You could be in Hell, and you might not even know it.. especially if you are like me.. because hell, is not what we imagine it to be..I willingly walked into its depth, and spent a lot of time there, daydreaming about such mundane things like red roses, blue skies and a fantasy place where the sun rises at dawn in the east.. I said daydreaming, because nights were not for sleeping.. it was time for wakeful nightmares, cold sweats and endless fear.. I don’t know how I remember all this now, but I do, for your benefit may be..
It all started at the outskirts of the Majestic Vinoville village. There you can sink your feet into the luscious green grass which extends as far as the eye can see.. beautiful meadows of dark and light green.. dotted with some magnificent fruit trees.. which send a whiff of delicious aroma with every stirring of the soft breeze.. it was impossible to imagine, that those lucky people who lived there, would be actually embroiled in a vicious war leading to bitterness, unspeakable agony and very little hope.
I was a little inconsequential young man, like everyone else, fascinated by our splendid village..the best village in all Vinovia .. I would play in the meadows and then lie down on the wet grass and lean on my elbow to look and admire the far away golden domes and sky-high towers shimmering in the sunlight.. I would be mesmerized by the beautiful scene.. and sometimes I would run and run as if I shall reach the far end of the world.. it was an innocent and happy time.. and that is when I met him for the first time…
“Do you like it? Don’t you think it is so wonderful?” He said.
“Eh..” I said in my usual naïve way.
So he continued to speak, and I continued to listen. After several meetings, he introduced me to wooly and gradually they became indispensable to me.. we spent a lot of time together and they introduced me to several new entertainments and activities which I never knew before.. until, one day I was saying good bye to them when Warren my cousin saw us. We were at the meadowlands outside the City.. He came to me saying,
“These are strangers.. they are not Vino citizens?” he grumbled.
“They are nice people?” I answered bluntly.
“Are you blind, or just stupid?” He persisted.
“What do you mean? Just because I am not back with you and the crowd doing all those silly humdrum and boring games, I am stupid?” I was upset.
“these might be the kind of people who will entice you until they pull you down .. just like a sheep, being lead willingly to the slaughterhouse. we are at war, remember?” He sat down on the grass and talked without looking at me.
“entice me? Sheep and.. and slaughter.. What kind of nonsense .. I know what is good for me.. I happen to like their company.. we went to places and explored things I never knew before.. I like that ..war or no war.. they are not from Abysnos, they are citizens of Esville.. the city of science and knowledge” I was now irritated, and walked away.
“How do you know they are not spies?” he shouted behind me.
“I know it.. instinctively.. it is a matter of per.. perception?” I answered without looking back
“Instinctively? Boy o boy.. that is how people fall in the worst traps.. Instinctively.” I heard him repeating sarcastically.
Several weeks later, in a cold stormy night I was waiting for Blake at the usual meeting spot in the aromatic forest outside the city.. he was unusually late, and I was getting drenched and angry. After a while I started cursing aloud, went looking for some shelter from the torrential icy rain next to one of the large trees.. a lot of angry thought were churning in my mind.. why in the hell they chose this night to meet after a long absence of many weeks.. maybe I should go back home.. they are already very late.. could it be they were denied entry at the border? Why now? Well I came.. they didn’t.. Warren’s warning was trying to peek out of my subconscious, but I buried it even deeper to find any possible excuse or explanation for my predicament..
I just started to move out of my hopeless shelter, when a huge giant emerged between the trees at a distance.. I touched the hilt of my sword wondering who that was.. Blake would not have cast such large shadow in the dark..
“who is there? Is that you Blake?” I yelled.
“Hello Master Harts,” he kept approaching and his voice was a deep strange growl..
“Who are you? Do I know you?” I relaxed a little
“I was send by wooly wolf to meet you.” The giant was now standing in front of me.
“why didn’t he come himself? Where is Blake?” I asked sharply.
“They were stopped at the border.. if you want, I can show you where they are?”
“Is it too far into Esville? I have to be back for the morning shift?” I pondered loudly, more to myself than to ask the stranger..
“They are in the cottage.”
“that is not much help.. and.. why.. why you were able to get through while they couldn’t?
“I am on the inside.” He declared with a smile I could see in the dark. I couldn’t understand what he meant, nevertheless I started following him submissively as he began to move towards the border.. it was a long miserable walk..
“Careful, we are almost there..” He warned.
“No worries, I shall officially ask for a permit.. I don’t need to sneak out.” I replied indignantly.
“Suit yourself.” He said .. and disappeared from sight.
I approached the control station, provided the necessary papers, and asked for the permit. The officer in charge looked at me suspiciously and asked,
“Why do you want to go to Esville? .. now.. in the storm ”
“I have friends there who need my help.” I answered flatly.
“At this hour? In the storm?” He asked again.
“Yes, it seems to be an emergency. Why the enquiry? Is it illegal or forbidden to go to Esville?” I got testy.
“No, we have no instructions against it.. but we know it has become a sanctuary for spies, smugglers and all kinds of maleficent characters.” He said with a tinge of scorn.
“Well, I assure you, neither I nor my friends fall into any of these categories.” I answered with equal disdain.
He finally signed the permit and handed it to me with a stern gaze... and I stepped into the snare..