Book One, Chapter 3:The Spirit Gives Life

ROMANS 6:7

→ "For he that is dead is freed from sin." ←

SCENE ONE:THE UNKNOWN

Shikauhno is shrouded in oppressive darkness, unconscious. She is splayed out on the floor and begins to awaken from her dormant state. Everything around her is pitch black, there is an unusual aura around her that appears to make her glow.

Her hand twitches and she begins to move her body slowly. She opens her eyes and her vision is blurry. 'What happened? W-where am I?' Her voice reverberates. Though she is thinking her inner thoughts are heard aloud.

Shikauhno is taken aback, 'My voice! My mouth isn't moving...' She touches her lips.

Shikauhno looks around back and forth. 'It's so dark in here...I can't see a thing.' Shikauhno tries to slowly stand up but she falls to her hands and knees. 'Why...why am I so weak?' She begins feeling pain in her abdomen, she looks down to see her shirt covered in blood. Her stomach is wounded. She grunts in pain and slowly gains the strength to stand on her own.

She begins walking-one arm around her stomach- and her footsteps echo loudly. She begins to hear a crackling sound and from a distance she sees a faded orange light.

SFX: Crackling Fire

'What is that?'

Shikauhno slowly approaches the orange light. She reaches the light only to find herself at the edge of a cliff. She cautiously approaches the edge and looks down it. To her surprise, she discovers an all-consuming fire. Shikauhno's eyes widen as the glow of the fire reflects in her eyes. Shikauhno begins sweating and she shields her face. 'It's so hot...this heat is unbearable.'

A multitude of voices arise from the pit speaking sharply in various tongues: Greek, Latin, German, and French. Though they speak in varying languages they repeat the same sentence over and over, "Burn, burn, burn! Burn with us for eternity. Live in your flesh and die forever. Shikauhno, Shikauhno. Join us. Forever. " Their voices blend in an eerie chant.

Shikauhno stands there unable to move, the voices continue to beckon her; and a mass of festering hands stretch up from the pit of fire. Some of the arms and fingers are contorted and the flesh from the hands and arms are peeling.

They attempt to grab at Shikauhno's ankles. Two pairs of hands wrap around each one of her legs. They begin to walk her closer and closer to the pit.

"No! Get off of me!" She speaks to the mangled arms.

"No! You're one of us! You belong with us." They respond. They continue their chant yet again. "Burn, burn, burn! Burn with us for eternity. Live in your flesh and die forever. Shikauhno, Shikauhno. Join us."

Shikauhno demands, "Where are you taking me?"

"To a paradise."

Shikauhno shakes her head back and forth. She struggles to become loose, "No! Let...go of me!"

She manages to break away from some of the hands but more come.

Suddenly a powerful yet soft voice speaks, "Be still."

The hands obey and release Shikauhno; they slowly withdraw back into the pit.

Though the hands are now gone they leave behind imprints on Shikauhno's ankles.

Shikauhno backs away from the pit and falls on her bottom in relief yet shock. Although the hands have retreated their voices still sound in grievous whispers.

"Be still and return." The beautiful, yet adamant voice speaks again. The beckoning voices immediately become completely soundless.

Shikauhno gets up and turns around. She sees an extremely bright figure several feet away from her, she shields her face from its bright and glorious appearance.

She is drawn to the magnificent light and something compels her to walk towards it. The bright figure has its back turned to her. It appears to resemble a male with flawless beauty. The figure is tall and divine. It has long cascading brown hair and is clothed in a full body suit. The main color of the suit is a soft powder blue and there are gold trimmings down the side of his body. He is also wearing a platinum breastplate and a platinum face helmet that extends to his nose. His mouth and piercing green eyes are the only part of his face that is visible.

Shikauhno stops about three feet in front of this mysterious beauty and quietly speaks, "Do you know what this place is? Where are we?"

The figure abruptly responds, "This realm is far more vivacious than your vapid reality."

