The Lion and The Lamb Pt.3

The Lion and The Lamb

Part 3

    As we approached the forest, my stomach began to be twisted, like a man twisting a rope into a knot. The forest got darker and darker as if a storm was approaching, light did not seem to pierce the veil of darkness looming over this forest. Once the lamb and I got to the edge of the dark forest, the lamb seemed to glow as if He was untouched by the darkness of the forest.

“I don’t want to go in there.” I stated, with a trembling voice.

“Every one must travel this path,” the lamb said with gentle and confident voice, “just don’t leave the path.”

“Will you go with me?” I asked with a scared voice.

“I have already gone down this path,” the lamb claimed as if it won a battle, “Remember, you won’t be alone.”

“Are you leaving me?” I questioned as my heart stopped in my chest, “you said you wouldn’t leave me?”

“Don’t be afraid.” the lamb calmly commanded, “you are never alone.”

    As it said these things, a white dove with feathers like pure snow, fluttered over us into the dark forest. The dove had the same glow as the lamb and I couldn’t help but watch it disappear into the trees. When I went back to look to the lamb, I saw the lamb going along the treeline, disappearing into the distance. While I stood there, for I seemed to be completely alone, I felt a warm, comforting breeze coming over me. There was a strange confidence that came over me and I started to walk into the forest of darkness, remembering what the lamb had said to me, “don’t leave the path.”

    Entering into the forest the path seemed to be getting smaller but gradually. As I got farther from the treepine of the forest, the light and warmth of the sun was disappearing with every step I took. The leaves of the trees went from a bright green, then changed to orange, then red, then strangely grey. The bark of trees changed from it’s healthy brownness, slowly to a sickly grey with more and more holes into the trunks of the trees. While I was walking through, I heard rustling through the bushes around me and I had the feeling of something watching me as if I was back in that dark hallway.

    The path was now at a two foot width and was staying steady with only a few dips and rises as the dirt was covering the roots of the trees. I noticed that the path was leading me up a mountain as it was going uphill. The up grade seem to be rising steadily with moments of flat ground with every step that I took. The dense, dark canopies covered the sky so I could not see where the top of the mountain was but I faithfully kept trekking on the path on which I was set.

Every so often I could hear that warm breeze in the branches of the trees and I could remember the voice of the lamb in my head saying, “remember you won’t be alone.” After sometime in the forest, I felt my stomach grumble, for the anxiety had passed and I felt numb to the gloominess of this dark forest. The more I walked the more I became hungry, then I came past this small bush that had healthy green leaves along with dark purple berries, with the same likeness to blackberries. Only thing was that this bush was off the path and I did not want to be disobedient to the commands of the lamb. As I was debating with this in my head I heard a small whisper, “wait, keep going.” I looked around to see where this whisper was coming from but all I could hear was the rustling of the branches from the breeze. I felt I could wait to eat a little longer later, when I got to end of the forest, so I just continued walking down the path.

    The more I kept walking, the more I became hungry. The dark forest became more and more creepy, cobwebs were becoming more common along with dark moss gloomingly hanging from the branches above me as I walked. Again and again, I would keep seeing the same kind of bush from just a few steps behind but they seemed to get larger and larger as I became the ever more hungry. As my hunger became almost crippling, I started to slow down. I was dragging my feet to the point I was tripping myself and falling on my knees to the uneven ground. There was no more strength in my legs but when I was able to pick myself up I looked to my left and there were those berries that were just out of arm's reach.

    I felt the urge to eat those dark purple berries, I knew they were away from the path but the hunger was unbearable. The energy that I had in my body felt like it was draining as if a leech sucking blood. So I left the path ignoring what I was commanded, my hunger controlled my mind and body. Those juicy, deep dark, purple berries were calling my name. Every step I took, it felt like as if whatever was following me came closer, the darkness grew darker and darker. My stomach overcame my conscience and the voice of the breeze became more and more prominent, getting louder as I drew closer to the bush. The voice went from a gentleness to stern as if a father was warning a child of a hot stove. My eyes became fixed on those berries, my mouth became watery, it felt as drool was pouring out of my mouth. I ignored anything that would keep me from eating those berries.

    As I came nearer to the bush I could see my own reflection in the berries themselves. I felt as if I was hypnotized by the dark clusters that were before me, my hands reached out for those berries desiring to feel the texture and weight as they became colder and colder. My blood seemed like ice in my veins as I craved those pitch black and purple berries. Hunger became greater and the leaves on the bush became greener. The vision around the focus in my eyes became darker and more cloudy, as if I had tunnel vision, I went to grab a cluster of the berries. With all warning signs telling me not to eat those berries, my hunger overruled all self-consciousness and the voice that was telling me to move on, seemed to disappear.

    There was a silence in the atmosphere, as if the silence before a storm. I felt the presence of a dark predator behind me but the hunger dulled my care for safety. All I wanted to do was eat those berries but as I put them to my mouth to devour them, I heard a broken, damaged, suffering voice behind me. The voice sounded familiar so I turned around and I saw there behind me a bloodied sheep, with bite marks all around its body, just lying there alone and defenseless. As it asked for help again I noticed that it was my voice! My eyes widen as I realized this was to be my future, I looked up from this wounded animal and I saw the beasts that had attacked it...