Last cloud in the lost skies

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Mrs. Garrison

Mrs. Garrison

Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
7,304
Location
pig farming in Bolivia
It's been said, in one form or another, that a persons' best days often start out as a mystery to them. Not following the script or deviating from the plan, letting go of life's pressures and going where the moments take you.

That's how it all began for us one autumn morning, which lent itself to a glorious day we'd not soon forget. The air was crisp as the leaves began to turn high above our country estates, the armada of billowing puff and wispy marshmallow creme strung out on the rising sun greeted us in a stunning display of colors that would eventually give way to a brilliant shade of blue.

It's times like this you feel less pain in your life than you possibly should or probably deserve. It's also these moments when one feels alone with their spirit, like the last person on earth, or perhaps anywhere. All of this was made for you, and of course, the birds stirring up in their nests as they awake to natures show.

After a breakfast fit for a queen, my partner and i decided to get outside and enjoy the majesty of this day. At first we planned on doing some yard work but eventually we chose instead to go for a walk around the neighborhood. Living in the country we were able to escape the horrors of the big city while still having neighbors close enough to not feel isolated. Our community consisted of small acreage home sites, all of the lots were wooded and most of the homes sat up on a hill overlooking the winding streets below.

As we began our leisurely pace i noticed something across the street that caught my eye, a shiny black sinister looking car in the driveway that i had not seen before. As we approached the house it dawned on me what the car was; a 1987 Buick GNX, still in mint condition, shining in all of it's glory. I stopped in the road and stared up at this now classic machine, solid black paint, blacked out grill, black wheels, and dark tinted windows, this was one of the cars i lusted after in high school, a time capsule from my childhood sitting right there looking like the day it rolled off of the assembly line.

The neighbor walked out of the house with some family members to show them the car, as he noticed us he waved and naturally we went up for a closer look. He was going over the car with the family as we walked up to them. The look on my face must have been plain for all to see. I still couldn't believe my eyes...he probably paid a fortune for this mint condition car, the last of the Grand Nationals, highly collectible and very limited production.

As the family poured inside the car to smell the "30 year old new car smell" i was standing in front of the beast staring at the bulging hood. I asked him to unlatch it for me so i could gaze at that turbo charged motor and see if it still resembled the memories of my youth.
After he pulled the release lever, instinctively i released it and raised it as if it were my very own. I'd probably done that a hundred times before in my dreams. He just smiled at me, perhaps knowing i was a like a kid in a candy store all over again.

The dream was over once i raised the hood, however, in fact it turned to shock instantly. Underneath that hood dome, laying on top of the intake plenum, was a tiny infant little boy, wearing only a diaper. He peering up at me with those giant blue eyes, kicking his legs and waving his arms. He didn't make a sound though, he just stared at me with those beautiful eyes, as if i was the first person he'd ever seen. I was beyond speechless, stunned, taken back in a way like something had just kicked me in the gut. I might have been white as a ghost until i was finally able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. Which was around the same time i heard one of the family members from inside of the car stick the key in the ignition, with the proud new owner next to them looking in, giving the green light to start; "Go ahead...crank her up......."
 
At the end of our neighborhood sat an abandoned mansion, high up on the hill and peering out above the tall pines. It had been deserted for a while after the owners had deceased, and occasionally the family would try and sell this home but would eventually disagree over the offers and end up squabbling like grown children sometimes do when it comes to matters of money and inheritance.

We had noticed the old house many times before on our walks through the neighborhood, while it may have been in need of repair it always had this majestic presence about it. Perhaps because it sat a bit higher than most, or maybe it was the location at the end of the neighborhood, which put it on this pedestal. Whatever it was about this old home, there was clearly a sense of awe and intrigue surrounding it. Should someone purchase it and make all of the necessary improvements it would be the premier home in the neighborhood.