Shikauhno slowly shakes her head and speaks, "This has to be a dream or... the last thing I remember was running, running for my life. I was being chased. And then I... no I didn't run this time, I let him, I let him kill me...I'm dead." As she comes to this bleak realization she slinks to the floor in defeat.

He turns around and stands closer to her, "Yes, you have tasted death." Shikauhno looks up with tears in her eyes, "I...I don't want to die. I can't die yet. I can't be dead. It's not fair."

Shikauhno sadly says while looking at her arm, "I thought I wanted to but I was wrong. I'm not ready to let it all go; I don't want to close my eyes...forever."

"Then your unseeing eyes must now...be opened." He says in a hushed tone. "Your flesh must die as your spirit lives."

As Shikauhno is still staring at her scarred left wrist she sees that the skin is starting to peel off. She watches the dead skin rot and fall away as new skin forms. Her hair flutters in the air though there is no wind.

The scars on her left wrist are now gone and the blood near her abdominal area fades.

Unrelenting tears fall from her eyes as she purges.

"Allow these words to resonate in your heart: For those who live according to sin set their minds on the lust of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the desires of the spirit."

Shikauhno listens intently as he continues, "I, Gabriel have revealed unto you my unerring form. Abide in God and he in you." Shikauhno looks up at Gabriel and slowly stands to her feet.

In the blink of an eye Gabriel gently stabs Shikauhno in the heart. Shikauhno gasps as she realizes Gabriel is piercing her heart with a sword.

Her eyes widen and he continues, "The blessing of Shizukana (Shih-zoo-khana) has been instilled deep within your soul." As he speaks he drives the blue sword deeper into her heart and it becomes transparent.

The screen fades to black.

SCENE TWO: FRIDAY 4:33 AM, MASAKU INFIRMARY

Naninatso,the man who rescued and "killed" Shikauhno is leaning against a wall next to a door. His hair now has red-instead of blue-highlights. He blinks as he is in deep thought.

He's wearing a brown leather jacket with a white undershirt, black skinny jeans, and biker boots. There is a silver band on his right hand and a cross necklace hanging from his neck.

SCENE THREE: FLASHBACK OF THAT NIGHT

The man stands before Shikauhno's dead body. As he holds his weapon low, black and blue separate pieces of fabric begin to emanate from thin air around it as it forms into a guitar case once again. He slings the newly formed case over his shoulder watching Shikauhno laying there lifelessly.

A female voice from behind beckons, "Naninatso." (Nah-nee-not-so)

Naninatso turns around to see his two companions: a large black man and a blonde woman.

The female has blonde hair and is holding a white styrofoam cup with a red straw. She is wearing white rimmed prescription glasses, and a jogger set.

Dog-tags hang around the large black man's neck. He is wearing tan steel-toe combat boots, camouflage cargo pants, and a plain black t-shirt.

The woman takes a sip from the straw and speaks again, "Thankfully there were no witnesses. We're all set. Let's go."

The large black man walks to Shikauhno's still body and hoists her up. He carries her in his arms; her hair and limbs dangle lifelessly. The woman walks away as the large man follows after.

Stopping by Naninatso's side he reassures, "Don't look so worried."

SCENE FOUR:

Naninatso is staring at the ground as he thinks to himself, 'I'm the one responsible for her condition, how am I not supposed to worry?'

Someone opens the door and exits the room. It is the large black man. He glances at Naninatso as he slides the door behind him shut.

He begins to walk past Naninatso when Naninatso asks, "How'd you know about the girl?"

The large man turns around. "I just knew."

"That's not the answer I wanted," Naninatso sighs and continues, "She's young, Maku. (Mah-ku) What if her condition doesn't improve? What if she's not ready for this? "

"She will be. You were. We all were." Maku turns his back and walks away then stops, with his back still turned he looks to the side and says playfully yet with a serious tone, "We're all young."

Naninatso shakes his head and crosses his arms.

To be continued...

©