Within Us

(Written By: Dylan Thelning)

I stood with my chisel and hammer in hand sweating and anxious. I had been dreaming about this day for almost a fortnight, and now I stood ready but scared. The tribesman watched me closely some smiling with hope as others mocked or looked upon worried. Could this be it I thought, could I be the chosen one to bring our people to the heavens...

My name is Tahu which was given to me by my tribesman. Before that my name was George Parker grandson to famous explorer and sociologist Neil Parker. I had always admired my grandfather and hoped to follow in his footsteps, but when I was twelve he passed away. It was a sad time but with it came an excellent opportunity. As all his travel notes and photo albums had been left to me, as I had always wanted to see them and talk about his adventures. But the journey that brought me to where I stand now with my chisel and hammer in hand began for me at least four years after that.

I had been going through all the books and pictures taking notes for myself and trying to see the mind of the adventurer. But there was one book I had overlooked, and did so for years. Until one day the old cartography book caught my eye. Picking it up I began flicking through the pages and to my surprise a few papers fell onto the floor. I noticed right away that they did not belong to the book and in excitement picked them up. One of the papers was very old with ancient writings on the front and back, the other two were a hand drawn map that had crossed out marks across it and one mark left uncrossed. On the back was a key or algorithm it seemed to decipher the ancient writings. And what I believe the ancient writings translated to.

It spoke of our world being a magical Eden connected to the heavens receiving divine gifts and blessings from them. But as we grew so did our greed and ego's, wanting to stand equal to the gods, needing to stand equal to the gods... In our folly we tried to surpass them and show our might, but this upset and enraged the gods and they sealed the connection with a mighty wall leaving man to its own devices. Stubbornly man refused to back down wanting to breakthrough to the heavens once more, as they knew without there divine presence the magic in the world would fade also. Centuries passed before a scout from the heavens came to see what had been happening since the gods had left us.

Sadly he never reported back being taken hostage and eventually killed in an attempt to have the wall removed. At this point the gods realized that humans were determined to continue down this path and formed a mountain around the wall, so that the connection could never come between there world and ours again. But as the masses left disheartened by the mountain that engulfed there goal many remained undeterred. It was these members that found the cave and began living hidden in the mountain. Their worldly needs were little to none and found purpose in the hope of bringing heavenly energy to this world again. They knew discretion was key hiding with the mountain and striking the wall only once per day. This became the tally ceremony as each strike recorded a tally in humans endeavors to reach the heavens once more.

I remember sitting smiling to myself and thinking that the first place I might explore is the heavens if I follow on with my grandfathers legacy, but after a dream that night I was ready to head out. My father knew from his father that nothing can stop an adventurers heart and did everything he could to help me on my way. It was 3 months of hiking up into a long mountain range when I finally came across a cave. A cave that had been hidden from mankind for thousand of years. Moving inside I cracked a glow stick and started heading to the heart of the mountain. Eventually I noticed light coming from within the cave and my chest began to burst with excitement. The way it flickered meant there was torches or fire ahead and if that was the case then people must be here to.

I started running towards the light in my excitement when I noticed something move beside me at the last second before everything went black... When I awoke I was surrounded by curious people watching me, I sat up and felt my head which was pounding. Looking at my hand after I didn't see blood which was a good sign, so I looked around. Between the bodies watching me I saw a couple of their people going through my bag and belongings. “Please be careful” I politely called but no one gave notice. Drawing my attention to the tribesmen around me I tried to say hello. Everyone remained silent watching almost fearfully as I sat on the ground still. Eventually the silence was broken when the two searching my bag started grunting.

A few more of the tribesmen now walked over and they seemed to talk among themselves. I could not understand what they were saying as it was not like any language I had ever heard, but I knew they found great interest in both the map and the ancient writings that were my grandfathers. I now found a rock and started to draw my best idea of friendship on the ground. It seemed to work because the tribesmen that were with my bag walked over with the writings looking curious, but when they saw my image they knew I was a friend and embraced me. Over the next couple years I embraced there culture and refined my communicating with them, until I to became a full member of there following and tribe being given the new name of Tahu.

I was deeply honored as this meant I would be able to join In the attempt of breaking through to the heavens. Learning balance and strength from within was the way of life, with a lot of training both mentally and physically for what could be a as little as a few strikes. But a shot was a shot and this was my grandfathers adventure also so I knew that I had to do it. Learning to live so minimal was hard to begin with but as time went on I saw how much abundance I had closed out in my attempts to posses. It was at this point that I felt my very core start to change, finding better focus and power when I trained and balance and well being in life. I visited the grand shaman of the tribe often as his oversight and wisdom stretched far and told him that I was ready, knowing that it was not my place to choose or say but within I felt the call.

That night I had a dream that I was standing in front of the wall. A small hole was in the wall and light seemed to flow out, but as I bent down to see within I awoke with a start. It was already light out as the cracks in the roof of the cave where lit up in areas where sun could reach. Stepping out I saw the Shaman walking to his call spot to announce today's tally.

“Tahu” his voiced boomed my name in my head as I stood in awe. It seemed that today really was the day but would my dream come true? And here I am now with hammer and chisel in hand, I know that my tribe supports me, even those that would see me fail for there chance to be the one to deliver the final tally. But it is myself that must support myself I'm reminded, then turning to the wall I take a deep breathe and picture my goal in my mind. As I step up to the wall the silence is so that I can hear the bugs and breathing in the room. Taking a final deep breath I line my chisel to the wall and taking the biggest swing I can I drive my chisel through the wall. A cheer all around goes up as they see the chisel drive through the wall. Bending down I look into the hole.

A light fills my vision blinding me but not in a painful way, It then begins to fill my body until I am light itself. The feeling is warm and comforting and I laugh as it tells me what it is and why its here. Then in an instant the light vanishes from me and I am looking into an empty hole. Behind the wall is just more mountain and nothing different. But smiling I stand and make my way over to a large stone on the cave floor. Many of the tribesman rush over to look into the hole leaving it confused and disheartened to follow where I was headed. As I walked I grabbed a small pointy rock, and when I reached the stone I began drawing.

The light had told me where heaven was. The portals had been disconnected because we had heaven within us. A gift we would never utilize relying on the divinity of others but rather through searching within ourselves and finding our own heavens. And once humanity as a whole could unlock there personal heavens than this world would unlock becoming divine once more and re establishing the link between ours and the gods. As I showed the tribesmen people smiled realizing that they had been living in heaven many many years. I smiled at them but knew that it was now my time to leave and spread this message throughout the world. Giving everyone a hug I left for home again the chosen one that brought the message to the people.

I stopped by the graveyard and visited my grandfather who was buried there. “We did it Pop! I know you passed right near the end of your journey but heaven is within and know you were there for the whole thing” I said to him with a smile and tear in my eye before heading off again for home. When I finally made it home I went straight to bed as tomorrow my biggest adventure would begin!

The End