Hellraiser: Beyond the Gates of Hell

Disclaimer: Well, well, well... My first Hellraiser fic. Look at that. It's about time I did one of these. Remember this, readers: I take CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, but not flamers. So kindly step away if you feel such an urge. This story is going to be written for the fun in it, but I have done as much research as one can. Clive Barker owns all things flesh and blood in Hellraiser, but I own the plot and the few characters he DIDN'T make. Well, since I got the okay, I want to dedicate this fic to laura 101 and Blue Kitsune. They're real hardcore Hellraiser romance fans! Gotta love that!

"The flesh endures the storms of the present alone, the mind those of the past and future as well as the present."

-Epicurus

"Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it."

-Thomas Jefferson

By: VampireQueenAkasha

We have such sights to show you...

Chapter Ten: Hell Has Many Doors

God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of the players, (IE everybody), to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.

-Neil Gaiman

The Labyrinth was the strangest sight in the world to the woman.

The tunnels and corridors were so grotto-like, dotted with stalactites and stalagmites. It was almost beautiful to her. Every once in a while, the walls, constant and barren would change; some containing portals of what looked like multi - colored windows. As Alice followed Pinhead, she eagerly peered into every one, fascinated with the sights. When she pictured hell in her mind, she imagined the endless flames and Lake of Fire than those religious nut jobs were always blabbering on about.

It wasn't exactly beautiful, but not as terrifying as she envisioned.

Pinhead glanced back at her. "It is only frightening if we allow for it to be such." he replied, reading and calculating her very thoughts, "To a human, it would only be given their mortal vision. But to us, it is home and hopefully, it will be yours."

Alice blinked and let the consequences of that simmer deeply into place. Home. This strange world would become her home. Alice began to wonder just what it was capable of. The corridors seemed endless. Were they built that way or was this hell just and endless path of stone and flesh? As they passed down another path, Alice noticed that things began to change. There were doorways and windows that seemed more human in appearance and even vines.

The woman stopped long enough to study a peculiar door and Pinhead surprisingly halted with her. He didn't say anything; he was a stone statue as she opened the wooden door and stepped inside. The room was different here. No stone walls, no pillars and spikes. There were lush green vines and beautiful flowers that Alice had never seen before. They were yellow and swirled with prickly barbs, almost like roses. Over the ceiling were long, jagged spikes that seemed to jut out from every single direction.

"Whoa ... " the woman gaped.

She took a few steps inside and Pinhead stood framed in the doorway, arching a single brow at her child-like gawking. "You enjoy this sort of atmosphere?"

"I'm ... not sure exactly," Alice said. She was never really asked if she liked something before. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. "It is beautiful though." She touched a flower gingerly and it suddenly produced a human eyeball directly from its stigma. She jumped back with a start and watched as the rest of the flowers produced similar eyeballs, watching her every movement. In a way, it was creepy, but Alice couldn't resist her laughter.

Behind Pinhead, Nikoletta appeared and she smiled at the sight, almost like that of one observing a pet that had just become introduced to a new domain. It amused the female Cenobite. "She is such a child ... a little puppy even more."

Pinhead shared her amusement with a small guffaw. "Indeed."

"My Lord, if I may be so frank," Nikoletta told him, glancing at Pinhead at the corner of her eye, "Alice is almost perfect. The Leviathan no doubt has plans for her. Greater plans than simply becoming a new toy."

The elder Cenobite pondered such an opinion. He knew of the Leviathan's will, but even he knew that his God was not giving him full information regarding the human girl. He wasn't sure why this was, but the Leviathan knew what was best. Perhaps now that Alice was on their own grounds, he would request to know of these things.

"Alice," Pinhead spoke, to the woman, "If you desire so, you may explore the Labyrinth."

Alice immediately felt alarm. How did you respond to being asked to explore a maze? "But where are you going?" she asked.

"I will be with my God," he responded, turning, "It is a matter that I must discuss alone. My pet will be your guide." As soon as he said that, the Chatter Beast was at her side almost immediately. Alice looked around the room with surprise. Where'd he come from?

"But ... "

Alice tensed slightly at the sight of Pinhead turning so that he faced her entirely. He spoke his next words seriously and sternly like a parent would to their child. "Despite your being chosen by the Leviathan, hell is still a dangerous place for you in your human shape. Stay close where my eyes can see you."

