CROSSROADS

"Over here, son." The old man beckoned from the uncomfortable looking tree stump upon which he was sitting.

"I'm not quite sure where I'm supposed to go." The boy said, wandering closer.

"Oh, you're in the right place. You look a mite young though to be coming here, son."

"I was climbing where I shouldn't have been and fell . . . I died in the fall."

"Well that's a real misfortune, come, sit down beside me."

"You don't want to sit with him, sonny." The boy paused and looked in the direction of the speaker. A woman stood across the road, hipshot, swinging the tail of a cotton scarf.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, she laughed. He's the devil and if you sit with him you'll spend eternity in misery."

The boy looked at the old man, grey hair sticking out from his cap and watery blue eyes looking mournful. He looked a bit like his grampa did before he died.

"Is that true sir?"

"If you think that harlot could even come close to the truth, you might as well go with her now, son."

The boy looked across the road at the woman. She had one foot up on a log, smoothing her stockings. Her hair was kind of bushy looking and dyed a phony red. He watched as the skirt rose up her leg and she looked sideways at him, smirking and giving him a broad wink.

"If he's the devil, Miss, then who are you?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "Why I'm heaven sent, sweetheart." The laugh ended and she straightened up, scarlet lips forming a wide smile. "Wouldn't you rather be over here with me?"

"She'll try to tempt you, son." The creaky voice cautioned, and the boy turned back once more.

"Sir, I don't know what I'm supposed to do here. I mean I know I have to make a choice at these crossroads but who do I believe?"

The old man folded his fingers and stared at the ground. "I've been doin' this a long time, son. Folks that come this way all have the same choice to make and funny thing is most of them choose her. Guess they feel more comfortable with the kind of behaviour they're used to than with an old man like me."

"Is she really bad, sir?"

"No, I wouldn't say she was bad, just- just misguided."

Another laugh rang out from across the road. "You know who's misguided, old man. Don't pay any attention to him kid, he's just an old devil." She flipped the hem of her skirt at them and walked around in a short circle, flaunting her wares.

"See what I mean, son. She just isn't a good person."

The boy watched her for a few minutes then nodded to himself and walked across to where the woman stood.

"I think I'm going to go with him, ma'am. I just think it'll be better for me."

"Suit yourself, sonny. But don't say I didn't warn you."

The old man put his arm around the boy and smiled.

"Welcome, son. She tries but until she comes to face with what she was, they're just gonna keep her tryin' until she does.

"Trying what?" The boy asked.

"To recruit others down here."

The boy paused. "Down here?"

"Why sure, where I come from we don't care how good you thought you were."

"But- but I thought . . ."

"Welcome to hell, son."