The Face Collector

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There's a saying, which our elders do say. "As a child grows he or she will need to face his fears." But that fear will determine and reshape the future for you.

Growing up as a child in a family that believed in diabolical acts. A family that performs more spiritual rituals and sacrifices to protect their beliefs, it's a tradition that was passed from generation to generation and I was born in, which I couldn't run from, because my father was the Chief Priest of the family's deity we worshiped. My family was known for worshiping the deity of America. The gods of giving and taking could control natural occurrences.

At seven years old, my father had shown me how to summon spirits of the dead and how to move my spirit to different realms in search of knowledge.
Many said my birth was mysterious and also a miracle, before my birth. The village had not seen rainfall for nine months, their lands were dry, so they couldn't farm. Feeding was difficult, there was a famine for nine months. And when it was the time of my birth, a strange cloud gathered in my family house and rained heavily before spreading across the village. The strange clouds were said to be the visit of the gods, but this visit left me with a mark on my right chest. A three-deep straight mark drawn accurately by the gods. A birthmark to remind me that I was chosen for a purpose.

A purpose is yet to find out, but still, my father kept teaching me the ways of the gods. As he would say to me. "Son, there's a secret behind your birth, and your existence." Hmm… these are words of a wise man that seem confusing to young blood. I have tried to force out the meaning of those words, but he remained adamant in letting me know.

Every night my father and I would sit opposite each other around the fire, as we meditated to increase our Chi, but to him it was something else, separating his spirit from his body and walk-into the spirit world to gain more power. Going in was easy but coming back to your body was the hardest part because as you leave your body the evil spirits sense an open host to possess into, corrupting the body and taking control, which my father always battles with every time he goes into that state. But, unfortunately, this time he couldn't fight his way back.

He was trapped by an evil spirit, caging his spirit in the underworld, leaving his body open for other entities. That night I should have joined him to meditate, but I had a stomach ache causing me to sleep in pain. Father told my other siblings to wake him from his meditation. They did but they found his body cold and his heart beating slowly.

Immediately, my mother sought help, calling his fellow priest across the neighboring villages to find a solution. And that solution wasn't what I expected.

"The only way to bring your father's spirit back to his body, before his heart stops beating. Listen carefully, one of his children must journey to the spirit world and steal the key to unlock your father's spirit from where he's been trapped by the face collector. And that child must have the mark of the gods." The old priest said.

Before I could say a word, all eyes were on me.

"Oh, my child, you're the chosen one. One gifted by the gods with abilities you're yet to know. Hmm… your father only has two days to live, else his soul will be completely lost in the spirit world and that will be his resting place." He said, he held my right hand.

"Now, come with me, let's prepare you for the journey." As he walked me into his inner room, performing some rituals to prepare me for what was next to come. I was dressed in a red garment, my neck was occupied with a bead-like necklace, then he gave me a native herb soup to drink from a calabash, as he whispered into my ear, "when you see the face collector, don't be afraid, never leave an expression on your face, no matter how he tries to scare you, don't leave an expression on your face else he will steal your face and add it to his collection, which will make your faceless. Now, follow the yellow light." He whispered slowly.

Those words traveled into my mind as I slowly fell into a deep sleep, crossing into the spirit world. As I entered into the spirit world, I wandered around the strange land, searching for the spirit name Koh. The spirit world was filled with strange and mystical creatures. Creatures beyond human understanding, then I found the yellow light that led me into a giant tree with big curved roots like a house roof. It was very dark, but the yellow light guided me.

"Hello!! Anyone here? I'm looking for the spirit name Koh…" I shouted as I walked deeper into the dark. Suddenly, I noticed some strange movement in the dark, but I kept my cool with my shaking legs. Just as I was about to take a step. A being appears in front of me.

"Welcome Chosen one." That being said. It has a black widow spider body with a human face that could change into any face it wanted. It was horrifying and almost got my scared facial expression.

"Oh, Thank you," I said to it, as I bowed to the face collector, while it changed its direction.

"My old friend Kai, the chosen one."

"You know me?" I asked as I was surprised.

"Yes, you're a recantation of someone I know. He tried to kill me." He said angrily.

"Why did he try to kill you?" I asked, as I frantically searched for the key and my father's trapped soul. "Yes, hold on Papi," I said to myself.

"Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved. I stole his wife's face." He suddenly changed into a beautiful lady and came closer to me, trying to force an expression on my face.

Slowly, I moved to the key spot while I kept the conversation with him. I grabbed the key and unlocked my father's soul.

"So, why are you here? Chosen one..." He asked as he turned instantly.

"Oh, about that, I am here for my father and the key. Daddy run!!" I shouted as we ran.

"No…. You fooled me." He roared, changing to a lion, as he chased us, while we ran towards the end of the light and back to our bodies.