[Askoga]: 89.Short Stories.Torment

Note from the author: This was written because there is a concept that I struggle with in my faith. I try to find answers, but all I found was a powerful story. I hope that I am right, but I cannot know. What is your answer?

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“God! Please, God, please help me!” My anguished cry echoed around me strangely, a cry of the spirit as I felt the Place of Torment approaching. Closer and closer I drew to that place of never ending agony, and I cried out again, desperately, “My God! Please, I beg of you!” Fear of this place grew as I neared it.

“For what reason should I spare you? You, who have denied me all your life, how can you now call me your God?” The powerful voice that answered me was full of wrath, but had undertones of sorrow. A second voice, just as powerful, but more sorrowful yet joined, “I died for you, to save you from this pain. All you had to do was acknowledge me, follow me, and yet you did not.”

The Pain and Suffering drew nearer still, eager to draw me in, and I cried out once more, trying to reason with the Voice, “How could I know? What proof was there? Please, at least let me try again! Do not condemn me!” I would have been prostrate, if I had but a body to do so with.

The Voice did not respond, and I despaired as the Place of Fear began to consume me. In greatest anguish, I cried out, a wordless cry that embodied my loss of any hope at all.

A new voice, soft and hesitant spoke up, “He called upon Your Name, and you do nothing? Why then am I spared the same suffering, My Lord? I was no better a person in life than he.”

From somewhere deep within my torment, I heard the Spirit respond, “He called not my name in life, so will I not spare him in death. This is my decree.”

“Then spare me not, My Lord, God. For I have sinned just as he has. He was blinded by the Devil's will, but now he can see. Why should death be different from life?”

“He had his chance in life. Now judgment has fallen, and he shall not be spared the consequences.”

In confusion, I saw a spirit not unlike me approach this Place of her own will. I tried to call out to her, to warn her away, but she heeded me not.

“If he in life denied you, but calls on your name now, and you still do nothing, while I in life followed in your way, but remained no better than he, then I now deny you, and shall join him in death.”

The Anguish that consumed me hungrily devoured her as well, as she approached. There was no lessening of Pain, no serene peace to soothe me, but still I sensed that this Place of Torment had lost a very important battle. I called out to God again, and a small bud of hope bloomed inside of me that perhaps some time, He would hear me and listen.