Wow! How did she do that so quickly, she didn’t even have to sit down. How often does she come to limbo? I was flabbergasted, all she did was close her eyes for a second, and poof, gone. Well, I’m not that cool, I made my way over to a nearby chair, sat down in a comfortable position, and closed my eyes. I sat in place and slowed my breathing as my chest moved up and down, I started to feel my palms grow moist. My body became lightweight, and I could no longer feel the ground beneath me. I start to feel myself floating like I was slowly fading away. As I got my equilibrium back in place and can feel the ground beneath my feet I notice a soft rocking motion, that shouldn’t have been what I felt. I can hear the soft lapping of water, am I still on the beach? Where is this water coming from? I can hear a faint chant, but I’m not able tell what’s being said. Did something go wrong? I don’t hear the normal sounds of a hospital or smell the antiseptics; all I smell is a very faint sulfur. I open my eyes, not able to ignore it any longer and  see where I am. Immediately I knew that I did not return to the hospital with Eset. I just don’t know where I ended up. The boat beneath my feet is old, the wood is gray and rotting away. I worry it might collapse at any second. I look down into the dark water below me, there is a murky gray shade as the water sits in a solitary and quiet state, but I can sense a frightening presence. As I look within the still water, I catch a glimpse of what appears to be translucent creatures trapped below the water deep within its depths as the boat moves forward. I can hear the worst screams and screeches. The tall rock  mountains are a shiny black, there is a strange odor coming from the top that makes me feel lightheaded. I drift through an opening in the cave and avoid hitting any of the creatures in the black depths. It’s like there was an invisible guide stirring the boat. When abruptly the boat comes to a stop on the other side of the cave and the board hits a long plank floating near the edge. I rise up and walk over to the edge of the boat, once my foot lands on the driftwood I am able to make out the low chants.

“Resurrected king, judge of death, lord of the underworld we have waited for your return.” The chanting continues to increase in sound, but since I had heard the same words in my dreams for months now. I do not let it affect me. Instead, I listen closely and hold what information I can glean off each name. The voice said I returned, does that mean I am in the underworld. I mean seriously The Underworld! I can’t even, I don’t know where to start, what to say. I guess if limbo exists and I can go there, why not the underworld, but who the hell am I that I can come to the UNDERWORLD? How did this happen and how do I get back? I really wish Eset hadn’t left limbo so quickly so we could have returned together. The chanting grows louder and, the presence of the ones chanting begins to growl the words at me.

“Resurrected king returns, we seek your justice, our eternal lord has come back, back to Duat!”

Duat? What is that, where have I heard that before? I’m not sure what to do or where to go. Should I close my eyes and think about the burn unit at the hospital, would that send me back? At this point, anything is worth a try. I approach a tall boulder where I can sit comfortably, but when I put my hand on the lower rock to start climbing, my ring starts glowing the same way Eset’s necklace does. Interesting I wonder why it’s doing that? I look around and see an opening in the wall that has a floating colorful mirror essence, the bold green, gray and black colors shimmer around the hole as though it is calling to me. I think I am supposed to follow it, I want to leave, but I must have been brought here for a reason, right? I jump back down to the dock area and trek over to the shimmering-colored mist. It looks like a walkway. I stand and stare at the rock I left behind and back into the walkway. I look down and touch my ring. I take a deep breath and backtrack my steps in my mind. It doesn’t look that far off; I should be able to find my way back if necessary. With one last breath I step through the liquid mist, immediately I am assaulted by a strong smell of decay and sulfur. I turn to look back at the door I walked through, from this side I can see the glow better and the shining lights bouncing do seem to be beckoning me to move forward. I close my eyes, grip my ring, and pray to the only deity I know.

“Eset, I don’t know if you can hear me, but if by some miracle you can. This is Husani, I didn’t go back, but I’m not in limbo either. To be honest I think I’m in the underworld. If I don’t return, please come find me. If you can get in limbo, I think you can come here too. Just please come back for me.” I whisper to the dark cave.

I’m not sure if she can even hear me, but we have always been connected so she is my best shot. I look at the boat one last time through the door and take the first step toward the black abyss following the faint glowing balls.

I can feel a type of sludge sticking to my boots, I’m glad that my clothes and shoes are never affected by these trips. I try to keep my mind distracted so I don’t fixate on where this glow is leading me and what I will see. With each step closer, I feel more normal. Does that even make sense, I finally feel normal and all it took was coming to the underworld, Duat! The road to judgement! Why did I just think that, where did that come from? How do I know what Duat is? Every time I think I am getting closer to knowing why this is happening and who I am, I get more questions. I need to talk to Eset. I come to a fork on the path, but it looks weird. The fork consists of twelve different options. I know I’m going to follow the purple glow that matches my ring, but the other sections have light emitting from them too. Some look so serene, they reach out and softly pull you closer. It’s peaceful, others not only can I see and feel light, but there is laughter and joy. Not all are like that though, there are some that seem so suffocating, when I get near them, I just want to stop and take a big breath. Another is cold and rainy, I can hear the loud drops hitting the ground, but with each drip, I feel more revolting, there is an intense sadness all around. I can’t go near any more sections; I just need to move on. Each one is making me forget what my feelings are and what’s being soaked within. I move back to where I can see the purple glow and keep on walking forward.

The glow gets brighter when I come to a room off to the side, I walk in, and sitting at a rock table is someone I never expected to see, not down here! In my confusion, I look around the room and avoid the man who is much too comfortable to be normal. When I notice the glow, I walk over to it and come face to face with a strange statue, it has a green body with a beard and I think it’s wearing some weird crown. It looks partially wrapped like a mummy; I look into the eyes of this weird statue and with a whoosh get a rush of images, scents, and feelings. I turn around, and look at the man, he grins at me.

“Hello brother, I see you have been doing well!” He laughs.

“Brother!” I seethe. “How dare you call me that. I will never think of you as my brother again ” I growl.

He smiles, stands and approaches me with malice in his eyes. I prepare for the impact, but nothing ever happens.

            “That’s harsh!” He laughs.

            I watch him closely. When he pats me on the shoulder, my skin crawls like ants running over a dead rat. I want to pull away, but don’t want him to have the satisfaction of knowing how much I despise him. He laughs, moves toward the statue and reaches out to rub the headdress, instantly I get the urge to push him away. I covertly slide in front of the statue before he can come in contact with it. He notices and laughs. Around me I can hear people from all directions, some are joyous talking and laughing amongst themselves. From other sections there are endless tears, or rage. The screeches and screams are deafening, it drowns out all the other sounds.