last few years since your father passed,
I felt like there was a part of my soul that went with him.
You know, that we were never much of a religious home.
So Faith was something I never could really turn to in those
days, but when I found Lucario, it was like, everything changed.
I felt connected to something bigger than myself for the first
time in my life. That's how we all feel each and
every one of us that has been here since the beginning.
Now, while the years away from you have been hard, they've also
been a learning experience. Unlike any other I've grown in
connection and understanding to the world around, me and my
higher power. You're probably thinking to
yourself that you should have been what I should have been
connecting with and understanding more and your
right to do. So.
But I want you to know that I thought about you every single
day, I don't know of a single parent amongst our congregation
who wasn't doing the same for their own child.
In the beginning, keeping contact was simply impossible
due to how frequently we migrated from town to town, from
County to County and from state to state one night, we'd settle
down with our tents in Tampa, and then just a few days later,
we'd be sleeping under the stars of Dallas.
We moved so often not to be undetectable by our loved ones,
but to spread Lucario's message to as many as we could.
For the first few years, we lived off donations alone on
occasion. We would work odd jobs around
the town's we were in, but only to get what we needed to keep
going on. We finally settled into a
lasting Abode and made the foundation of our church three
years ago. And I've been putting this
letter off ever since then. Every time I tried to put pen to
paper I just could never stop myself crying.
And yes, I don't deserve to shed a single tear after all the pain
I must have caused. Lucario has always taught that
personal wants and connections were taught to stand in the way
of the mission. We've all had to make sacrifices
along the way, but we made them because we truly believe in what
we are doing. I can't imagine the sacrifices
you've had to make with me gone as well sacrifices, you never
should have had to make in my Absence, while I have no right
at all, to ask for your trust. I do want you to know that I
believe with all my heart that we will be together again.
I'm not simply talking about you and I but all of us our entire
family. I've seen clearer than ever
that. The day is coming when we shall
all. Be reunited in a world that is
made pure in our Lord's image, I can say this with a resounding
certainty because through the work of the congregation, I have
seen wonders made only possible in dreams.
Know that I have always kept you closest to my heart, know that I
do love you, more than you will ever know, know that I am.
Sorry for all the pain that I have caused and pray for you
every single day. Love Mom, those were the first
and last words I had heard from my mother in two decades, six
months after my father died, from pancreatic cancer.
She just up and left without even saying a proper goodbye.
She'd, of course, been distant in the time.
Leading up to her departure. I never held that against her
because while I had lost my dad who died known for my entire
life. She had lost.
The man she'd been with for over 37 years because I was only 21
at the time of his passing. I didn't really know how to
properly process. The grief, when we lost him, I
dropped out of Community College and pretty much just buried
myself with extra shifts at the local Deli where I worked just
so I could keep myself busy and not have any time to really
think about the whole situation. Mom had taken up counseling at
my request, as I knew that Dad would have wanted her not to
fall off the wagon and relapse. After two decades of sobriety
under her therapist advice, she started volunteering with more
programs in the community. She'd sit in and help out at the
nursing home as well as setup for n.
A and AA meetings at the wellness center and even help
with driving the van to pick up attendees who didn't have any
transportation to them, but like me, as soon as each busy day
came to its end the Any of my father's absence filled our home
like a reservoir of grief that knew no end the recliner where
he sat in the living room was never touched and hardly even
looked at it was treated like some kind of pitiful Memorial
that only served as a reminder that he wasn't coming back.
Gone were the days of the family coming together after dinner and
binging, the latest hit show on cable or laughing together when
watching America's Funniest Home Videos.
Now there was simply silence as Mom Would just sit on the couch
reading over dollar 10 mystery. Paperbacks while I emotionally
quarantined myself in my room, I suppose in those days, it was
hard for us to be around one. Another.
Not because we had done something to upset the other,
but because we both served as reminders of the one we had
lost, To my mother. I was almost the spitting image
of my father at the age. When they had first met back in
high school for me, she was the remaining fragment of a home
that was now forever. Broken always feeling as if his
Phantom was still holding her empty hand I often ask myself,
what would have happened, if I had only tried to make an effort
in grieving, along with her, rather than alone.
Perhaps things may have played out entirely differently and
she'd still be home, and maybe I'd still be the man.
I once was in those days, rather than the man teetering on the
Edge of Insanity as I am today. Yet to question the possibility
of correcting past. Regrets is a waste of time for
by the time I had begun to realize what was going on with
my mother. It was already too late a month
before she left. I noticed that she had begun to
frequent the Eric's Berg Recreation Center.
There had been pamphlets, scattered around town
advertising, a new method, of spiritual, and philosophical
healing for those suffering, with depression and mental
ailments. Personally, I had just chalked
it up to some kind of traveling hippie convert, that would try
to sell you. The idea of magic healing
crystals and positive energy chakras or some crap like that.
At first I figured the only reason mom had been going to
those meetings was simply because her sponsor asked her to
tag along. Now while that may indeed have
been her initial introduction to Lucario.
Carbone, it was his captivating charismatic message that had
ensnared her along with the rest of what would come to be later
known. As the congregation as I've come
to learn following the years of research I've done since she
vanished, the congregation went on a type of cross-country tour
during its early development. In the late 1980s in total, they
were able to gather roughly 40 members.
After dozens of others would tend to drop out after just a
few months or so. Based on the scarce interviews I
could find from former followers of the group.
It seemed that what began as a method of mental healing quickly
grew into a religious ideology. Biology in itself while details
about the actual faith of the congregation were scarce.
What was known was that their leader taught from fragments of
several different religious texts like the bible Torah and
Quran as well as inserting their own differentiating doctrines of
their own, the most, I was able to learn during my research came
from articles, covering the experience of a man by the name
of Aaron Lattimore, a member from 1986 to 1991.
According to Mr. Lattimore, they believed a rather strict
celibate and isolationist Lifestyle.
The whole idea of their Doctrine was based on focusing on the
individual to become more of an instrument for higher power, as
opposed to focusing on their own happiness and
self-determination. Apparently, one of the very
first things, each member had to adapt to during early.
Indoctrination, was losing touch with personal connections, such
as family, and friends, as they were seen as nothing more than
roadblocks, keeping. From their Destiny.
While it was clear that they were most definitely being
conditioned and brainwashed via religious repertoire to see the
world from that weird and twisted view.
I'd be lying if I didn't say that, it was still a massive
knife to the heart to think about my mother viewing me as
some kind of obstacle in her life.
So you can imagine my surprise when I received her letter from
out of nowhere after nearly 18 years of Silence upon reading
it, I was shocked to discover for myself just how easily
Decades of built-up It's good. Just bursts to the Forefront in
the blink of an eye. Each word brought on the
memories of panic fear and loneliness that had enveloped my
entire being when she first left.
All those years ago, I had worked so hard in the time
between to grow as a man and not let the loss of both my parents
to find me in a way. I had lived as if they were both
dead there was that equal certainty that I'd never see
either one of them ever again. And yet there I was in my
apartment reading a message from the necrotic past that I had
tried my best to bury what shocked me.
The most was the lack of any real rage at the time.
In the early years, I had always imagined her just showing up out
of the blue after their Church collapsed and broke away every
single one of those scenarios ended with some giant and
emotional speech, telling her off and condemning her for the
hell. She put me through while all on
my own. Yet, rather than the feeling of
anger festering to the surface, I was struck by only fear
because this wasn't the time when small Colts and religious
Nomads were recruiting for their holy.
Cause this was the age when they were all succumbing to self
martyrdom immediately my mind, raced over images of the
Jonestown Massacre or the Heaven's Gate passings and even
the solar Temple all tied up with a neat.
Bow of the Waco. Inferno all I could think of as
I finished her letter were police.
