Crossroads

It was probably a dream. Probably, as I don't rightly remember exactly where and when this had happened to me. Everything in my memory now is like looking at the world through a haze. It's a myriads of colors and shapes.
I suddenly found myself in the middle of nowhere. The landscape was dreadful. There was nothing around me, save the shapes of barren trees, morbid to behold. Twisted and writhed as if perpetually tortured and in pain. Thru the haze of my vision, they were like creatures of the night, a parody of life lost.
The sky was cast in a sick shade of purple. There were no clouds, only a strange form of a mist flowing. There was no sign of light but strangely, I found it possible to look beyond. Standing before me was a path, that seem to lead to the horizon. I seem to be standing in the middle of the path. It's as if that I must've walked here from somewhere. Did I trod down this way? I don't remember. Nothing seems to make sense, but somehow I felt compelled to walk and follow this strange pathway, wherever it would lead me. I took my first steps and began my journey with slow debilitating steps.
I plodded along very slowly, inspecting my alien surroundings as I moved. I noticed, that this place was devoid of life. The grass, or whatever it was that littered the sides of the pathway were in gray. It was all so deathly silent. The only sound I could hear was the moving air that surrounds me and that of my beating heart. Wherever I am now, it is a place that life itself has forsaken. Each gasp of air that I breathe, smells faintly of roses and decay. Each breath leaves a faint taste of ashes in my mouth.
Who knows how long I've walked, It must've been hours but it felt like days. Sudden fear grabs me as I wonder if I would ever find a way out of this place. It was at this precise moment that I saw a break in the the horizon, a divergence of paths. I felt a sudden relief. Variation must mean that this path is not a neverending one-way-street. The relief passes and confusion overtakes me. What does all of this mean? With renewed vigor I trudged on forward towards the coming horizon, determined to find out what all this is about.
Before I realized, I found the horizon dropping lower. This could only mean that I am finally reaching somewhere. Is this to be my destination? I truly did not know.
Maybe it was that I was too absorbed within my own thoughts that I didn't notice, because I found myself at a crossroad. I stood there bewildered. Which way should I head from here? I looked around, half-heartedly thinking that there might be a signboard somewhere that could give me a clue.
True enough, it was just what I had expected, there was only nothingness around me, or was it? I must not of have noticed before, because standing just a little bit away from me was this shadowy figure. The figure seems to of have been standing there for a long time. It seems like that it was waiting for something or someone, Strange that I could of have missed its presence.
The figure looked like it was standing in a slight hunch. It was dressed in a druids garb of sorts, with heavy cloaks shadowing its features from my eyes. The color of its robe was as black as night. It was made of the finest cloth, smooth and comforting. There was no adornment that it wore on it's garb. It was plain and somehow, it was haunting.
I wasn't sure what got me moving towards this looming figure, but I did it anyway. Slow, cautious steps I took towards it. I probably wasn't feeling very sane, but then again, I was literally caught in a land of nightmares. What worse could happen to me?
As I approached the figure, I realized that it wasn't the small and frail figure that I first thought it was. Somehow, as I move closer, it seems to grow in stature, or perhaps, it was me that was shrinking. This apparition that stood before me was easily seven feet tall. The oversized garb that it wore, gave it an illusion of frailness that disappeared upon closer inspection. Underneath the velvet robes, I sensed a strong frame that is filling the garb most admirably. The strange thing was, that even up this close, it's visage was still hidden within the shadows of it's hood. I just stood before this apparition, dumb and silent.
There were probably a thousand questions in my head, and somehow my gut feeling told me that this figure that stood before me has the answers to all of them. Yet, I couldn't speak, not a single word. I just stood mesmerized by the darkness of it's robe that seems to draw me into infinity.
A voice echoed in my ears. Or maybe, the voice was in my head as I could still hear the silence around me.
"You seek answers. You seek direction. You are given a choice...", the voice hissed to me, neither male nor female. "You are at the crossroads now, what choice would you make?"
Somehow I knew that this voice was from the figure that stood before me. I stood before it with knowing in my eyes as I stared. It just nodded in acknowledgement, as if it read my thoughts.
