Stories
You Knew

By Sarah Eekhoff

Heaven. What will it be like? All of my life I have been taught it is simply an alternative to the damning fires of hell. Sometimes, though, I am ashamed to admit I almost desired the excitement of running to hell's fires from the incredible boredom of eternally singing and playing harps on clouds forever. It almost put me to sleep just thinking about it.

Then the fatal accident occurred. I was in a car wreck. while my friends piled out of the car, bloody and terrified, I laid in the front seat, unconscious and helpless. I can remember the radio playing, my friends' voices pleading with me to wake up. How I wanted to reassure them! How much I wanted to see the precious faces and look into their eyes one more time.

Suddenly there wa a blinding, flashing light and I was gone. Before me there was a throne with the most beautiful man I had ever seen. He looked at me with pentrating, terrifying eyes. I was horrified. His hands had holes in them and in his lap sat a huge, ornate book.

He gazed at me and frowned as he recognized me. Tears began to fill those great eyes as he looked down and flipped through the book. "Your name isn't in here, is it?" His voice, only a whisper, cracked in pain.

What!? My mind raced. What about junior high camp and church? What about my mom, who prayed for me every night? I had served my time as a Christian long ago. But now the truth gave me a stumbling blow. I had known Jesus, but I had never actually believed He existed. I read the Bible like I read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It was just another Fairy tale.

THe man began shaking his head and immediatly an enormous fear filled my heart. "NO! Wait!" I screamed.

"I never knew you." His voice was strained. His hands flew up to cover his face and his shoulders began to shake with sobs.

From all around me voices began to fill the room. They were screaming in agony. Then, overwhelming them all, came a horrifying, evil laugh. "Here's anothe one who knew all the words and actions, huh, Jesus?" It chortled menacingly. Jesus raised his head and gazed at me with hurt and msunderstanding. I had known! All along I had known the truth but I had done nothing about it. "LAter I had thought. Life is too much fun to mess up with church. maybe when I grown up..."

I began to shake uncontrolably. My very self began quarreling and fighting with anything it could. Why hadn't my ears listened better? My hands served more? My mind grasped more of the truth? I tried one hopeless, desperate attempt. "Jesus... one more chance...I will change...I didnt know." My voice trailed off as I met His gaze.

With two words came a load of meaning. "You knew." I didn't even have the excuse of ignorance.


Suddenly, everything went black. My arms wipped out, fighting for balance, for something to hang onto. The voices became louder, clearer. I could almost make out words behind the intense noise of simply pain.

Suddenly the floor dropped form beneath me and I was falling...falling...I sucked up my breath and screamed. I could feel myself hurling faster and faster towards - what? My eyes strained but all was balck. My senses, confused and terrifid, clamored for the attention of my brain. My arms flailed out.

Nothing..

Then came an ominous rumbling, faster and faster as I continued dropping downward, picking up speed as I fell. My heart fought for control, although it was pounding almost too fast for my chest to contain.

Quikly the sound was upon me and the screams grew louder and more panicked. Then, it wasn't anything solid i hit, but searing heat. It burned my skin, scorched my hair, suffocated my lungs. I could hear the crackling and snapping of fire although it was still black and I was still falling.

Dread overwhelmed me. How could this continue forever? Aneternal state of alarm? My body would become more tense until it snapped simply from the constant anticipation of hitting the unforgiving ground. The heat seemed to be getting hotter every second. My lungs struggled painfully for each breath of thick air, pungent of the smell of my own burning flesh.

My ears shrieked for silence. the revulsion began to fade from the sound of human screams began building up in my throat.

Suddenly, mercifully, the voices began to fade. I could no longer hear the fires, though the scalding heat was oiling my lungs and charring my body. One by one the thousands of voices began to melt out until the last pathetic scream was left behind.

Silence.

Falling.

Heat.

For a few seconds the silence was merciful. Then time passed. Minues, hours, days? Who knew? And my mind began to trick me. Was hat a noise? Did something crack? Is someone chuckling? I began to be crazy for noise. I talked to myself but I was denied even that tiny comfort. I could not hear a single word I was saying. I talked louder, I sang, I yelled from the heat. but still my ears strained to catch even a whisper.

Utter silence.

Constant falling.

Forever.

Hell.