I kept replaying what had happened in my mind—the way Chloe''s smile never faded, how she kept stealing glances at me, and how I did the same.
I still couldn''t believe I was engaged to her, and what made it even better was that her family approved of me. I know it''s supposed to feel like this, but how does someone stop themselves from smiling? Seriously, I could feel the muscles in my face straining.
As I took a turn, a car tried to overtake a truck and ended up in my lane. All I saw was a blinding white light, and by instinct, I abruptly turned my steering wheel away.
It wasn''t the safest option since we were on a mountain road, and the direction I turned sent me hurtling toward a metal railing meant to block cars from going over the edge. But it didn''t offer much protection when the car rolled over it.
BANG!
As soon as my car hit the railing, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. The airbags deployed, my windshield shattered, and shards of glass flew toward me. I felt the back of the car rising as it somersaulted over the edge.
My heart skipped a beat. Adrenaline or fear—I couldn''t tell what it was—flooded my system, and every part of my body felt ice cold. I tried to raise my arms to protect my face, but my hands seemed glued to the steering wheel.
Some people say that when you''re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. Others say your mind recalls the best moments of your life. But all that replayed in my head was:
"Yes! Yes! Yes! You idiot, you didn''t even put the ring on me yet."
I don''t want to die, was the first thought in my head after Chloe. I want to marry her. What about my parents? Jacob might take care of them, but what about the house? I just finished the last installment
A flood of questions came to mind, but they were abruptly cut off when something yanked me so hard that my body was pulled from my seat and out of the car. I was dragged at incredible speed, and I think I saw something like a portal from Pick and Norty, except it was red instead of green.
"What the fuck?" I blurted out as I was pulled into the portal I wondered if I was already in a coma.
I was dropped—or rather, slammed—onto the ground so hard that cracks formed beneath me. This should''ve hurt like hell, but it didn''t it felt like, actually it didn''t feel like anything.
"What''s going on? Why am I here?" I muttered, pushing myself up.
"Where… or exactly what the hell is here?" I asked, looking around.
The ground was barren and cracked, like a wasteland scorched by fire. Fiery orange and crimson light bled across the sky, casting an eerie glow over the landscape.
The air was heavy and still, filled with the scent of sulfur and ash.
In the distance, rising like a dark sentinel against the fiery sky, was a castle. Its towering spires pierced the heavens, wrapped in shadowy red mist.
The structure looked ancient. Its blackened stone walls crumbled in places, and rivers of lava flowed around its base, illuminating it with a sinister glow. The castle stood on a jagged cliff, surrounded by a bottomless abyss. A narrow, worn bridge led to it, looking like it could collapse with a single misstep.
"Is this hell? What the fuck am I doing in hell?" I shouted, standing up. I wasn''t the most righteous person in the world, but I was pretty sure I shouldn''t have ended up in hell.
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"It''s official. I''m dead," I muttered as all the strength drained from my body, forcing me to sit. I can''t believe I died right after proposing talk about shitty scenarios.
"Oh, shut up. You''re not dead yet," a booming voice said, reverberating from every direction like speakers in a concert.
"Oh, shit!" I shouted, scrambling to my feet and looking around. "Okay, what the fuck is going on here?"
"You cuss a lot, stop it and get over here," the voice said .
"Fuck no!" I yelled, turning and sprinting like my life depended on it well it did.
I managed running a few meters before the same force yanked me again, dragging me toward the castle. I was about to slam into its massive doors, so I did what any sane person would do in this moment, I closed my eyes and braced for impact.
But there was no collision. When I opened my eyes, I was kneeling in front of… I don''t know what the fuck it was. My torso was tied with a fiery red rope this was what has been pulling me.
The figure on the throne must have been at least fourteen feet tall. A crown of bones sat atop its head, specked with red flames that danced along its surface. Long white hair flowed down its back, and its face was a grotesque blend of a bat and a human like someone tried to make a human and a bat that were already ugly into something even more fucked up.
The creature leaned on one of it''s hand or paw on the armrest of its throne, its clawed hand resting lazily on the chair. Its attire was a strange mix between a gown and a robe—like something you''d see in a renaissance or when nerd are larping.
If I had to describe this thing in one word: dreadful.
"I have a question. Where were you running to?" it asked, waving a hand to make the fiery rope disappear from my torso making me finally breath
"I… I don''t know," I admitted.
"That''s all you have to say?" it said with a tinge of amusement . "Well, I don''t blame you. Given your realm and its… lackings, it makes sense that you''d run."
The creature paused before continuing. "I''m curious. Where do you think you are, and what do you think I am?"
"Hell. And you must be the devil. Though you''re fuglier than I imagined," I said. I was already in hell— I mean what worse could happen? I''m already here it''s not like I can get in more trouble what''s done is done.
"Fugly? Interesting," it said, raising a single finger.
A torrent of red flames erupted around me, so fast lifting me into the air. The fire tightened around me like chains, searing my flesh. The pain was beyond anything I''ve ever felt , it was like someone was pouring boiling oil and salt poured at the same time while someone peeled my burning skin with a vegetable peeler.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed, my voice cracking under the agony.
After what felt like eternity, the flames subsided, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Sorry about that. My face is a sore spot," it said in . "Got injured, you see. Anyway, let me clarify—this isn''t hell, and I''m not the devil. My name is Raxus, and this is my domain."
I was on all fours still gasping, I managed to lift my head as the pain slowly faded.
"You''ll need a moment before the pain. Everyone''s like this the first time and when they die there is never an in between," Raxus said. "No matter. You don''t need to talk—just listen. Peter Hemsworth, I have a proposition for you. Do a small task for me, and in return…"
The ground beneath me disappeared. I was now floating on a familiar road.
My eyes scanned the road, and I saw a truck that was about to fall smash a black Mustang like a pancake. Further down, a Camaro was driving off the edge of a cliff. None of the vehicles were moving—it was as if they was like looking at a picture.
"What''s going on?" I asked, struggling to stay upright I recognised the camaro but it couldn''t be, could it?
Raxus didn''t answer, simply moving us closer to the Camaro. Inside, I saw myself or something that looked like. Behind the steering wheel, Glass shards were lodged in my face, and more floated around me. The car hadn''t hit the ground yet, but it was close still had a couple more feet before it did.
"How are you doing this?" I asked.
"Simple," Raxus replied. "Time moves differently between realms. A minute in my realm could be a month or a year in yours. Right now, we''re operating on my time that''s why things look as they are."
"I still don''t understand."
"No need to get into the physics of it," Raxus said with a dismissive wave. "The point is: you do what I ask and you accomplish it, and I''ll get you out of your… interesting predicament. You can go back, marry that girl, and live your little mortal lifes together make more little mortal kids and then die."
" so what say you? "Raxus asked.