The Fire Swamp
It was called the Fire Swamp for plumes of smoke rose from its dark embrace. The swamp had long been synonymous with fear and death. No one that had entered that dark domain had ever returned. It had been the death of untold hundreds. Surely it was the Devil’s own land
The count of the nearby town had declared that all prisoners be banished into the Fire Swamp. Any who survived it’s hellish environment long enough to cross would be granted freedom.
Later, a young man, well set in his fortune, was caught attempting to steal the Shroud to buy, in his twisted beliefs, his entrance to heaven. He was quickly taken to the Fire Swamp.
The wall that surrounded the Fire Swamp had but two gates. The gates were overgrown with vines and the walls had become yellow for their closeness to the swamp. The stench of the Fire Swamp nearly made the man sick as the gate was pulled open by a team of men and a wave of the contaminated air struck him. With only a moments hesitation after the opening of the gate he was thrown in too his death. The large gate was closed behind him with a final deep noise, there would be no going back.
The gnarled trees, climbed by twisted vines, moved their limbs in the wind as if beseeching him to finish his journey. He stood, frozen by fear of what lie ahead. He looked bout him and saw the bones of those who wouldn’t, or perhaps couldn’t, go forward. At the gruesome sight he was overtaken by fear and he ran blindly into the swamp.
Ten steps into the trees his leg broke through the ground, descending abruptly into scalding water. He screamed in agony and quickly attempt to pull himself out of the hot spring. The ground around him started to crumble. In his torment, he calmed. Though the heat was untenable he looked about and saw, but a half foot above him, a vine. he reach for the vine. He clasped the vine. He pulled himself up by the vine.
Safe for the moment fear once more entered his soul. He quickly climbed up the vine. Too quickly, for his grip on the vine slipped. He fell. Grabbing for a branch, he swung away from the spring. He hit the ground with pain shooting up his leg. Fear sought to grip him. He fought to remain calm.
He sat still, regrouping and taking account of his injuries. He stood up, carefully testing his leg, then continued his journey through the Fire Swamp. He tested each step to assure it would hold. As he continued through the feared swamp, he became sure that he would make his way through. He avoided the springs and jumped easily away when fire flared up. He skirted the bogs and climbed the barriers. After nearly day of slow but steady progress, he could see the wall. He was nearly to freedom.
He stopped gazing with wearied joy at the gate. His gaze was drawn away from his portal to freedom by a bright glint of light, as from heaven’s own gate. A diamond, the Cullinan diamond, top a hill shone bright. He glanced once more towards the gate but turned away, moving instead toward the light. He passed skeletons without a glance -- all his attention was focused on that which he desired. Many skeletons before him and many behind. On he went toward the huge diamond that mocked the wealth of the world.
When he achieved the height, he reached for the diamond. The light blinded him to all danger. A snake was coiled, ready to strike. As his fingers touched the diamond, it struck embedding its fangs deep into the flesh of his leg, injecting its deadly poison. The poison burned through him. He struggled to move the impossibly huge diamond. He insides burned, he could barely move, but still he fought to claim the diamond for his own.
He died - his arms wrapped around it.
The count of the nearby town had declared that all prisoners be banished into the Fire Swamp. Any who survived it’s hellish environment long enough to cross would be granted freedom.
Later, a young man, well set in his fortune, was caught attempting to steal the Shroud to buy, in his twisted beliefs, his entrance to heaven. He was quickly taken to the Fire Swamp.
The wall that surrounded the Fire Swamp had but two gates. The gates were overgrown with vines and the walls had become yellow for their closeness to the swamp. The stench of the Fire Swamp nearly made the man sick as the gate was pulled open by a team of men and a wave of the contaminated air struck him. With only a moments hesitation after the opening of the gate he was thrown in too his death. The large gate was closed behind him with a final deep noise, there would be no going back.
The gnarled trees, climbed by twisted vines, moved their limbs in the wind as if beseeching him to finish his journey. He stood, frozen by fear of what lie ahead. He looked bout him and saw the bones of those who wouldn’t, or perhaps couldn’t, go forward. At the gruesome sight he was overtaken by fear and he ran blindly into the swamp.
Ten steps into the trees his leg broke through the ground, descending abruptly into scalding water. He screamed in agony and quickly attempt to pull himself out of the hot spring. The ground around him started to crumble. In his torment, he calmed. Though the heat was untenable he looked about and saw, but a half foot above him, a vine. he reach for the vine. He clasped the vine. He pulled himself up by the vine.
Safe for the moment fear once more entered his soul. He quickly climbed up the vine. Too quickly, for his grip on the vine slipped. He fell. Grabbing for a branch, he swung away from the spring. He hit the ground with pain shooting up his leg. Fear sought to grip him. He fought to remain calm.
He sat still, regrouping and taking account of his injuries. He stood up, carefully testing his leg, then continued his journey through the Fire Swamp. He tested each step to assure it would hold. As he continued through the feared swamp, he became sure that he would make his way through. He avoided the springs and jumped easily away when fire flared up. He skirted the bogs and climbed the barriers. After nearly day of slow but steady progress, he could see the wall. He was nearly to freedom.
He stopped gazing with wearied joy at the gate. His gaze was drawn away from his portal to freedom by a bright glint of light, as from heaven’s own gate. A diamond, the Cullinan diamond, top a hill shone bright. He glanced once more towards the gate but turned away, moving instead toward the light. He passed skeletons without a glance -- all his attention was focused on that which he desired. Many skeletons before him and many behind. On he went toward the huge diamond that mocked the wealth of the world.
When he achieved the height, he reached for the diamond. The light blinded him to all danger. A snake was coiled, ready to strike. As his fingers touched the diamond, it struck embedding its fangs deep into the flesh of his leg, injecting its deadly poison. The poison burned through him. He struggled to move the impossibly huge diamond. He insides burned, he could barely move, but still he fought to claim the diamond for his own.
He died - his arms wrapped around it.