The Gathering

NOTE: This is the first short story I've ever written. It took me about three hours to write the content, then another hour for spelling/grammer. Just wanted to see what your opinions of it are.


THE GATHERING


Down by the tree we gathered. There were nine of us in all. We had no reason as to what we were doing there. Most of us didn�t even know how we got there, myself included. One minute I was lying in bed sleeping, dreaming. The next minute I was wide-awake. Here. By this weeping willow, along with the others.

The night was magical. The stars were stunning. You could see every last one of them. It was dark out, but the stars were so bright, you could see everything perfectly. The moon lent a helping hand by revealing its full glory to us. They illuminated the sky with their light, casting the shadows away. Imitating the time of day just before the sun slips into its nightly slumber. The air was thick with sweet smells. There was a warm, soft breeze that carried the scents to our noses. I think ginger was one of them, maybe jasmine. It whispered words of encouragement as it gently flowed by. It was not in a hurry to seek its final destination, stopping to enjoy the sites on the way.

The tree was incredible. It loomed above us in height. Almost as if it reached the stars.The bark was smooth to the touch. Felt like a child�s skin. Soft, smooth, delicate.The way it twisted and turned to its incredible height took your breath away. The knots within it seamed purposeful. Like an artist would place them in a picture, intent on achieving the perfect work of art.

I turned slowly around to face the others. All of us were dressed in white gowns. But not just your average white attire. The purist white you could imagine. It almost was iridescent. Wrapped around each of us, the gowns fit perfectly. There were no zippers or belts. But they were form fitting. V-neck front, one side overlapping the other. The gowns flowed in the soft breeze. Everyone was bare foot. You could feel the grass under your feet. Again, it was soft, almost like walking on a very lush, green carpet.

We all gathered under the tree. It felt safe there. Something all of us could relate to. A piece of reality within an unreal world. The breeze was warm on your face. Playing its subtle song within the air. Just as I was about to speak, one of the others spoke first.

�Anyone know where we are?� He was tall. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Perfect build.I would compare him to an amateur bodybuilder. Not too muscle bound. Enough to let you know he cared about his physique, but also had other things to do in his life besides work out.

�I dunno. I was sleeping and then woke up here. I suppose that maybe I�m still sleeping.Dunno what�s going on.� An older gentleman says as he scratches his head in wonder. You could definitely tell he just wanted to be back in his bed.

They all started to speak. Some of them in slightly panicked states, some of them calm. All of them stating the same thing. �I was sleeping and then I was here.�

Then there was silence for a bit. Not the kind that makes you feel uneasy though. The kind like when you�re riding in your car on a long road trip with your significant other. Comfortable, agreed upon silence. Everyone was within themselves. Thinking, wondering, contemplating. As goes the human mind.

I was standing amongst them, involved with my own thoughts, not really paying attention to the others, when I sensed a change in the air around me. The breeze no longer sang words of encouragement. Unease and uncertainty were its words of choice now.
It was spreading among us. So I turned my attention to the group. You could see the tension in their faces. The thoughts that were going through their heads. They all had come to the same conclusion. Everyone was thinking it. No one wanted to say it. Until finally the short, brown haired, member of us mustered enough courage to speak the question the rest of us wouldn�t.
�Are we dead?�

� I don�t think so.� I fired back. �I don�t remember it ever saying that when your dead you are taken to a tree in the middle of no where.� I was in no way going to believe that death lead to a tree. That this was my final destination for eternity. Pretty place to visit, but not where I would want to live out my next life. The short guy fell back from the main group. He slowly began to circle around the back of it until he took his final position behind the amateur body builder, as though he offered some protection.

�I don�t think we�re dead.� A fellow volunteers from within the crowd. �There has to be a logical reason for this.� He says while adjusting his glasses in a nervous manner. A sensible guy with glasses. Go figure. I half expected to see a pocket protector sticking out of his v-necked gown. Not that I don�t admire and respect logical thinking. Just that there was no way logic could enter into this scenario.

�And what do you think could be a logical explanation for us being in bed asleep, and then being here? I don�t find any logic in that whatsoever.� The one and only women in the group chimed in. She was dead on the money though. No matter how you equated it, logic would not solve this mystery.

Again, a few moments of silence passed among us. You could tell no one wanted to converse any further. We all started to look around. Taking in the beautiful scenery once more. Trying as best we could to avoid the others in the group. I certainly didn�t want to start up a conversation. The silence had became thick and uncomfortable. The kind that you want to break, but is impossible to do so. I couldn�t handle this any more. I was about to go hostile. I mentally started to �will� a door to appear so I could exit the scene. If this was a dream, my door would show up, and I would be free to flee away from this group. I would be back in bed, between my warm, soft, sheets. But no door would come. Figures I wouldn�t get out of this that easily. But I keep trying anyway.

�What is that?� someone asks and points up at the sky. I turned around to see what he was referring to. As I stared at the sky, a beautiful cloud was forming in it. It was smooth flowing, no lines of distinction. Reddish, blue mainly in color, with some purple and orange intermixed. Bright lights were speckled across its body of soft, fluffy, smoke. Kind of looked like the pictures I saw in astronomy class. The ones of the Milky Way. Forming in a spiral pattern, growing in its mass, see through, yet still visible. It started to descend. As it descended, it grew in size, until its mass enveloped us. You could feel the peace and love overflowing from it. I looked around at the others. All of their faces were filled with wonder and amazement. All of them feeling and enjoying the moment.

I observed the smoke around me, trying to figure out what it was. The energy coming from it was tremendous. Hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. You could feel every part of your body waking up. The energy from it made your skin tingle. Then, all these thoughts started coming and going through my head. Similar to my own, but not mine. I think they were from the others. Or maybe from the cloud of smoke. There was one thought that kept repeating over and over though. The only one that I remember. It kept saying: the time has come, the gathering is here.

It could only have lasted for a few moments, but it felt like hours as I stood within the smoke. I have never felt so much peace and tranquility in my life. Then I remember seeing the others disappearing from my view, one by one. Slowly they faded away. Then there was only me. Then nothing.

I don�t remember ever leaving the area. I don�t remember ever waking up or being in bed again. I just remember being there, at the tree, then being back here, in the real world. Matter of fact, when I �woke up� I was already in the shower, getting ready for work.

Now, the weeks have passed and the scene has slowly been pushed to the back of my mind. Still lurking there, ready to jump to the forefront when I get a break from my normal daily activities. And as the days go by, I find myself wishing for the feelings of peace and tranquility to come back that I had experienced that night.

I am more sensitive to things now. In a way unimaginable to others. I feel as though I have developed a sixth sense. Periodically, I have visions of the future, never know when they will show up though. And usually they only involve a close family member or me. Never anything about the worlds fate as you sometimes hear people talking about in websites or on TV.

Am I loosing my mind? I have thought that many times. After playing the scene over and over in my head. It could have been something that I made up. Something that came from my subconscious mind. But after much contemplation on it, I realized, that wherever it came from, it was a message, and it was for me. I don�t exactly know what the true meaning of it is. But I do know that something is about to occur in my world. And it will be of great importance.