The Two Men

The Two Men

A Story by Andy Ruffett
"

"What do you think happens when we die?"

"

Two men were walking across the road in deep thought. The older of the two men looked at the younger one and asked him,

            “What do you think happens when we die?”

            The younger man stared at him and replied quickly,

            “We go to Heaven.”

            “What do you think Heaven’s like?” asked the older man.

            “Beautiful,” replied the younger. “Beyond anything you could ever imagine.”

            “But some say there’s no God, just darkness after we die,” said the older.

            “Well they are wrong,” stated the younger.

            They walked on in silence for a bit and then the younger asked something of the older man,

            “Do you think that when you go, you’ll visit me and tell me what it’s like?”

            The older man nodded.

           

Years passed and the old man got very sick. The doctors tried to help him but told the younger man that it might be too late. The younger, though in tears, accepted this fact and held on to the older man’s hand.

            “I will visit you soon,” the old man replied and then he closed his eyes.

 

The younger man in a sense “grew up” once the old man was gone. He was now a high school teacher, and had a wife and two children. He loved his job and loved his family, but some days he would spend time marking his students work. He became involved in other things as well such as charities and also found a love for painting. His wife called his art, “beautiful,” and he even sold some of it in an art exhibit. He was a committed and loving father, and he smiled after every year his children had grown a little more.

 

One night, when his family was away, an unexpected visitor appeared. The younger man had decided to stay home and take care of some work to be done in the house. While getting ready for bed, he saw a face in the mirror that wasn’t his own. At first he was startled, but soon recognized the face.

            “I am back,” the face said.

            The younger man knew instantly who he was looking at and greeted the old man with a smile on his face.

            The face disappeared from the mirror and reappeared as the old man that had died long ago.

            “I have come back with news,” he said.

            “How is Heaven?” asked the younger man, he had not forgotten the conversation long ago.

            “Divine,” was the reply. “You should join me. This is the real Hell.”

            The younger man looked at the older man, puzzled.

            “Why do you think this?”

            “This world is corrupt and vicious. Murder is prevalent and sins are present. Many are sinful, while many are holy. But the sinners destroy the holy. You live in a land of destruction, a place where manipulation is the cause of unhappiness. A place where many dominate and control others: this is Hell. In Heaven, we have no such things. Heaven is a place of peace and tranquility. We are happy.”

            “I am happy,” interjected the younger man.

            “How can you be when your world is the way it is?”

            “I’ve got a job, bills to pay, a loving wife and kids. I am content.”

            “But what about the rest of the world? You’ll suffer.”

            “I will not let suffering be an issue. If what you say is true, I am suffering already.”

            “So join me and forget the suffering.”

            “I can’t,” replied the younger man.

            “And why not?”

            “Because I have work to do.”

© 2011 Andy Ruffett


Author's Note

Andy Ruffett
I'm not trying to offend anyone with the writing. The idea was that I was trying to write in a very mythical structure that also has somewhat of a message at the end. I know we have a story up on the wall at my cottage where a young man is travelling across a desert and gets too tired. Later on, he notices that there are two sets of footprints in the sand. He asks God why this is and God replies with something like "It's at this point that I carried you." This story also has a message and it has to do with dealing with your troubles and sometimes you need support or someone to "carry" you through. In this sense, it's God who carries. So, whatever your religious beliefs, enjoy the story as a story. I'd love real criticism on the structure and the writing itself, not the issue.

Cheers,

-Andy Ruffett

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Added on October 18, 2011
Last Updated on November 18, 2011
Tags: heaven, hell, death, life, god
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Author

Andy Ruffett
Andy Ruffett

Toronto, Ontario, Canada



About
My name is Andy Ruffett and I love writing. It's been my passion and it always will be. My writing expands through me through many different ways such as through story telling. Sometimes my stories ar.. more..

Writing