This part will be about Jean and what happens to her first; next I'll do
Kristy, then Elizabeth, and then Vicky.
Part II
Departures and Discernings
Jean walked quickly down the footpath, skipping here, jumping on a rock to get a better view there, but always scrutinizing for possible hazards. After two minutes, she determined that she had better turn back before anyone became worried about her. 'It sure is strange' She mused, 'That at home I'd trip over a piece of lint, but when I'm outdoors I can jump like an Elf!' "Jean..." A voice called. Jean stopped dead, adrenaline pulsating through her veins. She slowly turned around and saw a small crevice in the hillside. "Jean..." The strong, powerful voice called again. Jean's feet began moving against her will, though her mind was fully functional and did not totally protest. It was a man's voice, she was sure of it! But it had such authority and strength in it that she both immediately loved and feared it as one would love and fear a powerful king. "Who are You?" She asked as she crawled into the crevice, noticing that it was completely dry. "I AM." The voice replied. "Ok..." Jean said, a bit confused. "I am also known as the Shepherd, the Unblemished Lamb, the Lion, Aslan, Ilúvatar, the King, and many other things." "I-I'm Jean." She stuttered not sure what to say. "Yes, I know." The voice almost laughed, but it was not a scornful laugh, but a kind one. Jean was crawling through the tunnel when her hand landed upon something small and round, just as another had done a long time ago, she picked it up and put it in her pocket, only subconsciously aware of her actions. "Jean, use the grace I have given you, do not be afraid, and do not succumb to temptation." The voice commanded firmly, but gently. "Afraid? Afraid of what? You've go-" Jean was asking the darkness, when suddenly the ground beneath her gave way, Jean fell, and swooned. She fell on and on and on and on...
"What's taking Jean so long?" Kristy asked no one in particular impatiently. It had been seven minutes at the least since Jean had gone, and plainly, Kristy was prepared to depart. "I dunno." Elizabeth replied, shrugging and taking another drought of water. "I'm gonna go up and find her." Kristy fumed as she picked up her bag with water in it. "I'll stay here, I twisted my ankle coming up, and it's starting to swell." Elizabeth complained, taking off her shoe and examining the tender joint. "Whatever." Kristy sighed as she started up the hill after her best friend. "I'll be back soon, Heaven willing."
Kristy had not gone far when she got the uncomfortable feeling one gets when he or she feels he or she is being watched. "Who's there?" She challenged the stillness that seemed to mock her. "I am here." The same voice that had talked with Jean replied calmly, almost as though it was glad that she had noticed it. Kristy spun around like a top. "Where are You?" "Everywhere, in the air that you breathe, in the water trickling down the stream, even in the mountain itself. I am in them because I made them." Kristy was about to ask more questions when she saw the sunlight glinting off of something. Being pulled by some force other than her own, she quickly trotted off to see what it was, and picked it up. "A ring?" She asked, fondling it gently and looking at the green jewel that had been placed in it. "Take care, and give comfort when it is needed, but also be ready to be strong. Do not hesitate." Kristy was pondering what the voice had meant, when she suddenly fell through a hole. Kristy was only half surprised as she closed her eyes, passing out. Somehow she had been practically expecting something such as this to happen.
Elizabeth was sick and tired of waiting for her sister. Her ankle was starting to severely swell now, and the shadows were getting longer. "I'll write a note to Kristy to tell her that I've gone back down." Elizabeth said to no one in particular, but Someone heard her. 'Elizabeth...' Elizabeth jumped as she was getting a paper out of her fanny-pack, and nearly dropped the paper. "Kristy?" She called up the trail. Kristy did not hear her, nor did she answer her call. Elizabeth put the paper in her lap shakily, and started looking for a pen. She was sure that she'd heard someone call her name. 'I did call your name.' The same voice that had spoken to Kristy and to Jean said softly. "What are You?" Elizabeth asked removing her attention from her pack, and looked around. Her gaze finally resting on the sunset. After a moment with no response, she looked back down at the paper, and saw it had rich, lavender writing upon it that hadn't been there before. She picked it up with trembling hands and read the message:
I am the Way and the Truth and the Light
Elizabeth almost screamed, and got up to run, but her sprained ankle gave way beneath her, and sent her tumbling.