Alice balked at his words. "O - Okay ... "

Pleased with her answer, the demon turned and disappeared from the room. Nikoletta followed behind him. Alice thought about something before she walked out and called after them. "Wait a minute!" They stopped and turned. "Don't I need a map or something?"

The two Cenobites stared at each other skeptically before they suddenly laughed loudly at that and walked away, like she had suggested the most ridiculous thing in the world. Alice stood there alone and she tensed at the tormented sounds of the damned all around her. The Chatter Beast nudged the back of her legs and she felt the sharp tips of its fangs against her. She grimaced and frowned down at the animal.

"Christ, impatient little bastard aren't you?" she muttered.

Meanwhile, outside of the Labyrinth, Kevin was just pulling up toward Alice's house. He got out of his car and knocked on the door a few times. "Alice?" he called, "Alice, it's Kevin, open up!" He received no answer and frowned, peering into the window alongside the door. It was dark inside and there were no signs of movement. "ALICE!" he hollered, cupping his mouth.

Suddenly, as he reached for the door again, it slowly creaked open on its own. Kevin hesitated entering; after all, she wouldn't know that he was here. But he was also concerned about what had happened the other day and how it affected her. So reluctantly, he stepped inside the darkened house and called for Alice again. He moved no further, hoping that she would hear him and find him on the mat in front of the door.

"Alice, it's Kevin!" he called, slowly moving into the living room, "Are you here?"

Stupid question. Her car was out front. Either she was home and avoiding him today, or she was home and something was very wrong. Kevin glanced over to the various framed photos of Alice and Katie and he couldn't resist a smile. They were-no had-been such a strange pair; Alice with her dark features and clothes and Katie who was always smiling in the photographs with her bright and happy attributes. Two exact opposites. It was almost uncanny.

The sound of a creaking basement door snapped Kevin out of his reverie. He cast his attention toward the darkened pathway and slowly approached. "Alice?" he called, "Are you down here?" He could smell something utterly foul and wrinkled his nose. "I'm coming down, alright?" Slowly, the man descended the stairs, feeling around for a light switch. When he found one, he flipped it several times before realizing that there was no power to it. "Shit ... "

There was some light at the bottom, which led the man to believe that Alice was down here. He carefully moved further down the stairs until he reached the bottom and he did not feel solid ground, but rather squishy, crunchy things beneath his feet. Kevin grimaced at the sounds and he reached down to the soles of his feet, feeling something wet and clammy. He gave a sharp cry and dropped the things when he felt them moving.

"What the fu ... ?" Kevin cut himself off in mid curse. In the In the wall opposite the end of the stairway, a very narrow doorway has simply opened in the wall.

Kevin's eyes slowly widened and he walked over toward it. As he approached, he could make out the Lament Configuration lying in a pile of earthworms nearest the door. Curious, he bent down and took the box, disgustedly wiping the worms aside. Then, he made his way to the gap and stared down the corridor which was lit brightly in some small areas, and yet, absolutely dark in others. Kevin wasn't so sure if he should go down it.

But a strange feeling told him that Alice may have done the same. She may have wandered in here, alone and in such emotional distress. Wherever this place was, Kevin had a sense that it wasn't friendly in the least.

And so, he ventured inside, the box close at hand.

O

Alice wandered down the corridors with the Chatter Beast moving alongside her. Its chattering teeth were constantly driving her nuts. It was bad enough that there were sounds of the tormented screams around her to have to listen to that perpetual sound.

"I wonder how many rooms there are in here ... " she mused, aloud.

The Chatter Beast gave her a quick, almost human gesture with a flirt of its head, indicating another turn, but Alice froze and cocked her head toward the opposite path. She could barely make out the sounds of music in the distance. It was a fascinating, almost Middle Eastern melody that made her body crave dancing to it. Just as she turned to go down its path, the Chatter Beast stopped her, seizing her shirt with its teeth and pulling her away.

"Hey!" Alice protested, angrily, "What's your problem?"

The animal attempted to push its head harshly into her knees, guiding her away from the path. It was making every attempt to keep her from the music, but Alice simply would not have it. "Knock it off, will you!" she barked, "Let me go!"

Alice moved away from the creature and made her way toward the sounds of the music. The Chatter Beast gave a rattling snarl and turned in the direction that they had originally come from, galloping away on all fours to alert its master.