As we walked under the glorious metallic blue sky we came to the point in the road where we were facing the house at the end of the street and it was all but looking back at us, perched above the pines like a fortress in need of an army. We walked towards it as if we were drawn into some invisible magnetic field. I can't even recall how many times we would walk on by....but not today. At the bottom of the hill we could look up the winding driveway and see and older compact car sitting outside of the vast estate. The car might have looked vaguely familiar but it wasn't immediately obvious to us.

We climbed the curvy drive up until the land gave way to a series of steps, all of which were covered with rust colored leaves that had fallen from some of the trees, bare in the breeze of days past. The front door was a spectacular wooden beast, curved at the top, with a bronze lions head door knocker greeting us in a permanent roar. Just as I started to knock the massive door opened as i reached for the brass knocker.

The realtor on the other side of the door looked a bit startled when he found us outside on the porch. He was in fact someone that we had met before in a past life, in the wilder days of our youth. As we exchanged the usual pleasantries with the realtor, we couldn't help but notice his appearance was a bit on the rough side for someone in his career field. He invited us into the home to take a mini tour of the palace, apologizing in advance for the dusty conditions of the vast and vacant estate.

As he guided us around the house it was obvious to us just how much potential was here, this home could be a castle with the right amount of investment, however there was a lot of work that would be required to get it to that point. The realtor was careful to keep us on the ground floor only, and steered us away from the ominous staircase that went up into the darkness, depths unknown. He guided us through a fancy dining area complete with an antique 12 foot dining table and an exquisite chandelier overhead. Through the formal dining area was a landing that's sole purpose was to advertise the outdoor entertaining area by way of a wall of windows which brought the outside in with dramatic results. The outdoor area was a sight to behold, a large expanse of concrete gave way to a covered pool, which was littered in a colorful array of the seasons finest fallen leaves, and after that the yard tapered off downhill at a rate in which the treetops would give way to miles of the eventual valley below. A blinking tower off in the distance was a good reminder of where God's creations stopped short and let man intervene.

At either side of the patio there was a carefully crafted stone railing with additional garden statues and fountains to remind us of the detail and craftsmanship that went into constructing this palace. It was here that our realtor friend found a table with chairs in the sunlight and invited us to sit and join him for a glass of wine or two. We would catch up on old times once forgotten, the nights we chased the moon and fell victim to the sun, the days that ended when the next one began, and so forth. Part of us missed those days, the other part of us realized we couldn't survive that type of life anymore, and thankfully so! We did notice the realtor seemed to be on a bit of a stretch himself, his clothes appeared to have been slept in, his hair a bit unkempt, not quite the same person we had remembered from our former glorious youth.

The wine itself had an awkward taste about it, while we couldn't quite place what was different about it, there was a sweetness where there shouldn't have been, and a warmth where you wouldn't quite have expected it. Whatever the case, it was in fact quite intoxicating. After finishing my glass i rose up as if to suggest it was time for us to go, but instead of letting us off of the hook, the realtor insisted that we have another glass with him, suggesting that he had a fresh bottle inside in the wine cellar. Reluctantly we agreed to another glass with him, as he hopped up and scurried away for another bottle. I followed him inside and through the maze of a kitchen into the dimly lit wine cellar, which seemed unusually warm to me.

The realtor seemed again startled when he noticed i was there behind him, however he pointed me to another room adjacent to the kitchen which was apparently a small restroom. I went inside and closed the large door behind me, fortunate to note the running water and working electricity in the otherwise dark room. I splashed water on my face and admittedly swayed a bit when making the side step from the vintage sink over to the commode. As i lifted the commode seat upright, the light above the vanity mirror was reflecting into the water, which appeared to be moving. As i focused in closer to the water it appeared as if i was looking into a mirror, and shockingly that someone or something was standing directly behind me. Immediately i turned around but there was nobody there behind me. A sudden chill overcame me and i began to feel somewhat light headed.

