A Shift in the Tapestry of the Universe

[I wrote this a couple years ago. I stumbled upon it a half an hour ago and felt like sharing it to a larger audience than just my few friends. This is a story of who I was and how life felt for quite some time when I was younger. God pulled me out of my depression. He revealed the dangerous thoughts of the enemy (That would be Satan) and how those thoughts impacted my life. Sometimes the world will pull you down, and feed off of you. But the Lord (in most cases, someone the Lord is using to bless you) is always there waiting for you to reach out your hand to His. By the grace of the Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, I am healed, saved, and sanctified.]

To my dearest friends,

"You were God's gift to me long before I ever committed to the belief of His blessings or had faith in myself. I am forever grateful for your friendship and your contributions to my life. You are in my prayers."

A SHIFT IN THE TAPESTRY OF THE UNIVERSE

i was of the world of man,

in a field of endless black grass,

sharp blades as treacherous as mutiny.

the sky was the darkest shade of purple.

its moon, a violent red,

oozed its reflective light

through vast layers of papery clouds

presenting a pulpous presentation,

like a mist of clotted dreams.

the fog was thicker than my flesh

and pumbled its way through my will.

"It's you against the world,"

was the whisper that echoed

within the unseen, soundless walls

that surrounded my bastille.

"There is no salvation. You are alone."

i did not fight those words, i believed them

stumbling forward through shadow's spit

wavering in speed versus the gravity

as slimy, caulk-colored arms

pulled at my knees from the ground.

their grip, colder than apathy, grew stronger.

death's rank breath hovered over my neck.

"You will never find love," it said.

its words were a cinder-block of misery

to the back of my head.

i clung to the air as i felt myself falling,

the shards of grass licked their lips

like vampires ready to feed.

but the earth tilted its axis

as a warm, flushed pink hand collected mine

paying me in mercy with steady feet

and a shift in the tapestry of the universe.

the vise-gripping fog had become gray, trimmed.

the mist gave way to a faintly growing golden glow

beyond my sights, within my hopes.

"Have faith. Follow me," the figure whispered,

her long-streaming, strapless silk dress billowed

in the midst of a rising warm breeze.

i collected her outstretched pink hand

and followed through the shadows towards

a glimmering pillar in the distance

"There is no hope. You are doomed,"

the gnarling earth continued.

i did not disbelieve it, i worried.

my grip slipped from her hand.

slimy, earth-covered hands collected my ankles

"It's you against the world," the voice chided,

"and you are alone."

my feet were submerged, blocks of ice.

i reached out towards my once savior

but felt the bladed sickle of death instead.

in the quicksand of my own frustrations

i found myself hip-deep, trembling.

the blades of the grass had their way with my flesh

singing celebrations with a ceremonial hiss

as streams of blood dripped and poured and

the earth slurped loudly with satisfaction.

"Surrender. It's over," it said.

somehow, I was still moving forward.

i did not surrender, i extended my hand

and was effortlessly pulled from the earth

the blood-soaked soil still slurped loudly while

the grass chittered and chided

sounding like wind chimes in my path.

my frost-bitten legs felt numbly absent.

cold-sweat poured down my body, soaking me.

i trembled, nose-running, goosebumped, sore,

blood still dripped from my arms to the earth

and the earth gobbled it up graciously,

its chides continuing, "You are doomed.

You will never find love. Surrender. It can all be over."

a tongue from the earth stretched out

collecting my neck with a grip tight enough

to snap it.

my grip tightened on the pink-skinned hand

and it was replaced by a shimmering white sword.

its girth measured meters and fire played off its blade

with enough intensity to devour the field in flame.

she whispered, "There is hope. You are not alone.

It is us against the world."

i sliced the tongue that squeezed my neck

and scorched the earth within my stead.

the earth's arms stretched out violently,

pulling at my legs, its claws digging into my thighs.

i spun the blade and thrust it into the earth

scoring a flaming hole and driving the whispers

into a stunned silence.

the world shook in retaliation, i did not falter.

i removed the blade from the earth

and swung it in the wind, driving away the mists,

the lingering breath of death.

the fire sword escaped my grip on its own

and the pink-skinned, golden figure returned.

her smile radiated as she extended her hand,

"You are loved, my friend; you are never alone."

i collected her hand, we walked forward

the pillar of light came upon us quickly.

my eyes should have been burned by the brightness

but instead found pure clarity of vision.

when we stepped through the light, she vanished

in her absence, stood another at the center.

a mirrored reflection of me

dressed in gold, green, and white

hands and arms open in invitation

taller, with hair shaved, and smile wide

"Walk with me," he said.

i walked with him and the light followed.

he said, "You have never been completely alone

and never will be. You will always have Him,

your glowing pillar of light to guide your path

and sword of might to defend you from the world.

And you can trust in her, your true friend,

with whom He has worked through

to bless us with love."

i asked, "And who are you?"

he said, "I am the best of you,

when you walk with Him and He works through you."

i asked, "Okay. So, what do I do now?"

he said, "Become me."

i asked, "How do I do that?"

he said, "Keep on walking forward. Stop looking back.

Keep your feet above the ground. Always have hope.

Never lose faith. His light will always be upon you...

and your heart will show you the way."

Copyright (c) Antuan J. Vance