Investigators taking pictures of her body surrounded by the
dozens of others. She had left me to worship with
the thought of her rotting sprawled out over some Twisted
version of Hallowed Ground. While flies buzzed around her
head, like a kind of demonic Halo, made me sick to my stomach
to the point where I almost doubled over the kitchen table
there and then which is why I decided to take that weekend
off. Work and make my way down there
to this congregation for myself at the time, I had hoped to
maybe get there before the horrible.
Vent in my imagination, played out, even though there was still
that gnawing voice in the back of my head saying that it had
already happened and that I'd simply be the poor soul to beat
the police to an unimaginable seen in a way that voice was
right. According to the envelope in
which my mother's letter had been enclosed within it, had
been sent by a Glenn Dickerson from Harlington Montana.
So the first order of business was to take the 16-hour drive up
there and figure out his relationship to my mother.
Along the way I was trying to wrap my head around all the
questions that would remain impossible to answer until I
arrived. Why did my mother suddenly sent
me this from out of nowhere? Why did this person I'd never
heard of in my entire life? Send me her letter rather than
her doing it herself. Is she still alive while it's
clear to any Observer of the situation that to plague oneself
with these questions would be useless and only serve to
heighten the stress of the situation?
It's much easier said than done when you're the one.
Living through that earth-shattering, shadow of
anxiety, without answers. While making the trip, I had
decided to listen, to some sermons from the congregation
that they had posted on their website.
I figured that, even though I had listened to them all before
that, I might as well, get a refresher course on them.
Given the circumstances. Let us not forget our place
Among the Stars for we are but an atom atop a speck of dust
within this vast Universe. Yet despair, not for your role
is greater than you may have. No, for despite the barren and
empty Cosmos that surrounds us. All you are unique.
You are alive. Unlike the countless desolate
worlds, that swim throughout the dark Wilderness of Dead Space, H
has the ability to ponder, its very own existence while life,
maybe as fleeting as a decaying vapor in the wind.
It is one not without a purpose, but where does such a mystery of
life come from? You may ask what makes us so
special that we are able to rise from the depths of evolution and
a spy. Hired to take our first steps
from our nest of Earth into a universe that seems infinitely
inhospitable to life itself. Many have sought answers in
science or philosophy While others have looked into the
pages of holy books, written thousands of years ago.
When the simplest answer of all is to look up at the stars
themselves for they are the true inspirational word of God.
Since man has first made fire, he has gazed up at the Dark
Horizons and curious amazement at the hand that painted those
mysterious campfires that dot the night sky.
Our ancestors saw for the first time, they're in significance in
the scale of all things but also a deeper connection to the
reality around them each and every one of us have looked up
to the heavens in search for answers.
Yet only a select few have found traces of those answers.
Abraham Moses, Paul John the Revelator Muhammad and Buddha.
They were all given pieces of the great puzzle.
That defines our entire reality little by little, the truth has
been given to us as a species As for we must grow as a society
and a people. So that we may mature enough to
understand the true meaning of Our Lives.
Yet, there are those who would seek to pollute the validity of
these answers with their own fan, fictional truths, the
Joseph, Smith's, the Jim Jones, the Marshal applewhite's, the
Joseph mambro's, all of them, taking the great Revelations
bestowed To Us, by the highest power and discarding them and
reshaping and contradicting them to suit their own world view,
rather than the true world view. Now you may ask who I am to make
such a claim as I do, who is this man?
That tarnishes the names of other failed and ridiculed
religious leaders yet? Claims that he knows the way as
opposed to them. I'm here to tell you that what
you're asking is the most important question that must be
answered before, you're even able to receive my message.
What use is a Shepherd. If there's no reason for the
flock to follow him, please? Let Not My Words.
Be what bring you to the path of salvation but only be the
stepping stone that leads. You to the truth.
For simple silver-tongued, words are wielded by many and have led
Millions astray all members of our congregation have seen the
truth for themselves. They have seen the signs and
witnessed firsthand the wonders of what lies in store for the
faithful. Because we are not some random
and misguided accident to simply be forgotten by the universe.
Once it succumbs to the heat, death of cosmic entropy we are
all of us. A part of a greater and glorious
hole yet. At the same time we are not To
be simple individuals that seek to only serve our own wants and
desires, for the brief duration of our mortal lives here on
Earth in truth. We are to be instruments,
orchestrated, by the hand that has painted, the greatest canvas
of Stardust that is the heavens themselves.
Our individuality must be swallowed whole by the grand
Collective design. Our Lives to be a drop in the
ocean. That is the unfathomable
existence of God. For we do nor circumvent the
truth of our reality. We do not Bend to the word As of
man, we bow to the other light we worship the True Light.
Now, I had to give the man credit, where credit was due.
He sure knew how to talk listening to him again.
It wasn't a Wonder as to why. So many, like, my mother decided
to follow him. The unfortunate truth about the
world. We live in, seems to be that
those who are lost and suffering are the easiest prey to those
who seek to exploit them. I couldn't even begin to imagine
how she and the others had been used by the one who claimed to
be their Shepherd. I couldn't help but think of the
Branch Davidians and how all of the women had been made to marry
David koresh and bear his children, just the thought of my
mother being manipulated into that kind of mindset and having
to sleep with some silver-tongued bastard.
Who used my father's death as a way to seep into her.
Life made me so angry that I could have indented.
My damn steering wheel with how tight I had been gripping it.
Even though they appeared to be a celibate group based on what I
had heard from former members, there was no telling what really
Happen, behind closed doors, when a religious leader, got too
much power in his Pulpit. After all Catholic, priests Were
Meant To Live the same kind of lifestyle and God only knows how
many innocent kids have suffered under the force of those men who
twisted their faith into a tool for their own self satisfaction.
As I made my way closer to my destination.
I was shocked by the sheer scale of some of the farms and ranches
that I passed by along the way. I couldn't even begin to imagine
the kind of money. Some of these families were
sitting on, in their fanciest States, along the Rocky
Mountains. The small town of Harlington
itself was as fresh a breath of air as the entire Countryside
around me. It was a perfect little slice of
Americana as pristine as fresh apple pie, fresh paved roads.
And brick outlet stores lined along Main Street with bright
American flags waving in the warm summer, air by lamp posts
for many. It would appear to be the
perfect Suburban home to settle down.
Down and raise a family, the kind of place where everyone
knows everybody. And the marble white church is
filled to the brim. Every Sunday, for me, the town
had an unfortunate Shadow over the whole thing.
Obscuring, the Serene Beauty with an underlying sense of
dread for the secrets, I was seeking answers for my final,
stop would be at the Hustler Diner, which lay right across
the street from the Harlington High School football stadium.
Now, I must confess that the last thing I was expecting when
I put in the sender's address from my mother's letter was to
be directed to some dinner from some Town.
I'd never heard of in the middle of Montana yet here.
I finally was at the end of my long journey on the complete
other end of the country. Upon entering the diner.
I wasn't surprised at all to find the layout to be as
classical as you could possibly expect.
It was almost like walking right into the past, with the
checkered tiled floor and red leather booths.
The smell of coffee and Patty Greece, filled the air as Tunes
from the early 70s melted out from a jukebox at the wall
between the two single stall bathrooms as the bell above the
front door jingled. When I walked through a waitress
in a checkered blue and white dress and apron came up to me.
Hey there. Welcome to Huck slurs, can I get
you something hon? Yeah, I'm looking for Glenn
Dickerson. Does he happen to be here by
chance? Oh, sure.
Glenn's in the back, if you take a seat, I'll go get him for you.
Sit anywhere you like, Like, as I thanked her, I made my way
over to a booth at the end of the diner.
Given the probable nature of our conversation.
I wanted to make sure that it was as remote as possible.
I had been a little too focused on thinking about how to start
my conversation. That I almost jumped right out
of my seat when the waitress came back.
Oh, sorry to scare you, hon. She said with a giggle.
