Hayate's Story Board - Heaven&Hell

Post all your stories, poems, and haiku's here!

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Hayate
The Hidden User
Posts: 1447
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:06 am

Hayate's Story Board - Heaven&Hell

#1 Post by Hayate »

//OK, so this is a short story I've come up with as part of the backstory for one of my RP characters. I've never really written anything in a way that has been intended for anyone else to read before, so I hope its understandable. Anyways, I'll be updating this with more bits of the story until its concluded, I hope that someone enjoys reading this! I'm open to critiques on how I write, but please no comments of a religious nature. Thanks for reading!//


=========================================
Heaven and Hell (Prologue)

      Religion tells of a wondrous paradise in the sky. A place, that if you lead a life of purity and devotion, you may one day ascend to. It also tells of a horrible plane of suffering and torment, deep below the surface. A place of fire and darkness reserved for the evil and vile.
      They would have you believe that at the end of life you are judged and based on the angels views you are either assigned to heaven or hell. Whether you are merely fearful of hellfire or truly good at heart, most choose to live an honest life.
      The true policies if heaven and hell are ripe with technicalities and half truths... In reality, very rarely do the angels judge someone worthy to join their elite home. This however, does not damn all others to hell, in truth, most souls are merely recycled back to the land of the mortals to live again, unaware of the injustice done to them.
      The angels have always considered themselves superior beings. They look down on the mortal souls under them. Heaven is a place of strict rules and strong ideals. Those who break from this are cast out. They preach love and acceptance, but rarely abide these morals.
      Hell, by comparison, is much more honest in it's nature. It is exactly as it is told. A place of pain and suffering intended to punish bad souls. The demons who dwell there are cruel and fierce. Fear is burned into the souls who are sent there and when they are through with it all but the most evil souls choose to walk a straighter line.
      It was originally the task of both Angel and Demon alike to drive the mortals towards good. They had different ideals on how to do this; reward the good vs. punish the bad. As eternities dragged on, the rift has grown drastically between them. Angels and Demons used to meet regularly in the beginning to discuss how to best guide the mortals. Disagreement and bickering has driven them to the point where it is all but war.
      Demons, for the most part, have embraced their role and absorbed much evil from the souls sent to them. The Angels on the other hand have become self absorbed and care only for themselves. Both sides have forgotten their true purpose.

      These are some truths about the world our story will take place in. Our story cares not about the going ons of heaven and hell, but instead on one girl who could have united them. Our story starts in the land of the mortals, with a poor family on the verge of collapse...


=======================================================
Guidance (Part One)

      The world is not an easy place to live in. Most are barely surviving day to day. Here we are with one such example, a family, poor and hungry The father makes barely enough money to get by, they have not eaten in days...

      John looks out at the horizon as the sun goes down. Another tough day with a hammer at the quarry. Luck would have it that they are due to be paid today. He is relieved that he will finally be able to feed his starving children. He goes to check in with the quarry master.
      As he makes his way there he hears a grumble from the other workers heading away. He thinks nothing of it as he enters the hut that oversees the quarry.
      "And what do you want?" Asks the quarry master as John enters.
      "Well sir, tis weeks end, I've come for payment" John replies.
      "Right, fine," He tosses a small cloth bag from a pile onto the table before John, "here's your earnings"

      John grabs the bag and pours the contents into his hands. It is a very meagre amount of copper coins.
      "Sir... This is not nearly what was promised..." John protests.
      "You get what you get! No be glad I've paid yeh at all! Now get out!"
      "But, my family! My kids are starving, please, I beg you!"
      "Don't make me call the guard! Get out!"
      John stands down and walk out. Wandering back towards town he stops to count his earnings again. It's going to be barely enough for a couple loaves of bread and maybe some meat... He sits by the stream and wonders what he will do.

      "So he shorted you too, eh?" Asks another worker who sits down beside him. "He can't keep doin' this to us. I know you got a family too"
      "I don't know what I'm gonna do... This is barely enough to feed us..." John replies.
      "Look, I'm setting up something with the other boys. We are gonna get what we deserve from him. He's richer than anyone else in town I bet and he barely pays us. We're gonna knock him off if yeh know what I mean."
      "What!? No, I couldn't!"
      "Hey look! I'm tellin' yeh this as a favor, I know you gots a family and after this, you'll never have to worry about feeding them again, you get it?" He puts his hand on John's shoulder "Look, think about it, alright? Let me know tomorrow at days end"
      He gets up and leaves John to his thoughts...