Tears stung her eyes, and she clutched a fist-full of soil as a sharp pain ran through her leg. Elizabeth remembered words that Jean had spoken to her long ago, it had been nearly three years ago now, after Jean had broken her leg, and Elizabeth had questioned her as to why she did not cry. 'Because' the words rang faint in Elizabeth's memory, 'to cry for yourself out of physical pain is weakness.' Here Jean had paused, looking thoughtful, then looked back up at Elizabeth, 'And I am not weak.' Elizabeth did not cry, but stood up, the tears of pain blurring her vision so much that she could not see. Within the next few seconds, Elizabeth felt herself falling. 'Keep hope, never doubt, and give hope to those whose own hope in waning.' The voice commanded as Elizabeth dropped away into blessed unconsciousness.
Vicky was wandering down the sloping hillside; no obvious trail was to be found anywhere nearby. Vicky whimpered nervously as she wandered through a relatively large, darkening impression in the ground that almost looked like a huge crease in the earth's landscape. "Why did I leave?" Vicky whined, "If only I hadn't gotten off the path! I was only looking for a quick way round!" 'The shorter path is not always the correct one, for the broad path leads to Destruction.' Vicky, who had previously jumped at every small thing, was suddenly comforted and quieted by the same powerful voice that had spoken to her sister, and to both of her friends. "Why are You here?" She asked. 'I am here to give you direction.' "Direction? Direction about what?" Vicky questioned. 'Direction for your future. Here it is: If you hope to lead others, then be sure of your own path, and do not stray. Have compassion on those who are weaker, and do not mock.' "Lead!" Vicky nearly shouted, "I cant' lead anyone! I couldn't even lead a horse to water!" 'That's a pity, because later you will need to.' Vicky could tell that the voice had a slight smile in it, though she could not see His face. Feeling not so worried, Vicky smiled too. The voice was silent for a while, then it continued softly and tenderly: 'Simply trust me.' "OK, I'll trust You, but I'm still no good at leading anyone." Vicky sighed as she sat down on a rock. She immediately stood back up, because she had sat on something. When Vicky had picked it up and sat back down on the rock she looked at the object that she had sat upon, and to her surprise found it undamaged. "It's a ring!" Vicky was about to exclaim, but suddenly found herself plummeting backwards. 'Trust me...' The voice echoed in her mind. 'I will...' She replied mentally time and time again as she passed into the world on unconsciousness.
Part II
Departures and Discernings
Jean walked quickly down the footpath, skipping here, jumping on a rock to get a better view there, but always scrutinizing for possible hazards. After two minutes, she determined that she had better turn back before anyone became worried about her. 'It sure is strange' She mused, 'That at home I'd trip over a piece of lint, but when I'm outdoors I can jump like an Elf!' "Jean..." A voice called. Jean stopped dead, adrenaline pulsating through her veins. She slowly turned around and saw a small crevice in the hillside. "Jean..." The strong, powerful voice called again. Jean's feet began moving against her will, though her mind was fully functional and did not totally protest. It was a man's voice, she was sure of it! But it had such authority and strength in it that she both immediately loved and feared it as one would love and fear a powerful king. "Who are You?" She asked as she crawled into the crevice, noticing that it was completely dry. "I AM." The voice replied. "Ok..." Jean said, a bit confused. "I am also known as the Shepherd, the Unblemished Lamb, the Lion, Aslan, Ilúvatar, the King, and many other things." "I-I'm Jean." She stuttered not sure what to say. "Yes, I know." The voice almost laughed, but it was not a scornful laugh, but a kind one. Jean was crawling through the tunnel when her hand landed upon something small and round, just as another had done a long time ago, she picked it up and put it in her pocket, only subconsciously aware of her actions. "Jean, use the grace I have given you, do not be afraid, and do not succumb to temptation." The voice commanded firmly, but gently. "Afraid? Afraid of what? You've go-" Jean was asking the darkness, when suddenly the ground beneath her gave way, Jean fell, and swooned. She fell on and on and on and on...
"What's taking Jean so long?" Kristy asked no one in particular impatiently. It had been seven minutes at the least since Jean had gone, and plainly, Kristy was prepared to depart. "I dunno." Elizabeth replied, shrugging and taking another drought of water. "I'm gonna go up and find her." Kristy fumed as she picked up her bag with water in it. "I'll stay here, I twisted my ankle coming up, and it's starting to swell." Elizabeth complained, taking off her shoe and examining the tender joint. "Whatever." Kristy sighed as she started up the hill after her best friend. "I'll be back soon, Heaven willing."