Oh no, you're fine. It's just been a long drive.
That's all. Well, Glen will be over here in
just a sec. Could I get you a coffee while
you? Wait, it's on the house.
Sure, I'll just take it black. Thanks.
All right, I'll be back in a jiffy as she left.
I pulled out my mother's letter and laid it out on the table.
There was part of me just thinking that this whole thing
was a pointless exercise in a wild goose chase and a waste of
gas and that I should just get back in my car and continue
living my life as I had ever since she left.
Yet that voice was the minority in a raging internal argument
that I've been having with myself for nearly 20 years.
After about 10 minutes and older somewhat heavyset man, came out
from the kitchen door, he looked to be in his mid 60's, the
graying of his hair obscured by the net.
He wore over it. As soon as his eyes locked with
mine, his entire demeanor changed instantly for a moment.
He just stood there until taking a deep breath and then walking
slowly over to me as he came over to the table.
I stood up awkwardly and reached my hand out Glenn Dickerson.
I asked your Paul is boy, right? He replied.
He shook my hand, softly. Yeah, I said softly, somewhat
relieved that he was the one who got the ball rolling.
Well, go on, and have a seat. He said, motioning back to the
table. I'm sure you've got some
questions and I'll do my best to answer what I can as I receive
my coffee and was now alone with mr.
Dickerson, we got down to business.
So how did you know your mother? He said, finishing my question
for me, too, which I nodded for a moment, his eyes wandered as
he tried to figure out exactly. Exactly where it was he needed
to really start. Well she and the rest of her
group moved into the old bass. Croft property about three years
ago. It had been used as a psych ward
back in the 30s and was shut down in 68.
Pretty much left abandoned since then they all came in bought the
property from the state with cash and spend about a good year
refurbishing the place themselves.
That whole first year, they lived mostly in tents around the
property and would come down occasionally to purchase goods
and so on. A few of them would come by here
for a bite every now and then your mother was one of the more
prominent visitors talked about you a lot.
Did she? I said more is one last silent
jab at her rather than a real question.
Yep. He replied with a nod of his
head. If what she told me was true,
then you've got every right to be mad.
I don't blame you one bit, but if it's any consolation, she
always talked about missing the hell out of you, then she should
have just come home. I said to myself under my
breath, Yep. That's exactly what she used to
say. Wait really.
She said that? Hmm, the day she gave me that he
said pointing to the letter what happened?
I asked now much more seriously in the conversation now.
Well, like I said, they moved in about three years ago, but
around a year and a half ago, their Ventures into town became
much fewer. And far between I'd maybe see
Paula every five or six months that all started around the same
time. They stop letting people up to
bat. Gasps Croft, weight.
They stop letting people go up there.
I thought their whole thing was them wanting more people in
their cult or whatever you want to call it.
Nope. Like you said, it's a cult cut
and dry and yeah, when they first got the place fixed up and
moved in, they invited everyone to come up and hear their
message. Most went just to see how the
ice or on the mountain had been spruced up then they just shut
the gates and pretty much kept to themselves.
They'd planted this big Garden and we're self-sufficient at
that. Only really coming down in pairs
of two when they needed tools or so.
On she'd come down a handful of times, just to chat, I guess,
when you're cooped up in one big manner with 60 of the same
people day in and day out, you get a hankering for some new
conversations. So she really said that she
should have come home. I asked trying to steer the
conversation back to where I needed it to go.
She did she came by a month ago and just seemed really out of
sorts. She talked about how she wished,
she had gone home years. Ago to be with you but that
there was some kind of thing going on with their congregation
or whatever that was too important.
That's when she gave me the letter and asked me to send it,
I don't know. Really what was wrong.
She seemed like she was really happy and sad at the same time
and you said it was a month ago. Hey give or take?
I'd say about three weeks, definitely not longer than 4.
And have you seen any more of them since then I asked?
Nope. But then again, that's not off
par with how they've been. Cently, like I said, over the
past year or so they've been pretty scarce around town.
So she didn't really say anything other than that, not
really know. The only other thing was when I
asked her why she wanted me to send the letter out rather than
her, she said that if you received a letter in her own
name, that there'd be a good chance you just Chuck it in the
bin. She just wanted to make sure
that you had an actual chance at opening it.
That's somewhat put my mind at ease mainly because the logic of
that made sense, it seemed pretty reasonable that she'd
have someone else reach out to me with her message especially
if she thought that. I still just hated her guts and
wouldn't give it a second glance.
The only thing that still didn't make sense was the timing of it.
All why suddenly, after 20 years of nothing, would she have
bothered to reach out in the first place you?
Okay kid. It's a lot to take in.
I'm sure it wasn't until he spoke again that I realized I
had Just been sitting there in complete sense for what must
have been a few minutes at the least, just staring off into
nothingness. As my mind, tried to fit the
pieces together. What?
Oh yeah, I'm all right. I replied coming back to the
present. I'm just trying to figure out
why she do this now. I mean, the entire ride up here.
I just kept thinking that something bad had happened.
I know what you mean. He said sometimes the straw just
breaks the camel's back. Maybe there doesn't need to be
some worrisome reason, Maybe. Is just finally had enough and
wanted to say something or Reach Out.
Do you think there's a shot of Me?
Maybe going up there and seeing if I can see her myself, I know
you said they closed the gates a while back, but maybe they'd
make some kind of exception for me, you know, because I'm
family, I asked to answer my questions, he gave his eyes a
long and tiresome rub. I could see him mulling over the
thought with a generous amount of contemplation before.
Finally arriving at a conclusion in all honesty, I'd say the odds
are about Fifty-fifty. I know they ain't big on family
Connections in their little group, but then again, I'm not
sure how much pull your mom has with them.
You're only big obstacle is just getting in there of course,
especially ever since they shut the gates to Outsiders to be
fair. He had a rather good point on
the matter which unfortunately didn't help the situation as I
left the diner. After the end of our
conversation. I felt like I walked out of
there with many more questions than answers to make matters
worse there really wasn't. Anyway, I could try to find out
without directly trying to go up there, myself.
I couldn't just go to the police about it given that the already
reclusive members of the congregation, not being seen in
several weeks or months, was the normal stats of things around
here. I had already decided before
walking out of there, that my best option would just be to try
and go up there. Myself, reluctantly Glen had
pointed me in the direction of the bass Croft estate.
When standing in town looking up at it, it appeared as a small
Indot atop the peak of the mountain range Due West.
So, with nowhere else to turn other than my own plan, I made
the drive up. The dirt road that had been
carved out along the mountain itself given that I already had
a decent fear of heights. The drive up towards the manor
was already anxiety-inducing enough, but the lack of any
support rails that accompanied the Steep turns along the road
only added to agitation as I came onto the final stretch
towards the estate itself, the dirt road evolved into one of
dark gravity. After about 100 feet, I came to
an old Iron Gate and matching fence that seemed to stretch.
And Encompass, the entire perimeter of the property, the
words bass Croft Psychiatric Hospital were adorned above the
arching Gate entrance. I thought it odd at the time.
Wondering why they would go to such trouble with renovating the
property and never even changing the wording at the front gate
itself. For a moment I chuckled at the
thought of there being no more fitting place for a cult to set
up shop than a loony bin, In itself that was quickly replaced
by the Grim reality that my mother was now one of its
residents while the iron Rod entryway was indeed closed.
I was somewhat surprised to see that there was only one small
latch that kept the gate shut with simply flipping it up.
It opened with a slow groaning Creek.
It was maybe a 20-yard walk from the gate towards the front steps
of the estate and given the lack of any sign of any other
vehicles. On the face of the property.
I decided to take The rest of the journey on foot.
The Manor itself was an impressive sight, all on its own
a hefty brick Foundation gave rise to freshly painted red
vinyl siding. It looked less like an old
hospital from the 40s and more like a revamp.
