On this journey called 'life'

"This must the dead end" I reckoned. I felt weak with a burden over my back, which kept pulling me down. "What is beyond this? Am I standing on the edge of a cliff? Is it the end I was anticipating for?". I stood leaning onto the wall, gazing into the sheer blackness. Loneliness crept in silently and I heard the broken heart beating aloud with its lost rhythm. The final ray of hope diffused out and disappeared. I stood blind, wedged between the thoughts of the past and the terrifying future.

Time was passing and the moments were being counted. My conscience urged, 'move on! There is no going back'. Gaining strength from the emptiness around, I pulled myself out from the hollow of thoughts; fretfully placed my first step into the depth of the darkness, hoping for a big fall, never to return.

I was going down and down, and it was only darkness and darkness around. Yes, I knew it was the end! “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!”, my sound echoed through the dark passage way. Cold air rushed in chocking my lungs. I lost my consciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the ground with piercing pain all over the body. All I remembered was a loud noise and a sudden fall!!  I slowly raised my head, I could hardly see anything. It took a while before I gained my balance. I stood frozen, struck by wonder.

"The journey isn't over yet!" The sudden realization sent a jolt of joy that triggered my heart; it started beating louder with a new rhythm. I pulled myself forcefully and staggered forward. I pulled harder and harder; walked faster and faster. I slowly started forgetting my pain. I could see lights sneaking in through small openings. My stride slowly regained its pace. Memories gave way to new hopes. The darkness slowly drifted away. I started seeing the long stretched path ahead, widening and steering up the hills, meeting with new roads, and taking new turns.

And I realized, "I was mistaken. This isn't the end, but just a beginning! The beginning of yet another chapter in the story of my life".