Author's Note: Raman Vajpayee is a member of the Global Community cabinet of officials at the palace in New Babylon that appeared in the eleventh book of the adult Left Behind series (Armageddon). Vajpayee was brutally murdered by Carpathia for speaking out against him during the fifth bowl judgment.

Raman Vajpayee moaned as the fires in hell tormented him and the other unbelievers. Vajpayee found it hard to believe that he had gone from having a luxurious lifestyle in New Babylon to enduring a pitiful and miserable eternity in hell.

How could this be happening? How could the fire in hell not be extinguished? Vajpayee screamed as the flames burned his body. He wailed as the flames entered his mouth and went through his lungs.

Vajpayee now knew it was a mistake to trust Nicolae Carpathia. The man was obviously a deceiver. Carpathia may have had charm and exquisite looks, but he was powerless against God's judgments.

The demons laughed as they started taunting and deriding Vajpayee. One of the demons, whose name was Agares, said to Vajpayee, "So much for your risen king and for your prosperity. Now you are trapped here forever, and no one can help you."

Vajpayee cried out in pain and affliction as the demons started shoving chunks of lava into his mouth. As Vajpayee endured this terrible punishment, he thought about the events that occurred during his last day on earth.

(Flashback Begins)

"Suhail, please!", Carpathia said in an annoyed tone.

"Apologies, Highness, but I don't know what to…"

"Control yourself, man!"

"I shall try, sir", Suhail Akbar said. "Our primary concern, ladies and gentlemen, besides the obvious, is that a…"

"What's more important than the obvious?", Vajpayee interrupted. "We've got to find a solution to this…"

"Who is that?", Carpathia demanded. "Raman Vajpayee, is that you?"

"Yes, sir, I simply want to know…"

"Raman, I simply want you to be quiet. How dare you interrupt a member of my cabinet?"

"Well, sir, it is most important that…"

"What is most important is that the only response to your offense is an abject apology, and it had better be immediately forthcoming."

"I am sorry, Potentate, but…"

"That was hardly abject. At a time of international crisis, I cannot imagine such insubordination. I am of a mind…"

"To what?", Vajpayee said. "To put me to death as you do anyone who speaks his mind? I tell you, I would rather be dead than to live like this! In the dark! In pain! No relief in sight. And yet you carry on…"

"Show yourself, Raman! Do it now!"

Raman rushed forward, clearly disgusted with Carpathia and just wishing to die. Raman couldn't see anything at all because of the latest judgment and was pushing others out of his way to get closer to Carpathia. Vajpayee could only hear his voice.

"I am here, within arm's length of you! Kill me for daring to speak my mind, or reveal yourself as a coward!", Raman shouted.

"Suhail", Carpathia said, "take this man out and execute him!"

"So you are a coward! You will not do it yourself! At least give me that much respect", Vajpayee said.

"I have only contempt for you, Raman. You have disgraced your position with the Global Community and I…"

"Kill me yourself, you impotent…"

This insult clearly provoked Carpathia as he charged towards Vajpayee. Carpathia and Vajpayee struggled and then the potentate was able to get Raman's head in his hands. Carpathia twisted violently as he painfully broke Raman's neck. It would be the last thing he would feel.

(Flashback Ends)

The pain and agony that Raman felt during the fifth bowl judgment and when Carpathia killed him was minor compared to what he was feeling now in hell. Vajpayee tried moving around to stop the flames, but it did nothing.

Vajpayee now realized how stupid it was to trust a man that only cared about himself and murdered anyone that upset him in the slightest.

Vajpayee wished he had listened to Tsion Ben-Judah when he had the chance. Well, it was too late now.

Vajpayee's suffering would never end, and it was a punishment he knew now could easily have been avoided. But he had chosen the wrong path and had to live with the consequences.