A Quest of the Heart

A QUEST OF THE HEART

By Sharon J. Doss

June 25, 2021

Forever moving forward, I looked around at the devastation that met my eyes; the rubble, the decay, and the lichen covered remains of the once beautiful buildings that had once stood tall and proud in a bustling city. All caused by the devastation of the events of the past year.

My journey had started about six months ago, after my home and the entire community I lived in were decimated. I was lucky, no, blessed, that I had been on the other side of town, hiking in the beautiful, green mountains that surrounded my home town.

Suddenly, there was a tremendous vibration that shook the ground so violently that I almost lost my balance. An earthquake? Here? I turned to try to figure out what had happened. I was awestruck by the plumes of thick, gray smoke that rose into the air in the direction of my home. Where there is smoke there’s fire. Isn’t that what they always say? I wasted no time. I began to run. I ran down the path that I had just ascended and back toward town. As I rushed down the city streets, I saw nothing but collapsed buildings, homes burning to the ground and vegetation that had been incinerated by the blast. A gigantic meteor had completely destroyed the town and everything in it. There were no signs of life; no survivors that I could see.

“This can’t be happening”, I said aloud.

“I’m having a waking nightmare. This isn’t real.” But, deep inside myself, I knew it was real and that everything and everyone I had ever known and loved had been destroyed.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I reached my block and then my home. Or what used to be my home. I simply stared at the now empty lot where my home once stood. There was nothing left except rubble. It looked as though a bomb had gone off inside leaving nothing in its wake but splinters.

Slowly, with tears in my eyes, and heart pounding, I moved forward; afraid to look, but looking none the less; searching for any sign of life. There was none. I couldn’t even find the bodies of my parents. I was crushed; alive, but crushed. I sat down on the ground amid the debris and sobbed for all that was lost. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how long I sat there. It seemed like hours, but in all probability it was minutes. I felt emotionally and mentally drained. Once the tears were spent, I realized that I had to get up. I had to move. I had to do something – anything!

Forcing myself to my feet, I slowly began to look around to see if there was anything left that I could salvage. Turning over boards and looking through the debris as best I could, bit by bit I searched. Nothing!

“Okay. There’s nothing left – nothing I can do. It’s time to go.” But, go where? I didn’t know. I just knew that I couldn’t stay there.

I turned to leave and saw something glint in the sunlight. Stooping down to investigate, I gently lifted a locket from the ground. A beautiful gold, heart shaped, locket. It was, or had been, my Mother’s. I gently opened it. It held a small picture of my Mother and Father. They had loved each other so much and had had a happy, fulfilling life together.

“At least I have something to remember them by”, I thought to myself as I placed the locket lovingly around my neck.

“I don’t know where I am going, but now I will always carry them and their love with me wherever I go.”

With tears running down my cheeks, I turned and took one last look at the only home I had ever known. I would remember it the way it used to be, not this That is the image I would carry in my heart and mind, not what I saw before me.

I finally turned and walked away taking the same path I had gone before toward the mountains and my uncertain future.

Thus began my quest.