Gisella and the City of Fire and Ashes

Chapter 2

I fell and fell and fell.

When I woke up, I was in a strange place. It looked like Hell. Maybe my mother was right?

The first thing I saw was the factories. They were about a hundred feet tall. Instead of smoke, they were pouring out lava. The lava was streaming into the streets where it ran in gutters alongside me. The sky was blood red and the clouds were as black as my mother's heart. It smelled like burnt barbecue and sulfur.

I started shaking and hyperventilating.

Then I saw the demons. Some had skin that looked like lava bricks and some looked like red leather and they had bloody cuts all over them. What's worse, I could tell they saw me!

Most of what they shouted to each other sounded like gibberish but amidst it all I could make out some words: "Huuuummmmmmmannnnn.......attack.....!"

It was like a herd of bulls rushing toward her. They were screaming, "Urgghhhhh....!"

I started to run away. I could see blue sky ahead of me. I charged down the street and they were hot on my heels. I could feel their breath on the back of my neck.

I couldn't help but turn to look behind me. I yelled, "I'm not going back!"

It was a long run and I wasn't used to running. I had eaten too much popcorn in my life!

But luckily the demons were even slower. It looked like I was going to get away.

All of a sudden I tripped over a bloody rock. I fell to my knees. My hands hit the hot pavement.

The demons were closing in on me. I stumbled to my feet and started to run again but they were so close now I could smell the awful stench of them. But the factories were getting smaller and I could see green fields ahead of me. I only had to reach them, I thought!

The city streets were giving way but the demons were almost at my back. I could feel grass beneath my feet. But then something landed on my shoulder. It was a tiny demon. His eyes were blood red, no pupils and no whites. He said, "Blaafggg....blahhhr... die!"

I could see his razor sharp teeth sticking out.

The weight of him threw me off balance and I fell into the grass.

The larger demons were circling me now, ready to pounce.

"Wait! This is just a nightmare!" I yelled but it felt so real. I thought this had to be my last moment alive!