Making my way back through the kitchen area and through the dining room i found the doors that led me back to the outside entertaining area, where my partner and the realtor were laughing at old stories like old friends often do. They became somewhat quiet as i approached the table. The realtor handed me a glass of wine while my partner commented that i looked as though i had "seen a ghost". I smiled politely on the outside while feeling a bit, let's say, anxious on the inside.

I noticed a hawk watching me from a distance atop a bare tree as i sipped on the glass from the new bottle. This one had a stronger aroma to it than the previous glass, and there was a warmth and texture that was slightly more intense than before. As i sipped it i began to feel a bit uncomfortable about finishing this glass from the new bottle he had retrieved in the cellar. The realtor just smiled and chimed in "1993...was a good year!" to which my partner raised his glass in agreement. I noticed the hawk had flown away from it's perch atop the tree and decided to ask why this particular wine was so warm?

The realtor had a look of momentary regret on his face as he sensed i was not impressed with the wine. He sighed as he gazed at me through golden round frames, "The good book tells us that Jesus himself turned water into wine. We are, in fact, mostly made from water, as well as the earth. While i suspect you are used to having your wine chilled, or at least room temperature, this particular vintage requires to be served neither chilled or room temperature, rather instead it must be stored and served at normal human body temperature."
 
The day was fading and our beautiful blue swath of heaven was finding it's tranquility in the occasional star hung above, and the only disruption was a random plane overhead, flying into the sunset. As i often do, i wondered who was on those planes and where they might be going to, what their life must be like staring out the windows of the plane. Did we share the same fears, desires, do we like the same pizza toppings? Maybe they were cramped inside of their tin can, wondering what we were doing way down below, where the earth's surface meets the sky for a brief moment in a round about fashion. I know they cannot see me down here from way up in their airplane, but it's nice to ponder these things as you walk aimlessly towards sunset in hopes to try and touch it before it disappears for good.

Along our journey in the country road we came upon the large blinking tower, set off of the road a good ways, the tower seemed to grow up towards the sky as far up as the eye could see. There were men down around the base of the tower, gathering up their gear and moving about. One of the men was actually climbing up the tower with some gear. The sound of generators in the background muffled their voices which added more mystery to the flurry of activity.

Up in the distance ahead we noted a small country store just off of the road that looked like a good place to stop in for a snack. Eventually we would arrive at our destination, whatever that may be, and this might tide us over in the meanwhile. We made it to the country store and i chose to go inside will my other half waited out front to watch the setting sun.

Once inside i grabbed a few things and took them up to the counter to check out. I noticed some Asian decorations near the cashier area when the store owner appeared and greeted me. It was then i realized - she was absolutely gorgeous - and hadn't aged a bit in twenty years! A bit older than me, she still had that presence about her, a commanding aura of a very powerful woman, immaculately dressed even in her store, beautiful hair, perfect skin, haunting eyes.

I was taken back, transported 20 years in time, to the night life of young-ish soldiers in Dongducheon South Korea. The Peace Club was one of our hangouts in an area known as "TDC ville" or just "the ville". The woman in front of me was also a fixture at the Peace Club and was a friend or date of a high ranking officer seated at the bar. My group of friends, who were junior officers, told me that she was in a relationship with a Colonel who was seated at the corner of the bar. I was still mesmerized by her presence, her power, her beauty. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

The root of all evil was coming for the night and the ville had no say in where the evil would rest it's soul. I locked eyes with her and to much urging of my fellow revelers i boldly went to introduce myself. She was polite but very frank with me, and rather than make small talk or flirt, instead she introduced me to the distinguished gentleman sitting at the corner of the bar. He just smiled and bought me a drink, and we talked about the good life back home while we drank our beverage, for which i thanked him before parting ways. As i made it back to the gang of friends, i locked eyes with her once again, despite the jeers of my mates. Her eyes were hidden prophecies and faraway places, i couldn't stop looking at her, it was all i could do to return to the hooligans and leave this place for the next bar on the street.

