Gone From Darkness - 4. Afterword

Boy, was this story fun to write! I thought I might write an afterword to explain to my readers what's next. When I first wrote this story, I was certain that it was destined to be a short story. I was right; this part of the story was written just right.

A little explanation of the "theme" of the story might be in order here. Though I am a Christian, I tried to stay away from blatantly Christian writing. I think I succeeded because, to be honest, the God of the Christian Bible is far more forgiving than the one I created.

In my idea of GFD's "God," I tried to imagine a supreme being that is more concerned over Karma, as well as the love between two souls. Though I am Christian, nowadays I have come to dislike parts of the Bible that preach, "accept Jesus as your savior and you will have eternal life," simply because, well, its like spiritual blackmail: If you don't believe in me, you will burn in hell. What kind of "God" would truly preach that? I mean, it makes so little sense to me sometimes.

If we were sent down here to "earn our eternal lives," how much of a choice is it really. "Well, I could do what I felt was right, but even if I didn't believe Jesus died for my sins, or that he was the son of God, why should I be punished?" Believe or burn in hell is not a choice.

I think people fail to see behind the words of the Bible, in that its real message is, "have faith in the creator of the universe." That is a much more comforting message; one that doesn't leave you feeling like you are doomed to burn in hell if your experience of "Christianity" wasn't as strong or comforting because of the people who preached it. So, though I still bobble back and forth regarding my belief in Jesus being God incarnate, I think my real purpose in this world is not only to pay homage to Jesus, but to love others. If I can love and be loved, I've achieved a divine gift that my maker has given to me. This, to me, is much more meaningful than what some religions preach (and not just Christianity.

So, I apologize if my story's version of the afterlife is too "christian-esque," but I think if you see past the similarities, and focus on the theme of the story, you'll find much enjoyment in Gone From Darkness.

Where do we go from here?

At the time I finished the rough draft of Gone From Darkness, I wasn't expecting to see anything beyond the "happily ever after" ending that you see on my site. The story seemed just perfect as it was, and, to be honest, it was.

Later on, however, while I was in the process of editing it, a new plot began to weave together in my mind. As of now, it's merely a concept, with very little of it written down. The storyline came to me just as the first one had: out of the blue.

I feel, as a writer, I should at least put some ideas on paper. Just because they're in "Heaven," doesn't mean the story has to be over. There are many aspects to "afterlife" that are still unexplored, and I think I can have as much fun delving into them as I did with this short story.

It might not be for months to come, but we have not seen the last of Matt and Luke. Their story will continue on in time.

Thanks for reading!

bwctwriter

don't forget to check out my site, where you'll find my stories, as well as those of other new and experienced authors: http://www.authorskeep.com