The Mud Valley

Chapter 1

It was a deep and dark valley. Mud, grime, and everything unpleasant filled it up. The stench alone was unbearable and stuck in the center were 2 lonely soldiers, Rhea and Atlas. To start our story we must look at how they ended up in this dire and unenviable situation. They had been valiantly serving their Lord when Distraction and Worry, enemies that chase after many caught their attention. Like bait thrown at a fish, they were enticed and drawn in hook, line, and sinker.

We find Rhea, dressed in the finest of uniforms befitting soldiers of the Lord. Clothed with grace, strength, dignity, and every good thing you can imagine but it wasn't enough. Rhea despised her looks. When she looked in the mirror, She forgot the blessings she had and mourned the plainness of her physical features. She would spend hours in her room staring at herself and applying every product she can think of to make herself beautiful.

Distraction keenly observed her obsession with her looks and came up with the perfect plan to capture her. "Rhea" It whispered. Rhea sharply looked around. She heard the whisper but could not see who it was. "Rhea" Distraction called again. "Who are you? Show yourself" She replied. "I am a close friend and I've always been watching you." Distraction said. "Why have you been watching me?" asked Rhea. "Because I care about you and I want you to have the desire of your heart. I know you want to be the most beautiful person in the world and I can show you how to achieve that" was Distraction's response.

"How?" Rhea asked. "It's simple, you have to remove the uniform you're wearing. Being a soldier is taking away the beauty you should have. Your soldier boots have to be removed too, You also have to forget about your Lord and be your boss. That's how you'll be beautiful. Focus your attention on yourself, love only yourself, spend all your resources on the best clothes, shoes, and products and stop wasting it on your service to your Lord. I promise that the beauty you will gain will naturally replace all the resources you spent and you'll be popular all over the world." Distraction responded. "Give me some time to think" Rhea replied. "Okay," said Distraction.

After thinking and comparing everything Distraction said to the current life she's living, Rhea decided that the life offered by distraction is better. One by one, she began to discard her uniform, boots, and other symbols of her service. She picked out the best dress she had, touched up her hair, and went straight to an eternal beauty center to buy the most expensive and beautiful clothes, beauty products, and more. She went home with a trunk full of everything beautiful and a heart full of vanity. Every day from that moment, Rhea only cared about her looks and the popularity she began to gain. People sang praises of her beauty as she walked the streets. Everything was going well until her physical beauty suddenly began to fade away and she couldn't figure out why. Every physician she went to didn't give her a reason for the loss of her beauty or provide a solution. Everyone began to forget about her until she became a nobody with nothing.

She searched for Distraction everywhere but it was nowhere to be found. All was lost and she could not remember the way to the house of her former master. While searching, she got lost in the mud valley.