5000 Days and 1 Night

Year 1. Chapter 1: Understanding.

Who are you? Naomi asked, confused. The strange visitor surrounded by a white aura spoke.

I am what makes any living being happy, I am the expression of your heart at something rewarding. I live within you. Call me, Joy.

What is this place? I cannot feel my legs or my body! Am I in hell? The old man looked up at the great hill, and answered serenely:

You are wrong; you still have your soul. It is not a dream, and it is not hell either. It is a state produced by your mind.

Naomi still puzzled, went into a stupor, when she understood what was happening to her.

Do not tell me this is... As if leaving the subsoil, she heard metallic voices that she found difficult to understand. Then cries, and a disconsolate scream, a call. It was Henry's voice.

Naomi could not connect the dots of reasoning while her conscience insisted that it was a dream from which she would no doubt soon wake up.

That is my son! I can hear him! He is calling me! I need to wake up now! In that instant she remembered what had happened; the climax moment, when the last shot of that masked man tried to take her to death. Henry's crying; then the screams went away as if through a tunnel. Naomi let herself fall into the void, no longer hopeful, and there she lay, under a leafy linden blossom, when the old being of light came near, and leaning his hand on her shoulder, said:

You will have to go a long and difficult way. You will meet oceans, mountains, dangerous cliffs, and perhaps fire, but to make you move more easily I will give you a pair of white wings. You will know when to use them. I am here to help you, to overcome this painful experience. A long road awaits you; if your hopes were void, I would not exist.

Although the daze still filled her head with doubts, the old man's words gave her peace and calmed her thoughts.

Naomi stood up, looking as if she were floating. She recognized those mountainous areas, it was the place where she planned to spend a few days off with Henry, during the holidays.

The old man's voice brought her out of her reverie, In order to overcome your fears, you must understand that all is not lost.  When Naomi saw the old man's eyes, she saw hope and deep peace in them.

Follow me!  Without a second thought, her new companion plunged off the cliff, spreading his wings. She free from fear, did the same, and the heat of the breeze enveloped her as a pair of wings appeared suddenly on her back.

Both traveled through that world made up of old and future unknown memories.

Without alerting her, her guide stopped over a field of flowers.

She perceived the perfume, it was a field of white roses, brushed by the red of the poppies that grew everywhere. For a few seconds, she thought she was the protagonist of a painting by Van Gogh.

These flowers are free as the wind and pure as animals, said the old man, Tell me, Naomi, what are you afraid of? Can you understand what I am talking about?

I do not want to think about that right now, she said. At times it was difficult for her to coordinate her thoughts. Meanwhile, the fragrance of the flowers bewitched her, seeping into her brain. She tried to manage the situation and get out of the spell on her own.

So, it is true! I am on the verge of death! The old man smiled as he heard her; at least now she understood that she was on the verge of death and not dead, as she had thought at first.

Naomi, whether or not death comes will depend largely on you!

I understand I am in a coma. Probably lying in a hospital bed, mortifying my loved ones. Waiting for what? Is not death the only outcome that awaits me? The scent of flowers brought me relief, but my son's crying is more than I can bear!  she said on the verge of tears.

The awakening of your conscience is a long road full of trials and decisions that you will have to make in due course. The question is, Naomi, are you ready to face it? The question irritated her. Besides, why did not that old man understands that all she cared about was getting out of that situation and hugging her son who would no doubt be scared? In anguish, and about to scream, she held back trying to control herself. Something very strong inside her urged her to listen to the old man.

God knows that my deepest desire is to wake up and see my son right now! she said, looking up at the sky, while the wind, which announced a storm, swirled around her.

Then, first you must know how to forgive. You have fed for years the hatred in your heart and that is not good, especially for you. Because of that hatred you have closed the door to happiness, to joy; I must tell you that I represent the joy that you carry in your heart.

She was surprised to hear those words that made her hope grow, but also her doubts. How could that old man represents the joy?

She was in that dilemma when they took to the air again. This time they went into a dark tunnel made of dead trees; under whose shadow they found a cemetery. Naomi's heart was beating very fast as if announcing what she would see.

As she approached tombstones, her body tensed and her hands twitched as she saw the grave of Captain Berks, her grandfather, murdered in cold blood by a couple of gangsters. She knelt down, shocked by the memories, and wept over the engraved stone. That death and the events surrounding it had tormented her since she was a child, and now she felt within herself a new sensation that she could not decipher.

This is my greatest trauma she said quietly. The crows cawing, so dark that hardly distinguished themselves against the darkness of the tunnel, filled her heart with anguish.

This is one of the challenges you will have to pass, said the old man in a serene voice, and then he added, being one of your feelings, I know that this is a trauma which you have never been able to overcome. Am I right?  Naomi wiped away her tears.

"It is true!! she said.

As if from nowhere, a mature couple suddenly appeared, carrying a wilted bouquet of flowers.

They are the truth that can take you to the future. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. In other words, the mobsters who murdered your grandfather.

Naomi, for the second time went into shock. The doctors and nurses were trying to stabilize her, and they managed to do so after five long minutes. From the hospital window, a storm was announced.  Every experience that Naomi would have in that magical world, parallel to the real one, would have repercussions on her body, which lay battered in the hospital ward, where she hoped to wake up and be reunited with her life and her affections.

Like invisible animals, the thunder roared, and the lightning flashed in the faces of her grandfather's murderers, yet in the woman's eyes, one could see repentance growing.

We have come a long way to get here, she said, we had our punishment at the hands of the law, but it was not the worst. Since my husband killed your grandfather, our lives have been a permanent ordeal.

Naomi clenched her teeth and clenched her fists tightly, digging her nails into her palms, until she felt the burning of hatred.

