“Charlie?”
“That is not his true name. That is just the name he tells the souls of the damned.”
“How can he help me? I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t want to help me after that chase I gave him.”
“Jon,” he chuckled, “everyone runs. Back to the point. Jon, there is more work to be done than you think. Hell doesn’t fill up on its own. Aside from taking people from Earth to Hell, he also runs a program.”
“I don’t think I want to help anyone in Hell. I’d rather just stay and endure my punishment.” I said it, but I didn’t really think it. I really wanted to do whatever it took to get back to my wife.
“He does not really think that does, he? No. He cannot possibly think that. No one wants to stay.”
“Who are you talking to?” His flames erupted once more.
“Do not interrupt my thoughts!” his voice boomed. “If you really feel that way, be my guest and stay awhile. I will be in touch with you soon, Jon.” He snapped his fingers and I was awake again. The pain returned to my hand, and I sat on the ground clutching it.
3. New and Old Faces
“What are you doing?” a random passerby asked. He looked normal except for the huge, open scar on his face. It ran from just beneath his left eye to his chin and then around to the right side of his mouth.
“I’ve been marked. Not like you care.” I responded. I pretty much gave up hope on ever relinquishing myself from the pain of Hell.
“Oh. I think I’ll be on my way then.” I don’t think he meant for me to hear but under his voice as he left he said, “He’s damned.”
Although he was probably right, I decided it would be best to just leave it alone and pretend it never happened. As for encountering Asmodeus again, I would have to cross that bridge when I came to it.
I started walking through the streets and I finally came to the steps to the second level of Hell. They were tremendous and paved with massive black stones half the size of a man. The temptation to go forth was so great, but I fought my way back to sense. I turned and continued on my way. As I was walking, I stumbled upon a pencil lying on the ground. It was broken in half, but I thought that if I could find a knife or something, a pencil might come in use sometime.
I hated having to see the damned. Their disfigured bodies disgusted me. And what’s worse is that they didn’t seem to mind each other. ‘I suppose after a while you just get used to it.’ I thought to myself. My legs grew stiff from all the aimless wandering so I decided I would have a seat.
A man approached me and sat down. He had blond hair and blue eyes. His skin appeared burned. “What’s going on chap?” he said with an English accent.
“Nothing,” I solemnly replied
“Nothing? You must be new ‘round here. Name’s Stuart. Friend’s call me Stu.”
“Nice to meet you, Stuart,” I responded out of habit.
“So was I right?”
“About what?”
“About you being new.”
“Oh. Yeah, I haven’t been here very long at all.”
“I’ve been here 43 years by my count, but who knows how long, really.” I didn’t respond. “I mean with all the nightmares and such. Hear most of them last longer than the actual dream.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“There’s probably a lot you don’t know, huh?”
“Probably. My Father was helping me along the way, but I’ve lost touch with him already.”
“That’s no good at all.”
“I know.”
“Who is he? Maybe, I know him!”
“His name is David, David Cowley.”
“Oh sure, I know Davey. We go a ways back.”
“Do you know where he hangs out?” I was excited. I may not have left him on good terms, but I did miss him already. His disfigured face was hauntingly comforting.
“Yeah, let’s go!”
So we stood up and headed out. We traveled to a part of the first level that I hadn’t yet familiarized myself with. I mean, I’d only been there a little while but a few things started to become landmarks in my mind; for instance, the square. There were about five buildings on the block and the center one had people of all sorts rushing in and out like a store with a going out of business sale. There was a big man standing in front of the door acting as a sort of bouncer. I looked at his left hand and he too bore the mark of Asmodeus. ‘Good, maybe he’ll let me pass without a problem,’ I thought. When we approached he put his hand out to stop us.
“Come on, Bill,” Stu said.
“I was told not to let you pass, Stuart,” the man replied. He was big, full of muscles, and scary as hell. He had a tribal tattoo on his face that ran down to his neck and disappeared into his black T-shirt. He had on black tattered pants, and he was missing his nose.
