Devaki

In a secluded spot in Mexico the sky lit up as a mighty forest was consumed in a fiery blaze of destruction the few people who had taken up residence within a small hut in the forest were burned into piles of smoking ash. At the same time an old man in a little known location in South America fell to his knees grasping his feeble chest as he was hit by a major heart attack. Moments later he died alone in his fitly worn out shack.

As this all happened countless others were tasting death in thousands of other isolated locations throughout the Earth. And as these many deaths took place, as one poor fool after the other fell into oblivion, there was nothing I could do, I was helpless to the situation. And worse yet, I was to blame for the rampage around me.

A very long time has now passed since the night when the old man had come to visit me. When I try to remember how it all began, everything comes back in a blur of motion, as if it had all been a bad dream. But this was no dream. I had been payed a visit by the strangest old man that I have ever layed eyes on. He said his name was Devaki, an unusual name which I had never come across prior to my unbelievable meeting with him. He had come late at night in the midst of a terrible rain storm. At first I thought him to be seeking shelter and was ready to offer him such. However, I soon found out quite differently. As I was sleeping in my bed that night, there came a knock at the door. I rose, lit a candle and looked at my pocket watch that was laying next to my bed on a small square table. The time was 3:02am. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, tucked the watch in to my pocket, and headed out to meet the strange old man.

"please come in." Said I after greeting him at the door. It was the greatest mistake of my foolish life. I was not sure what made me allow him to enter, I knew there was a danger in this action, yet somehow, I was unable to resist. As he stepped through the door and came in to the light I saw that he was dressed all in black, from his round, broad-brimmed hat, to his long heavy overcoat, to his large wrinkled boots. His face was bleak and wrinkled ad void of any hair. His eyes were gray and sullen, they looked as though he had seen more sorrow than any many should. He seemed to carry the weight of the world upon his shoulders, and in his face one could sense a longing to be saved, from what I did not know. Suddenly I made an astonishing discovery. Though he had no umbrella or any other protection from the rain, he was completely dry! Not a drop f water was to be found anywhere on his dusty looking body.

"Where are you from and what is your business?" I asked rudely, for I was stull tired and rather nervous.

"I am a raveling salesman" said he. When he spoke it was as if the Earth shook within my head and it was all I could do to keep focused on him without turning my eyes in fear.