Nightlight

by John R. Mabry, 10th grade

And then there was no-thing, no trees, no sdy, no color, and Norm-Man was in darkness, & those things were in the darkness, and yet, deep inside, had light. The only things which he could see were his instincts, the only thing he heard was the silent tapping of his shoes upon the hallway which wasn't there. The only thing he could touch were the feelings. And yet, he knew that around some corner of the crowded yet lonely building is the hope of, the hope of, well something better. Norm-Man took step after step, knowing that he was not alone, perhaps there were others about him, yet he couldn't see them, really. Rarely did the question ever arise in normal conversation, maybe a mention; "Which is the right turn?" But nobody else knew anything more than he. Some, however, did point out to him a direction, but he always ended up right where he was to begin with. These halls were not new to him, he had traveled them all his life, in darkness. Well, yes, there were some unexplored regions, but he never entered them, because nobody else that he knew did. He wished that would change, for although he pretended to like the dark halls, he wanted something else, and so he searched them, endlessly, until The Stranger was glowing, his pupils reacted oddly as the man spoke: "Have you ever heard of light?"

"Nowould you tell me about it?"

"Certainly. You know, you don't have to travel thesee hallways in darkness."

"No?"

"As we walk further, we ourselves become darker, that is why the light was sent."

"Huh?"

"Long ago, a man was sent to spread light on the hallways to disperse darkness, so that everyone else could also walk in the Light. He was persecuted by darkness, and was tortured by the darkness, and he gave into it, for a little while, then the Light, for the last and final time, the was conquered forever, for those who wished it."

"Oh, yes, yes! How?"

"You need only ask."

And he did. Norm-Man opened his eyes to the hallway, and a saw light! For the first time, the light was visible to him. He looked at the filth that coverd the hallways that he walked and had once been a part of. His face shown as he turned, smiling toward the stranger, no not stranger, brother. He walked into the rooms he had not seen before, and they shome, all the radiance of his in-Lightened brothers and sisters, and he loved them deeply. He turned towards his friend and asked, "What do I do now?"

"Go," The other replied cheerfully, "And lead others to the light."

And it was thusly that he lived out his life: Loving, giving and sharing with his new kin. But his story is not nearly done. He knew that it was now time for him to leave them.
But he was not disturbed for this Light was nothing compared Where he was going. He bade his kin good-byep and "Until we meet agains" They weve happy and cheerful with his parting, because they would see him in the Place of Light.

His footsteps made sounds of the hard floor underneath. He stopped at the doorway which he had unkowingly passed many times before.

He touched the bar that was to open it. His hand drew back, the bar was as cold as ice. He looked into the window and saw the blackest pitch he had ever seen. He forced a smile, and then it came a little easier, with a-forceful jab at the door, he stood facing the brightest-light he had ever seen, for his new eyes,never knew blindness, nor ever would. The Master of Light stood at the doorway and welcomed him. The light was intense.