Alice walked down the corridors and arrived in a large, highly elaborate chamber filled with jeweled pillars, bonfires roasting what looked suspiciously like innards and rodents of various shapes and sizes on metal pikes. There were fleshless corpses strung up on the walls with hooks and golden chains. A few had leather straps with spikes slapped over their faces and wriggling maggots worming through their exposed muscle. Some appeared to still be alive and moaning with anguish, their wild, tortured eyes looking down at the human standing there.

The woman shuddered slightly with unease. She cast her gaze quickly away from the bodies and looked over toward a dance stage where two peculiar shapes were moving almost in perfect synch with one another. They were snake - like creatures with humanoid heads and bodies; the demons Basilisk and Chidna. One was obviously male in appearance whereas the other looked female. Their scales and bodies were woven with the very grace and power of hell itself through patterns of gold, flesh and metal. They danced to the music that several fleshy humans were being forced to play.

Their tattered bodies were chained to their instruments crafted of bone and skin and they looked miserable. Alice was almost piteous for them for a split second until a voice froze her blood and locked her where she was standing.

"Who are you who walks among these halls so warmly, living human?"

Alice rigidly turned toward six Cenobites sitting at a stone table with glasses and cups. They looked slightly different from Pinhead and his crew. They wore quite a lot of jewelry in their flesh and golden masks.

"Um ... " Alice found her voice simply because she had a very bad feeling about this group, "I'm ... Alice Cotton. My name's Alice."

The fat one sitting at the end laughed softly; he was the one who had first spoken; Alastor. His voice was dry and wheezing, reminding Alice of someone choking on something. He had a golden arrow lodged in his skull and golden chains that wrapped around it, some of which were hooked and stretched open his mouth like the Chatterer. He also had a black ponytail and was wearing a leather bound outfit like most other Cenobites, though Alastor's didn't appear to have a top to it. Eerily enough, there was a golden chain attached to his waist that connected him to another Cenobite.

This Cenobite known as Chalkis had a shimmering, owl - like face of a mask embedded harshly with sharp, jagged spikes. It reminded Alice of a giant bird with wings and a tail with feathers that looked to be human hair instead. The only thing remotely human about this Cenobite was the hands that looked distinctly feminine with red nail polish.

"She is the one that Leviathan spoke of!" Chalkis hissed, in a mixture of a man and woman's voice.

The other Cenobites reacted with quiet murmurs and Alastor stood up with Chalkis resting against his shoulders. "Really?" he sneered, squinting at Alice like she was food, "I didn't expect to find you here in my chambers, human girl." He was starting to pace around her, his smell absolutely foul. Chalkis was snickering dryly and her fingers occasionally stroked Alice's neck. "I'm surprised that Xipe left you to roam around such ... dangerous places. Aren't you like a sort of pet of theirs?"

Alice chuckled nervously and the other Cenobites laughed mockingly at her features. "Yeah ... I - I guess you could say that."

"Hmm ... " Alastor purred, thoughtfully, "Xipe doesn't express interest in a human quite often. I am guessing that he has something REEEEAAAL special in mind for you." He stopped and Alice could feel his stinking breath against the back of her neck.

"I should get going, you know," she told him, "They might be looking for me."

Alastor laughed and shook his head. "You've ventured pretty far."

Alice sensed that the other Cenobites were getting in on his words and they were slowly standing up. Alice noticed a very grotesque looking Cenobite with the head of a golden vulture, blazing red eyes and multiple snakes for hair. He also wore a leather bound outfit similar to Pinhead's where skin from his chest was folded over top of it. The exception was that this one's stomach was exposed. This was Charun and also known by many as the Hammer.

There were also two female Cenobites with them. One was known as Aeshma Deva. She had golden hair that covered her entire body, though they were also very short and fine. She stood very short to the human and even looked like a dwarf in appearance. She had long slits on either side of her mouth. She was wearing a very revealing leather outfit.

The other was Yama Vidatu, sister to this Cenobite. She was wearing a tight red leather bound outfit, with a matching red mask, fashioned in similar shape to that of horns that was stitched to her face. She had pale skin and white hair tied back in a pony-tail. She also had thin slits on either side of her mouth much like her sister and zippers.

The final Cenobite was Gehenna and he appeared to be male in appearance; his skin was burned off from the waist up, until there was nothing but bone. There were spikes inserted into his skull and he smelled like cooked bacon.

Alice knew they had ever intention of hurting her ... or worse. "Y - You know, he'd know what you guys did!" she tried, threatening them, "Your boss won't be too happy! He'd come after you."

