Two Gates, By Treanna B.

Two Gates

By Treanna B.

I woke up, felt disoriented and had no clue as to my location, but this was not my bedroom. The most obvious clue was the damp grass on which I lay. I stood and took a deep breath of the cool, wet air. That was when I noticed where I was, standing on a small patch of grass. Before me was a fork in the road. From that fork branched two paths, and at the beginning of each path was a gate.

I began to observe the two paths that were before me. I noticed that the gate to my left was huge, very wide, but very short. The gate to my right was narrow, and so tall that the top was hidden amongst the white fluffiness of the clouds above.

As I stood there trying to decide by which path I should travel, I began to notice little details about each gate, that my quick glance did not provide before. The wide gate had chains that draped over its rusted iron bars. The chains themselves were also rusted and falling apart, link by link. A padlock, corroded by age, was hanging, half opened, from a rusted link of chain.

Behind the chains and rusted old bars, a plain dirt path, rugged and trampled by use was visible. The few trees there, were blackened and charred. The grass was like ashes…grey and lifeless. A thick fog slithered in the air, as if its presence would help to hide what secrets lay beyond.

The path was silent. No birds trilled. No crickets chirped. The darkness surrounding the gate seemed to have choked out all life. When the wind was brave enough to blow through the barrenness of the land along this path, the silent, death-like feel crackled to life silencing it before it got too far.

The more I looked on this gate the more my skin felt like it was crawling. Shivering I turned to examine the gate to my right, the narrow gate. Chains were draped over the golden bars, but unlike the wide gate’s chains, these were pure. Pure, new, and strong. The padlock that secured the gate shut was solid, shining silver.

Once I was able to drag my eyes away from the majesty of the chains, I noticed the path beyond. To my amazement it was paved in solid gold. It stretched along the countryside until it took a sharp dip and vanished into a blinding white light.

The many beautiful trees that grew alongside of the path, were lush and green. Their branches were lithe and seemed to dance in the breeze. The flowers that dotted the luxuriant grass, blossomed with such a brilliance of varying colors, my head started to spin.

As I listened for the sounds of birds that I knew must surely be there, I found myself awed to find that it was not the singing of birds that greeted my ears, but a chorusing of such beauty and clarity I knew it must be nothing more than angels.

That was when I first realized I was not alone. Two figures stood on either side of the gate. They were in every way magnificent. One had short curly blonde hair, the other had short curly brown hair. Both were garbed in a crystal white robe. Their waists were girded with a long silver cord, and on their feet they wore plain brown sandals. Folded behind them elegant feathers formed a pair of intricately delicate wings. A sword was sheathed at their sides, but even in the sheath, it whispered of its beauty.

The two angels--for surely that’s what they were--stood tall, as if waiting for the next one that should be allowed entrance.

That was when I noticed him out of the corner of my eye. On the wide gate’s pathway, through the never-ending fog, emerged another being. His face and features were abstract and undecipherable. He was dressed in a flowing black cloak that obscured even the smallest amount of skin. His face--what was evident in the darkness--was gnarled and death-like, but well hidden among the many folds of the cloak.

As he approached, the angels at the narrow gate unsheathed their blades and crossed them over the gate, adding an extra assurance against this mysterious being.

As the being approached, I noticed that he was speaking. His voice was crackly, withered, almost ancient. I strained to hear his muttered words. Finally I managed to make them out. “Come to me. Come…to…me…” Even though his voice was strained, it held a smile. Soon it became stronger, louder. It evolved into the voice of a young, handsome man. As he came nearer, he started to change. Instead of the hunched, limping figure he once was, he stood tall and strong.

The cloak fell away from his face to reveal the most beautiful face I had ever seen. Curly blonde hair fell in long golden locks down his shoulders. Clear blue eyes smiled from an unblemished face. His skin was a peaches and cream complection, and I found it increasingly harder to remove my eyes from his sight.

I felt compelled to move closer. To investigate this beautiful new stranger and the mysterious path from which he emerged. I glanced back at the narrow gate--I wouldn’t be able to penetrate its barriers. I might as well take the opportunity that had presented itself to me.

The man at the wide gate held out his hand for me. “That’s it. Come child. Come.” I took a few unsteady steps toward him. His smile grew. “That’s good. You’re almost here. Wouldn’t you like to come closer?” I did. I wanted so badly to come closer…to know this man. “ Come, child. Come. What would you like me to give you? Beauty? Money? Youth? You can have anything you want, child. So long as you follow me.” I continued easing forward, listening as he promised me all the things I currently did not possess. Not only would I be receiving the acquaintance of this beautiful stranger, but also many things I did not have in my possession. This was so amazing. Too amazing.

“Anna.” I froze and so did the stranger. The voice beckoning me was simple, soft, sweet, and oddly familiar. I looked at how close I was to holding everything I had ever dreamed of--maybe even more--the palm of my hand, but it no longer mattered. All I wanted was to know who was behind that voice. That soft, sweet, wonderful voice.

“Anna.” I turned ever so slightly and the man behind me reached out. “No, child. Come with me.” But I no longer wanted to come to him. I wanted to go where the soft voice was. I turned towards the source and saw a man standing in a pure white light. A light that radiated perfectness. He stood at the entrance of the narrow gate…alone. The two angels that once guarded it with such intensity had vanished.

His features were not clear through all of the blinding light, but he seemed so familiar….like I knew him. “Anna.” He held out his hand. Immediately I saw the hole in its center, and I realized how wrong I had been to choose the beautiful stranger over him. I started to walk toward him, the man behind me forgotten.

I had not walked more than three paces before the man behind me began to growl. It was an awful, animal sound. Once again he seemed to transform from the beautiful young man into the being that had walked down that path. He grabbed my arm and yanked me backward. His hands were dry and cracked. They burned my skin like acid. I tried to fight against his hold, but he was too strong. I screamed, trying to fight my way back towards the man that seemed so very familiar to me, but he pulled me backwards. Back and back and back. Back towards the beaten path, the road of darkness.

Then He was there. Gently he pulled me away. “Not this one.” He said. “Not today.” Immediately the pain I felt began to ease. The man in the black cloak covered his face and slunk back down the darkened path as if the light from the man that now held me caused him physical pain. He continued down the path unintelligible words floating back to me on the dry breeze.

We turned away from him and approached the now opened narrow gate. The man at my side turned to me and smiled. “I am so glad you chose Me, Anna.” I smiled back. “The wider path always seems so much better at first. Satan compels and pulls others in with promises of things he has no intention of later fulfilling.” The words I had heard the stranger say flashed into my mind. “You can have whatever you want, child. As long as you choose me. Beauty. Wealth. Youth.” Promises he would never have fulfilled. “Is that why the path is so worn? People believe the lies? Like I did?” “Yes, Anna. But you also listened to the truth.” “The truth?” “Yes, Anna. Me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

“But I still looked to him first.” I felt disappointed with myself as I realized this truth. “This gate seemed too inaccessible…too hard to overcome.”

Jesus smiled. “It seems that way to many at first. People turn to unholy things to comfort and solve life’s problems when the real answer is right in front of them and a lot easier to access then they realize. Many turn to Satan and his false prophets, but once they near the gate, they realize the darkness that lies beyond.” “Thank you,” I said as we entered the gateway, “for saving me.”

As we walked down the golden path together I heard the gate close behind us, and even though I didn’t look back I knew what was taking place. The angels had retaken their posts, the gate had been relocked, and Satan had started his long walk back up the hill to drag another hapless soul down the wider path. A path that would ultimately lead them to their own destruction.