Within the Walls of Hell (7 page)

William
: That was really cruel, I must say. Goose pimples would cover anybody's body who listens to all what you did.

Stone
: There you are. When you listen to what I did, you forget what you did.

William:
Sorry about that.

Stone
: (
face brightens up
) Do you know what that Messenger would have told you if he were here to hear your story?

William:
No, can you tell me?

Stone:
(
Tries to imitate the Messenger
) you are here because you did what you were not supposed to do. You were supposed to defend the poor against the rich, the weak against the powerful, the common man against the government and the exploited against the exploiters. Instead you joined the exploiters to exploit those who could not fight for themselves. You were supposed to use your office to serve and not to be served. You were supposed to use your office to make friends especially with the underprivileged but you used it to make enemies and instead to serve, you wanted to make the people feel how important you were. All your life, you served a well to do minority group against a vast majority you were supposed to serve.

Voice of the Messenger
: You have spoken well.

 

(All three run to one end of the room quivering with fear. They can't see him but can still hear his voice).

 

Voice of Messenger
: Do not be afraid. I am not going to hurt you.

Sandi
: (
To William and Stone
) do you think we can trust that guy?

William
: You can see that we really have no choice. We are completely deprived of rights here. We had rights down there and refused the same rights to others. Since we could not feel what those people we subjected to pain felt, we have to feel it now. That guy is the only one we can communicate with now. We have to trust him whether we like it or not. If he has said he is not going to hurt us, we have to take him for his word. So chill guys.

Stone:
Before I forget, there is one question which is still troubling my mind. I am here because I was obstinate and blind to see other people as my equals. I was also very obsessed with class and social distinction which made me internally blind. There you can see that there was an umbrella of ignorance which covered my vision. My friend here was misled by someone he put all his trust in blindly. He too was suffering from chronic ignorance. But it was not the case with you. You knew what you were doing and knew very well that it was wrong. Before you came here, didn't you try to implore the mercy of our creator?

William:
I must tell you that I had the visit of so many men who claimed to be servants of our creator. They belonged to many religions but they served me with conflicting messages. The first one that came to me told me that our creator could only forgives transgressions which were committed out of ignorance. Since all the transgressions I committed and still continued to commit long after he left were not committed out of ignorance, I considered myself doomed for ever. Many others came after the first one and told me a different story. Some said that there were some transgressions which could not be pardoned by our creator. I committed some of the transgressions they cited as examples. Yet there were others who came and told me that there were no transgressions that our creator couldn't forgive but that He could forgive only after certain conditions were met like I going to beg for forgiveness from the men in prison I slept with their wives. That was something I could not do no matter what. I was worried about my reputation. The last thing that finally confused me was science that tried to prove that everything we had down there resulted from evolution. That science theory suit my conscience and it made me less guilty since I did not know who or what to believe. The words of the first servant of our creator who came to me kept echoing in my mind and I knew that I was already condemned. I did try to go to the house of prayer. I knew at least how to pray but failed several times because my restless conscience wouldn't let me be. As a result, I was gripped most of the time by the syndrome of procrastination. I was finally banished from below there by prostate cancer and I left without begging for forgiveness. (
Sighs
)

Sandi
: I understand your frustration. I came with high hopes of being crowned a martyr as well as to be given so many virgins for my pleasure.

Stone
: Where? Here?

Sandi
: Yes of course.

 

(
William and Stone explode with laughter to the extent that Stone rolls on the ground. Sandi looks very surprise as he does not see what is funny in what he has said
).

 

Sandi:
What is it? Have you guys started loosing your heads?

William:
(
Still laughing
) where did you get that idea from? How can it even cross your mind in a place like this?

Stone
: (
To William
) Maybe we should try to grant one of his wishes by giving him a crown.

William:
I think you are right. (
Runs out of the room and finds some dry grass which he uses to make a grass crown. Brings it to the room and place it on Sandi's head. They all bow to him as a king
)

Stone
: It's a pity we can't find virgins around here. But I think half bread is better than none. If you can't have the virgins, well, you have at least the crown. (
Bows again
)

Sandi
: (
With a disgustful look on his face
) I dreamt of a golden crown and with the virgins fanning me and bathing me. Not this shit you guys are doing here. You are just mocking me. (
Sighs
) I think I should go to my room and try to have some sleep.

 

(
Just as he is about to exit, they hear the crackling sound made by the gate
).

 

William
: I think someone is to be let in.

Sandi
: let's go and see who it is.

 

 

(They all exit William's room).

 

 

 

 

At the Gate.

 

 

Messenger:
This way please.

