Chapter 50
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For thousands of years people had speculated about what life after death might be like. Even among those who accepted that some went to Heaven, and others went to Hell, they debated and questioned what Hell might be like. Three individuals had just crossed the threshold and entered Hell. Assuming that they could get back out, they could tell people what it was really like. It was actually a city, not the nice part of town. There were people in rags, sleeping in the street, perhaps drunk or high. There was smog in the air, most of the buildings looked like they were falling apart. This did not seem like a nice place to live, but not neccessarily the fire and brimstone that some claimed it was. Ryan Odonnell had grown up in the depression, this didn't seem much different. Others noticed Ryan, Amy, Lucci, who clearly had better clothing than any of them. They started gathering around them, twelve in all. It was clear they couldn't fight all of these desperate people, so Ryan and Amy took off their clothes and simply tossed it to the crowd. They quickly began fighting each other as he trio departed. Lucci's clothes weren't nice enough to steal, he was used to living in poverty. Ryan and Amy began looking for rags to blend in, they were practically naked, which hardly stood out here. Amy kept her gun visible, just in case.
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Odonnell: Well, I wanted to see what it was really like.
Lucci: Evil wants them all to suffer, no joy. Turn enough people to desperation, theft, they'll never earn enough good points to get into Heaven.
Odonnell: Still, I'd like to see more of this society.
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The trio walked around this city, they soon found some old rags on the street. Even here, nobody bothered to wear these particular rags. They looked around for something to eat, started to wonder if their money would be accepted here. There weren't many places to eat, yet there were advertisements for drugs, alcohol, casinos. They saw some police officers drag a man into an alley and beat him up. Suppossedly he was guilty of stealing something, and police brutality seemed to be pretty common. Fighting in the streets was also common, often over food or clothing. Some men were eying Amy, like they wanted her and wouldn't take no for an answer. She had her gun visible, but almost everyone had a gun in this city. As the hours passed and their hunger got the better of them, they wondered if they should risk stealing some food.
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Finally, a voice called to them, a young woman invited them into her home and offered them food. This woman was Emily, and she was with her wife, Sharon. Sharon was cleary older, she was maybe 30 and Emily was at most 20. Still, it seemed that this might not be uncommon here, and they were both consenting adults. Not to mention that they were offering this trio food. The food wasn't that bad actually, and they began talking.
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Amy: Thank you, we really appreciate this food.
Emily: I assume you're new to this world.
Amy: Is it that obvious?
Emily: I was new once as well. Sharon here gave me some food, showed me the ropes. And as you can see, we fell in love.
Lucci: So, what is this world like?
Sharon: Hard, I'm not going to lie. Most of us struggle just to survive.
Lucci: You mention survival, what happens if you die here?
Emily: Your soul goes into the fire, torture for what feels like eternity. Eventually they release you, and make you an offer.
Odonnell: What kind of offer?
Sharon: The chance to be part of the system. They enforce the laws, severly punish those who break the laws.
Emily: Except they're not really punishing you fro stealing, more like punishing you for being clumsy enough to get caught. Not to mention, this world is divided into several little kingdoms, constant power struggles for territory.
Lucci: So we really are in Hell?
Sharon: Yeah, pretty much. Those in power, they take what they want from those who refuse to bow before them.
Odonnell: Does anybody ever rebel?
Sharon: All the time. Sometimes the rebes even win. They cast the losers into the fire, and usually become just as bad as their predeccessors.
Emily: And trying to kill ourselves would just make us seen as weak, would just get us sent to the fire. Ironically that's how I got here. I was 17, clinically depressed, and pregnant. I decided to kill myself, tried to talk my boyfriend into a suicide pact. He tried to talk me out of suicide, we fought for the gun, and I did it, just blew my brains out. I killed myself and my baby. My boyfriend, I hope he's in Heaven now, but he nearly got rrested because people thought he killed me. I did that to him, to my family.
Sharon: That's still better than my story. I walked in on my husband, and another woman. If I'd had the chance to calm down, I would have just divorced him. But John and his mistress, both cops, they left their guns just laying on the dresser. I grabbed the gun, John and I fought for it. I tried to kill them, and it went off. I died within minutes.
Emily: So, what are your stories?
Amy: I was kidnapped by a terrorist group, the Daughters of Liberty. Eventually I defected to their cause, commited murder, terrorism. And I was executed. I'd say I probably deserve to be here more than anyone else.
Lucci: Except perhaps for me.
Sharon: What's your story?
Lucci: You wouldn't believe it if I told you.
Emily: Try us.
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Before Lucci could tell his story, there was a loud knock on the door. It was the police. Sharon and Emily knew they could be here for anything, but their guests feared it was about them. So, rather than risk capture, or leave behind the people who'd helped them, father Lucci opened another portal. Sharon and Emily were a little confused, but decided to take their chances with their new friends. The five of them thus returned to this world, and away from Hell.
