surprised to finally realize that the rider was a young woman, perhaps still in her later teens.
“If you have sufficient faith and courage, Travis, you may come with me on a mission through this region.” I was further shocked to hear her use my name. She continued, “I am come to offer to take you on a second journey, but this one involves a certain amount of peril and danger, unlike your last journey.”
“Does this place have a name?” I asked, a bit fearful of what the answer might be.
“This place has many names, depending on the purpose of your visit here. Some call it Paradise, some call it The Valley of the Dead, the grave, but the common name for it is Hell.”
Now in my understanding, Hell is a place where the damned are perpetually tormented for the evil deeds they have done. Bathed in the fire and brimstone of God’s hot displeasure, they have lost all hope for a cessation of their suffering.
At the moment I was neither spiritually ready nor willing to enter into this “Dante’s Inferno” without more assurances than the words “a certain amount of peril and danger” implied.
“I am on a mission in the service of the Lord of Life and you have been granted permission to accompany me if you have the faith. I will be your guide and guardian in this region,” she said. “But you must do your part. You must gird up your loins. Stay close to the Lord in your heart. Be in prayer, and watch that you do not enter into temptation. For very powerful forces are at work here, day and night. This is the region of the Dark Lion, the lion that walks in the night seeking whom he may devour. This is the region controlled by the Dread Prince who walks up and down through the Earth, the Prince of the Fallen Ones. You must watch and pray, Travis, and prepare yourself for battle.”
“Will we be seen by these dark ones?” I asked.
“We will,” she said.
“But will they not attack us the moment they see us?”
“Possibly, but we are here with the Lord’s blessing, so they should not attack readily, for they still respect the power of the Lord and His Spirit enough to know not to attack without occasion. But we must see that we give no occasion for them to become upset. We must give no reason for them to attack. And keep in mind that some regions are more dangerous for us than others. Some are closer to the seat of Satan in the darkest parts of his kingdom, the darkest recesses, the deepest places in his realm. But you must understand that not all who are here are as evil as he or his fallen ones. And there are many here who still seek the light, whose souls cry out for deliverance from the chains of torment and guilt that bind them. There are those who see hope in the power of prayer to one day be set free from their great oppressor. I can assure you that there is no greater joy than to liberate oppressed souls from this region.”
“Why have I been chosen?” I questioned.
“You are a believer and a scribe among the children of the living, and have proven to be an excellent medium and probe into other worlds. You seek the answers that people want to know, and record the mysteries of the spirit world in terms the living can understand. So will you accompany me or not? Is your faith sufficient to face a voyage into this dread region?”
How can anyone know how much faith they have? It is not really something you can easily measure within yourself. Faith is an inner force, a spiritual confidence and power that comes through believing the Word of God. So the real question I felt I was being asked was whether I believed God could keep me even in such a frightful place as this was reported to be.
Yes, I did believe He could keep me, but I decided that I had better ask the Lord first for myself if it was all right to go with her or not, before committing myself. What if she were a demon sent to take me to my final destruction?
Whenever I am faced with tough decisions like this, I find that it is best to ask God directly. So I shot up a quick prayer for His guidance as to whether or not I should accept this amazing offer from a cloaked stranger on a black horse, standing at what seemed to me to be an entrance of Hell itself.
Instantly I began to hear in my heart Psalm 23, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” A great peace and assurance flooded my soul—an assurance I most certainly needed and would cling to for dear life through the strange events that followed.
“Yes, I will come with you!—Can you assure me that my body will be safe while I’m gone.” I replied in full faith and determination.
“I can assure you.” Having said that, she added, “I will prepare you now for the journey ahead, for it will not be an easy one.”
Having said that, the figure on the horse suddenly pulled out her sword and without a word of warning thrust the point into my chest. I let out a startled gasp and stumbled backward, but I felt no pain, rather a warm, reassuring strengthening filled every fiber of my being. The blade glowed momentarily and then emitted a burst of light that engulfed my body. I felt myself being transformed in an instant. I was no longer an aging man in the autumn of my life but I was young again, strong and youthful like the figure on the horse. I felt so very alive, and full of the desire for an adventure. I was overflowing with wild exuberance and youthful abandon, ready to rush in where angels and old men fear to tread. And there was more. This sudden renewal of my body brought with it a warm, wonderful, tingling, sensual sensation. I felt my body awakening as if spring was returning to my manhood. I took on the stature and physique of a fit and firm, mature and muscular young man. That was a sensation I had not known in years. I felt I could mount up with the wings of an eagle, that I could run and not get tired. I felt totally renewed and regenerated. The alluvial accumulations of old age, the aches and pains, were gone, washed away by the flood tide of life now flowing through me.
Covering my newly rejuvenated, and I might add, significantly less well clad youthful body, was a short white tunic-like gown of a very fine linen-like fabric. Over this was some kind of armor-like covering that reminded me of ancient Roman times. It was made of hardened leather or a metal-like substance and covered my back and chest. The upper part of my arms and legs remained bare, but my forearms and shins had coverings. The private parts of my revitalized manhood felt shockingly “breezy.” It took several moments to adjust to the overwhelming yet exhilarating sensation of being so suddenly different, so bodily aware, so very young again.
“I am sorry I had to do that so quickly to you, but we are in a battle zone and must keep moving,” the young woman said, bringing her horse up alongside of me. The animal was so huge that the top of my head seemed only level with its back. The young warrior took her foot out of her stirrup. It was a stretch but I managed to get my foot in it. She then reached back and took my hand and with incredible strength lifted me onto the horse behind her in one powerful pull.
My next sensation was of awkward embarrassment. To suddenly find myself in the bodily form of a young man dressed in what seemed less than adequate clothing with my legs spread apart, mounted on a huge horse and pressing against the delightfully shaped buttocks of my youthful guide … well, it was interesting to put it mildly. A hot, flushing sensation rushed over me at the instant I realized how very intimate the situation was. All of my personal body space was suddenly gone. All the sexually awkward feelings of my youth came rushing back to confront me, but these sensations were interrupted suddenly, as the horse turned and lunged forward nearly sending me flying off its back and onto the ground. I grabbed out and caught hold of the young woman’s cowl and held on. Her long hair splashed suddenly across my face. I felt myself flush with color. My tongue and throat felt that dry and nervous “I need to swallow” sensation that hits a man in a sensually charged situation. My heart was pounding under the bombardment of so many emotions and sensations rushing
