The Tunnel
I couldn’t believe I did what I did. All the people in white told me it was the only way. Although none of them had ever entered the tunnel, they assured me that they would follow me. What a fool I was to believe them; but here I was, stuck in a tunnel so small that I couldn’t move. I had that thing happen to me that happens to people who get stuck in elevators, only worse.
I began to hyperventilate; I was panicking. I was swelling up and passing in and out of consciousness involuntarily because of fear. I determined to stop and turn around. I couldn’t move. The pressure seemed to shock me into submission. I tried to grab on to something, anything to stop my descent into the unknown, but there was nothing to grab. Then, all of a sudden, I stopped. Hope sprang into my chest. I tried to scream as loud as I could, but nothing came out. I seemed to be in limbo. I rested, I prayed for deliverance.
Nothing seemed to help. I was in the jaws of this monster, fear and panic, fear and panic. I knew one thing for sure; I would never trust anyone who was dressed in white ever again! But that thought seemed to disappear quickly, because I knew that I was about to die, or become extinct, or rot in this hellhole. Then suddenly, I was on the move again. I couldn’t tell how long it lasted but I knew I was on the move. Then I would rest and wait. I didn’t know what was happening to me or where I was going. I had nothing to compare this to; I was dumbfounded.
It seemed that I was in a dark and dreary waste. I later learned that a man was swallowed by a big fish. Did this happen to me? Then I stopped again. Soon, I was on the move again and each time the pressure seemed to increase. The tunnel or the cave seemed to be decreasing in size; I was now bigger than the tunnel. Just when I was about to give in to the darkness, I thought I heard voices. They seemed so distant but somewhat familiar. Hope again arose in my heart. Who were they? How could I get to them? I cried out, “Hey somebody, anybody I’m in here; help me.” I couldn’t hear myself. How could they hear me? I went limp.
I gave in to the motion of the tunnel. I had fought a good fight but I had nothing left. I awaited my doom. Just before I passed out for the last time I was sure, to my total shock and relief, I saw a glimmer of light. Could it be, I thought, that I had somehow gotten turned back around in the tunnel and was safely back where I started? Oh boy! I thought, I have a few choice words for all those who coaxed me into the tunnel. I later heard people say they went into a tunnel and saw a bright light. How could I be dead when I hadn’t even lived yet? Then, all of a sudden, I saw this white hand reaching for me. I was safe! I was back where I belonged. I was home. The man that saved me was a giant; biggest man I ever saw. Then, as the man was pulling me out of the tunnel, I felt so much love and joy for him saving my life and being my rescuer. I tried to give him a big hug, but being in the tunnel for so long, I lost the use of my arms. I flailed out of control.
Then the big man with the white gloves lifted me up by my ankles, turned me upside down and brutally and violently hit me on the butt of my backside twice. In the trauma of my journey through the tunnel and into the hands of this demon dressed in white, I had lost my ability to speak or express myself in any way. As I opened my mouth in extreme agony, I let out a sound that was new to me. I screamed sounds that were incomprehensible to me, but my tongue was tied. Then the strangest thing happened. As soon as everyone in the room heard me scream, a smile came across all their faces. I thought, “What kind of people are these? What kind of horrible place did I land in?”
I had to escape; I had to get back into the tunnel. I was desperate, I couldn’t stay here! I looked around and to my utter joy and relief; I saw my only hope of escape. I saw a rope running right back to the tunnel that I had just come from. I reached and reached, but couldn’t get my hands to work, but I had to try. Finally, I flung my arms around and hit the rope that led to the tunnel. I pulled my arm down and, miraculously, I had the rope that led to the tunnel in my hand. Somehow, the tunnel had closed up and I wondered how I would fit back into it, but I knew I couldn’t quit. I pulled and pulled on the rope hand over hand. I was nearing the tunnel opening. Then I heard the voice of the man dressed in white say “Oh, no you don’t.” Then, to my utter despair, the horrible man dressed in white did the most evil, wicked thing. He took the rope out of my hands and cut it in half. I was devastated. I was now trapped in this horrible new world with horrible people who did horrible things to nice people and seemed to smile while doing it. I lost all my clothes in the tunnel and was now embarrassingly naked.
I later learned that most babies born only get one spank on the butt; but I got two. I guess the man in white was irritated because I was born at 1:04 a.m. and he was sleep deprived. Well, there I was all wrapped up, ready to begin my mortal journey. I learned very early that, life is pain.