      Across the water, an Angel watches these events unfold in front of her...
"If he goes along with this plan he will be damned to hell for murder..." She says to herself.
"Heh, your damn right he will!" Says a Demon lurking in the tree above her. "So are you gonna do something or will I?"

      "Demon! You leave John alone! He is not an evil soul, he is trying to save his family!"
      "Heh, you said it yourself, if he does this he's going to hell, can't be all good can he?"
      "You will stay out of this! I will speak with him tonight! He is a good soul, he will see reason!" She says in an aggravated tone.
      The Demon leaps down from the tree and lands beside her, his pointed tail poking at her wings.
      "If you say so, angel... But I don't got much faith in that, I'll be making my own move" He smiles as his body melts away to oil and floats down the stream.
      The angel looks back across the stream, but John is long gone. She knows she must do something to stop his soul from being damned.
      "But what can I do for his family..." She asks herself.

      John opens the door to the single room hovel he calls home. He managed to buy two small loaves of bread and some mutton with his pay. Upon entering he is immediately greeted by three small children.
      "Did you bring food pa?"
      "Yes, we eat tonight my son"
      He ruffles the boys hair and goes to his wife who is holding his forth and smallest child in her arms.
      "How is the baby, love?"
      "She has been quiet today... She won't drink much..."
      "Well I have food for us today, it isn't much but it will get us by..."

      The angel watches through a hole in the roof's thatching as he divides up the small amount of food between them. She can feel the babies soul and knows it's quite weak.
      "It's a shame, that child will pass tonight." Says the demon who is suddenly beside her.
      "You again! Here to cause trouble? I bet you are planning to use the child's death to push him towards the murder!"
      "Why must you think so ill of me? I get no pleasure or satisfaction from the deaths of innocent children."
      "Then why are you here?"
      "Well I came to check on you, angel. Have you convinced him to stay out of the murder? You haven't even spoken to him, have you?"
      "I will wait until the others are asleep"
      "Right, because you can't give hope to those that there is no hope for, right?"
      "Begone from here demon! I cannot save his family from death! I can only save their souls from damnation!"
      "Yeah... I know you can't save their lives, heh, I'll be going..." The demon hops down from the roof and walks away into the darkness. The angel watches as the demon leaves, then turns her attention back to the family.

      Later that night, after the children and his wife have fallen asleep, John lays awake. There are too many thoughts and worries plaguing his mind for him to rest. He gets up to fetch a drink, one thing he can be thankful for is the stream right outside and that the water is clean.
      He heads to the waters edge and quenches his thirst. He stares at the moon's reflection off the water for a moment, then turns and stands up coming eye to eye with the angel.
      "Hello, John."
      John stumbles backwards in shock, putting one foot into the cold water of the steam. He has never seen a creature like her before. But by the wings he knew she must be an angel.
      "W-why are you here angel?" He stutters, "have you come to save my family?"
      "John, I have come here to stop you from making a grave mistake. I know what you have been offered and what you must take part in to receive it."
      "H-how? How could you know?"
      "John I have been watching you for some time"
      "Then you know this is what I must do to save my family!"
      "John, you are choosing to damn your own soul! Please I urge you not to go through with this!"
      "... Will you help my family if I do not take part?"
      "I... I'm sorry, I cannot do that" she says, looking away from him. She knows she is not being convincing.
      "Then I must do this, for them. My own soul matters not! I will not allow my family to suffer anymore! ... I can't"
      Tears come to his eyes as he realizes saving his family from starvation will cost him his soul. He pulls himself from the water and pushes past the angel.
      "Please, if you are not going to help my family then leave us be! I must do this!"
      "John, please, hear reason!" She calls as he closes the door to his home.

