I’m not even sure where to start this. It’s been exactly 48 hours since I got here. I feel like I need to share this somewhere before I no longer can. 2 days ago I was walking to work and I heard something from one of the allies, I turned and looked, something was standing there. It immediately ran when it saw me. I followed out of instinct I guess? I don’t know why I followed. I followed it, twisting and turing between allies until I was hit with a gush of wind, it knocked me down and I blacked out.
When I woke up I didn’t know where I was, it was warm, not exactly hot but just warm. I got up and looked around, the earth seemed to stretch forever in the desert. I looked at the warm sand below me, what happened? I walked for a bit, but the desert stretched forever. I eventually stopped, I dropped my work bag and pulled out my phone, no signal, as expected. I looked up, clouds were starting to form, yet it stayed warm, the clouds covered over the blue sky, yet it never got darker.
The clouds stayed, letting go rain, yet it never got wet. Still the same temperature. The clouds cleared within seconds, back to a blue sky. I was dazed, a feeling of sickness washed over me, then I heard it. A bird, well actually a vulture, it flew above me for a moment before landing next to me. It looked at me, then it spoke,
“Greetings and Salutations” It said, I was too stunned to speak. I just stood there, mouth open, trying to process if I was hallucinating. “You’re not hallucinating” It replied to my thoughts. “W-who are you? Why am I here? What is happening?!” I spiraled “Calm down it will all make sense soon enough” I highly doubt that, I thought in the back of my mind. The bird watched me closely, examining my every move. “Follow me” it said, then it took flight. It circled around me for a moment then it turned and started to fly away.
I reluctantly followed having nothing else I could do. The bird flew beside me as I walked. We did this for a long time. Suddenly we came across a hole, no, not a hole, a big pond sized trench. We stopped, the bird stopped flying and landed next to me. “I didn’t think we would come across one,” the bird said with a bit of hesitation.
I looked at it questionably before I felt the ground begin to shake. From the hole a giant worm-like thing arose, it came up from the ground and peered at us. Then it charged, it began to move in and out of the sand quickly approaching us. The bird took flight once again, it flew away. I was left with only one thing to do, run. So I did, I ran and ran until my legs could no longer. I began to slow, I thought this was it for me, then in a sudden motion the bird was back and it came down swooping and picking me up just as the worm thing passed.
The worm stopped and dug back down in seconds. “Why didn’t you do that earlier!” I screamed at the bird as we landed back on the ground away from the worm. “I-I was startled I couldn’t carry you” it said stuttering. We continued walking, I decided to keep quiet for now as I was not thinking rationally anymore. We continued before coming across a bench, on the bench sat a woman, she was young but not a child. She looked up and began to wave as we passed by. “We must be going, no time to stop” said the bird “But she’s waving she looks like she needs help” I responded. Ignoring the bird, I walked towards the woman and sat beside her.
“Hello!” She greeted with a warm smile, “Uh hi” I responded, “Would you like to help me feed the birds?” She asked, “Huh” “The birds,” she said, pointing up. I looked up to see 3 vultures above us flying around. “So would you like to feed them?” She asked again, “Uh sure I guess?” I answered a bit confused. She smiled, then she pulled something from her small bag, a knife. My eyes widened as I looked at her.
“What? You know what vultures eat don’t you?” She asked and lunged at me. I got up and kicked her back down, the force of me kicking her hit her back into the bench, her head hitting it hard, causing her to black out, her hand dropping and the knife straight into her stomach. Blood seeped from her stomach and suddenly the 3 vultures dived and began to eat on her. I stepped back horrified, confused, and scared. I walked back to where the bird was still sitting.
“I told you we had no time, now hurry we are almost there.” It said before continuing forward. We walked until we came across a large concrete building, the bird walked in and I followed through the large doors. It was plain but modern, there was a woman at the front desk. “My job is done, farewell” it said to me, It nodded at the woman before flying out the doors and away.
I turned to the woman at the desk, she looked up at me, her red eyes flashed, “I’m assuming you’re here for an appointment?” She asked, “No, yes? I don’t know, heck I don’t even know where I am!“ I said “Why you’re dead dear, welcome to hell!” She said, flashing a smile. I froze. I didn’t know what to do, I just was so confused. When did I die? How did I die? Why am I in hell? A million questions ran through my head before I was interrupted, “Have a seat, your appointment isn’t for another hour, Lucifer sure got you here quick.” She said
I looked at her questionably, “The bird, that’s his name, he’s the first thing most people come across when they arrive, he is in charge of the tests and simply getting you here, most people mistake him for the leader of this place, somehow the name got out and now he no longer speaks of his name, poor thing.” she replied to my confusion.
She looked back to her computer and went back to typing. Now here I sit waiting for my appointment with what the woman referred to as “him” I’m not sure what to do, I go in 20 minutes. How I managed to get a signal confuses me, the woman said this building has a fine line between the dead and the living, whatever that means. Anyways I felt this needed to get out, I don’t even know if I’m actually dead. Is this some kinda trick? I dread the moment of my appointment. God what the hell is this place.