“Oh Bill…”
“How about me, Bill?” I interrupted, raising my hand to reveal my mark.
“Absolutely, sir.” He didn’t turn, but he opened the door for me.
“What about him?” I asked, pointing to Stuart.
“I guess if you are vouching for him, but if he screws up, I’m holding you responsible, and you’ll have to answer to Asmodeus!” I shrugged it off and we walked in. The door closed behind us. We were in a small room as big as a small closet. There was a steel door in front of us. The hinges were riveted all the way to the other side of the door. The walls were decaying stones. Large stones like from a castle.
“Don’t act suspicious, chap,” Stuart instructed me.
“Why not?” I asked.
“‘Cause, this is Asmodeus’ home. He’ll unleash fear into you that you don’t know, scar or not.” He was talking about the mark on my hand.
“I cautiously turned the door knob. The door creaked revealing a club scene. There was a group of people in the corner playing music on decrepit instruments. They were forced there, obvious of the chains attached to them.
The room was huge. There were tables everywhere with people in most of the seats. No one was drinking anything, but they all seemed drunk. There were a set of small stairs leading down from the door we entered. They were solid stone, and seemed to lightly glow, letting off a small glimmer at the right angles. As soon as my foot came off the last step, I became drunk. I stumbled and fell onto a nearby seat. Stuart quickly sat down in the chair next to me.
“Look, pal, if you don’t want caught; I bet you’ll act straight. They ain’t partial to new people. Your dad hangs out in a rough crowd, see. They’ll tear you to shreds. And if you act like this is your first time drunk, they’ll know you’re new.” I nodded. “Alright, you see that bloke over by that red door?” he pointed.
“The bald guy?”
“Yeah. He guards the door where your pops is, and the mark won’t get you through that door.”
“Why not? If this is Asmodeus’ house, then I should be able to go anywhere I want.” It was strange. The temptations of the mark were starting to get to me. I’m not saying that it wasn’t pleasing, but the power a simple scorch mark granted was strange and alluring.
“‘Cause, you have to be invited by Asmodeus’ himself. Say kid, what’s your name anyway?”
“Jon.” It hadn’t occurred to me that Stuart didn’t know anything about me, yet he was helping me find my father. ‘Maybe there is some good in Hell,’ I thought to myself.
“What’re you in for?”
“I did a horribly stupid thing.”
“Hey, didn’t we all, Jon.”
“Alright, I killed myself.”
“Wow. I’ve never actually heard that one.”
“Hey, I haven’t told anyone about that. It’s my business and I don’t know why I even told you.”
“Calm down. I meant nothing by it. Do you want to know what I did?”
“Why not?”
“All right. I was living in grand old London town. I had it all, man. Money, women, anything you could ever want, I had.”
“So was it greed then
?”
“Nah. I killed some whore in an alleyway,” he said with a chuckle. I didn’t even crack a smile. “Come on man. You have to loosen up.”
“Maybe. I just didn’t think you were going to be so bold about murder.”
“I didn’t actually kill the dame. I just roughed her up a little bit. That’s not why I’m here though. I’m here because I stole every pound I had. So, you were right, Jon. I’m here for eternity because I was greedy.”
“So, was any of that story true?”
“Not a word of it.” He laughed again. I didn’t know much about Stu, but I had a feeling that he was someone I could trust. His disfigurement wasn’t that bad. His skin was entirely scarred from burning, but that was it. ‘His sin must have not been as bad,’ I thought. After all, he was just helping me out of the bottom of his heart. He had nothing to earn from reuniting me with my father.
“I guess we should walk over there and try to get in.”
“I suppose.”
We got up and started walking over there. I stopped myself from stumbling a few times. I still wasn’t quite used to walking around drunk even though I hadn’t drank anything. The man standing in front of the door looked like the man guarding the front door. He wasn’t, however, wearing the same thing. He was wearing silver armor on his chest and legs. He stood perfectly still looking directly forward until we approached him. He turned his head and stared directly into my eyes.
