The Hope of Eden

Her Dream

1921
Lynchburg, Virginia

It was dark.

Strangely dark.

And the silence was deafening.

Where was Rosalie?

Looking down, Eden gasped as a spotlight shone on her.

What was she wearing?

Her dress was royal blue, and the fabric sparkled somehow as if it had fluorescent lights embedded in the fabric.

In short, her dress was lush.

A magnificent something.

But how could she afford this? Where did it come from?

Tearing her eyes away from her dress, she looked up to find a vanity set before her.

She gasped again, losing her breath at her appearance.

Her hair was styled in a new Hollywood updo and a diamond the size of a quarter set just below her collarbone.

Even her ears were lovely.

Matching teardrop diamonds stunned her to silence.

Where did this come from and why did someone put it on her?

She didn't need this.

She was fine with what she had.

Her lips quirked a bit as she gazed at herself a little longer.

It was beautiful.

She didn't need this, but having it for a moment blessed her unsuspecting heart.

"Eden,"

A familiar, yet undetectable voice called.

She turned to find its owner, but only saw a door.

"Hello," She called, stepping toward the door.

"Eden,"

Another voice called, familiar as the first, but still undetectable.

What was going on?

Was she losing her mind?

She turned and found the vanity was gone and a door was in its place.

"Oh, my," She whispered.

This door was in tatters.

The paint was peeling, there were holes and dark spots scattered about.

She didn't like this door.

"Eden," The first voice called again and she turned, wanting to enter the nice door.

"It's not what it seems. You can't trust this." The second voice called urgently.

"Will you doubt what you are seeing? Or will you trust the guidance you've known?" The first voice sounded strongly. "Eden, come this way."

Her heart raced as she looked between the doors.

One held a sense of familiarity, though it was ragged.

The other held a sense of peace and even hope.

"Eden, if you go through that door, you won't be happy with what you see. You will understand that it's always been a trap." The second voice added in a panicked tone. "Stop." It yelled as she stepped toward the better door. "You can't trust what you see. You can't trust what you hear."

Eden shook her head, ignoring the screaming voice.

She had to try.

No matter what the better door held, she knew it was safer than going backward.