Faith

PART ONE: DESIRE

CHAPTER ONE: WORLDS

The city was built in the middle of a barren valley surrounded by rigid mountains and nothingness like a lonely and withered flower in a pot. It was the only thriving city in this world that contained life. The lives of these people held no knowledge of where they came from or what happened to them once their bodies failed to function. Was it the end when someone died?  That's what their ruler told them. That this world was merciless and death was inescapable.  When someone died, they became nothing. He reminded to live life to the fullest. Do not break any laws that will get you killed. Greed, anger and pride consumed this ruler's soul. He held no care for his citizens. Only control. Rumors spread that he lounged around his room all day at the top of the tallest building in their city. He was rarely ever seen out in public in person, but there were times he appeared in the newspapers. This is when he had an announcement to make. Either to lay down laws or warnings. All the time these messages ended in declaring “Death is upon those who disobeys my laws.” No one took up the courage to defy him in this city. Because if they tried, death was upon them.

***

            Julia was one of the citizens who lived on the outskirts of the city with her mother and her younger brother Ed. Their father died from an unknown sickness two years ago and they suffered greatly from this tragedy, struck hard by the fact that he was gone forever. Their mother contained the most pain and love sickness. She became terribly weak and sad. Unfortunately, that was one of Julia's weaknesses; Weak people. Since their father died three years ago from an incurable sickness, her mother completely changed. It was as if her body was drained of life and all the color of her once eternal happiness disappeared. She wished her mother could just forget everything and move on.

            “Julia!?” Julia rolled her eyes and stopped moving her pen. One more paragraph and she would finish her report for her wisdom class. She stood up and walked out of her room and into the kitchen where her mother stood at the stove constantly stirring the stew. Her mother was short, small and had an innocent look to her that made her seem almost impossible to embrace, fearing that she would crumple in your arms.

            “Could you find Ed? It'salmost dinner time and I am worried that he will be by the tracks again.” Her mother, Celine, spoke while looking at her with hazy brown eyes. Julia turned away and faced their steel door which had paint peeling off. She opened their front door and stepped out. There were a few more houses here and there surrounding them with steel and cemented walls, but very few people came out. Other than that, only the city and the valley existed. In the distance behind their house, she could see the train tracks running vertically into the valley that seemed to never end and continue onto everlasting existence. Scanning the tracks, she spotted a figure standing beside them.

“Ed!?” She called and ran toward him clumsily. She stopped in her tracks once she was close to him, and bent over her knees trying to regain her breath. Ed didn'tface her but just stared at the train tracks.  Julia sighed.

            “Honestly, you always come out here to look at them every day!” Ed glanced at her with plain, almost black eyes that revealed no emotion at all.

            “Have you ever wondered where they lead to?” He asked. Julia opened her mouth but closed it again.

            “No, I haven't. Now come, dinner is ready.” She said and grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her.

            “They are just train tracks that have no significance at all whatsoever.” She pursed her chapped, blood dried lips together. In fact, she had thought about them at times throughout her life but never considered the possibility of them having any meaning of existence. Julia shook her head letting her hair flow behind her and turned her thoughts to her wisdom paper.