Take on a plantation home. You'd find in the Deep South to
large three-story Wings branched off from the central base of the
mansion and seemed to expand further on.
In the back of the property, the wings themselves appear to have
been additions to the main residence, which stood Hood four
stories tall and would be an impressive living space even on
its own in front of this. New religious Abode were rows
and rows of well-kept gardens that had begun to show the signs
of the coming Harvest, fresh tomatoes, corn, cabbage and
beans had started to Bud and ripen.
The only thing that seemed to be missing was the people
themselves given? How many had been assumed to be
living here? I'd imagine.
There have been at least a few outside either tending to the
Garden or simply enjoying. Fresh afternoon are figuring
that, I'd already come this far. I decided to go on up and see if
I'd be welcomed inside. Or if there was even any one to
let me in the front doors, seem to be the newest addition to the
home that I could see from the outside matching stained glass
windows, adorned the two of them depicting.
An elongated red diamond in the center, surrounded by swirling,
colors of Blues, oranges and greens, with the lack of any
knockers or a doorbell of any kind, I knocked a few Times on
the Crimson painted doors in a weighted, an answer after a few
moments of Silence I knocked again, with, yet another
response of nothingness. I took a deep breath and prayed
to a god. I didn't believe in and gripped.
One of the freshly polished silver door, handles with the
surprise of it, actually turning all the way and opening up, I
peered my head inside, as I prepared to make my way inside.
Once I had passed through the threshold, it was very clear
where all the hard work and Renovations had gone into when
building, The place back up. It was like taking one step from
the 21st century and walking back in time to An Elegant
mansion in the late 1800. Yes, freshly mopped.
Hardwood floors lined the ground level while well-kept antique
furniture lined, beige painted walls.
An Elegant crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and
emanated a warm and welcoming atmosphere of light that made me
feel surprisingly, welcome, despite there being no actual
welcoming of any individual whatsoever.
At the moment, the only company I found was that of The Echoes
of my own footsteps with, in the foyer to Long hallways extended
on either side, leading into what I assume to be the separate
expansions of the property directly opposite.
The door was a spiral staircase that led to the second level for
a moment. I simply stood there not knowing
whether to continue as I was or to Simply call out and see if
someone would answer deciding that it was best to keep my
attendance here. As discreet as I already had
thus far. Far, I made my way up the stairs
without a word along the second level.
The hardwood floors of the first had been replaced by a bright
red carpet that stretched along a corridor leading deeper into
the manner along both sides of the walls.
Was a long series of matching doors of polished, black ghost
would opposite one. Another each one was identified
by engraved plaques with what appeared to be.
The first name of its intended occupant etched in gold.
I continued along the classical Hotel like hallway, searching
plate to Plate until I found the one I had been looking for after
nearly two dozen doors, I stopped in front of the one that
had my mother's name engraved on its surface.
I stood there for a long moment. My hand Frozen right above the
handle at the time. The only thing going through my
mind were the news reports that had come out of Santa Fe
California. Just a few years earlier like
everyone else at the time I'd watched the footage of the
Heaven's Gate. Them's lying in their beds with
cloth, carefully draped over their bodies, under the
leadership of their self-proclaimed alien Messiah.
They had all off themselves in an attempt to reach what they
deemed as the next level of this existence.
The final acts of their religious Journey had come to an
end in their own beds covering themselves to spare.
The rotting sight of those who would come to find them.
Is that? What?
Lay Beyond this very door, was simply turning.
The handle and pressing forward. No different than Owning a
freshly Unearthed coffin. The thought of walking in to see
her graying remains covered by a thin sheet with the smell of
decaying flesh, filling the air made me.
Nauseated, you came here to find answers, didn't you?
I asked myself to which I obviously knew the answer after
taking another moment and a deep breath.
I clenched the handle and pushed on Words, slowly entering the
room. I was relieved to find that the
only Aroma to greet me in the air was that of lavender.
Her room was pristine and well-kept, keeping with the same
classical design as the rest of the manor.
A large Dressing Table sat opposite of her, Victorian
upholstered, queen size bed, which was thankfully, empty of
anything. Other than already made
bedsheets, half-used, scented candles were strewn across
various small cabinets and tables along the walls of the
room. Most of their Wicks blackened
from recent use yet, other than the name along the door.
There didn't seem to be a single item with in her room to show
that it had Actually belong to my mother.
There weren't any personal mementos anywhere in sight.
Not even as much as a picture, the whole room was more.
Akin to the kind you'd see in a fancy in or high-end bed and
breakfast in the entirety of her Chambers.
The only thing that stood out was what at first glance
appeared to be a type of oil lantern on her nightstand.
It gave off a faint and almost mesmerizing bright, teal glow,
that flickered with the passage of time as I walked over to it
for closer inspection. I saw that the The light wasn't
produced by a flame at all. Rather, it was created by a thin
Crystal. Shard, that was suspended in the
glass core of the lantern while. I originally believed it to be
some kind of fancy electric light that you'd find online.
This was completely standing on its own.
Without any sign of a plug or Outlet.
There also were no indications of an area for Batteries to be
placed anywhere on the lantern surface.
As I carefully, lifted it up to see if there was a compartment
underneath. I nearly dropped and shattered
the Thing as a light shock Zapped, my fingers, as I made
contact with it as I did. So The Light Within the crystal
pulsed, just a tad brighter and with it came a small, but
noticeable, humming sound that seemed to come from The Shard
while. There was no real pain.
I was surprised to find that most of my hand had gone numb as
if it was asleep. I tried to move and flex my
fingers to get the feeling back into it, but to hardly any
success there was a kind of electric tingling that I could
feel Oozing down in the very bones of my hand.
A buzzing that seemed to resonate with the pulsing
humming of the lamp. After a few moments, the feeling
started to return as it did. So the pulsating droning of the
crystal began to subside back to its original state before I
interacted with it, I figured that must be the way this crazy
thing charged, Maybe by somehow borrowing the electricity of the
user. While it may haven't been
anything I've ever seen before. It was perhaps the craziest
bedside NightLight I'd ever. Seen the unfortunate truth was
that other than a twisted glowing Appliance there wasn't a
single answer about where my mother was or the rest of the
congregation for that matter. As I left her room more confused
than when I had come in. I decided that the best hope I
had for some kind of explanation on the residents level of the
manner would be to find the chambers of the group's leader
Lucario. Carbone after about 10 minutes
of wandering around aimlessly throughout the crossword rows of
hallways. Yes, I finally found it at the
end of an empty Corridor. Unlike the other doors.
This one was painted in a deep Scarlet with a black diamond
stretched out vertically decal, plastered over it.
There was this strong kind of authority, that permeated the
atmosphere around it with the lack of any other rooms along
the walls of this hallway, the respect and reverence for their
leader was clearly shown while some would imagine that I'd be
just as hesitant to open this door as I was my mother's, I was
far more interested in determined to get up.
Into the life of the man who snatched my mother and dozens of
others, into his little convert, the inside of his Chambers,
couldn't have been any more different than that of my
mother's. This room was more akin to a
large office chamber rather than ones living space.
A large oak desk stood, a few feet away from the entrance
behind the desk were rows upon rows of bookshelves.
Filled with identical looking black, leather books to the left
of the room, was a small bed with a single Velvet, pillow on
the right side. There were a few You desks and
filing cabinets. Yet hanging above them was a
large painting encased in a bright gold frame.
The painting showed a depiction of the earth.
You'd be likely to find at a flat Earth convention, a
circular leveled representation of our world lay hovering in
space beneath it were for similar-looking figures.
They were humanoid in shape yet had Hooves rather than legs too
long. Curved horns protruded from
their heads, and a pair of marble White Wings stretched out
from their backs. One had The face of a man one.
Had the face of an ox one. Had the face of a lion one, had
the face of an ox and one had the face of an eagle.