Back to the present i looked into her eyes once more, the root of all evil, immaculate as she was and her eyes that still set my soul on fire without even a blink. A picture of the distinguished gentleman from that bar, 20 years ago, was on the wall above her cash register. Perhaps she really did love him, followed him home to a quiet life of retirement in the country. That isn't how i would have imagined this story to end, way back then.

To try and change the subject in my head, i asked her what the tower was for back down the road, and what the men were doing there with all of the equipment. She did not blink or even crack as smile, but she told me it was a "time capsule", to which i was amazed. A time capsule... for what.... for whom?

"A time capsule is....for us to forget....and for them to remember" she said, and for the first time she looked away from me and out to the parking lot, and then up above as if to conjure the mysteries from the spirits in the great unknown.

I paid her for the sustenance, after which she politely asked me if there would be anything else. I fumbled about for what seemed like forever as i looked around the store, at a loss for words i finally looked outside the door at my partner, who was patiently standing in the parking lot of the store, looking up at the sunset.

Not wanting to be the last guy waiting for a train in an abandoned station, i turned and slowly walked towards the door. I paused briefly to see her one last time, with a simple and final reply, "yeah....Peace." I flashed her the peace sign as i exited the store and joined my other half to continue on our journey...
 
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The super moon hung high above us dwarfing an array of stars on the clearest of nights i could ever remember. We found our destination at the base of a hill we'd been following for some time now. Not one to overthink this journey, the cemetery was a bit on the side of creepy, even for me.

Walking through the rows of headstones ranging from understated to borderline pretentious, we were careful not to disturb the order of things or the souls resting in the hallowed ground below. I had a bit of a time remembering where this particular little stone was that i wanted to visit, but the letter i had folded up in my breast pocket was the fading motivation to keep plowing through the maze of memories until i found the most precious one of all, a place where i had left a piece of me that would never grow back. Not that i wanted it back, to know emptiness like this is to have know what it once was to be whole.

We made it to a large boulder where we would sit and rest to collect our thoughts, as it occurred to me that i was far too tired to continue this madness. Only a fool would have set out to accomplish this in such a fashion. Perhaps a quick nap would give us motivation to get back up and continue our search? With the letter folded up neatly in my pocket i drifted off to a place where the sun always shined on us and our farewells were only temporary.

After a few moments the quiet country air began to get a bit restless. Only in the peace and serenity of this place could one see every star in the sky and hear the sound of your heartbeat at the same time. The breeze picked up from the valley below to the crest of the hill. Every creature of the land could feel this as the bare branches in the trees cracked together like popcorn in a microwave. The owls sounded alarm as the hawks were ripping up the air to get away from their nests.

I felt the ground shake beneath us and it rippled all around, like an earthquake, only confined to our specific area, from what we could tell. I opened my eyes to see what must have been the most extraordinary light i had ever seen atop the large hill and possibly beyond as far as the heavens could go. It was so radiant that we could not stare directly into the light, however the vivid layers were so intoxicating that we could not look away.

All around us the earth was crumbling below the headstones and the dust that generated would give way to a dazzling burst of energy that arose from beneath the ground and spiraled up towards the intense light. One spectacular stream of energy approached us and paused for only a millisecond, long enough for us to recognize the beauty and the love inside, before ascending with the other specters into the luminous skies. The letter in my pocked warmed to the beating of my anxious heart....
 
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As the world around us found the chaos it so deserved, we ran away from the lights and the swarming specters cut loose by these extraordinary events. Over the hills we ran towards the tower where man wanted to reach God above and the devil wanted a fire below. Stop being afraid, it's what i told myself, every bold move releases a slave and births a new life into an imperfect world in which you're dreams were made. Only you and i together can take the mold and form the shape, like a reef needs the ocean, or a surfer needs the wake.

We found a cave in the side of the hill, tower adjacent, lights blinking atop it for no real reason anymore, as the skies exploded without cause, we knew this day might end like no other, as if there would be another, we found our last refuge from the storm that love was able to provide and we found each others eyes much more interesting and intoxicating as the falling stars and our failing planet. It was here we professed our love again, the beauty of this moment was worthy the brilliance of a newborn civilization or an extinction of a species greater than our desire.