And what did you expect? An award, for killing a good man, humble of heart, incapable of hurting anyone? I will never forgive you! she said., Never!

Then if that is your decision, we ask you to purify our souls by destroying our memories.

I am not like you two! Naomi said.

The woman, old and battered, begged, and cried for forgiveness.

It is not easy to understand that the human being is exposed to the temptations of a material world, but how wise it is to know how to forgive!

Now understanding the words that moments ago, pronounced Joy, she looked at them with eyes bright with tears and understood that, waking up and being able to enjoy what she loved the most, depended on her.

If you forgive us, said the man, I assure you that your hatred will be alleviated, and that the trauma that has haunted you since you were a child will be extinguished, so that you can take the first step on the road back.

Naomi, saw in the old mobster a look of sincere repentance. As her tears soaked the dirt in that graveyard, she remembered that her grandfather taught her something important about forgiveness when she was a child.

In the sight of God, even the most venomous snake deserves compassion. If that is true, any crime can be forgiven in the eyes of the creator and his children, since they also have that gift.

Joy, who was still smiling, came up and said:

The journey can be as long as you want. To face this pain, you must understand that any mistake deserves forgiveness, when the repentance is sincere.

Naomi thought, and the memory of her grandfather touched her heart. What would she gain by not granting forgiveness to those repentant beings? The evil was already done, and she could not turn back. In fact, she must forgive them, that was what her grandfather taught her, and Joy advised her.

She approached, and feeling compassion, her soul for the first time in many years was illuminated, she knew that to reunite with her son, she must make forgiveness bloom like the white roses and poppies that moments before gave her that invigorating feeling of peace. She came closer, looked them straight in the eye, and let out the words that immediately soothed her heart.

I forgive you both!  and hundreds of angels sang praises and lit torches, illuminating that dark plot of land surrounded by crows. A miracle happened, when as they saw the light, the black birds were transformed into doves. The Harrisons' souls were illuminated, and holding hands, with their eyes on Naomi, they ascended into eternity. Mysteriously, Joy was rejuvenated by at least ten years. Naomi spread her wings and they both smiled. She had understood.

You have done the right thing, now your heart is filled with relief. Hatred and rancor deteriorate the soul.

They flew into another memory, created by Naomi's now calm mind.

The wet, pungent smell of a rainforest caught her attention; trees and flowers, it was nature she always wanted to protect, endless green fields before her eyes.

Not knowing the reason, she felt a blast of cold, and the vegetation shook in front of her, making a loud sound that was repeated and distant.

The hospital room shook when a strong gust of wind slammed one of the doors and the glass panes were scattered everywhere.

Year 1: Chapter 2: The Wrath.

Her sense of smell reminded her of the sauce she used to make when she cooked for her son on Sundays. The aroma of basil and fresh tomato invaded her with a pleasant sensation, but she could not tell if it was noon or dinner time.

The air keen and cold, froze her body. She received the advances of the approaching storm.

The bullet holes burned.

Joy walked with her into the forest. On a rustic rock rested a woman, dressed in white silk clothes.

Who are you?  Naomi asked.

My name is Esmeralda, in the past I had your spirit, I have lived here.

Do you mean that you are...  The woman smiled.

Yes, I am one of your spiritual ancestors, she said, standing up. Let's go for a walk.

The forest, soaked with humidity and suffocating heat that called for rain, emitted a natural fragrance typical of warm areas.

This place is really beautiful; do not you think? Esmeralda said, and immediately said, I understand that you want to wake up, I always wanted to do it and never could.  Naomi looked at her, while small drops sparkled on her hair.

Why have you never been able to wake up?

My conscience belongs to many years in time, the Renaissance period, like you I have feared fate, and guilt haunted me too.

What kind of guilt?

I suffered from my father's mistreatment, so, improperly brought up, I committed many crimes. I killed, also stole, but even so I did not find my destiny and surrendered to death.

The rain covered the forest. The mud hindered the passage of the two women, who took refuge under a huge birch tree.

They rested; high up, the branches seemed to accompany with their rocking the Esmeralda wails, which she continued speaking, somehow or other we are connected. You have suffered mistreatment in the past, but you must know that if you want to awaken, you will have to learn to be like nature, pure and free as the wind. Always and despite the setbacks, do not refuse to accept that it is never too late for anything you want to do. Be patient; if you believe in yourself the awakening will come, no matter how long it takes, never surrender to a fateful destiny as I did; convince yourself that after a strong storm, the rainbow becomes present somewhere in your soul, and the sunlight embraces you to show you that it is never too late to start again.

The tremendous storm ceased. Unnoticed, the forest came alive with a beautiful sunrise, Esmeralda smiled, and without a farewell, she simply disappeared.

When Naomi turned her gaze to Joy, she saw that he had grown even younger and his shape was fading; yet before he disappeared completely into thin air, he said:

A long road awaits you. Remember what you have learned and try to keep me alive and not let me grow old, he said, "I am sure we will meet again!

She did not know if what had happened was a dream or a delirium; however, that feeling of relief was real.

Little by little, she seemed to notice that when her mind took her on a journey through the strange world of her unconsciousness, there was a tug-of-war between her reality and her dreams to call them somehow.  It was like a battle in which she didn't intervene, but rather let herself be carried away by such magical and at the same time so vivid paths.

She could feel the freshness of the pillow on her cheek and the aroma of cleanness came through her nose which received it with pleasure. She noticed that she was no longer on her back in bed; surely, she had been turned on sideways, so that her poor body would rest from being always in the same position. An unknown voice disturbed her, and she knew that her roommate was Daiana, who had just been admitted and that her condition was the same as hers.

Her natural thoughts were destroyed, transported her into that dark ambience which