"I can tell you which path to choose. I can make smooth that path. I can surround that path as you walk with pleasures as you have never known..." the voice hissed. "Everything I give for a trade. Everything I give in exchange."
The offer seemed very enticing, maybe a little too good to be true. I wonder what exactly was it that I would have to exchange, not that I really had anything at all in this forsaken land.
As if reading my thoughts, the voice came again.
"You see my friend, everyone travels their own roads. They each walk their own path. Each carries on walking and walking until they can walk no more. Either they run out of will or the roads to tread," it explained.
"At one point in their journey, everyone will come to a crossroad. Everyone will have to decide where else they would want to go from there," it paused. Then in a slightly sinister tone, "Sometimes, they will find me there, just as you have found me here, at the crossroad of your path."
I wonder where this was all leading. Whatever it has just said makes no sense to me, but at the same time, I found some sort of profound understanding in its words. Just then, it raised his hand to point at the pathways that divide at the crossroad. My vision followed to where it was pointing.
"What will your choice be? You pick a path, and you just carry on walking. Down these paths, it may lead you to glory. Down these paths, it may lead you to anguish and pain. Down these paths, you may arrive at success. Down these paths, you may arrive at nothing. You will be faced with harsh truths. You will beset painful lies. Such is the journey of life, that no destination is certain. The only certainty is the doubt that will fester in your mind. The only certainty is the tinge of regret. The only certainty, is that your mind wonders, what would it be if you took the other road?"
I could sense a certain mocking tone as it allowed that last sentence to trail off.
"We all need some direction. Direction that I would gladly offer. Direction that would lead you down the path of glory and success. Direction that would lead you down the path that fulfils all of your heart's desires. All that I ask, is an exchange," it said as it lowered it's hands and hide them once more within the folds of its cloak.
"My price is an easy one, yet it will be heavy nonetheless," it said. "I will offer my gifts, in exchange for your soul."
My mind cringed at the thought of the offer.
"Do not fear, my friend. Losing your soul is not as frightening as it seems. You will not even notice the difference with or without it. Instead, think of it as preparing yourself for a most wonderful journey."
I could sense a smile playing on its lips while it spoke.
"To enjoy the ride to its utmost, you will have to lose that burden of your soul. Lose it, and you will live life like you have never lived before, with no more constraints."
I stood there thinking about the offer. I thought about it for a long time. I was tempted to just let it all go. After all, we live but once, so why not make it a joyride?
I made up my mind. For the first time, in this strange surreal world, I looked at the figure, and smiled. I turned away from the figure, closed my eyes, and started trodding down a path at random.
The voice in my head came in a scathing and mocking tone.
"You are a fool! Do you think you can truly walk away from my influence? Even by refusing my offer, you will still trip and fall. I will always be around you. You will find yourself walking the long winding roads and still end up with me in the furnace that burns eternal!"
Somewhere I found the courage to reply the conversation in my head.
"Are you certain? Like what you've told me. Nothing is certain even as I walk now on my own. I may find redemption as I walk this path, or condemnation. At the very least, life, the uncertain journey is a whole lot more interesting that way. My life is mine, and mine alone."
The voice seem to of have ceased in my head. The sudden silence was overwhelming. I simply carried on walking. It wasn't long before the voice came in my head again.
"I like you. Trust me when I say this. I foresee that you will find yourself at many a crossroads in your journey. I will be waiting up ahead."
I smiled. I still carried on walking with my eyes closed. I really didn't care anymore. I just wanted to walk without knowing where I will be headed, and decide when I finally get there, or when my legs finally gave way, whichever came first.
The very next moment, I found myself in a room. The surroundings were familiar. It was in my bed that I was lying on. It was my clock that stared at me and told me that it was lunch time. It was my clothes that lie scattered across in the room.
Just then the phone rang. I picked it up, still feeling dazed and confused. It was Alan.
"Hey, so what's up today?"
I sat there, silent for a moment. Then with a smile I replied.
"Seriously, I don't know what's up... but hey, life is certainly more interesting when it's uncertain ain't it?"