Araceli

20- Salvation

For miles and miles, Joshua walked endlessly over soft sand barefooted. The scorching heat radiating from it burned the soles of his feet and yet, he was helpless. He couldn't do anything other than go forward. He was surrounded by sand that sucked him in like a vacuum. He would've been long buried if he had stopped to catch his breath.

His eyes were glued to the far-stretched never-ending horizon. He wanted to see far beyond it but all he could see was the sky that kept unfolding from the point where it met the ground.

Joshua Lost his balance countless times giving into unconsciousness. Wounds on his knees and elbows kept increasing each time he lost control over his whimpering body. A disheveled image of himself flashed through his sight which humbled him to the point of wanting to give up entirely on who he is. Such blisters on his fingers, the roughness causing goosebumps to rise all over his arms.

           'What are you searching for?' Asked a controlling voice from the void in his head, merely a whisper.

           Salvation. I'm looking for salvation.

In the blink of a moment, he was now in the woods under a red sky. A place that was unrecognizable as unfamiliarity ran through the receptors on his skin. He found himself walking through the rough grass under his now swollen feet as he searched desperately for the so-called salvation surrounded by spikey tall trees that towered over him. Just a trail forward and no way to get out. He felt the world shrinking around him.

           'Where is it?' The voice returned, hissing like a serpent impatiently.

Joshua desired to be able to answer that question. He ignored the voice and kept dragging his aching body ahead, uncertain of where he should let himself free.

He thought he was going to keep going forever.

           In this endless loop.

           In this endless agony.

When Joshua could not take it anymore, he surrendered himself to the force that pulled him to the ground as he held onto a large branch. Every bit of life evaporated from the tips of his fingers, draining his body completely. He slowly sank to his knees. His head hung low. His hands motionlessly fell to his side.

Joshua was a complete mess. Sand between his toes, a single ripped t-shirt over his cold body. His silky hair fell over his tired eyes.

A silhouette approached, its heels made a clicking sound. They stopped right in front of him. Joshua lifted his head, trying to gather some of his strength. The sight made his eyes start to sting.

The salvation he was looking for, for years, stood before his very being.

           Meredith.

She was exactly how he remembered. The same changing face. The same cloak over her figure.

           "How have you been, little boy?" She spoke. Her voice was laced with pure contempt.

           "Meredith," Joshua whispered as a single tear escaped his eye and rolled over his cheek.

Now that she was here. He didn't know what to say. He was waiting for this moment only to go speechless as it mocked him.

She came closer and orbited around him. Her cloak freely moving behind her was long enough to engulf his frame.

           "Look at yourself. How miserable, tch," she clicked her tongue at his state and then proceeded to laugh as it amused her.

           "You made me like this," he let out slowly. Joshua's eyes followed her feet.

         "No, it's you who made us like this," her voice sounded like a siren as she used deceitful words to distort the truth. She turned around sharply and glared at him. Her nose scrunched up as she stepped even closer.