Chapter One – The Hike, the Trail and the Lord

      Carol walked on the mountain trail. She could smell the ocean in the breeze. What a beautiful day! she thought. She around a bend by a rocky hill on her right. She looked down on a majestic valley far below on her left. The air sparkled with energy and light. She stopped and took a deep breath. She felt fantastic! The trees and brush were green and lush with more vibrancy than she ever remembered seeing.

        A few feet ahead, a squirrel dashed across the trail and darted up an oak tree. Up in the sky a red hawk circled. It was a sunny day in early spring. Yellow, orange, white and purple wildflowers dotted the green landscape. Stands of purple ceanothus contrasted with green and golden scrub oaks.

         She continued walking through a broad expanse of brush. She heard birds chirping. She noticed a coyote on her left, also walking at a similar pace, picking her way through the brush. Carol stopped and looked at the dog who continued to walk through the brush toward Carol. Then Carol noticed something strange. She could see some of the brush that was on the other side of the little yellow dog right through the animal’s body! She looked again. She had never seen a translucent, or a transparent, animal before, unless it was a glass sculpture. The animal walked a little farther, then stopped and looked up at Carol. The animal’s body became more and more transparent. She became a smokey, ghostly form. Then the puff of smoke, that had been the coyote began changing shape. It morphed into a monster with a large open mouth like a crocodile. It reminded Carol of the shapes her Uncle Fred used to make with the smoke he exhaled from his cigarette to entertain the children at holidays. Then the apparition slowly faded away, until there was no trace of it left.

        She looked around. She thought she saw misty shapes everywhere. Am I losing my mind? she asked herself. She noticed she was breathing hard and her heart was pounding. She felt a little shaky. She told herself that there must be a plausible explanation for the way the coyote had turned to smoke, and then disappeared completely, right before her, but she couldn’t imagine what it was.

        She resumed walking. Her breathing and heart rate eventually normalized, as she put the strange metamorphosis of the coyote out of her mind. She passed a blackened trunk that was wrapped around another trunk. It looked like a black snake. This reminded her of a protest that had taken place outside her office in New York while she had been at work. On the street below, people were picketing the bank building. “No black snake!” they shouted. She could hear the shouting 14 floors up, through two panes of glass. She wanted to stop funding the Dakota Access Pipeline. She made a plan to fund ethanol farms instead, but her proposal was voted down by the other executives at the bank. What else can I do? she mused. Maybe, I should just quit. But it is good money…. She stopped in the trail and thought about her career. She had worked for Rothschild Trust since college, rising up the ranks. We provide important services, she mused, but sometimes we back corrupt players. Then another thought interrupted, I’d better hurry up and get the hike done before dark! She resumed her walk. Contemplation continued, but at a less urgent pace.

        Wow, she thought, my knee doesn’t hurt anymore! Her sore knee had completely healed! She stepped up on a rock in the trail, another step in the uphill climb she was on. That used to hurt. Now her leg was as good as new! Must have been all that bed rest while I was sick. So glad I’m finally better! It felt wonderful to be on the trail again.

       I don’t even need a walking stick, she thought, but I could probably find one if I need one. She looked around. There were trees, bushes, and shrubs, lots of them in bloom. She didn’t see any dead wood though. She continued to walk and look. She saw nothing but beautiful green branches. She took hold of the branch of a tree, about an inch in diameter, and thought about breaking it. It will be difficult, she thought. Just then a gust of wind blew through the tree and it creaked a little. She thought she heard the words, What do you need? coming from the tree. Startled, she let go of the branch and took a step backwards. “No, I don’t really need anything. But thank you anyway!” she said out loud.

        She continued on and approached a little highland valley. There was a large, flat, grassy area ahead. She paused to get her bearings. How far am I from the parking lot and how much time do I need to get back to the car? She asked herself, assuming she was on a familiar trail near her home in southern California.

       She looked down at herself. She was wearing a robe and was barefoot. Her robe was lavender. It was like a long nightgown with short sleeves. Over one shoulder was a thin, rose-colored blanket. Carol was in a little bit of a shock at her apparent choices, which she didn’t remember making. What was I thinking? she asked herself. I am amazed, but my feet are holding up okay!

         She continued to a meadow and seated herself in the grass. I’ll rest for a few minutes and then turn back. She thought about the words of Jesus she used to read in the Bible a long time ago when she was in her early teens. She remembered a passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied….

    Carol wrapped herself in her blanket and fell into a light trance. When she came to herself, the sun had gone down, and it was starting to get dark. Oh no! she thought. How will I find my way back to. The car in the dark? She couldn’t remember parking the car and starting the hike. She sat up and searched her garments. She didn’t seem to have a set of keys on her person! Oh no! What a pickle I’m in! she thought in a panic.

    “She is one of ours,” a spooky voice said.

    She wrapped her blanket tightly around her shoulders. “No, I’m not! I belong to the Lord!” she affirmed with more bravado than she felt. While breathing in frightened gasps, she turned her attention to the Lord of the worlds, believing him to be within reach.

    “That’s a laugh!” said the spooky voice. “You haven’t served the Lord in your life and it’s too late now! You’re dead!” He laughed like a hyena. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

    A cold chill came over Carol as she remembered her children and grandchild gathered around her bed. Then her husband had kissed her on the forehead. She had fallen asleep. Then she was all better, hiking one of her favorite trails…. Or was she?

    Oh my God, I died and went to the next world! What do I know about this world? I do know that Jesus saves. Even though my sins have been many, Jesus died for me. I can have salvation.

    “Let me explain something to you,” said the creature. A hairy man, with ears like a cat, a mouth and nose like a dog with long sharp teeth, squatted right next to her. She could see the greenish tint of his face in the darkening twilight. His face and his dark brown robe were wrinkled. He smelled like a pile of rotting horse manure. “Yes, Jesus saves, and it only requires a little prayer, ‘Jesus save me.’ The problem is, you must have a relationship with Jesus in order for that prayer to be heard. I’m sorry, my dear, but you just don’t. You haven’t talked to him since you were a kid. You have to already have a relationship with the Lord before you come here. You can’t start one here. Allow me to escort you to the lower level where you belong! Don’t worry, I’m your troll. You can trust me.” Then he howled like a wolf.

      Carol was frightened. She was repulsed by the troll. I thought about the Lord today. I remembered His words. I will worship Him, she thought. She got on her knees and prayed. She felt the passion of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. She went into contemplation about her career. She was beginning to see that the company she worked for was part of the problem, part of the reason people suffer and are oppressed. She remembered the verse, It is as difficult for a rich man to go to heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Here she was, a few hours ago, a rich woman on Earth, now in the world of the dead, a troll tempting her, even commanding her, to go with him to hell. She wanted to go to heaven, or at least remain in purgatory, if that was what this was, a prospect as difficult, apparently, as that of a camel going through the eye of a needle. She prayed with all her heart. “Jesus, you performed miracles. You can put a camel through the eye of a needle for me!” she prayed through her tears.

    I’m your troll while you are in this realm. My name is Adolf. Call me if you need anything.” She ignored him and continued praying to Jesus. When she finally looked up, the troll was gone, She smelled a glorious perfume and thought she sensed the presence of Christ. She lay and felt the energy of her prayer and remembered the words from the Sermon on the Mount. She thought about her family. She felt many regrets and longings. The night passed.

END of Chapter One. Thirty more chapters here. (Down right now for editing. Check back soon!)