“You may enter, Jon.” His voice was that of Asmodeus, I could recognize its sinister boldness anywhere. He then turned his head towards Stu. “You, make yourself disappear.” He snapped his fingers before Stu could get a word in, and Stu left immediately. I looked down to my feet as he left me. I felt horrible for just letting him leave and staying behind. The man turned around and opened the door. As he did, the triangle on my left hand began to burn. The light coming from the room was intense and I was almost blinded. I could barely make anything out. As I walked up the small stoop and entered the doorway I could suddenly make everything out. ‘Some trickery.’ I thought.
“Welcome, Jon. I’ve been waiting for you,” Asmodeus said with a smirk. He shed his flaming visage for one more inconspicuous. He looked like anyone else in Hell, just a commoner to those who wouldn’t know his true form, or at least recognize the voice.
“I heard my father was here,” I said, unflinching.
“David is not here anymore, Jon.” There were two guys and three Elohim sitting around this room. I decided to try not to argue with him.
“Do you know where he is?”
“I’m afraid not. Or is it that I don’t remember. No, I remember. I don’t think I should tell him. I know, I’ll make him a deal.”
“I told you, I don’t want any of your deals, Asmodeus!” One of the Elohim stood up. When he reached his paramount, a triangle started to glow on his bloody forehead. He, like the one in the square, had no skin and sharpened teeth.
“Stand down, soldier,” he said to the Elohim. “I am well aware of the potential he has, and I am not afraid of him. If he attempts anything in the contrary to his good character, I will demonstrate to him, my true power.” I shrugged his threat off. The only thing I was concerned with was finding my father. If I died doing it, so be it. “Now as I was saying. I will make you a deal, Jon.”
“And as I said, I don’t want your deal.”
“I think you might be interested in this one. I can deliver David to you at a whim; if you only agree to serve and embrace me.”
“I will never serve you!”
“I thought that would be your decision. So I thought of another deal to offer you. Should I still give it to him? His potential is great, I can see that. Then I will give the deal to him. Yes, I am agreed.” His ramblings were beginning to irritate me. “If you allow me to bestow one of my many powers to you, then I will teach you to use it, and I will bring you to your father.”
“That doesn’t sound like you are getting anything out of that. I thought all of you Elohim were selfish.” The other Elohim stood up and struck me across my face with the back of his blood soaked hand.
“That will be enough, soldier!” Asmodeus snapped his fingers and the demon erupted in flames. The demon roared like a lion as the fire destroyed him. I stood and watched in awe and fear. “JON!” Asmodeus screamed. I looked at him, he snapped his fingers and we were at his home: the colossal, golden triangle.
“What the hell!?”
“Indeed, Jon. I grow weary of incompetent soldiers that lack the sense to obey.”
“Then you should finish me now!”
He laughed. “Jon, if I could not see what you could become, I would have destroyed you long ago.”
“Why do you keep saying that? What do you ‘see in me’?”
“I see something great. I have felt your presence since you entered Hell twelve days past.” ‘Well that answers that question’ I thought. “I can see your potential and I can see what you could become.”
“And what is that?”
“Now that wouldn’t be any fun, Jon. I find that the future is something to behold and experience as it becomes the present.”
“So what are we doing here?”
“I do not care to mingle with the help. I only visit to increase morale, loyalty, and fear. That’s why I brought you here. It’s quiet and I can speak my mind more freely.”
“So say what you have to say. I want to leave. I need to find my father.”
“Well, find him then Jon.”
“What? Is he here?”
“No he is not. Should I tell him? I might as well. He has the power, anyway.”
“What are you ranting about?!”
“Jon, I have blessed you with two extraordinary gifts. You can now travel here anytime you want. All you have to do is think of it and snap your fingers. You will appear in front of my great triangle. Think of David while standing in front and you will instantly see him. You can either snap your fingers and travel to where you were, or you can walk into the image of David, and be with him wherever he is.”