The Cenobites stared at one another, amused and doubtful of her bravado. "The human speaks very strange things..." Yama hissed, her voice almost like that of a little girl, "Xipe's charm has gotten to her, that much is certain."

Alastor shook his head at Alice and laughed, grabbing her tightly by the throat. She cried out and it was muffled back into a sharp groan of agony. He was strong and she felt the air beneath her feet as he lifted her off of the ground.

"Oh, I don't think he will try anything. After all, how much could you mean to him if he let you roam around here unprotected?" he hissed, "The Leviathan may be displeased with me, but oh ... " There was hunger in his eyes and Chalkis' gaze reflected that. A burning lust that left Alice shuddering in his clutches. "Your blood ... it so ... mouth - watering. The blood of a virgin is the sweetest kind there is! I haven't tasted virgin in so long ... "

"No way! She's still a virgin?" Aeshma cried, laughing her head off.

Alice groaned and grabbed the beefy hand that held her high. "Don't ... !" she choked.

"Don't be afraid. I'm doing this out of kindness, human!" Alastor hissed, snickering. His fingers began to tear the shirt that she wore, exposing her flawless skin to them all, "I'll make it very quick for you. I promise. You will feel nothing."

Suddenly, a cold wind seemed to whip through the air, numb and biting. The group of Cenobites uttered a collection of curses and Alastor dropped Alice to the floor with a grunt of fury. The wind carried particles of snow and ice that doused every torch and bonfire within Alastor's chambers. It was so cold that Alice held herself, shivering and rubbing her arms to try and keep warm. A dark shadow stepped into the room, eyes almost blazing red.

"You piece of filth!" Pinhead thundered, his voice absolutely venomous, "You have seen Alice's body! Your filthy hands have violated her flesh!" He raised one hand toward the leader of the group, his black coal eyes burning with powerful rage. "I shall tear out your innards and choke you with them!"

Alastor chuckled dryly. "Putting on airs as always, Xipe," he sneered, "Do not forget that you are in my domain! We are both leaders of separate Gashes and our powers are evenly matched in this world. The Leviathan sees to that."

Pinhead laughed cruelly. "Evenly matched?" He took a step toward them. "Fool. You have committed the highest error of this world. Not only have you touched what is rightfully mine, you have forced me to become serious. I will gouge out your eyes and feed them to my pet."

He grasped one of the many tools of torture on his belt; a razor blade with many snicks in it. Alastor laughed nastily, not phased in the slightest. "Hah! You think you can take all of us on, Xipe?" he shouted, "You are a greater fool than I took you for!"

Pinhead looked at Alice and gestured with his head for her to leave. She nodded and quickly rushed out of the room. Behind her, several of Pinhead's group began to gather into the chambers and encircle the various members of Alastor's team.

"You forget. Numbers do not make the leader, but it is the skill of the leader who makes the numbers," Pinhead hissed, "Remember your place, Alastor and remember it well."

O

Upon departing from Alastor's chambers, Pinhead walked down the corridors with Camerahead at his side. "What of Alice?" he asked.

"Done with as you commanded." Camerahead replied.

"Good."

Alice had been sent to the baths upon the elder Cenobite's orders. It was a bizarre order, even to the young woman, but nevertheless, a bath was just what she needed right now. The water was a perfect temperature and smelled sweet, like caramel candy and the room was actually comfortable here too; not as spooky as some of the places. Alice would have relaxed if Nikoletta wasn't standing there watching her as she bathed. She stared meekly at the Cenobite with dismay.

"Do you really have to watch me?" she asked.

"Yes." Nikoletta answered, "There is no need to be prudish, child; I have seen many a skin before." She paused before continuing. "After all, my Lord ordered this bath prepared especially for you. He also does not want you wandering off again."

Alice flinched slightly and slowly submerged herself in the water with embarrassment so that only her crown and eyes were showing. Nikoletta shook her head with pity before she turned and gathered a set of black robes and held them out to the human.

"You will wear these when you stand before Leviathan," she told the woman.

Alice's eyes landed on the bundle of robes in the Cenobite's hands. She lifted herself slightly from the water and looked up at the emotionless face. "Uh...will I have to?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You are to look your best for him, of course. Now, no more questions. Clean yourself up and I will take you to Him."