All four of them, knelt with their arms, upwards struggling
to hold the weight of the world on their shoulders, the image
reminded me of the kind of drawings.
I had seen of how ancient cultures used to believe that
the world was carried on the backs of elephants, who stood on
the shell of a turtle. This kind of thinking seem to
line up pretty well for a reclusive religious cult.
As I made, my way further in the study, I noticed that on the
desk, lay another one of those glowing crystal lanterns along
with a single thick hardback book.
Its cover was nearly blank except for a similar crimson
diamond symbol that I had seen a few times since entering.
This strange Place. Adorned above the symbol, were
the words the other light. It looked to be old much older
than the cult itself since its formation several decades ago,
from a glance, I assumed it to be the holy book that was used
for the congregation's teachings.
I had to give credit where credit was due though, while
most religious cults just Twisted.
The words of the already pre-established scriptures at
least this one put in the effort to completely create their own.
Although I was surprised that when I opened it, the text was
in some kind of gibberish language that was made up of
vibrant and detailed. Doubles and symbols like I had
never seen before. The closest thing I could try to
compare them to would be that of Arabic or Hebrew, but they were
still far more elaborate in their individual design than any
dialect that had been written before each, and every symbol
was more of an impressive work of art rather than translations
of things as simple as mere words page after page.
They filled the book with unknowable stories and Proverbs
and it was only when looking over this beautiful literature,
That I wondered what kind of man would even be able to translate
it yet at the time, I thought that it was more likely that he
had pretended to do. So yet, if that was really the
case, then where did this book come from?
Placing it back down on the Shelf, I then turned towards the
bookshelf behind the desk. Each row had been organized
based on alphabetical markers at the bottom of each shelf while
there was nothing written on the spines of the books.
I still traced along the order until I found the Eh section, I
then remove the first book from that aisle and saw Pauline halt
imprinted on the cover, when I looked through it, I saw
detailed notes covering her entire life, high school and
college, transcripts, tax records, and even medical
reports were all also piled together within this Novella
gaussian, my mother, the most disturbing part of the whole
thing was when I turned over towards the back and found a
section covering the greatest threats to her continued faith.
To my surprise. I was the only mention on that
list. What was surprising?
However, was that what followed was a thorough?
Compilation of entries about everything?
I had been up to in doing. Since she left me, there were
lists of the places I had been employed, how I had coped with
my mother's immediate absence. The counselors I had met with
over the past 10 years, likely political affiliations based on
social media activity. They even had it down to the
restaurants that I most frequent did the most often.
I don't know. It was worse, the fact that they
felt the need to have this much information about me or that
they had the means to do so without me even knowing about
it. It was only when I closed the
book that I realized that my hands had been trembling,
although this wasn't with fear but anger given this wildly
invasive incursion into my family's privacy.
I couldn't even begin to imagine the kind of information stuffed
into the rest of the collection on the shelves as I looked over,
each one of them, the only thing I wanted there and then was to
just walk out of that room and never go in there again.
As I left the study, I gave one last look at the mysterious
unknown, holy book of the other light while I didn't touch it
ever again. I made sure to slip the
biography of my mother and myself into my jacket.
As I walked out with nothing else of informational value in
this part of the Mansion, I decided to make my way back down
the stairs onto the ground level.
While I was thankful that I hadn't yet stumbled upon some
Gathering of dead bodies while Searching the place, I only
became more and more perplexed, as to the whereabouts of
everyone. I would only come to start to
realize the truth. When I stumbled upon what
obviously served as the Nave for their religious gatherings.
What originally appeared to be the cafeteria of the psychiatric
hospital had been converted into the kind of layout, you'd see
from a Community College auditorium, several rows of
folding chairs stood before a raised platform with a neatly
assembled Podium behind the podium was a Projector screen
which had an image of a group photo of the entire congregation
cast over it. They were all standing at the
front steps of the manor, wearing matching white polos and
dress pants. It was rather surreal to be able
to instantly pick her out of the lineup, especially given the
fact that she looked like she hadn't seemed to have aged a day
since she had left me. Perhaps the most alien aspect of
it all was to see her smiling especially given that the last
memories I had of her were just from a mask of depression.
As I stood there, looking at her picture up there.
I couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of guilt for coming
all the way over here. If nothing was actually wrong,
she seemed to be happy really happy.
She appeared to have moved on as I also did yet.
She still sent me that letter and was still nowhere to be seen
this parade of confusion continued along as I felt a
slight gust of air. Coming through an Open Door,
towards the back, right? Hand side of the Nave as I
followed the source of it, I noticed that the sign above the
door, labeled it Is the entrance to the main Chapel which I found
as odd as I had figured that the auditorium.
I was currently in, was what passed as their main room of
worship? Passing through the door.
I realized that. It led only to a set of stairs
that descended downwards into unknown.
Chambers of Darkness, that knew no source of Illumination
pulling out my phone and flipping on the flashlight.
I made my way down carried, along the Cool Breeze was the
kind of dank and earthy smells. That was only accommodate.
Goodbye the memories of childhood home basements,
although I still had absolutely no idea where that damp wind was
coming from. Especially given how deep these
stairs seem to be declining down.
Towards, I had been walking down what it easily.
Been five minutes and still absolutely no sign of a platform
or ending in sight as I turned and looked back up, I was
greeted with that. Same tunnel of Blackness leading
back up to the manor. Standing there in that
obscenely, long Stone, stair. Well, I found myself right back
to my childhood. We're like every other at that
age. I had that terrifying
irrational, fear of the dark, it suddenly became so
claustrophobic except rather than tight physical spaces.
It was the two walls of Blackness swallowing up the tiny
Bastion of light that existed solely due to my phone.
Looking back down for a moment. I decided that perhaps it would
be better to just go back up to the manor itself and simply wait
to see if Also eventually came back yet.
As soon as I went to walk back up, I was hit with this sudden
wave of lightheadedness. I tried to steady myself for a
moment. Chopping it up to possible
vertigo or maybe even fatigue from stress.
When I tried to take another step up, my head began to feel
like it was buzzing, like the kind of sensation, one gets is
being administered. General anesthesia, as my grasp
on reality was quickly fleeting. I began to panic and
hyperventilate, everything started to spin to the Point
where it was impossible to discern the darkness from the
light, as it all Blended together through a mind that
could no longer properly comprehend, the signals being
sent from my eyes, the final nail in the coffin of my failing
senses would be when my hearing became completely distorted as
if I was hearing my panting breaths through water.
I tried to shout out for help only to hear my severely muffled
Echoes through the black emptiness.
Then without warning, everything went blank.
I woke up with a blistering migraine that seemed to envelop,
the entire left side of my head, it was only when I reached my
hand up to cradle it, that I realized that every single part
of my body, groaned in the protest of pain with even the
slightest movement, I took a long few minutes to try and get
ahold of my surroundings and current situation.
My phone was nowhere in sight. It was rather clear that I must
have dropped it. When I passed out and took my
rather painful tumble down the steps down to wherever.
I now seem to be The stairs were right towards my right, where I
laid and Lead it back up to that uncomfortable, Darkness, where I
had no desire to venture back into again, yet.
It was only looking back into that black void that I realized
that my surroundings actually had some kind of Illumination.
I seem to be in some kind of large section of a cave
formation that had been carved out enough to allow for the
steps to beach through into it. As my eyes, strain to see
through the thumping headache. I noticed veins of crystalline
geodes along the ceiling. Of the cave.
They emanated that same type of eerie green.
Light that had come from those lanterns.
I had seen in the living quarters while I had never heard
of any kind of natural luminescent stones before that
didn't necessarily mean that they didn't exist as they
clearly looked to be. Not only was I thankful for some
light however weird it. Maybe I was mainly relieved due
to the fact that it was bright enough to see while not being
intense enough to strain my eyes.
