Down Goes The Devil

Chapter 1

"So, have you guessed where you are?"

"I'm in hell."

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Earlier that day.

Ethan slowly opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of a no man's land. He did recall blacking out on a few occasions as he chugs that poisonous remedy from his flask, but never has he found himself in a place as unearthly as this one. Heavy smoke was erupting from every corner, and the weather was foggy. It was not the kind of fog that you could see through if you squint hard enough. This fog was opaque and blinding, growing thicker by the second.

He looked up, and the sky was as dark as coal, not a single cloud hovering above his head. Despite the obscurity that overwhelmed his surroundings, he was able to see through to a certain extent. He was not sure if his vision has suddenly improved, or if there was a faint light somewhere lighting up this eerie place.

Surprisingly, he could not tell what the weather felt like. Have I gone numb all of a sudden?

"You have been doomed." A voice reverberated throughout the place, almost shaking the ground beneath him. As his eyes wandered, he could've sworn he has seen a shadowy figure run past him, but when he looked around, there was only emptiness.

"Who's there?" Nobody replied, which left Ethan uneasy.

He got up gracefully, which, to his surprise, was quite shocking, as he has always been graceless. What is happening to me? And what is this place? He could not wrap his head around whatever was happening at that moment. Was I abducted? As numerous questions were swirling inside his brain, it suddenly hit him: He could not remember how he got there. Am I still tipsy or am I on the road to becoming an amnesiac? He was racking his brain trying to evoke any existing memories of what happened last night, but he could not remember a thing. He did have a few faint memories stored at the back of his mind, which was somewhat reassuring. For the past week, he would usually wake up drowsy during the day, his stomach on the verge of flaring up, his head as heavy as cement, and his legs wobbly to the point where he could not stand still at all. However, this time was different, as he was feeling completely lost. This is ludicrous. Have I gone insane?

He started walking straight forward, trying to come across the 'light at the end of the tunnel', as cliché as it sounded. He was still trying to decipher the current circumstances, when he suddenly tripped over something and fell. What the hell? He squinted, and somehow, he was able to distinguish what he tripped over. It was a bone. Is this a dog's toy? Now that I think about it, I doubt that I'll stumble upon a toy here. The fog was still overshadowing the entire area, and he was still numb, but somehow, he could perceive the object he was holding in his hands. The texture seemed as if this bone has been there for quite a while. It was visibly rough and scratchy. This shaggy bone has gone through hell. In normal circumstances, people would feel chills down their spine and run for their lives, seeing an object as grotesque and repulsive as the one he was holding with his own hands, yet, he did not feel a thing. Not an ounce of fear, not an ounce of empathy towards whomever or whatever died in this sinister place. Given the bone's texture, it seems as this place has existed for decades.

I should get away, but how would I know if the exit is backwards or forward? I'll take my chances. He had no coin to flip; however, he chose to move forward. It may an unorthodox decision, but that's where the fun lies. As he was walking, he kept hearing indistinct murmurs. No matter how much effort he put in to understand what they were whispering, their chatters were unintelligible, and it drove him mad. He did not like the idea of being surrounded by people he could not see. He'd rather not hear them at all. The chatters grew louder, and he covered his ears with his hands to no avail. Please shut up please shut up please shut up. All of a sudden, the area grew quiet, to the point where you could hear your footsteps echoing throughout the whole place. I am finally alone.