11. Freedom

The man brought Valerian to a place behind the building, It was a small building, filled with a few rows of chairs circling a big pool of water.

The small circular building was connected because of roofed stone paths to the main building, so Valerian got able to see the multiple individuals that ran different tasks that morning.

"Why have you brought me here?" Valerian asked, eyeing the nice details that small place held.

Although it was a building. It had not only a glass roof that allowed the sunlight in; undisturbed. But its entire build was made of transparent glass. The rays landed on the pool of water and made it sparkle almost magically.

"I have been sent to help you take the first step. And only now do I understand what that meant," the man explained taking Valerian deeper into the room.

Their figures caught the sight of those walking down and forth the nice little garden that surrounded the three stone walkways.

The man's words left Valerian slightly confused even if they made sense somehow.

Soon Valerian watched the middle-aged man; whose name he still didn't know, roll up his long black sleeves, and the sleeves of his blue jeans.

"I am mister Franklin by the way. Most people here call me pastor. But you're free to call me by whichever title," Franklin explained still having his charming smile on.

Valerian nodded but still wondered what was about to happen. When it dawned on him as Mr. Franklin entered the water.

Quickly, memories on that topic from the zealous classmates in school.

'Is this a baptism?" Valerian asked even if he never stopped walking closer to the man until he had one of his legs in the pool.

Mister Franklin nodded his head in affirmation, and Valerian felt a force compel him to step forward, while the other told him to move away. Flee even.

Truth be told Valerian considered leaving. But the suddenly strong conviction in his heart overwhelmed him until he walked closer to the Pastor inside the water.

A somber air fell upon the duo at that point. Suddenly Valerian felt unable to think straight anymore. He continued to have flashbacks about the shining figure that exuded both power and love.

He felt like he had gazed at true love with each return of his memories, but he had to focus on the event at hand since he came to a quick realization.

Valerian watched Mr. Franklin part his lips to speak, but he cut the man short. But in a way that would not get him offended.

"You don't have to say the routine," Valerian muttered already in a daze, he could feel pieces of the puzzles come together, but he had not gotten the full picture.

"I do. I accept him!" He suddenly exclaimed, and an even wider smile appeared on Franklin's face and he made Valerian kneel in the pool only about 2ft deep.

"I immerse you in the name of the Father himself. In name of He who sits at the right hand of the Father, and in the name of the Spirit," Mr. Franklin proclaimed, pushing Valerian's whole body into the water and leaving him for a few seconds, his hand still holding onto him. Before eventually pulling him out.

The young man's face had changed.

Valerian had his eyes wide open as he gasped for breath. Not because had run out of breath during his couple of seconds submerged. But because of the sudden lightness, he experienced.

He felt a weight get lifted off his shoulders, and it sent goosebumps all over his skin.

Valerian was pulled out of his unique state when screams and the sounds of glass shattering reached his ears. Heck, even Franklin had gasped, as his face revealed utter shock.

"What happened?" Valerian asked the dumbfounded man.

"I saw them… I saw them walking the garden," the middle-aged man replied still in a heavy daze. "Look! there's even one there!" the man exclaimed pointing at a spot behind Valerian's kneeling figure.

Valerian quickly turned, even if it felt like he had spent whole minutes trying to perform that simple action. And when his eyes landed on the said thing or figure, even he gasped in bone-chilling shock.

Valerian rose sharply. A result of his astonishment. But the figure he had laid eyes on abruptly disappeared. Far faster than his eyes could dream of following.

Shining white figures had been reported to have randomly moved past the insides and outsides of the church. It would seem Valerian's baptism had brought about the appearance of angels in their unique form. Grander than what he had experienced.

"I hope you have a wonderful week, mister Valerian. It was a great pleasure meeting you," Franklin announced, holding Valerian in a handshake. His smile remained broad, and his tone cheerful.

"Thank you for your time," Valerian smiled in return, even if his mind remained on the events that had occurred about an hour prior.

It still sent waves of chill and excitement down his spine.

He had had a good and long talk with the aged man. And many things that he considered in the ideal man who looked to escape hell had he found in Franklin.

Shockingly, he had been capable of sharing his experience in Sheol. The man had been somewhat stunned, but apparently, it had been revealed before Valerian's arrival that the person he was to help had just returned from a great journey to the lower parts of the Earth.

Mister Franklin had offered him guidance since he was newly transformed and had even given him a gift.

Valerian had felt very welcomed and his still light feeling made him feel incredibly happy. The happiest he had felt in life. Who knew that all those talks from those many people would pay off? Seeing as he had only needed to connect the dots to know who he was surrendering to.

"I will be on my way now," Valerian announced after they exchanged words a bit and approached the gate to walk toward his house.

He basically bounced with his steps. The freedom he felt was immense, he couldn't properly put it into words just yet.

It felt like enlightenment, but not something he completely didn't know about. Rather, the opposite. It felt like he had always wanted it, but never knew he did.

It was one of those, you didn't know you were that hungry until you got a chance to eat, moments.

'It shouldn't be this easy,' Valerian giggled walking down the street. But the reality was it truly was that easy, and soon his giggle turned into cheerful laughter. He was loose.