Thunder told us a storm was coming, logic and reasoning told us our imagination was running on overdrive. In the cave we looked deep into each others souls and through words not spoken, we renewed our vows to each other and held onto ourselves as much as possible with the shimmering shadows reflecting into this cave like a disco ball inside of a lava lamp.

The earth was still shaking to the extent that we were holding onto dear life as the solid ground beneath us gave way. And the dust was hard to breathe, the fall wasn't crippling or particularly painful, just a few feet down and we've entered another world, underworld, below the surface of the flood and fire insanity some might watch on their television evening news. They might repent, they might take up arms in their streets, they might crumble in the corner or swallow a grenade.

Beneath all of this rubble, the time capsule wanted us to be special for it's sake. We were dazed from the fall and disturbed by our journey, dusty from it all, and hard to get back on our feet and take stock in our weary selves in this surroundings. As far as these eyes could see, there were vehicles of war and peace, modern and relics alike, glorious and hideous depending upon the perspective of history and a persons worldview.

Airplanes, tanks, automobiles, etc. They had it all here, down in this dungeon of a hole in the earth, somewhere between the earth's core and the hell above it. All of these were flanked by historic signs bragging about their efforts in whatever capacity they had served this place.

It was a ghostly place to be, and she didn't make it any better. She greeted us with an accent as thick as the skull protecting my little brain. For that i could appreciate her fake smile, as she walked us through the rows of military hardware and boldly spoke of the heroics of these battle tanks and planes in their conquests to free humanity from, well, humanity. We walked the distance of this dark and somber palace of doom, until we came upon a final sanctuary of which was yet to be named or honored by any medals of valor.

We asked her in all earnest, to which honor does this final place in your time capsule belong? She smiled at us with full red lips and eyes electric blue, as she pulled a revolver out of her coat and pointed it straight at us. "The honor is all yours....and mine", she hissed as she pulled the trigger.

We both looked at each other as the round zoomed between us, maybe she was crazy, or maybe it was time to run like hell. The fear in our eyes was the same, this was real, time to get the hell out of here and hold onto each other like we'd never had before. Her laughter echoed throughout the chambers like a predator roaring over it's captured prey. We ran into the darkness as the gun continued to burst it's fire at us, bullets exploding into the still air one after another between her delight.

Eventually we out ran her madness and we found an escape passage from the depths of this place into the sanctity of the land above us. It was a brief place where we could escape the sinkhole of inhumanity We reached for the ground and dug ourselves out of the horrors below. Once we caught our breath, it was only then i stumbled, down to the dirt, and realized i was bleeding from my chest, not an ounce of pain was felt, but the fear crept in. My partner looked at me with eyes of absolute horror as the wound became apparent. Above us, an angle paused from it's journey towards the bright lights of redemption and offered a feather from the golden wings.....
 
The money-man and the boogeyman, never thought i would see these two again so soon...like lead and coal, the fire and the ire, all the things we make to break ourselves...

The hospital was surrounded by the wonderful public servants like the police and the bomb squads. Surrounded in a way that we could not even get close. I was not in a good way, suffering and perhaps in a moment of shock or hallucination, all of the psychosis that leads to pathways up the mountains beyond the seven falls. We'd made that hike before with a brother, talking about a sister, and wonderment of her own well being, until the bears of the ragged peaks let us know we were on his turf, which was no longer ours.

Adjacent to the hospital there was a burger joint, and quite a good one i might add. It was a place i knew well. I had been there many times before, in better days and some not quite so great. Several of my loved ones had been in this hospital before, and i had escaped the horrors of the place and their ghastly food to dine here and watch out the dusty windows at the hospital where so many had taken their last breath.