Alice watched the Cenobite gathering a few small objects from a few shelves and she swallowed the nervousness in her voice before she spoke. "Hey, have there ever been any other humans who've spoken with him in the past?"

"Once. Maybe twice in an entire lifetime."

Alice furrowed her brow thoughtfully before she reached for the robes and stood up, fitting them to her body. They were much like human bathrobes with various intricate designs on them, somewhat fuzzy and uncomfortable. Nikoletta walked over to her and studied her slightly before she heaved a small sigh of pity, like an artist who had to deal with what she had.

"It will do ... I suppose," she murmured, "Follow me."

Alice cautiously and nervously followed behind the Cenobite. Nikoletta gave her an occasional glance to the side as they walked down the darkness of the stone halls. "Calm down, Alice," she told her, "You stink of fear. It is enough to fester within even my nostrils."

Alice gave her a weary smile that carried all her fear and indignant attitude. "Sorry ... "

As they moved closer and closer to the Leviathan's chambers-the very center of the Labyrinth - Nikoletta paused at the sound of whipping and screams of a tormented soul. Alice didn't dare venture into the room to see as the Cenobite peered inside.

"You!" she called.

"Yes?" the Cenobite tormenting the damned sounded young and almost naive.

"Ease up. Wait between lashes. Otherwise the older sting will dull him to the new." Nikoletta instructed.

"Of course."

The two continued and Alice finally looked up at the sight of the center of the maze world. Her eyes widened at Leviathan's awesome presence there. Alice had never seen such a massive thing before. To her, it was just a rotating diamond shape from a distance with black beams of dark light shining from its rotating shape. But as she slowly drew closer and closer, she began to feel a change in temperature. The air felt heavier here and her human fear became realized to a lesser degree.

There were quite a lot of Cenobites here as well; standing several feet away from the spinning diamond. Their heads turned at the sight of the human woman walking up the pathway with Nikoletta, whispering to one another.

"Heh. I bet she's wearing nothing under that!" Pistonhead whispered.

The Dreamer elbowed him once. "Shut up!"

Alice covered her mouth with one hand and felt like she would vomit at any second. The pressure of the changed air was going to crush her at any second. "Shit ... I feel a little sick ... "

The Dreamer and Pistonhead moved behind her.

"Don't worry. In a few seconds you won't feel a thing." Dreamer said, smiling.

Alice glared at the two, not really concerned at the moment by the fact that they looked more human than the rest of the Cenobites here. "Puking on yourself is not a good death."

Dreamer patted her roughly on the shoulders. "Look, the more you gawk and think about it, the harder it is to talk to Him."

Pistonhead chuckled cruelly. "Just like sex with you ... "

Dreamer glowered menacingly at him before she smiled at Alice. "The key is don't look down ... or up for that matter."

"Also like sex with you."

Dreamer whirled on him angrily. "Would you shut up?"

Alice couldn't resist her laughter at their antics and she even tried to hide it behind her hand. Nikoletta did not share her amusement, however. "Ignore them, child," she told her, "They are still very young and still very... human."

Alice wasn't going to argue with her now, not when she was standing close to the spinning diamond God. Balberith was there as well as Pinhead. When the pin - studded Cenobite saw her coming toward them, he inhaled deeply through his chest and straightened.

"The Leviathan will speak." he told her, "Will you listen?"

Alice smiled meekly. "Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Then I guess I will."

Pinhead looked up toward the Leviathan and Balberith took Alice's hand. "Kneel before him!" she commanded.

Alice grunted as she was yanked to one knee and glanced up skeptically at Nikoletta. The female Cenobite glanced at Balberith wearily. "She is aware of what must be done, Balberith," she told her, "There is no need for that."

Balberith scoffed slightly and removed her grip from Alice's arm. She was sure it would be bruised by how much strength the seemingly old Cenobite exerted. "Heh. You're getting soft on me, Nikoletta," she sneered.

Pinhead cast his gaze up toward the Leviathan. "My Lord, Alice is here among us," he announced.

The Leviathan's many black beams of light suddenly halted and formed all focus onto the human kneeling there. Alice suddenly felt a strong feeling of power rushing through her every fiber, like electricity that tingled her nerve cells until she was left weakened. The Leviathan seemed to search her every dark corner of her mind, playing back her memories and darkest thoughts like a movie before her very eyes. Some of course she couldn't have possibly remembered that far back.

