Continued from Hello, Shame
We enter into madness
- The Valley of the Shadow of Death
- The Gates of Hell
- The Nexus of All Realities
- The Swamp Where Hope Dies
I am no longer a kid
But a youth
My guardians cluster around me
Perhaps more for their comfort
Than my protection
Shadow: The darkness is… was… my home. But this is worse.
Frank: Punishment I can take. Perhaps… I took it… to avoid feeling this.
Judge: I fear I judged others… and myself… to pretend I could control this place.
I nod, soberly.
Youth: You… are not wrong. This is the pit that all mortal life is designed to avoid. And [looking at them with shining eyes] I thank you for the costly sacrifices you made, to keep me — us — alive.
The horror does not abate
But somehow
They take solace in my words
Though it is short-lived
As I add…
Youth: But to reach My Father’s house, we must go deeper. Into its very heart!
The House On The Isle
We trudge through the muck
Vines and roots grasping at us
Decaying matter clinging to our clothes
Our skin
Our very breath
My wardens murmur together
In hushed tones
But they do not question me
And for that I am thankful
Finally we stop
At the only solid ground
We have ever seen in this place
It is scant inches above the water
Yet it feels immensely solid
Despite the fetid vegetations swarming it
And in the exact center
Is a massive cube
With no visible openings
Yet it somehow feels hollow
Judge: Is that… a house?
Frank: With no doors or windows?
Shadow: No! No! Please! Don’t make me go in there!
I turn to him, and gently take his hand.
Youth: Don’t worry. You are safe. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.
The solemnity of my words calms, but does not reassure him. I take a deep breath.
Youth: But I… must speak to the master of the house.
Frank: I… [with difficulty] I will go with you, if you like.
The others murmur half-hearted assent. I smile.
Youth: Thank you, my friends. But this road I must walk alone. Stay here, and keep watch.
And with that, I walk up to the cube, select a wall apparently at random, and knock.
The cube — perhaps the whole land — rings like a gong.
It pulses with light, grows almost transparent.
And then he is here.
Man. Thing.
The creature is enormous. Covered in a mossy substance. With glowing red eyes.
My companions shrink away
I do not blame them
Self-loathing radiates from the figure
Like heat from a furnace
Or dark from the grave
But this
Is why I came
Perhaps even
The reason I was born
I walk forward
And raise my hand in greeting
Youth: Hello.
The creature
Does not seem to speak
But the wind
And waves
And swamp denizens
Make noises
That sound like the words:
“Whatever
Knows fear
Burns
At my touch”
I cock my head.
I look at him
With sympathy
Youth: That must make you feel… alone. Like anything you do to connect with others… hurts them. Pushes them away.
I step closer.
He pulls away
As if he is more afraid of me
Or himself
Than I am of him
Youth: You think you are a monster. Loathsome. Broken.
The thing
Shrinks into himself
As if his fear
Is consuming him
I grab his hand.
I burst into flame
But am not consumed
The dank swamp
Comes alive with light
Youth: Rejoice. For I tell you the truth: the long night of misunderstanding is over!
As I hold his hand
He expands
Grows
Becoming…
More human!
Youth: You thought it was your wretchedness that drove others away. But I say to you: you were blessed to make your home at the Cross Road of eternity.
We step towards my friends
And I beckon them to join me
One by one
They do
Judge
Frank
Shadow
Gripping me
Placing a hand
On him
They too
Start to burn
With an eternal flame
They cry out
With joy
And agony
Indistinguishable
Youth: The greatest fear that drives out lesser fears is the fear of God — which is a consuming fire to all who dare face it.
We are all weeping
Even the thing in the swamp
Who grows increasingly human
Youth: You were shunned not because you were unworthy, but because the world was unworthy of the glory you carried.
“You were shunned not because you were unworthy,
Youth
but because the world was unworthy of the glory you carried.”
His mouth
Is almost fully formed
And he struggles
To speak
My friends
Urge him on
With silent prayers
Until finally
He says:
Thing: I… I…. Believe!
And fire consumes us all!
To be concluded
Radically Happy 
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