Inside it was a ghost town, one older couple eating a late dinner in the corner, and a younger man in hospital scrubs eating a burger and fries while furiously texting on his phone to who knows what person(s) in his life.

My partner carried me into the dining room and sat me down on a table. My bleeding had subsided for now, but my condition was likely deteriorating. I looked over towards the window opposite of our entry to view a Christmas nativity scene. The baby Jesus was lit up and staring back at me, at eye level. as the faded out lights on Mary and Joseph looked on. Baby Jesus was calm and offered hope in his plastic smile. You cannot nail plastic to a wooden cross, it's what went through my mind. But i wanted to hold this baby and tell him he had a better purpose in this life than to be shit upon by the masses because he was different and he might have cared too much.

My partner yelled out to the cooks in the joint that we were in need of a doctor. About this time, the young man wearing medical scrubs looked up at us through his oval glasses, while scribbling something on a napkin. "I am an ER doctor", he said, as he rose up from his table to come our way. He looked over me to survey the situation, while my partner explained my situation to him.

The young doctor examined my chest area to see that a bullet had entered my shoulder and passed through. My partner asked him why we weren't able to go inside of the hospital, to which, the doctor explained that they were currently under a "bomb scare" emergency situation.

The doctor pressed upon my chest and listened to my heart, then he looked deep into my eyes and asked me if i had any religion. I was silent for a few moments....until he smiled and laughed as he looked away, like a circus act in need of redemption. He then went back to his table and grabbed a french fry off of his plate and carried it back to me, and stuck the crinkled potato into my wound. I watched the pupils in his eyes reflect the glow of the plastic baby Jesus as he pulled the bloody fry out of my body and gave it a visual inspection.

He sat back into the booth like a kid watching a birthday party for which he wasn't invited. Examining the french fry for a bit, until he took a nibble that led to full consumption, after which he replied "it's golden" as he chewed on the bloody side.

The lights in the restaurant flickered as a police helicopter's drumbeat thumped overhead.
The doctor laughed aloud and threw his glasses down on the table, then he yelled back towards the kitchen "can i get another order of fries"
 
The train barreled down the tracks at an impressive speed through the valley and into the mountainous region. A loud noise caught my attention, sounding like a firecracker went off, perhaps a couple of them. I was in limbo spiritually, as well as physically and mentally. The passenger compartment shuddered and shook with each joint of the track as we sped towards oblivion.

I looked around the dirty compartment to try and figure out exactly where i was and how i got here, the only other person aboard that i could see was a particularly well dressed gentleman towards the back of the compartment. He was wearing a medium blue suit, gold tie, and Italian loafers.

As i stood up to try and retrace my steps we must have hit some type of bump which threw me back into my seat. It was there i saw the letter, laying in the seat next to me, blood stained and folded just as i had left it in my pocket. I picked it up and tried to read it but the blood made it illegible.

I thought i heard a child laughing as i tried to stand up once again. Looking back towards the gentleman in the rear of the compartment i couldn't see anyone else but the two of us. The man in the blue suit pulled a banana out of his coat and began to peel it. I walked back towards him cautiously to avoid losing my balance again. "Excuse me Sir" i said as i stood nearly in front of him. He ignored me and took a bite of the banana as he gazed out the window of the speeding train.

Through the doorway and into the next compartment i saw something move, it looked to be a small child peering back at me. Immediately i went to the doorway and tried to get another look at this child, but saw nothing except darkness. The roar of the train was something i hadn't expected, we must have been going double the speed that we should have been given the conditions and the track ahead.

We hit another bump on the tracks as the man in the blue suit lit a cigarette and continued to stare out the passenger window at the countryside below. I started to make my way back up towards the front of the compartment when i slipped and fell on the floor of the train once again. Laying flat on my back frozen in pain and fear, i could see the man in the blue suit puffing away at his cigarette while looking off into space. On the floor near my head i noticed a banana peel that was the likely culprit of my slip and fall. Again i could hear the faint sound of a child laughing.

