The Grand Canyon

Image of Set Stories Free - 2018
Image of Short Story
“When someone’s heart breaks so does a piece of our world; this creates fissures, valleys, and even cracks in the pavement. Tell me the story behind the Grand Canyon”

It is common knowledge that when a lover experiences their first heartbreak, the pain is so strong that the lover cannot take its hurt. We are connected to the earth. The earth mourns the loss of love and experiences the pain with the lover. Physical scars occur due to the waves of pain the lover radiates. A valley is formed from their pain. A river is formed from their pain. A crack in the pavement you tread on is formed from their pain. Each person has their own heartbreak, and each person gets their own line on the earth.

It is also common knowledge that the more painful the heartbreak, the bigger the earth’s scar is.

The biggest heartbreak recorded to date was also believed to be the first crevices to taint the earth’s surface. However, the story of how it came to be is only a legend. Only legends remain of how the land formations and the famous rift, the Grand Canyon, came to be.

It is said that it all began when the world was being born. Light touched the ground, and from that the world began to grow. Heaven watched with curiosity and hope as everything began to grow, while Hell watched, eyes glimmering with mischief. Both Heaven and Hell were intrigued by the new surface and sent down one of their own to observe the new land. An angel and a demon stood side by side for the first time.
The angel was beautiful. That angel was one of Heaven’s most beloved and precious angels—Luka, the angel of life and love.

The demon was a cold soldier. Chill was his name, and he was one of the highest ranking demons, for his skill set was in death and destruction.

The two opposites met, both enraptured by the alluring opportunity ahead of them to scout the new terrain they had been given. However, not only were they captivated by the land and its possibilities, but they also were captivated by each other.

Two complete opposites, sent on the same mission, destined to spend the next several centuries together as the land was created. One whose mission was to get the land thriving with life and beauty, while the other was sent to destroy it.

It is also believed that the phrase “opposites attract” was coined from this fable, for not long after, the two had found that they had fallen in love with the other. Both knew it was wrong and that they couldn’t truly be together, but they fell anyway and they fell hard.

The demon was a demon of destruction, though. The beauty of the love that had occurred had to be destroyed eventually, for that is what he does.

The love angel was so devastated and broken when the demon left, leaving the angel behind with nothing but shattered dreams and a broken heart. It is said that both Heaven and Hell could hear the wails from earth of the angel who had lost itself to a demon who had walked away without a second of hesitation. The cries went on for decades while the earth crumbled. The angel’s tears flowed rapidly throughout the years and created streams and rivers, which lead to lakes and oceans. The wails caused the land shake and break apart, drifting away, leaving oceans between them. The angel, bound to earth, could fly no more, for it had forgotten how years ago.

Centuries had past since the angel was left, mourning it’s heart all alone. But one day, the demon returned, for he pitied the angel. All this pain that the angel of love had suffered had been caused by him. With the one ounce of love the demon had left, he offered the angel a deal. He said he would end their pain in return for one last kiss. The angel had instantly agreed and stepped forward to hold up their end of the deal. The demon hesitated, from the fear of forever truly losing the angel. However, he gathered up all his courage and sealed the deal, to let the angel finally experience happiness again.

It was from that kiss, the angel’s suffering ended. The warmth of the demon’s last bit of love, surged through the angel as they slowly fell to the ground. However, when the angel hit the ground, it would not rise again. The earth, heartbroken that their angel of love had finally passed, brought the angel to its core. The earth, cutting itself deep, pulled the angel closer to its center to let the angel rest in peace.

It is said that on the floor of the Grand Canyon, you can sometimes still feel the broken angel’s presence, dancing off the walls, remembering a time when love did not lead to heartbreak.
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