Toward mid-afternoon, the travelers topped a slight rise and looked down into a deep, narrow valley. Seth was struck with a certain dullness, a feeling of misty heaviness, even though the sky was clear and the sun was still high. He hesitated, but then followed as Maturity walked on.
As they approached the foot of the hill, Seth noted a shadowy shape, ahead. It appeared to be a tall cactus or a lone tree. Other similar shapes could be seen, beyond. As he and Maturity drew nearer, Seth could see that this first shape was neither tree nor cactus, but was a human form.
"Statues!" he exclaimed.
"People," said Maturity.
"No," rejoined Seth, "They aren't real. They're very good - certainly very lifelike - but look how solid they are. They are definitely statues."
"Your sight is good, Seth, but your discernment is less so. For, although they look like carvings, they are people as real as you and me. Unfortunately, they are petrified."
"Petrified? But how can that be?"
By this time, they had drawn up before the first object. It looked like a real person - it would have been impossible for even the finest sculptor to create such realism - but Seth's mind could not comprehend the stillness of the figure. He reached out his hand to touch it, and drew back as if shocked. It was soft, smooth, human flesh.
"Impossible!" said Seth's mouth, but his mind was already asking other questions. How? Why? Maturity read those thoughts, easily.
"There are two things that cause inhabitants of the Kingdom to become petrified. One is fear, and the other is ignorance."
"Those are bad traits, all right," said Seth. "But I never heard of either causing this condition!"
"But remember," said Maturity, "That you have crossed the chasm, and are living in a new world, now. Still, I see what you mean. Ignorance and fear often make people move faster outside the Kingdom!"
He couldn't help chuckling at his own little joke, but quickly composed himself and went on. "Life in the Kingdom is easy. Everyone has duties and responsibilities, but everyone has a lot of latitude and freedom in how he does things. The King's philosophies are all clear-cut and easily understood and, after just a short time in the Kingdom, everyone can know exactly where he or she stands. There is absolutely no reason for anxiety or misunderstanding."
"But," interrupted Seth, "You just said that fear and ignorance are what we are dealing with!"
"True, but what I said is that there is no need to be fearful or unsure. That doesn't mean that all who cross the chasm take advantage of their new freedom. Some can't seem to loosen their hold on life as they lived it outside the Kingdom. They know the King's way, but they are afraid to live it. Or else, they never take the time to learn it, at all. They are in the Kingdom, and certainly are better off than they would have been outside, but they aren't really a part of life, here."
"So, what happens to them?" asked Seth.
"They just go slower and slower, and stumble along toward this particular area. If they don't come to their senses, they eventually stop moving, altogether. Then here they stay, safe but unproductive, from now until some future date when the King will change his way of administering the Kingdom."
Seth almost reached out to touch the living statue, again. His mind could still hardly believe what he was seeing.
"Can this really be?" he finally asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. And, besides the obvious misfortune to the persons you see here, can you relate this to our lesson about the Kingdom as a living body?"
"Oh!" exclaimed Seth. "I certainly can. I've been worrying about these individuals, but I see that I must also worry about you and me. If these stay here in this valley for a long, long time, they are not taking their rightful places in the body - in the society of the Kingdom, I mean. So, their fear and ignorance are affecting many besides themselves."
Seth fell silent as they continued their walk down the valley, passing hundreds of living statues. It was only when they began the gradual ascent at the far end that he spoke again. "How can we help these people?"
"I'm afraid that by the time they reach this valley, they are beyond immediate help."
Seth pondered that. "Could this happen to me?" he finally asked.
Maturity smiled, and placed a hand on Seth's shoulder. "It is possible, but I think it won't. You have a quick and open mind, and have been giving careful thought to what you've seen and heard. Those are the safeguards. It is those who refuse to learn who are in danger. New citizens must learn that crossing the chasm involves much, much more than a mere change of address. (Remember, you used that phrase, yourself?) This is an entirely new life, and virtually everything you learned before - the whole value system of life outside the Kingdom - is out of place, here. Re-training is a relatively simple matter the King's way, but it must be done. If it isn't... Well, you have seen one of the possible results."
Seth could only smile faintly as they topped the ridge and started down the other side.
***
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