Kristy had not gone far when she got the uncomfortable feeling one gets when he or she feels he or she is being watched. "Who's there?" She challenged the stillness that seemed to mock her. "I am here." The same voice that had talked with Jean replied calmly, almost as though it was glad that she had noticed it. Kristy spun around like a top. "Where are You?" "Everywhere, in the air that you breathe, in the water trickling down the stream, even in the mountain itself. I am in them because I made them." Kristy was about to ask more questions when she saw the sunlight glinting off of something. Being pulled by some force other than her own, she quickly trotted off to see what it was, and picked it up. "A ring?" She asked, fondling it gently and looking at the green jewel that had been placed in it. "Take care, and give comfort when it is needed, but also be ready to be strong. Do not hesitate." Kristy was pondering what the voice had meant, when she suddenly fell through a hole. Kristy was only half surprised as she closed her eyes, passing out. Somehow she had been practically expecting something such as this to happen.
Elizabeth was sick and tired of waiting for her sister. Her ankle was starting to severely swell now, and the shadows were getting longer. "I'll write a note to Kristy to tell her that I've gone back down." Elizabeth said to no one in particular, but Someone heard her. 'Elizabeth...' Elizabeth jumped as she was getting a paper out of her fanny-pack, and nearly dropped the paper. "Kristy?" She called up the trail. Kristy did not hear her, nor did she answer her call. Elizabeth put the paper in her lap shakily, and started looking for a pen. She was sure that she'd heard someone call her name. 'I did call your name.' The same voice that had spoken to Kristy and to Jean said softly. "What are You?" Elizabeth asked removing her attention from her pack, and looked around. Her gaze finally resting on the sunset. After a moment with no response, she looked back down at the paper, and saw it had rich, lavender writing upon it that hadn't been there before. She picked it up with trembling hands and read the message:
I am the Way and the Truth and the Light
Elizabeth almost screamed, and got up to run, but her sprained ankle gave way beneath her, and sent her tumbling.
Tears stung her eyes, and she clutched a fist-full of soil as a sharp pain ran through her leg. Elizabeth remembered words that Jean had spoken to her long ago, it had been nearly three years ago now, after Jean had broken her leg, and Elizabeth had questioned her as to why she did not cry. 'Because' the words rang faint in Elizabeth's memory, 'to cry for yourself out of physical pain is weakness.' Here Jean had paused, looking thoughtful, then looked back up at Elizabeth, 'And I am not weak.' Elizabeth did not cry, but stood up, the tears of pain blurring her vision so much that she could not see. Within the next few seconds, Elizabeth felt herself falling. 'Keep hope, never doubt, and give hope to those whose own hope in waning.' The voice commanded as Elizabeth dropped away into blessed unconsciousness.
Vicky was wandering down the sloping hillside; no obvious trail was to be found anywhere nearby. Vicky whimpered nervously as she wandered through a relatively large, darkening impression in the ground that almost looked like a huge crease in the earth's landscape. "Why did I leave?" Vicky whined, "If only I hadn't gotten off the path! I was only looking for a quick way round!" 'The shorter path is not always the correct one, for the broad path leads to Destruction.' Vicky, who had previously jumped at every small thing, was suddenly comforted and quieted by the same powerful voice that had spoken to her sister, and to both of her friends. "Why are You here?" She asked. 'I am here to give you direction.' "Direction? Direction about what?" Vicky questioned. 'Direction for your future. Here it is: If you hope to lead others, then be sure of your own path, and do not stray. Have compassion on those who are weaker, and do not mock.' "Lead!" Vicky nearly shouted, "I cant' lead anyone! I couldn't even lead a horse to water!" 'That's a pity, because later you will need to.' Vicky could tell that the voice had a slight smile in it, though she could not see His face. Feeling not so worried, Vicky smiled too. The voice was silent for a while, then it continued softly and tenderly: 'Simply trust me.' "OK, I'll trust You, but I'm still no good at leading anyone." Vicky sighed as she sat down on a rock. She immediately stood back up, because she had sat on something. When Vicky had picked it up and sat back down on the rock she looked at the object that she had sat upon, and to her surprise found it undamaged. "It's a ring!" Vicky was about to exclaim, but suddenly found herself plummeting backwards. 'Trust me...' The voice echoed in her mind. 'I will...' She replied mentally time and time again as she passed into the world on unconsciousness.