EROS: The Light Project

HELL V - Forgiveness is more powerful than Death

 The sun was shining in the afternoon sky, but without diffusing summer heat. A light breeze cooled my clothes and legs, uncovered by my short shorts. I was in Parco Sempione, one of the places I liked to walk most when I lived in Milan. Usually on those days it was always full of shouting and screaming children, but at that moment everything was very quiet and peaceful.

-Luna! Leonardo!-.

My friends were waiting for me sitting on the lawn: she dressed in a beautiful floral dress, he in a polo shirt and Bermuda shorts.

Their carefree smile filled me with joy.

-I must introduce you to a very dear friend of mine,‖ I announced enthusiastically, and stepped aside to show the person behind me:

a sunny girl with soft, golden hair and eyes as deep as the water in a clear lake.

-Hi!- Luna greeted her.

She gave a shy nod.

-Don't you say anything?-I asked her.

The girl waved me away, but she did not stop smiling.

-Guys, she's a little shy, don't mind her- I joked.

-Come on, little shark- she told me with a grin.

She had been calling me little shark since we used to go swimming together in the pool many years ago.

That nickname was a sudden refreshment of memories, a light and sparkling nostalgia.

Smiles.

PLEASE stand by...

Just a moment longer...

Please hold...

OPS! You must have made a really bad mistake to find yourself here: you are in Geenna, the deepest part of the bowels of hell ;c

Now that you are here, it is only fair that you know two things:

1- Anything in this place will try to destroy you, and it will succeed;

2- This is the real Hell, and here the torture has no end. You will never die, even if your body suffers the highest damage :/ I'm sorry to have to tell you, but the suffering in Geenna is eternal.

Well, that's it!

Goodbye, and remember:

take it as a game, it's easier.

Eyes opened under a vacant sky.

My back was resting on a dirty, rough slab of asphalt.

A flock of clouds occupied the sky: unlike the rest of Hell, however, it seemed to be daytime there.

My eyes were barely keeping open: I wanted to close them and never open them again, even though I was lying on the most uncomfortable surface in the world. "God, how I love to sleep," I thought struck with frustration: I had never been subjected to such fatigue, not once in my entire life.

Leonardo stood beside me, still asleep; he was still wearing that very casual plaid shirt.

I crawled over to him and gave him a gentle tap on the shoulders:

-Leonardo, Leonardo...-.

His eyes opened slightly, like those of a very tired worker: indeed, it had been a long time since we had last gone to bed.

-Nathan? W-Where are we?" he stammered.

-I don't know-I woke up here, next to you-.

-Where did your jacket go?" asked my friend: at that moment I realized that, in fact, I had only the black tank top on, but there was nothing left of the Rescue Officer's jacket.