I didn’t understand why Asmodeus was trying to help me. I assumed that he had ulterior motives, but I had no way to know what they would be.
“Well,” he paused, “what are you waiting for, Jon?”
“Nothing. Can I return now?”
“Do as you wish, Jon.”
“All right, so long, Asmodeus.” I snapped my fingers. I felt my body go weightless and when I blinked I was standing in the room adjacent to the bar. Asmodeus was of course already sitting in his throne-like chair.
“I see you are having no trouble using your gifts,” he said.
“I suppose,” I responded. He filled me with disgust. I didn’t know much about Asmodeus, but he was the type of person that just let off a vibe.
“Very good! Now, I want to play a game.”
“I’m not a child.” ‘A game? What is wrong with this guy?’ I thought.
“I do not believe I gave you the option, Jon.”
“And I never gave you the notion that I would do as you say. I never asked for these ‘gifts’ and I am not your slave boy!”
“‘Slave’ is such a harsh word, Jon. I prefer the word ‘servant’. You see…”
“I don’t care!” I interrupted. He slapped me with his flaming palm. The heat was intense. It felt like my skin was boiling on my face and I fell to the ground.
Asmodeus erupted into a blood red fire. “Do not interrupt me, Jon. EVER!” I just lied on the ground. The pain of his fire mixed with the intensity of his roaring voice paralyzed me. His cronies started to laugh at my dismay. Asmodeus jerked his head around and glared at them, causing them to immediately be quiet. “Now as I was saying. I want to play a game.” I nodded in obedience. I could feel my will start to bend for him and it made me feel suicidal.
‘Serving him for eternity? There is no way I could let myself fall into such a position.’ I thought. I decided, though, that it would be beneficial for me to do as I was tol
d for now. Later, I could figure a way out of my predicament.
“That was very rude of him. Yes, it was. I suggest that we up the stakes. I don’t know if he could handle something like that. I think he can. Let’s do it then. This is how the game is going to work, now. I am going to begin chasing you. You, in turn, have to avoid me, and as a bonus: if I catch you, I will kill you with my bare hands!” His flame was huge now, creating almost a wall of fire before me. I was terrified. I was thinking of suicide, sure, but I wouldn’t let this demon take my life from my own hands.
“What kind of rules are those? If you didn’t know, a bonus is usually something good.”
“Well, Jon, I wouldn’t have made the terms as extreme had you not been so discourteous. Now for the game. Jon, as a means of good faith, I will give you the first move. Teleport from me, and prove your worthiness of my great gifts!”
I nodded then snapped my fingers and was gone. I tried to think of places I could go that he wouldn’t think of. So I went to the fountain. I looked down into the repulsive, blood filled fountain and it began to boil. Slowly a small flame started to rise from the depths and before I could think Asmodeus jumped from within the blood and landed behind me. I quickly snapped my fingers and went to the room that I woke up in after my argument with my father. I heard two screams from within the other room and Asmodeus burst through the door and nearly tackled me. Yet again, my quick fingers took me away. I went to the collection of tents and shanties were. He was standing right in front of me when I arrived. He quickly grabbed my hands and pulled them way above my head. Asmodeus towered over me at about 6’6” so he had no trouble. I frantically tried to snap my fingers, but the burning from his hands paralyzed all movement. The only thing I could do was flop my body around in agony. “You cheated!” I managed to scream between the painful moans.
“They were my rules, Jon. I can bend them if I so choose, but to be fair, I will give you one more chance.” He released my hands. “There you go, Jon.”
“I had to think quickly. ‘What placed would he least expect me to go?’ I asked myself. ‘I know!’ I snapped my fingers and I appeared in front of the giant golden triangle. He was already there, but just as I thought, he didn’t attack me.
Hellbound: Chronicles Page 4