I pulled myself up with all of my strength, my body hurting all over, and very cautiously, with the help of the railing and seat backs, made my way towards the front of the compartment. Once through the doorway i encountered a dark space and then another compartment which eventually led me to the cab of the train. I struggled to open the door but eventually managed to get into the cab. At first it appeared to be empty, and the dirty windshield obscured outward visibility.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cab and the lights of the controls, i noticed that someone was actually sitting in the conductors chair, slumped over the controls. "Excuse me!" i said, approaching the person and shaking them to try and wake them up. Another bump in the track jolted us quite heavily and it was then i noticed the blinking light on the controls, it appeared to be a speed indicator hazard. I tried to rouse the conductor once more, this time i grabbed him by the shoulders to try and lift him up, it was then i noticed the wound on the side of his head. A quick check of the pulse and it was quite apparent he was no longer with us.

Taking stock of the situation i tried to figure out what the next course of action might be, i had no idea how to operate a train nor did i even have a clue how to slow this runaway beast down. The pain in my chest began to swell, as i tried to think logically while reaching into my coat pocket to see what was stinging. To my surprise i retrieved a warm revolver that was swallowed up in the generous interior pocket of my coat. I examined the revolver and then looked over at the Conductor's lifeless body in horror, meanwhile there was a child's laughter floating somewhere around in the cabin. Through the blood soaked windshield of the front of the train i strained to make out a mountain ahead, and just beyond that, the track seemed to veer to the left alongside the mountain, to which the other side revealed a deep dark abyss.....
 
The faint smell of cigarette smoke appeared in the cab as the man in the blue suit pushed me aside and took over the controls of the train, applying the brakes. It wasn't enough to slow us down, however, the train derailed in the shape of a giant heart just before the mountain, the track running through the middle of it like an open wound. As the dust settled i found myself lying on the ground face down in the dirt. I was not alone, there were many other people in the same position as myself, scattered along the hillside.

I slowly began to get up, surveying the wreckage behind me, above the clouds were increasing in what must have been the early afternoon sky. Below the hill was bare and led to a valley. which in the distance i spotted the strange existence of what looked like a massive palace or temple. I couldn't tell exactly what this structure was from this far away, or what it was even doing there at the bottom of the hill in the middle of the valley, all by itself. I struggled to my feet as this seemed like the only thing left to do, and walked as carefully as i could down the hillside. Occasionally I stumbled and tried not to slide or fall, the other people who littered the hillside began to move almost as one, slowly crawling down the hill in the direction i was going. Their clothes seemed from a different era, their bodies ashen, it appeared as though they were looking for a hole to call home.

At the bottom of the hill the golden palace proved a stark contrast to the darkening sky above. The closer i got to it the more details i could make out, a giant dome appeared in the middle of the place, the entrance was also massive with a stairway leading up to it and an ominous creature looking down over all who dare enter. The golden staircase was flanked on either side by a pair of angles, or rather, two shirtless young men with costume wings on their backs. The pair appeared to be twins; blonde hair, blue eyes, dark tan, and toned bodies. The one on the left side was puffing on a smoke and did not seem as interested in my arrival, while the other one was eager to greet me. His warm smile made up for the other's smirk. He stood up from his perch and opened his arms in greeting, asking me if i had the "golden ticket". I admitted to him that i did not even know what that was. He looked around the perch below his feet, and then in the pockets of his jeans, before finally reaching down his pants and producing a golden ticket he had stuffed away for what i would assume must be a special occasion. He handed me the ticket with a smile and told me to proceed up the stairs and into the palace.

As i climbed up the steps i examined the golden ticket, it had no writing on it, only the symbol of a lion on one side, and a lamb on the other. The massive doorway began to creak as lightning flashed above my head. I looked back towards the hillside, the swarm of bodies slowly crawling down from the wreckage above, lightning striking all around, in my mind i didn't think they were intended to make it...thunder cracked with the fury of what was possibly to come...
 
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