Episode Ten

            Soon Brian’s heavy breathing mixed into the sounds around me. His snores intertwined with the rhythmic beat of my heart and I knew that he had fallen asleep. I wished that I could fall asleep. I painfully hoped that I could escape this place just for a short time so that I wouldn’t have to think about the heat that wrapped around me a thick wool blanket or the evil that hunted us around every corner. I wished with all my heart that I could see Alice just for a moment. Wished that I could touch her and hold her but mostly I wished that I could find out what she had done. My angel deserves to be in Heaven.

            I was aware that I had fallen asleep, but the heat and the pain was still there. Even in my dreams hell was still ever present. I found myself running, through the forest again. Looking over my shoulder I saw hundreds of demons chasing me. Brian was not there to help me this time. I tripped and fell screaming, curling myself into a small ball as the horde of monsters fell onto me. They tore at me and burned me wherever they touched my skin. I screamed out in pain.

            The next moment I was back at the Gates of Heaven. Maurice stood there in front of me. His eyes were a cool blue that rippled like the North Atlantic Ocean. He wavered over me as I still lay curled up on the white tile. They felt warm to the touch. Not cool and refreshing like I thought they would be.

            “You have damned yourself.” Maurice spoke to me. “You have chosen your path alongside the devil and you will never pass through these gates.” He spoke louder now, his voice rising with each word until he was screaming at me. His face becoming contorted into a horrifying version of the beautiful angle he used to be.

            “You belong in Hell!” He shouted furiously before snapping his fingers just like before when the podium glided from the tiles. This time the tiles opened up beside me, four across and four deep. No podium rose forth but a gaping hole was seen from the opening. I could feel wavering heat rise from its mouth and hot red light burst from the hole. I was inches from the opening and I could feel the flames jumping up the shaft.

            “Now!” Maurice shouted as he stepped closer to me. He placed his gloriously white slippered foot onto my side. “Go back to Hell!” He shouted and kicked with all of his might. I had no time to cry out or reach for the lip of the tiles as I fell over the edge and descended down into the flames of hell.

            I woke up with a start. I gasped for breath and looked around me in bewilderment as I tried to remember where I was. The room was shrouded in thick smoke and flames licked at the walls. I choked back tears as I looked over to see Brian missing from the spot he had been sleeping in. I heard a cry of alarm coming from downstairs. I jumped up and dodged the biggest of the flames and ran to the stairwell.

            There was Brian. On each side of him was a fire demon. They had him by each shoulder and were dragging him through the doorway and outside. Smoke billowed from outside and fouled the clean air that had been trapped here. Every part of the building they touched easily caught fire and covered the building in flames.

            From where I stood at the top of the stairs a thick wall of flames blocked my path from the door that Brian was now disappearing from. Luckily it also blocked the demons from seeing me. I could hear Brian screaming my name as he disappeared.

            I only froze momentarily before sprinting through the flames and down the stairs. Brian had saved my life once and now it was my turn to save his.

            But weren’t we already dead?

Reviews

[KAOlmsted]

I really like these episodes of yours. You've really found your niche. Sorry it took so long to read this, but I was off for a couple of weeks editing, then I got the b*****d flu. This was buried in my 200-plus RR queue. But. Better late than never! :-D

[Craig2591]

Yeah, I was wondering that last line, too.

This is very descriptive. I feel like I'm there.

[Tabitha t]

Thanks for the review I really appreciate it. Ill post the next episode tomorrow

[gombeggar]

interesting turn of events...keep going with this

[Marie]

This is entertaining and exciting, but you've either got to get this guy to his goal soon or go ahead and turn it into a book.

[Tabitha t]

I know! im getting to the climaz of the tory but my issue is with word count... its in limbo right now at 12k will finish at about 20 i am estimating maybe a little lower. to long for magazines and to short for normal publication.... idk what to do...