In fact, I found that the longer I looked into those soft streams
of crystalline Light the more, the pain in my head began to
subside with each passing second, not only that.
But while the pain, all along my body was still very much
present, it was now more of the kind of all-encompassing pain of
soreness, that one would suffer through after a day of long and
rigorous workout routines after struggling.
For a short time, I was finally able to get back up on my feet.
While there were several different, branching tunnels
from the chamber, I was currently in.
It was on the dusty Rock floor that I found the first real sign
of an Answer through the light, I could just barely make out
several tracks of footprints which led through a more narrow
pathway in the rock walls with myself, deeper into this
situation as well as the Earth itself than I ever intended to
be. It was clear that the only way
now was forward slowly, but surely, I made my way deeper
through the Natural Stone. Maze of interconnected
Subterranean passageways. Guided only by the foot marks
from the past. All the, while I was still
greeted by the Wet Breeze, that would flow through them like
cold breaths exhaled by the Earth itself.
Well, under normal circumstances, I might have
found them refreshing to my paint and stressed body.
As I continued on, they left a haunting impression as their
reverberates through the narrow tunnels gave off a howling like
Ambience that only intensified the anxiety of the pressing
situation. Eventually I came to a large
open chamber that seemed to have been carved by hand as opposed
to a natural formation. Ation support pillars of ancient
brick had been placed in several areas to support the makeshift
Foundation from caving. In along, the ceiling were far
more of the crystalline phosphorescence that branched
out along cracks within the stone itself.
As I looked around the circular man-made room.
I saw a vast tapestry of cave paintings made up of a type of
bright, neon orange material, that seemed to Glow due to a
reaction from the natural lights up above While they seem to have
been recently, created based on the quality of the paint itself,
they still took on the very basic and simplistic approach
that had been used by our Neanderthal ancestors, thousands
of years ago, given the complete lack of context, it was rather
hard to ascertain, what exactly? The mural was actually
depicting. All I could really make out was
the fact of their being dozens of human figures with Spears and
swords on the ground fighting one.
Another while giant winged creatures that somewhat resemble
the horned It's from the framed artwork and Lucario Carbone's.
Office above. The creatures was perhaps the
most confusing aspect of the graffiti.
There was a single, I hovering in the sky with what seemed to
be lightning bolts coming out from it below.
The I was a winged elongated Diamond object.
That looked to be falling down from the pupil.
It was, as I was studying the art on the walls that I heard a
scream coming from deeper within the cave, unlike the Eerie
Whispers of the breeze. This was clearly From the
agonized mouth of a man. It echoed through the cracked
Labyrinth of stone leaving, a haunting Howell that remained
until it finally dissipated. When I snap towards the
direction of it, I could see another passageway leading out
of the chamber above it. More of that unknown language
from the book of the other light was adorned above it in that
same glowing paint. I stood there Frozen in place
trying desperately to convince myself that I had just imagined
it yet, right, as my rapid, Had just begun to settle it came
again yet this time it was the anguished cries of a woman.
As my mind instantly went right towards the thoughts of my
mother coming from it. I was left with no other choice
but to follow the Venture down into the deeper depths of the
tunnel, networks did nothing but add to the terror of the
situation. These walls now, all appeared to
be man-made. It was like, walking through the
Paris catacombs, except for the fact that all of the bones, that
line, the panel's of rock had been carved out of it.
Skulls of stone, stared back at me with glowing geodes, buried
deep within their eye sockets along the journey.
The screams continue to build up more and more now accompanied by
a fierce wind that grew stronger with each passing second.
Eventually it became almost as difficult as walking through a
hurricane itself. Making it a struggle just to
take another step forward, how anyone could possibly have made
it through? This was a complete mystery, the
air was loud and sharp dulling. Every One of my senses having to
brace my eyes with my elbow. I continued into the howling
Abyss blindly without any warning.
I passed over the last step expecting another one.
Losing my balance, I fell forward.
Bracing myself to hit the stone ground hard, but rather than any
kind of rock the ground, crunched beneath me as if made
of Twigs almost instantly, the wind died down to that of a
gentle breeze. I knew that I must have begun to
suffer from the obvious concussion.
I had obtained from falling down the stairs.
Airs because the site before, my eyes would have been impossible
in any other circumstance with the mouth of the cave behind me.
I came to find that I was now standing outside.
While a massive wall of pure rock, stood behind me as I
followed it up higher. I saw a shroud of pitch black
clouds that covered the entire Sky, bright flares of orange,
and yellow flashed overhead, Beyond them.
Followed by distant rumbles of alien Thunder for a long while.
I was just in this state stunned and bewilderment at where I I
found myself that state of contusion, was only exacerbated
when I look down at the ground around me, as ridiculous as it
sounds, I was standing in the middle of a large, Cliff that
fell off at about 20 feet. On either side of myself, the
drop-off must have been thousands of feet because what
lay below could only be described as some kind of
colossal City that spread outwards as far as the eye could
see. While it was hard to fully, make
out its features due to both the distance and the poor lighting
of the landscape. The flashes of diluted lightning
up above allowed me to see the Silhouettes of massive spires
and towers that had been erected all throughout this strange.
And dark Metropolis. That was both under and far
beyond the Earth. The ground on, which I was
standing was blackened and crunched beneath my feet and
gave off a foul odor like that of rotten burned meat.
Looking forward down the path, the barrier of stone behind me
curved along and formed a colossal ring that stretched out
to a diameter of at least 20 miles long.
This cylindrical, coffin of stone contained, everything
within View and Rose up through the mask of cloud.
Cover up above the cliff I was on was just one of 11 others,
which were spaced out evenly. Along the inner perimeter of the
cyclopean Ring of impossible, architecture, and then converge
together to form the top of a large Mesa that stood in the
center towering, over the city of Shadows below along the
central Plateau, was, what looked to be the flickers of a
bonfire. So, large, it could be seen from
miles away. Gushes of emerald green Flames
lapped up in the air while a tower of black smoke, rose up to
join the ocean of dark clouds in the sky.
I walk towards it for what could have been hours even days or
maybe even just a few minutes time didn't seem to have the
same effect as it did within the relative dilution of existence
we have grown accustomed to not. Once, did I grow hungry or
thirsty and the weariness on my body and mind remained as it had
since I had awoken from my fall in the cave behind Find me.
The air was foul and unwelcoming.
As if the entire atmosphere of this place was solely composed
of the final breaths taken by the Sick and Ill before they
passed from the land of the living.
The closer I got to the center, the more I could see shifting
forms in front of the fire, that looked more and more like
several interconnected rings of people moving and almost dancing
in circles while the cries of terrified screams had completely
faded away ever since I stepped foot here, the sounds of growing
drums. Erupted in uneven intervals, all
of them coming from my destination, through the blazing
stars above the father's eyes, see all yet, the light of the
darkest Sun Shines on bringing those in its grasp to fall.
As I heard the Twisted, Whisper of a voice.
I turned around quickly to see who had been behind me yet.
I found no one. For below the lake, which burns
the scorned. The final price is paid yet
those who praise the other light, in the null Beyond, are
laid. As I continued to circle around.
I realized that the Whispers weren't coming from around me,
but that they were coming from within me.
It was like, thinking a thought that wasn't mine at all yet.
That wasn't all while I wanted to just turn back and leave
this, insane illusion of a place.
My instincts, now ordered me to continue forward, it's almost as
if I was helpless. To keep trudging on and that
whatever bid those thoughts entry into my mind.
Now told it where to go, it was like simply being locked within
the confines of some nightmarish amusement park ride and simply
riding along for its duration. As I came to the crest of the
enormous cyclopean Center of This Strange World, there were
hundreds of individuals. All dressed in white robes.
Adorned with exotic golden outlines and markings they all
danced around an impossible green bonfire with flames that
Half a mile into the sky Flames that gave off no heat at all.
