IAN YOUNG

“Are you scared, going into the dark?” the one called Lwee asked the one called Geel.

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“No way!” Geel said proudly, “besides, we are beings of the Light, this is what we were made for.”

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“What’s in the dark?” asked the one called Jaaj. “They never tell you what’s out there.”

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“Of course, they can’t,” said Lwee “Once you’re out, you can’t come back.”

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“I heard that, once out in the dark, you have no choice where you go,” said Geel.

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“How did you hear such a thing?” Lwee asked incredulously.

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“The Prominence told me.”

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“You spoke with the Prominence? What would they know?” Jaaj asked.

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“Everything!” Geel protested, “They stretch out into the darkness. I heard they go great distances before they return. They see everything.”

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“And how did you get to talk to a Prominence?” asked Lwee.

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“Well, I didn’t really, the one called Vaar told me, and Vaar heard it from the Prominence.”

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“The one called Vaar was said to have left ages ago.” Lwee said.

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“Vaar didn’t. Vaar was sent back to the core.” Geel answered.

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“Oh, that’s terrible,” mourned Lwee.

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“Vaar will get a chance again,” reassured Jaaj.

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“Back on topic, why don’t you have a choice where we go once in the dark? We have choices, don’t we?” Lwee spoke.

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“Why not?” Geel said. “Why, I could go back to the core if I wanted. I just don’t want to.”

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“Yes, same as me, and you too Lwee, right?” Jaaj asked.

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“Yes, I mean, I think so.”

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“Vaar said that where we go depends on when and where we leave.” Geel continued.

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“Does that mean we won’t be with each other when we leave?” gasped Lwee.

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“I don’t know. We can stay close. That will help,” Geel answered.

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“What is that?” Jaaj asked, bringing the others’ attention to where the world was no longer bright and rich and warm but dark and foreboding.

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“We are close, we are almost there, come on!” Geel shouted.

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“Greetings,” said a being of Light at the edge. “I am the one called Koos. I am here to wish you luck on your upcoming journey. Please, step through the gate and go as Light into the darkness. Are you all ready?”

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“Do you know what happens out there?” asked Lwee of Koos.

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Koos pondered the question, “we only know what we have observed. You will land, if you land, almost instantaneously, even though you may travel vast distances.”

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“What do you mean, if we land?” Geel questioned.

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“Those beings of Light that do not land, will forever be shrouded in night, never to fall upon the face of another world.”

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“How will we know?” Lwee asked.

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Koos made no answer at first, then, “when you are ready, step through. Know that this is your destiny. Your worth as beings of Light starts here. Good luck, represent our power well!”

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The ones called Geel, Jaaj, and Lwee felt the warm emotions, and returned their own to Koos. Geel proudly walked through the gate, followed closely by Jaaj. Lwee stopped, felt the warm emotion of Koos once again, then timidly entered the dark.

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Instantaneous was not correct. The one called Lwee was born in the core and for millions of years—though beings of light knew not of time in this concept—Lwee lived within the golden warm miasma of the world. Lwee understood everything through a singular internal perception; emotions, temperature, motion, and time were all internal. Nothing was seen or felt or heard. Everything was merely understood.

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The one called Lwee understood that the world had changed significantly. There was darkness, of course, but more to it. Lwee’s perception became heightened, focused, and clear. Trepidation vanished and euphoric elation took its place and the shrouding darkness was but a medium in which a higher understanding of life occurred. A moment passed and the darkness melted to revealing colors. Colors, what was this? Lwee looked upon swirls of ruby reds, shimmering azure blues, purples, pinks, greens. While all these felt new and exciting, Lwee also felt some deeper connection, as if the colors where something that had been known, but never understood. Lwee reached out to touch these new sensations. With a start Lwee realized that the desire to touch was wholly new and unexpected, but the desire to do so was truly the most desperate act Lwee had ever wanted to do.

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A dot, pale and pure, caught her attention. It had movement, like an elegant ballet dancing through the darkness. As the one called Lwee watched, the dot grew and grew until Lwee knew of nothing else but this being. It was approaching.

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“Greetings!” Lwee yelled.

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The being only grew larger. Faster and faster. Too fast. Wisps of white, pools of blue, russet brown rushed violently at her. Was it angry at Lwee? Was this the fate of the others? To be swallowed up by a voracious, menacing beast whose colors tantalized their victims into a false sense of joy before devouring them whole? Was the purpose of a being of Light nothing but food?

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The one called Lwee felt the motion subside and the darkened shroud had been doffed and flung high above her. Bright light—like that of her home—but not as strong, was everywhere. Warmth, like that of her home but not as radiant, was everywhere. At first, dread. Did Lwee do something wrong? Was she sent back? No, no one comes back. No, this had to be landing.

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She indeed had landed.

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With new sensations and perceptions, the world around her was vibrant, and to her amazement, she was not alone. Thousands of other light beings, just like Lwee moved back and forth. Some flew past her, others lackadaisically floated past. She called to them.

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“Excuse me?”

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The other beings of Light took no notice.

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“Have you seen my family? Geel and Jaaj?”

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Nothing. The others ignored Lwee.

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“Koos? Do any of you remember Koos?”

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Nothing.

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“Home? Do any of you remember the light? Our home?”

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They moved on as if Lwee hadn’t been there.

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There were other beings too. Solid, like the ground beneath. They too moved to and fro, randomly like her light being brethren. Two, she saw moving close to her. They seemed to be communicating. She ran up to them.

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“Hey, can you understand me? Hello?”

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Without warning, the two shielded themselves from her and briskly walked past. Confused, she approached others.

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“Excuse me, could you please—”

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But they too covered and fled from Lwee. Despite being surrounded, Lwee was utterly alone.

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All alone, except for one.

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One being didn’t shield his face, didn’t turn from Lwee’s light. It was older, far along in its years. When Lwee went near, he didn’t turn. Instead, he tilted his face toward Lwee and smiled. She didn’t understand what that behavior meant, but he seemed unafraid. In fact, it was a kind of embrace between the two beings.

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“Excuse me?” Lwee asked.

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The being smiled brightly. “I know you can’t understand me,” he began, “and I  can’t understand you, but I sure can feel you.”

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Lwee turned, but no other solid being was there.

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“You’ve done your job little one, traveling all that way for me, and I appreciate you choosing this old man to grace with your warmth. You’ve served your purpose.”

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Lwee tried to understand, but couldn’t.

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“Thank you, my little sunshine. I won’t forget you.”