gods REMINDER

Dibosa Paul Chike Marcel


It is said that in some lands the gods live in the sky. But, in my homeland this is not so, our gods live very close to us. Here, just beyond a lake, if you wish to meet the gods, if your request is to be granted, all you need do is cross the lake. But things are never as easy as they seem. You see this lake is very special, the people in my land have a name for it, they call it the scales. The lake cannot be transversed with a boat, for paddles become redundant where waters do not flow. To get across the lake you must walk and by the waters till you become tried, for no man may come upon the gods if he be unclean, should your evil balance your good, you may swim across, should your good submerge your evil, you may walk across, but should your evil overwhelm your good, the weight of your crimes will drag you into the waters where you shall drown. My father told me of a foolish king, who desired a godly gift, he knew his sins were too great, so he devised a ploy, he forced every innocent man, woman and child who could hold a tool, to build him a bridge. They, the people went months without rest until his contraption was complete. The king pranced and laughed, and boasted his wisdom to his people. "I am wise". He said. "Perhaps I shall ask the gods to grant me divinity, since I have outsmarted them". The king jumped on the sturdy bridge with glee and walked with pride...until he got to the middle. "I cannot move". He said. "You blasted imbeciles have put glue here, I will have your heads". He yelled. "Guards release me from this infernal trap". Before the guards could get to him, he began to sink into the bridge itself. "What is happening, how is this possible". He yelled. When the guards got to him they began to sink too. You see my dear reader, the bridge was built with poor intent, on the sweat of wailing innocence, any and all who use the bridge would bear the weight of an innocents hate. Till today the bridge remains, completely unusable, the corpse of the king and his guards now serve as both decorative fossils, and warnings. Warnings that say, the part to redemption is closer than you think, all you need do is confront your demons and make amends, any shortcuts you build to escape your evil proclivities will only destroy you, just like a foolish king who thought he could outsmart the gods.