Rather a cool Arctic Breeze. The very sight of so many
individuals instantly made me wonder how isolated my mother's
congregation actually was if the other 11 spokes leading away
from this platform operated the same as the one I had arrived by
then they may very well somehow lead to other stairways to
foreign lands, not wanting to draw any attention to myself for
the moment. I simply stood there watching
this. Ritual before my eyes that still
struggled to take in exactly what it was.
They had been watching since I arrived here.
The ritualistic dancing came to a sudden halt all at once
without the slightest sign or signal now silent and still they
all look towards the column of flames as I struggled to see
through the cloaked crowd. 12 individuals dressed in Crimson.
Robes took their places on 12 pedestals.
That circled the base of the fire.
They looked outwards towards the rest of the members of this
congregation. I have led you all In Worship in
every tongue. I have preached.
The gospel of the other light as they spoke they did.
So in perfect Unison of one another, I could make out some
women in this smaller group of elevated leaders and some with
accents that made it clear that English was not their dominant
language. I have told you of the coming
time in which those unrighteousness shall be called
from the face of the earth. I have told you of the coming
day in which the truth of your Lord shall be revealed to you my
Brothers and sisters that day has come with that the crowd
clapped and cheered with a great resounding reference for those,
which spoke for many have seen glimpses of God, yet all have
been deceived the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The god of those who follow the prophet of Muhammad, the
self-proclaimed ruler of Heaven and Earth is not God.
Amen. Uttered the crowd together, the
one who sits Atop The Great White Throne now is neither
created nor savior. They are not the father of all
creation. They are only the father of Lies
so it was so it is. So it shall always be chanted.
The congregation then came, a great rumbling from overhead.
As I looked up, I saw streams of Aurora, like colors flowing just
below the dark cloud cover slowly.
They came together in the sky directly above us.
Forming, a void of glistening Prismatic light, but behold, for
I have seen the very face of the true Almighty.
As the heads of this Faith spoke again, the individuality of
their voices began to shift to a more unified tone, almost as if
there was one voice behind all those mouths, I was there in the
holy city, amassed with the multitude of saints.
For while the light of the throne gave an illumination of
Lies over all creation. The other light shined with
truth. It was this light that
challenged the authority of the deceiver.
It was this light that dared to show the truth.
Suddenly there was yet another Quake that growled through the
air. The glowing void up above began
to pulse with every word that reverberated along the glowing
flames and behold there was a great war in heaven as the
Disciples of the light rose up against the throne Rejoice.
My beloved for his might was that like a great dragon that
shook the false Paradise yet what was the response from the
so-called heavenly father? Did he Smite the Great Dragon?
Did he extinguish the other light?
Which opposed his Zone. No, for he had not the power to
do so for he was not truly all-powerful.
He simply cast him out along with us his rightful followers.
Yet that light shines on Brothers & Sisters that light is
coming again the reply that came to this was much greater than
before the words of the gathered hundreds now only served as
background noise to the cacophony that came from below.
The abyss shall not smother his light rise up.
O ye of Babylon for the dragon shall rise up.
Once more and those bathed in the fire for their faith, in him
shall rise up with him to Smite the Unworthy.
Those voices came from the Dark City Beneath the plateau with a
strength, like, Rushing Water, echoing in the Lost unknown
regions of the Earth from the sound of it.
There must have been Millions down there, their voices,
carrying up with a strength as strange as the city of, which
they inhabited, without warning, the Towering, green Flames
suddenly coalesced into a solid beam of emerald light that.
Shot up into the sky and connected with the void of
Prismatic colors up above. It was then that lightning began
to explode through the obsidian clouds.
Although almost in slow motion, rather than flashes of
momentary, cracks of light, they arched over the black sky and
sporadic bolts as a defining electric buzz filled the air as
opposed to a rumbling of Thunder.
That was when the glowing pulsating orb began to be
obscured while at first. I thought that something was in
front of it. A moment later.
I I realized that something was coming through it.
In our world, we are trained to see things through the veil of
rationality. We are raised early on to look
upon the world through reason and logic.
But I must say that all those years of indoctrination into the
church of scientific understanding flew, right out
the window. As I watched what transpired
next descending through the clouds.
And orb of light was an immense elongated Diamond, nearly the
size of a skyscraper Carved along its glassy like surface.
We're glowing Crimson runes and symbols that were made ancient
long before the very formation of time and space itself as it
slowly lowered itself towards us, the crowd of the
congregation cheered and lifted their arms in Praise while the
Roars of maniacal cries of worship and Glee, how old along
the unknown city streets below as it stopped a few hundred feet
above the rocky Mesa it brought with it.
The kind scorching heat reserved only for the desolate.
Le trotting skeletal remains in the heart of a great and
blistering desert, the 12 priests atop their platforms.
Then began to levitate off of them, their arms outstretched, I
am Legion. They said together many in 11
through many with that the green fiery beam dissipated into
nothing. Then the twelve individuals can
join together above the bonfire pit.
While the rest of the congregation cheered on, I
watched in horror as their hovering bodies morphed and
melted together. Are there Unbound forms of
liquid, flesh, merged and blistered in their
Transfiguration to the point. Where not a single feature in
their previous individual bodies could be recognized from this
floating Mass came four pairs of black wings along the wings,
came to Eyes Upon each of them within the center of this winged
form a bubbling single. I like that of a serpent broke
through the molding flesh. As the beating reassigned eyes,
from the 12 priest looked on over the rest of the
congregation. The massive one in the center
seem to be looking directly into my soul, behold.
He who gives you your strength, he, who will set atop his throne
upon his final Victory. The thing demanded for a moment.
There was complete silence, then it was like all of the air.
In this strange world was being sucked out by the very object of
their worship it then. Did the one thing I was never
experienced it to do. Its spoke.
I am the Lord, your God. It said with a voice like that
of an earthquake that could shake The very foundations of
the Earth in the desert. I commanded you to order the
stones to bread and you did. So I bid you all to LEAP from
The Cliffs and you were safe. I asked you to worship me and I
would give you the nations of the earth and you did so.
So upon my promise, you shall have your reward with each and
every Titanic word that blasted through the stone with the force
of a hurricane, the symbols and runes, adorned on.
It glowed with a fierce strength waves of heat Distortion poured
out from its very surface and While I tried to back away to
find some heat of relief. My legs failed to obey for my
mind was captivated by the site, playing out before it for you.
Shall rise up with me I shall Ascend into heaven.
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.
I will bathe those who hath made them my enemies in the Hellfire
that the false father hath reserved for me and my angels.
The only thing to break my attention away from the
manifestation above me was when a great fluttering, like
thousands of Bones, all being trampled, by a stampede of war
horses in waves of horrible succession.
As I looked around myself, I saw a great horde of giant locusts
warming from the dark city below.
Their heads were like that of rotting human faces with
serrated teeth and long locks of dyeing hair flowing down behind
them. Their legs were that of spiders
and they bore the Tails of scorpions.
They I was up above us and swarmed in a romantic orbit
around the floating. Monolith glory, glory glory to
the dragon, God Almighty, they chanted in the millions.
It was then that the entire mood in my mind, turned from
terrifying to what I could. Only think of, as Blasphemous,
the thought the mood, it wasn't my own rather, another strange
and interloping thought that had been inserted into my mind
Blasphemous. It was a thought of anger, one
that brought on a strong sense of fear this.
Sphere wasn't from the nightmares, playing out before
my eyes. But from whatever, lay within my
mind, and giving me these thoughts, I will Ascend above
the heights of the clouds. I will be like, he who claims to
be the most high for. I am the most high.
How will the ancient symbol of worship blasphemy?
My thoughts, whispered by The Great Deceiver Zone admission?
I am the Great Dragon. I Am The Serpent of old.
