rewritten :3
TW: Derealization, Mention of death, Mention of suicide, Panic attack description
Their heart began to pound. They were sure they had seen the doorknob turn. The carpet began to move. They began to panic. Surely not, right? Surely this is all in my head, right? This isn't real. I'm not real. Nothing is real, this is all a lie. It's all in my head I don't need to worry, right? They thought. But little did they know, it was all real. They grabbed the ice skates from the wall and started inspecting them. Where are these from? They seem so familiar. I've seen these before, I've seen them dozens of times. They used to be a competitive figure skater before they died. They then began to look at the carpet that was rolled up in the corner. I've seen this before as well. They realized. They began to search the room for clues as to where they were. They saw the tiny door in the wall. They got closer to it and started to get a better look. Just then the door opened and they were pulled into a room. Out from another door inside the room came a French version of Satan.
"Where am I?" they questioned. "Well, you're dead. You're currently in purgatory waiting to decide whether you will be sent to Heaven or Hell." Satan responded. "How did I die?" they asked. "Well from what I was told, you hung yourself," Satan stated in response to the question. Satan asked them to list a few of the things they did in their life. They responded with "I killed a man for trying to stab a homeless man." Satan just grinned in response.
That's when the thoughts hit. Satan was putting these thoughts in their head. What are you doing here? Why did you do it? Think of how hurt your family is. The voices growled. "Tell me, what's your name?" Satan queried. "Ace." They responded. Ace began shaking their head in an attempt to rid themselves of the voices. Why would you do it? What's wrong with you? You had so many other options. Look at your family now. They're clueless. They haven't found your body yet. They never loved you. You're not real. Nothing's real. "NO, STOP PLEASE STOP" Ace yelled, receiving a small smirk from Satan.
"I can stop this at any time I want you are under my control," Satan whispered to Ace. "Please, just make it stop" Ace pleaded gripping their head. "Why? Why should I when I'm just having so, so much fun hm?" Satan quipped. "Please, it hurts, I can't do it," Ace begged with tears in their eyes. Ace began to sob and struggled to breathe. "Awh what's wrong? Is it too much? God, you're so weak. This is nothing, compared to what I could do." Satan began but was cut off by Ace sobbing and struggling. "Please." Ace pleaded repeatedly "Oui oui no you're going to hell" Satan responded then knocked Ace out, Ace was awoken by a slap from their best friend who died at a young age.
"A-Alex? Is it really you?" Ace questioned. No, he isn't real. You're fine, you're not real. He's not there. It's just a figment of your imagination. The voices began yelling when Ace cut them off. No this is real. It has to be. He is there and I know it. I see him. He's right there. I can touch him. Ace reached out to Alex. Alex sat down on the ground next to Ace pulling them into his lap. Ace's head resting in Alex's lap, "Hey, you're fine. You're here. I'm here. You're real. Everything is going to be ok. We'll make it. We'll be ok." Alex began whispering to Ace trying to help calm them down. Ace was still crying and a little shaken up. "Y-you're real? Are you here? Wh-" Ace began to question but was cut off by Alex saying they needed to rest. Ace began to fall asleep with their head against Alex's chest. Alex began to run his fingers through their hair.
Ace woke up about an hour later still in Alex's lap. "Wha- where am I?" they asked, concerned. Alex responded with "Well good morning. How are you feeling?" "Wait who are you? W-WAIT ALEX?" Ace asked out of confusion and fear. "Mhm, yeah, it's me," Alex told them.
"I-I missed you so much, it was so hard without you I tried, I really did. But I ended up here. Why are you here? Why aren't you in heaven? That's where you belong. You were so good to me, you treated me so well." Ace sobbed. "Hey, hey I'm here now. We're gonna be fine. Calm down. It's ok everything is ok" Alex said and rubbed comforting circles into their back. Wait, why am I trusting him? He's real, right? Where am I again? What am I doing in his lap? Can I trust him? Ace began to violently shake his head to clear the thoughts. No, he's not real. Why are you trusting him? The voices began to whisper. Alex realized what they were doing and tried to calm them down
"Shhhhhhh you're ok, you're here, you're fine." and held Ace closer to his chest. Ace was still shaking violently but was calming down. "How did you die Ace?" Alex asked curiously "I-I hung myself" Ace mumbled.
