Bad luck

Chapter three

"Hrmm, oww! What is happenin-Oh My God!" Zach shrieked as he felt his organs move.

He was wrapped in a scaly tail connected to a head of thorns and needles. A snake has invaded the leaf while he was sleeping and now he is the prey. The snake wrapped around him squeezed him till his tears came out. Zach was suffocating and his bones snapped and broke, his face turn pale and blue, processing how he is he going to die in the afterlife. He was crying and screaming all again. Errr, I can't breathe! I'm already dead! I don't want to suffocate for forever! Help! Someone please! It hurts!

"Ahhh! S-some-one pl-lease hElp!" He tried to cry out but couldn't properly do so. That was all he could mutter before gradually fainting.

I-I...I see...

A brightly lit figure glided down into the leaf and let out a little shriek before gawking at the huge snake. The figure ended the snake quickly by burning it with their flames and ripping Zach away from its grasp. They picked up Zach and left, jumping plant to plant to a cottage on a tall tree made from flames.

* * *

"Huh? Where am I?" Zach asked when he woke up.

He was lying down in a green plaid hammock underneath a deep blue coloured blanket. Still groggy from being squeezed to death, he slowly tried to get out of the hammock. While groaning, he saw that he was in some wooden cottage, decorated with the scent of herbs and spices. Thump! The hammock flipped over and he faceplanted into the wooden floor. He felt a painful, throbbing warm bruise forming on his forehead but he was too dumbfounded about everything that happened in the last few days to care.

"What the hec-no, WHERE THE FUCK AM I?" Zach angrily exclaimed while lying on the floor. "I had enough of this shit, I started on a fucking pavement then on a giant leaf and now I'm in some fucking cottage after nearly dying again by suffocating in the land of the dead, how is that even possible? Fuck."

"My sir, are you intoxicated?" A lady said as she walked into the room.

The lady's features were quite bizzare. Her skin was burnt to a crisp, leaving what is only patches of memories of skin left. She was thin and graceful, her posture was like a flagpole, so proud yet respectful. The patches of skin that haven't burned formed cracks, edging along ashes, but Zach was more distracted by her flaming red hair. Her hair was literally a blazing red fire tied with a lacy and burnt white ribbon on her head crackling fiercely, but she didn't seem too bothered. Her voice like a flute, elegant yet powerful. The lady's face had patches and cracks all over, but her lips were mahogany like blood, her eyes were made of golden light, and her eyebrows were crinkled in a such a way that she looked caring and judgement at the same time.

Zach assumed that the person who took him to the cottage wasn't there, so he raged and asked rhetorically, but now he was a little humiliated for doing so. I just flipped out in front of the person who probably risked their life to save me and I literally insulted and scream instead of thanking them. Now the lady thinks I'm drunk.

"Um, no mom-MISS, s-sorry for flipping over your hammock and shouting out swears." Zach stammered, realizing that he dug right then and currently can't escape.

"You are forgiven, shock is quite common after the events you went through. Rest a little more if you need." The lady responded. She was heading out but at the last moment she did a 180 degrees spin on one foot and hastily asked,"Oh, and apologies for not introducing myself first, my name is Calida, what is yours?"

"My name is Zach, thanks for asking." He answer, quickly realizing the way he said it sounded quite sarcastic but before he could do anything about it, Calida remarked, "I'm apologize if you didn't want to share your information with me, I didn't even think of that before asking."

"No, no, no! It's fine! I'm just... so tired and sort of...*grumbles* hungry." Zach explained, but ended up flustered because he couldn't control his whale of a stomach.

"Oh dear! I will be right on it! You are free to explore the cottage my sir." Calida gasped, then she stroll out of the room. She was genuinely worried about Zach being hungry, and quickly set into a hop to the kitchen.

She... was worried... about me... Zach thought, a tsunami of shock overcame him. He didn't even drop a beat, he just kept smiling and thinking, Someone cares about me! In hell! Someone actually wants me around!

Two hot tears dripped from his eyes, clearing his vision, then another, then another. He was crying for acceptance this time. He hold his heart, shut his eyes closed, and sighed. I am wanted. He thought gleefully. His hands shook with what little energy was left inside, as he stumble to the kitchen.

* * *

A fine scent of mixed herb and spices infused with the lovely lady's apple cinnamon scent carried the room to a heavenly feel. She was making bread and petal-like goods, it was so bizarre but fascinating at the same time. This is amazing, maybe I'm not actually in hell. But wait, why is her hair burning then? Is she a demon? No, Demon are horrible, and she's gentle and kind. Unless she is bluffing and manipulating me! No, no, no, I'm definitely overthinking this, she doesn't deserve to be call a demon and neither is she. I'm being horrible! But what if-

"Mister? You have came to the kitchen. I am making bak' ti' oop'. I hope you will like it." Calida said, more charmingly than ever. Her voice was so enchanting that if she were to sing on an echoey mountain all below would fall in line with it. Fierce like the rivers but gentle like a field of flowers, it was hard not to appreciate that.

"Thank you Calida, I will appreciate anything you make for me." Zach fondly smiled. He felt warm and gently held for the first time in decades.