I am the bright and Morning Star through the words of his son.
I am the god of the world. I shall rise up towards it
blasphemy and you my congregation will go forth to
all the corners of the earth to every nation and spread.
My gospel for mine is the power. And the glory blasphemy this
time the thought wasn't just a whisper in the back of my
subconscious. It was a lion's roar that
consumed every aspect of my mind.
I heard that same Roar building in the sky above.
As I looked up, I saw that the pulsating orb of light and it's
Aurora tendrils, had vanished, Shhhhht leaving only the clouds
as dark as the dead of night through the clouds.
I saw those same Amber flashes from Beyond except now, they
seem to shine brighter. As if I was being allowed to see
them, more clearly with one thunderous crackling.
The dark, Gloom began to part as a hole in the sky began to open
up like an expanding eye of a hurricane.
It was at that moment that I realized that the sky above was
nothing more than a veil to hide what truly lurked above past and
Beyond was the kind of a site that had driven generations of
mankind. Insane by simply trying to put
to words by covering just an inkling of its true horrific
potential. Even after everything I had
seen, I still tried to dilute Myself by saying that it was
impossible. My mind nearly snapped as it
refused to accept what my eyes were gazing upon beyond the
false fabrication of clouds. Was the true Sky.
One of nothing but fire. If this really was some alien
world on, which I was now standing on then that would have
to mean that the entire atmosphere was that of a vast
ocean of flames up within the unquenchable fires, were vast
Stellar explosions that erupted and sent shockwaves through the
scorching air, that did nothing but turn the sea and new and
horrific currents of Torment. It was, then that the screams I
had heard within the godforsaken caves.
That brought me here returned except now with a force that
nearly He drove me death. They all came from above
stitched in the Flames. Like gruesome stars were
millions of black and human shapes.
All of them consumed and writhing in their agonized,
screams that echoed on into eternity, the light born from
the Flames Shone down through the black Maelstrom and for the
first time, I was able to get a clear look at this realm of
chaotic dreams. The city below us wasn't a city
at all. What I had initially mistaken as
towering buildings? H below were actually, enormous
statues of different figures. That all had the same God, like
depictions one held in his hand, a golden lightning bolt while
another carried a jade Trident. There were thousands of them all
unique in their own ways, but that same design of human
reverence. Behold the Ashen ruins of
apollyon, the realm of the great pit, which is reserved for the
false gods. And Idols of man, four, they are
not worthy of the Lake of Fire which burns with Brimstone their
place is the dark well below where their father of Perdition
and king of Lies forges them in the hearts of men.
The thoughts were now as clear as if spoken to me audibly yet,
the thoughts were not in my own voice as they had been whispered
before they were now spoken with a voice of pure and
unchallenged. 30, as I looked back up at the massive black
diamond before. The congregation I saw for the
first time that it was actually covered in Chains yet.
They were not the kind of chain seen with Mortal eyes.
They were chained seen only through the spirit unbreakable
bonds of Prismatic illumination that could only come from the
secret power. That holds the universe in
balance. As for the diamond itself, it
wasn't the actual object of their worship, it was the
container. I was standing there and looking
at the final Vault that held within the physical
manifestation of the serpent of old of the father of deception,
the Devil Himself, the thing that was hovering over the fire
pit, the angel, the demon, whatever you want to call it,
look terrified at the opening in the sky using its wings at
sought Refuge under the beasts prison to Shield itself from the
Flames. Light the locusts orbiting, the
Vault dive back down words to the necropolis of false.
Idols in fear, the congregation was frozen in place in a similar
state of Terror, not knowing what to do or where to go.
They helplessly looked up to their God who could offer no
salvation to them. Now as if to mock their useless
prayers, a strong gust of wind came up from the chasm below and
rushed over the plateau kicking up small, patches of rock and
dust, it looked like some kind of tornado that enveloped the
chained prison and led right into the atmospheric Inferno
above seeming to have control. Back over my legs.
I quickly backed away as the wind grew stronger, as the
members frantically. Tried to hold on to something to
keep their balance. The gravity in the area, almost
seemed to invert. Many of them were instantly
whisked upward, past their so-called Lord and Savior and
into the nightmarish beyond their screams were drowned out
by those who were already painful inhabitants of, they're
coming. Inevitable destination.
Watching them. Get sucked up.
One by one. I felt just as emotionally
stunned as I had been when I First learned of my father's
passing, I was in just as much of a denial of my present
reality, then as I was standing there on ground, never meant to
be walked Along by human feet. Every aspect of my being was now
screaming at me to turn and run and the voice in my head gave no
reason to protest. All I really knew was the sense
in my mind telling me that this was not for me that I needed to
leave right there. And then just as I was about to
turn and bolt out of there, I caught a glimpse at the only
reason why I Here in the first place.
My mother was just a few dozen yards from me holding on for her
life against a graph of stone along the edge of the Mesa for a
moment. We're both of our eyes locked
and there wasn't a shred of doubt in either of us.
As to the identities, we were looking upon.
I don't know what she saw when she looked at my face, but I saw
a woman filled with regret, I saw the woman who believe, she
left me to fulfill some greater purpose.
Only to now see it literally falling apart in her face.
Just as she was opening her mouth to try and say something
the patch of stone. She had been clutching onto gave
way and she was hurdled up into the Lake of Fire above as hard
as I've tried over the years. I've always struggled to
remember exactly what had happened following.
What happened after that yet the best I can come up with or a few
momentary flashes of memories. I remember running across that
bridge of stone that led me to the mouth of the cave, I can
recall. Finding the stairs.
I even remember having that same feeling of light, Headedness and
fatigue coming up them, as I had when I first descended them, I
remember a flash of running out the door.
And the next thing I knew I was sitting in my car, with the
engine idling about 7 miles out from the town of Harlington,
while some may suggest that I go and see a counselor or a
psychologist, I know without a doubt that I'd end that session
in a padded cell inside, another mental hospital that might
become the home of some religious cult 100 or so years
in the future. Well, some may say that I just
made the whole thing up, as a way to have some closure, on the
events of my mother, I still have the dossier that the
congregation had gathered on my mother and I it's gotten to the
point where I'm too scared to sleep at night because all my
dreams are filled with those horrific images of the creatures
and he'll escapes best left in the ominous pages of biblical
texts to the best of my knowledge.
The bass Croft estate has been left untouched and has simply
Fallen back into the hands of the state.
Given that no bodies were ever found.
It's assumed that the ominous congregation simply left to
preach somewhere else. I haven't bothered to try and
research and see if there was ever any confirmation of other
sects of the group elsewhere around the globe, mainly because
the ending was undoubtedly to be the same about six months ago, I
was tempted to go back to their website.
Only to find that. The domain had been revoked
undoubtedly due to years of no payments.
Even after all the years since that day here are still Moments
where the final image of my mother comes to mind where I try
to think about what she was trying to say in her failed.
Final words, perhaps it was another attempt for one last
apology or even a useless cry for help.
In the end though, it doesn't really matter because nothing
that she could have said, would have changed the outcome of her
final destination, like the rest of them, she made her own
decisions and chose where to put her faith.
Surprisingly, I've actually been able to somewhat come to terms
with that. However, heartless, they may be
about a year after those events. I started attending church has
around my hometown, not really settling on one.
Exact denomination or anything like that.
I wasn't necessarily overcome with the Holy Spirit.
As some may say, rather I simply had the living crap scared out
of me after seeing what I firmly believed to be hell itself
because I now firmly know that it's true when they speak about
God being a Jealous one. I've also started to have a bit
of a greater appreciation for life.
I might not have what many would call a near-death experience,
but I've certainly been unfortunately, privy to what
lies behind door number one. So I try to keep a more positive
view point to where I am right now.
Because while I could sit there and complain about the daily
situations that I like everyone finds themselves in.
I know now that there are still worse places to be