TheRemnant: This is Not Flesh & Blood

The Spirit Gives Life (Episode III)

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.