      "Heh, well that went well" Says the demon as he emerges from the shadows of the ally beside the home. "You're not very good at this" he taunts.
      "I bet you are quite thrilled about this outcome... Another soul for hell"
      "Heh, hardly, I've done enough work for one night." He peers in the window at the family inside.
      "It's a shame, the baby has passed. They won't even know until morning. Heh, even if you had convinced him now your efforts would come undone by morning."
      "So you would have me not even try?"
      "Well, to be honest, there is not much for you to have done here. An angels guidance can only go so far"

      She turns her back on him, "I still believe John is a good person. I am confident he will still make the right choice."
      "Heh, it's funny how you think saving his family isn't the right choice."
      "Well you've won this time, demon..." Without waiting for a response the angel gives a strong flap from her wings and takes off into the sky.
      "Too bad... She seems nice. Sometimes this job is just better suited for a demon." He walks away into the night.

      John cries himself to sleep, still unaware the horrors that the morning will hold for the family.


===================================================
Heavens Failings (Part Three)

      As the sun slowly breaks over the mountains signalling the start of a new day, the angel sits and dwells on the night before. She runs it over and over in her mind, wondering if what the demon said is true. Even if she had convinced him to stay out of the other workers plans, both she and the demon knew the baby's soul had already left this world as it slept beside it's mother. What could possibly stop him from following the path to damnation after going through that?
      She gazes across the stream to the houses along the opposite bank. People are starting to move about and begin their day.
      Suddenly, a loud cry of pain can be heard echoing across the water and throughout the valley. John comes out of his hovel, holding the lifeless body of his infant daughter. He looks to the sky and cries out,
      "Why?! Why take the one of us whose innocence is without any question? Why..."
      He falls to his knees as his family watches him from the doorway.
      "I've failed you, John..." The angel mutters to herself. She clasps her hands tightly and sheds a tear herself.
      The angel wonders how much of a role the demon played in this.
      "If it wasn't for him, I know I could have prevented this!" Her words fall short of convincing even herself that they are true but she is unwilling to accept that not every soul can be saved...

      She looks up to see John's neighbours helping him back inside. Suddenly she is hit by a glimmer of hope.
      "Maybe he'll be too grief stricken to go out today at all! Perhaps the babies passing can be seen as his salvation!"
      Though she is deeply saddened by the baby's passing, she knows that the child's soul will not end up in hell. Now, however, if John stays home today to grieve neither will his soul be damned to hell!
      The angel sits and watches the house for hours as people stop by and give the family their condolences. Word travels fast in the small town. She sees several others have even brought them food and other things to help them through it all.
      The angel feels her heart lighten watching the people all come together and shine their brightest in this time of mourning.

      She feels her heart sink again as towards the end of the work day, John emerges again from his home.
      "John, please, stay here with your family!" His wife pleads.
      "I have to take care of something... I'm going to make it that we never have to go through this again, I promise." He says as he shuts the door.
      The angel can read the grief mixed with anger on his face from across the water. She knows where he's headed...
      "No John, please, there has been enough pain today..." She pleads quietly.
      "Heh, it's too late, looks like he's made up his mind." Says the demon, standing behind the angel.
      "Come to rub it in I see?" Asks the angel, wiping tears from her eyes.
      "Hardly" replies the demon, "I came to get you, come on you'll want to see this. I knew you'd be a wreck here, wallowing in your pity"
      "Just leave me alone!" She cries, "I don't need to see him damn himself!"
      "Oh shut up!" He grabs her arm and pulls her to her feet, "You are just as invested in this as I am, now you'll see it out to the end!"
      She doesn't know why, but she follows the demon to the quarry. Maybe it's because she feels she owes it to John to be there, or because she still hopes he'll change his mind, she doesn't know. She just follows the demon quietly with her head down and a defeated look in her eyes.
~Hayate~
--Moderator/Global Moderator
--

--Forum Rules--
--Moderators --
--Administrators
--

User avatar
SirJahar
Grand Templar
Posts: 1205
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 3:30 am
Location: Grand Prairie, Tx.

Re: Hayate's Story Board - Heaven&Hell

#2 Post by SirJahar »

Well. This is pretty deep for its length.
I look forward to the rest.

User avatar
Hayate
The Hidden User
Posts: 1447
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:06 am

Re: Hayate's Story Board - Heaven&Hell

#3 Post by Hayate »

//For anyone who actually read this, sorry for the long time before updating... I kinda forgot about it...//

=======================================================
Fair Bargain (Part Four)

      "It's not far now" The demon says as they trudge along the side of the stream. The angel looks up from the ground to see the equipment of the quarry looming ahead.
      "So what have you been planning, demon?"
      "Heh, what do you think? While you were wasting your time with him I was here taking care of the real issue"
      "What do you mean?" She asks, confused.
      "You, you didn't tell the quarry master, did you?!" She says in a panic.
      "Heh, funny, sounds like you want them to be able to kill him. That's odd for an angel, no?" He says snidely.
      "That is not what I meant! I do not condone murder!"
      "Oh? Well how do you feel about accidents" He says with a sly look on his face.