Carlos
: I can recognize that gate. It looks like the one leading into my palace. But I can see only a vast yard with no tiles and the nature of the structures leaves much to be desired. They are not good for human habitation especially for somebody of my rank. Where have you moved my palace to?

Messenger
: Nobody has moved your palace. It is still where you built it.

Carlos:
Then where is it?

Messenger:
It is in the world below your feet.

Carlos
: Then what am I doing here? I don't remember asking anybody to take me anywhere. Someone must have kidnapped me from my palace. (
Stops and thinks hard for a while
) But how is that possible? I have the best trained guards in the world and kidnapping wouldn't have been possible. (
Thinks and rethinks
) How did I get here?

Messenger
: Nobody kidnapped you. From the way you are sounding, it seems you don't even remember what happened to you.

Carlos
: It seems I don't know what happened to me? (
Remains silent for a while. Searches his brain again and again
) AAAH yes, I was addressing a crowd at the capital city Square when a flying object was spotted heading towards me. The last think I can remember was a huge noise the flying object made upon touching the ground. Could it be…

Messenger
: The flying object was a missile and it catapulted you here, not instantly though. You have moved from that world down there to this one.

Carlos
: But I didn't ask to be sent here. Those who used that missile to catapult me here did so without my consent. I want to go back to my beautiful palace. That is the only place where I feel really comfortable and safe.

Messenger
: alright, see you soon.

Carlos:
(
walks back towards to the gate. Murmurs to himself as he does so
) My goodness, what a place!!! Even the house of my dog is better than this place. And he is trying to say that we have two worlds we have to live in. If this is the one someone has to leave and come to, then it is of no use. It is better someone remains down there. It seems the president of this place is not a serious man. He has not built a palace worth the name even for himself because I can't see any good structure anywhere. This place looks like a slum. If I have to accept that nonsense of moving to this next world, what would my people think of me now? I brutally shut up those who tried to say that there was a supreme being some where greater than me. I couldn't tolerate that and had many of them killed. I am the only supreme one who is the giver and taker of life. My people all know that and I have to keep it that way. This is not possible! If this is the palace of that Supreme Being those foolish religious fanatics talked about, then I think he needs to come to me for some lessons about living in a luxurious house. This place is not good for human habitation. (
Gets to the gate. Tries to open it but it
doesn't open.
Tries to use force but it does not still
open. Shouts to the messenger
) Come and help me open this gate. That is an order.

Messenger
: (
Does not move but remains rooted where he is, just watching
)

Carlos: Is this real or I'm just dreaming? Did that guy just disobey me? Down there, nobody could do that without having a knife go through his or her throat or a bullet through the head. (
Starts
walking back to meet the Messenger
) Could it be that power is deserting me? I hate to feel that I'm not in control. (
Gets closet to the messenger and stares him straight in the eyes. loudly
) Didn't I order you to come and open that gate?

Messenger:
(
Remains silent and does not show any reaction
)

 

(
Stone, Sandi and William come closer to where Carlos and the Messenger are
)

 

Carlos
: If this guy does not want to go and open that gate, you three should go and do it. That's an order? (
They do not move and remain staring at him. Start laughing at him
) is this stupidity or outright stubbornness? If Combo was here, all of you would have been dead by now. I would have asked him to take all of you to the guillotine and have your heads cut off for insubordination.

Stone
: It seems you don't yet know where you are.

William:
You are in the land of Eternal Discomfort.

Sandi:
And once you get in here through that gate, you can never get out again.

William
: We had a saying down there that when you are in a position of power, be wise and leave it before it leaves you. Power has forgotten you and the earlier you get use to it, the better for you.

Carlos
: (
Not believing his ears. To Messenger
) What are you guys... a relay team of the kidnappers? Where are you going to take me next?

Messenger:
Nobody kidnapped you and you are not moving from this place. In other words, you shall never leave this place.

Carlos
: What do you mean? What happens to my beautiful palace?

Messenger
: What I mean is, the money, beautiful palaces, cars, politics, power and all the nice things of life belong to that world below your feet. You were born with none of them and you take none of them along the day you die.

Carlos
: Are there no such nice things here?

Messenger:
Well, there are. Those here are better than what you knew down there but they are not found in this part. (
Pointing to the golden City
) They are found over there.

Carlos
: Can I go there?

Messenger
: No you can't. You must earn your ticket into that place. You must earn it while you are down there in that world below your feet where your beautiful palace is.

Carlos
(
Unable to continue standing on his feet. sits on the ground buried in his thoughts. The others retire to their rooms because of the intense
heat leaving Carlos out side in the open yard
).