Unbecoming Humans

Epilogue

I was lying on an uncomfortable, uneven surface. I tried to move my limbs to no avail. Cold air was biting at my face. I opened my eyes. It was too dark to see at first, but my eyes slowly adjusted. Dark figures towered over me. As the scene came into focus, I realized that they were trees. Beyond them, I could see stars in the inky black sky. I tried to move my head around to see more of my surroundings. The muscles in my neck and shoulders felt weak, and the motion made me dizzy, but I managed to look over to my left. I could just make out the silhouettes of nondescript foliage. Surveying the ground beneath me, I saw that it was covered in leaves and pine needles. I was apparently in a forest, but I had no idea where I was, or how I had come to be there. I tried to recollect the events that had led me here. I vaguely recalled the compound, Nima and the others, the horrific treatments, the prison, and dying...

Was I dead? Was this heaven? The pain that enveloped my whole body told me it was not. So, this was hell, then? It was certainly cold enough to be hell. I needed to stand up so that I could investigate further. When I tried to move my arms and legs again, I realized that I was bound. I looked down at my body. It was not tied with rope as I had feared, simply swaddled in a utilitarian blanket.

I wriggled free of the confining cloth and tried to stand. I got my feet beneath me, but promptly fell back to the cold, hard earth. I was cold, hungry, dehydrated, and weak. I tried to stand again, using a nearby tree to pull myself up. By the time I managed to attain a standing position, I was sweating with exertion.

I looked around for any clue as to where I was. I appeared to be in a very small clearing surrounded by thick shrubbery, but I couldn't see far beyond that. I looked to the stars, but I couldn't see enough of the sky through the trees to recognize them. If this was hell, it was unlikely that they were the stars I was familiar with anyway. I was lost and alone. Not to mention, I was completely famished and borderline hypothermic. The hell theory seemed more and more plausible the longer I thought about it. I wondered if it was possible to die again.

Suddenly, I heard a noise in the distance. The sound came closer and closer. Something was moving through the bushes, and I thought I could make out footsteps. Fear raised the tiny hairs on the back of my neck, as my fight or flight instinct kicked in. Unfortunately, I was in no condition to fight or flee. I threw myself behind a tree and cowered there as the footsteps came closer and grew louder. I peeked around the tree trunk to watch as a figure appeared through the bushes on the other side of the tiny clearing. It stopped at the edge of the wall of foliage. Silhouetted by the dim light of the stars, I could see that it was humanoid in shape and it appeared to be searching for something. I hoped it wasn't me.

That hope disappeared quickly, as the shadow walked over to where I had left the blanket lying on the ground.

Stupid! I chastised myself silently.

Based on everything I had read about spiritual experiences, I decided there were two possibilities. Either, the figure was a spiritual guide, here to lead me through the afterlife, or it was a malevolent demon sent to torture me for eternity. Not wanting to risk the latter, I stayed hidden, praying to be left alone.

And then, she called out my name.

TO BE CONTINUED...