Pandemonium

“He knew, he saw God that day.“

His entire life of forty four years, he had been waiting for just one call. God’s call. And the war he was born for, was finally calling him. It was time to put years of learning and training into use and prove to his God, his loyalty. Prove to his God that he had it in him.

The Murk

In his childhood, he used to wonder that the world is such a beautiful place, such a happy place to be in! He loved his mother’s warm embraces, all the sweets and savories that his father got him and loved playing for hours with his brothers and sisters, carefree smiles gleaming on their faces. He really liked that world.

Why did the world suddenly turn into a dark place when he went to learn God’s words? Why did the preacher say that those were dark times and God wanted them to fight? He wondered, who did God want them to fight! He never saw anyone who wanted to harm him or his family. But the preacher said that though he is unable to see it, danger lurks in all the dark alleys around him and he needs to be vigilant. And when the time comes, he and his brothers need to be ready to sacrifice their lives for saving their world, in the God’s name.

Years of learning the hard truth every single day of his life, had wiped that carefree smile off his face. He had learnt that the happy world was just a facade. The ultimate truth was that everyone that did not believe in his God, were against him.

The Facade

But till the time came for him to join God’s forces, he too had to be part of the illusion. He too had to go to work, have a family, hold them tight and cherish their smiles till he could. Because eventually, he too would have to divulge the truth to his innocent little ones, just like his father did, for their own safety.

Sometimes he so wished for the fake world to be true. He so wished that the smiles on his little ones’ faces could stay forever but what had to be done, had to be done eventually. But for now, he was trying to push that moment a little bit farther so he could live in the Utopian world, for a little bit longer.

Extermination Extravaganza

He was absolutely awestruck when he saw how God’s plan was unfolding! It was massive! God was eradicating all the non-believers in every single part of the world, all at the same time! He couldn’t even have imagined the magnitude of it all! He was thrilled at how powerful his God was! He just couldn’t help but have a sense of pride for being a soldier on the winning side.

He believed, he saw God that day.

Show Time

God had done his part and now it was time for him to play his part. He had gotten a clear message from his teacher, the preacher. The plan was simple. “Be the poison. Spread the poison. Only non-believers would die”, he said. “Your God will protect YOU”, he assured.

Victory

The poison had started killing him. When he was brought to the hospital bed, even though he felt betrayed, he had a sublime smile on his face. He finally did what he was born to do. He was proud to fulfill the purpose of his life. He had no regrets whatsoever. He was collapsing, finding it difficult to breath but he knew his God was waiting for him on the other end, with his arms wide open.

“It was all worth it, in the end”, he thought.

Awakening

Alas! He woke up in a very different world. A very dark world indeed. He did not see God anywhere around him. Where ever he looked, he saw pain and misery. He saw people struggling to live, struggling to breath. Their woes. Their worries. Their helplessness. The place stank of death.

The feeling of joy and victory, he felt no more. He found the fact immensely agonizing, that somewhere, he too was responsible for their anguish and no one around him knew that.

The creatures in white

Then he saw the ethereal creatures floating around in whites. The creatures that helped people feel better. The creatures that eased their pain. The creatures that healed them. The creatures that kept them alive.

The creatures that kept HIM alive, even when he did not want to.

The Revelation

In that chaos, while he battled what he thought was his ultimate destiny, his head was filled with a million thoughts. On that hospital bed, he had all the time in the world to contemplate and comprehend, to meditate and to mull.

What is a greater force? The one that gives life or takes it away? The one that eases one’s pain or gives them? The one that lets you go back to your loved ones or takes you away from them?

The dark clouds cleared and what he saw was both; surreal and lucid. The creatures in white, working day and night, to keep the world alive!

He knew, he saw God that day.

The Utopia

Even though all that he was made of, his entire belief system, his fundamental core, was shattered in just couple of week’s time, he was ecstatic. A huge load was lifted off his chest. He did not have to part ways with his children’s smiles in exchange of some ‘hard truth’.

That day he was healed. From the poison. Both the kinds.

That day he went home, hugged his wife and children and wept. Wept like never before.

The Utopian world truly existed after all.

Disclaimer: Although inspired by a few news pieces, this story is purely a work of fiction.