The End

Fallen out of one world and into another.

                “No stop!” I screamed in pain as fire engulfed my body. The gasoline soaked my clothes and smoke filled my mouth when I screamed and gasped for air.

                Death is a strange thing. You live and you die. For some dying is peaceful. Die in your sleep, a simple overdose, oh so many pain-free options. For others, death is hell just come back to claim you.

It seemed like hours later that I lay on the battlefield. My hair was singed and my once strong arms burned and blackened with bits of red where the skin peeled back to reveal my inner flesh and bones. The pain was overpowering that I wanted to cry and scream, but I dare not make a noise for they might come back with more flame throwers. Every move of my body simply caused more pain.

                “Damien,”

                I heard a voice gasp my name and I turned my head toward the sound of the person.

                “Damien, it hurts.” John gasped; tears fell from his deformed burned face. “But… I know how to stop it.” He pulled up his arm with a cry of pain to reveal a dirty black knife. His face twisted into a smile that only Satan could appreciate. “Damien,” he groaned and tears fell from his chin. I felt my own tears sting my own eyes as they ran down my face as well. “see you later bud.” And he sunk the knife into his heart. He gasped only once and then he was gone. I didn’t even flinch as I watched John take his own life. After this hell hole called earth, I felt almost happy for him, jealous even.

                Then I heard the voices, “I heard something. Look for any survivors.” I lifted my head just barely above the ground just enough to see the troops coming toward me. “There’s one!” one yelled and three of them started tramping towards me. It took all of my remaining strength just to sit up, and then grab the now-bloody knife and wrench it from John’s body.

                They stopped in front of me, riffles raised. It was then that I realized the reason for John’s smile. I smiled my own demonic smile as I raised the blade above my head. “I’ll see you boys in hell.” And I jammed the knife into my chest. I fell on my back and landed softly on the ground. With a sigh of mixed pain and relief, I looked at the stars above me and only thinking of my girl back home.

                “I’m sorry Emily.” And I slipped into the darkness.

 

                The sky shimmered above me with stars that shone a light purple. I sat up from where I lay in… blue grass? I was wearing black jeans and a plain black tee shirt. How did I get here? The blue grass was soft and cold beneath my bare feet. Tall trees encircled the area I was in, and the purple stars were the only source of light that I could see.

                “Damien.”

                I heard my name called from somewhere near the trees. I started walking toward the trees across the clearing. I saw things, long black things hanging from the trees ahead. As I got closer the dark shapes turned into people. No, not people. Bodies. Bodies were hanging from all the limbs on all the trees. They all wore the same black clothes like the ones I wore. I backed away from the trees when I heard my name again from behind me.
                “Damien love. You left me.”

                I turned around to see Emily hanging from a tree in the center of the clearing. Her hands were white and clenched desperately at the rope that wound around her neck. “Emily!” I screamed and my own terror echoed from the trees around me.

                I ran toward her as fast as I could only to stop at the base of the tree when I realized there was no possible way I could even reach her. The tree stood tall way beyond my head and there were no branches below the one she hung from so I couldn’t climb up. Tears pooled in my eyes  as I saw her head slowly turning to each side and her hands dropped to her sides.

                Her eyes turned black as she looked at me one final time. “Why did you leave me?” she spoke ever so softly and then she spoke no more.

                “Emily! Em!” I screamed and fell to my knees on the blue grass just below her now limp, hanging body. Just then I heard a young girl laugh from behind me.

                “Too late, much too late.” She shook her head at me.

                “What is this damned place?!” I felt my hands turn into fists and I shamelessly wiped the tears that now streamed from my face.

                As the young girl approached me, I could see that her hair was black as charcoal and hung in her pretty face in dirty strands. Tears ran continuously from her solid black eyes, they dripped down her chin, and hit the grass. Wherever the tears hit the grass, a bloody red splatter was left behind as if she cried blood. She came close to me. So close I had to take a step back.

                “Is Emily important to you?” she smiled with an innocence that appeared strangely out of place on her face. Her sad eyes alone would scare a soldier from her presence. I was stunned by her question that I only nodded and wiped the tears from my eyes.

                “Don’t worry, that’s not really her. That was just for my own amusement.” She smirked as if proud of her mind trick.

I lifted my arm as if to hit her. I was pissed. How dare that b***h do this?! I slapped her as hard as I could and only froze when I saw that my arm simply went through her body with a chill that went up my spine.

                “Then where is she?!” I was screaming at this girl.

                “She’s back in reality stupid. Don’t you remember this?” she pointed to a flamethrower that lay next to the base of the tree where Emily hung. “Or maybe you remember this?” she pulled from the folds of her black dress a bloody knife. I backed away from her as realization hit me like a pool of frozen water. “Welcome to hell. You have committed the ultimate sin against god. You have been sent here for the crime of suicide, murder, and the utter disregard of human life.” Black feathered wings spread from her back and she played with them with her fingers as if she hadn’t just delivered the news that I was about to be tortured for life. Death? Eternity.

                 I felt my jaw drop. “Then what am I? What are you?! Some kind of angel?!” I must’ve struck some kind of nerve or something because the knife twisted in her hand and she threw it at me in anger and with impressive speed, but the knife passed through me as my arm did through her.

                “No! I’m not some kind of angel. I am one of Satan’s highest regarded Winged Demons so you had better learn your place young one.” She hit the palm of her hand against my chest with inhuman speed and propelled me back against the tree. My head fogged slightly from the impact but it cleared up again soon to realize she was there again in my face. “And you will learn your place.” She smiled demonically. 

                She grabbed my wrist and began to lead/drag me through the trees and out of the clearing. Once we had left the clearing it was then that I realized how beautiful the grass was compared to the darkness of the forest. I kept my eyes on the ground for in the trees above, every tree was filled with hanging bodies. It didn’t take me long to realize that all the hanging bodies were actually comrades, family, and friends of mine of my past life. It was best to keep my head down. After a few minutes I asked the demon girl,

                “Where the hell are you taking me anyway?”

                She glanced back at me with the most bored look. “I’m taking you to the boss.”

                “Satan?” I felt my jaw drop once again and fear spread across my body.

                “No, Jesus. Yes, Satan! You’re in Hell, remember? Or did a girls hit hurt your head that badly?” she rolled her eyes and continued to pull me through the woods.

Reviews

[Althelia Marie Caine]

OMG!!!!! Maddz!!!! You have to continue this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would be an amazing manuscript!!!

[Little Abbey]

Oh nice! I love the story!

[Prairieauthor1]

Wow! A definite attention grabber. Very well executed, good flow, action packed, and descriptive enough to engage the reader. Good job, keep going! Don't see any changes to make.