      Meanwhile, John arrives at the quarry. He has turned all his feelings of grief and remorse into anger. He sees that there is a group of workers huddled around one of the cranes, but not nearly as many workers as should be around. There is also members of the town guard standing around questioning people. He walks over to the man he spoke with yesterday.
      "What happened? Did you do it already? I thought it wasn't until later!" John says, confused and angry.
      "Woah, John, calm down. Where were you today?"
      "My daughter is dead! And I blame him! Where is he!?"
      The man puts his hands on Johns shoulders and looks him in the eyes.
      "John, you need to calm down! Don't be so loud!" He looks over his shoulder at the guards, who haven't noticed anything.
      "Look, something happened early this morning. We don't have to worry about the quarry master anymore... And we didn't have to get blood on our hands. It's best if nobody ever hears of our plan."
      "What do you mean?" He looks around, "Is he being arrested?"
      "Ha! No he's not that lucky, he's dead John"
      His co-workers lead John over to the crane pit, where there is a guard standing post. The cranes line is broken, attached to the end is the single largest chunk of gold he has ever seen, and under that is the lifeless body of the quarry master...
      "W-what happened here?! Where did that come from?!" His anger has disappeared and been replaced with confusion, "We have never found gold here before..."
      "Well, it seems the quarry master knew about it. Apparently he was trying to sneak it out in the night to avoid taxation on it. He overloaded the crane though. Serves him right..."
      "But how does this help us now? We still have nothing... My family will still starve..." John is once again filled with grief.
      "John, I am sorry about your daughter, I truly am. But this," He points to the gold, "is great news for the whole town! We'll all be rich! No one will starve again!"
      John takes a seat on the ground. Overcome by everything that is happening. He can't believe he came all this way just to kill a man. He thinks about his family, about his small daughter. He realizes that if he had done this, he would likely have been jailed and they'd be doomed to starve...
      "Fate has smiled on me this day it seems then... I wish only that it had come sooner..."

      Watching from the top of the quarry the angel is confused. She expected a scene of bloody murder, not of greedy accident. She looks to the demon.
      "What did you do? I thought your goal was to damn them all. None of their souls are damned by this accident..."
      "Heh, that's where you're wrong, angel. His soul," He points to the man crushed under the crane, "is damned to hell where it belongs. All these others aren't truly evil, just starving and desperate..."
      "I don't understand..."
      "I know you don't. You think we demons are all evil and unfair! You think we are out to damn as many souls as we can get! I'm only here for the ones that deserve it. That man was a greedy crooked monster, and he agreed to sell his soul to me."
      She looks at the crushed man.
      "And, what did you give him in return? Surely he didn't ask for death..."
      "I gave him exactly what he wanted. I gave him more gold than he could carry, literally" He says with a wicked smile, "Seemed like a fair bargain, no?"
      "So you tricked him! You cheated him out of his soul and his life!"
      "Heh, suddenly you sound like you care about that monster."
      "I'm an angel! I care about every soul!"
      "I told you before, not every soul can be saved. Can't you see it's better like this anyways? Now the whole town will benefit from this gold! And I prevented a bloody murder!"
      "By committing it yourself!"
      The demon steps back and takes a deep breath.
      "Ugh, fine, I guess you angels are all the same. I thought you'd be thankful I saved his soul and the lives of his family"
      The demon turns to leave.
      "Wait!"
      The demon turns back to see the angel staring at her feet, tears running down her face.
      "I-I am thankful... I know you could have easily damned them all..."
      "Like I said, that's not my job..."
      He looks at her for a moment, "what a wreck" He thinks to himself.
      "See you around, angel" He says as he wanders away into the brush.

      "Thank you..." She says as she watches him disappear.
~Hayate~
--Moderator/Global Moderator
--

--Forum Rules--
--Moderators --
--Administrators
--

Post Reply