Her time as a small fetus growing within her mother's womb was one of them. Alice smiled at the peaceful, warm memory. She could hear a collection of voices through the muffled, thick embryonic fluid. One sounded like her mother and the other was unfamiliar, but she had a feeling like she knew who it was.

"CONGRATULATIONS ... ALICE ... COTTON ... " the Leviathan spoke, a voice of great power and dominion right in her brain, "YOU HAVE COME TO ME OF YOUR OWN WILL. YOUR REWARD ... THE TRUTH."

Alice blinked in shock and her world changed all around her, manipulated with a single wink by the Leviathan himself.

"LET ME HELP YOU REMEMBER ... ONCE AND FOR ALL."

Once more, the world changed around her and instead, she found herself in a bedroom where her mother-much younger-was standing, yelling furiously at a strange man holding a video camera in front of her. Alice frowned and looked around the room, trying to find the Leviathan if he had any other form to seek out.

"What have you done?" Kirsty cried, distraught and tear - stricken.

Alice's brows went up. She recognized the familiar box in her mother's hands. She had never seen her look almost scared of it before. The man looked particularly unkind too; his smile mischievous and cruel, as if he had greater intentions for giving Kirsty the box. Alice, of course, was blind to these intentions.

"It's just a puzzle. Open it up." he said, in an almost soothing voice.

"I trusted you. I trusted you! Goddamn it!" Kirsty protested, fury in her voice, "How could you do this to us?"

Alice cringed. For some reason, seeing her mother like this almost hurt. ALMOST. She didn't want to see anymore, but knew that she needed to. She HAD to know what went on before she was born and the Leviathan was finally showing her.

"You told me you loved me!" Kirsty shouted.

The man looked about fed up with her pleas and he shrugged his shoulders with an edge to his voice. "Just open the fuckin' box."

Alice watched with dismay as Kirsty smiled angrily, the fresh tears streaking down her face. Her mother glared at the man with resolution. "Is this what you want?" she said, softly. Alice sensed a change in her voice now. "I hope it's everything you want it to be." With that, her thumb stroked the circular panel.

The world changed once more and Alice was standing in the darkness surrounded by chains, a torture pillar and various other Cenobites. She recognized the Surgeon as one of them. Her mother was standing there, shuddering in fear and facing Pinhead. He was speaking coldly to her, threatening to take her away.

"You solved the puzzle. You unleashed the power. There is no turning back," he told the woman, "I will not rest until I get what I want, and what I want is you."

"THE DEAL HAD BEEN MADE ... YOUR MOTHER TOOK THE LIFE OF YOUR FATHER., THE ONE KNOWN AS TREVOR GOODEN, THE VERY MAN WHO HAD CAUSED HER SUCH ... SUFFERING ... "

Alice's eyes went wide in horror as a stretcher pulled up in front of her with the man's body lying on it, jaws open and eyes wide in an eternal scream of horror. There was a bullet hole where his forehead used to be.

"No ... that's not right!" she cried, "My father - "

"WHOM YOU HAVE NEVER MET ... HE IS YOUR FLESH AND BLOOD FATHER. AND HE IS WITH US NOW, ALICE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET HIM?"

Alice held her head in both hands and squeezed her eyes shut, moaning. "No ... Oh God ... "

Leviathan seemed to chuckle in her head. "NOT QUITE, ALICE. YOUR GOD HAS PUNISHED YOU, THE BASTARD CHILD ... UNWANTED BY HER OWN MOTHER ... YOUR IDOL HAS PUT YOU IN HIS GRACE ... AND SHOVED YOU BELOW."

Alice watched as Kirsty stood in front of an abortion clinic, her heavy, tired eyes watching the doors for a brief moment. In horror, Alice could only watch. Her mother actually thought about killing her? For what? Because of the asshole her father was? As she continued to watch, Kirsty's features clouded with sorrow and guilt before she turned and walked back to the car that she emerged from, driving away.

"AND SO, AS IT CONTINUES, NO SOUL CAN EVER MEET IT'S 'GOD'. YOUR MOTHER. YOUR DEAR FRIEND. AND SO THEY LIE STILL, STINKING IN THE WORMY EARTH. OF COURSE, SOME DO COME TO ME EVENTUALLY."

Meanwhile, Kevin was wandering the darkness of the Labyrinth, the box tightly in hand. He had passed so many corridors, that he had forgotten where he even began.

"ALICE!" he shouted over the roar of hell's winds and the screams of the damned.