The gates to Hell

I had previously stood trembling at the gates of Hell. There had been two of them.

One said FIGHT and the other said FLIGHT. Not overthinking or perambulating the situation overly much, I chose the gate which led not to an unwinnable Fight.

I chose instead to take my brave true path to Flight. Through fire I had to tred, my feet burned, my clothes scorched.

Fire breathing dragons, breaths as foul as the pits of hell, dogged my every step, oh how they snarled and roared, but being tied up in chains no mortal man can rend asunder......

Those unholy dragons could not harm a hair upon my heated head. I passed by many tortured souls, reaching out their burning, yet not burnt hands to me for help, I cannot help, I cry.

From Hell's deathly fires I flee with all my strength and might, fly with me if you possibly can, though I know not whence I fly.

Demons, they come from everywhere, their claws long and fowl, stained black with the fires of the damnable coals of pitted hell.

I run with all my strength, they run even faster, touch her not, a terrible voice thunders.

She runs within Flight, where escape may be her luck, flee, fly, run. Didn't thou think that there is a way out of Flight?

For within a maze thou doth run, around and around ye shall and must go.

This is the Flight to Hell and its many acrid stench filled chambers, thou should have chosen Fight. Thou may have defeated the beast.....

That guards the door to the pearly gates of Heaven!

I looked back to see if the beast still pursued me. I was exhausted, still I ran. I must stay within this Flight, I had not the strength to stand and fight.

The devil had dragged me from an early morning's run. No one around to see my plight. Into his cavernous horrid smelling cave he had thrust me headfirst.

I kicked and screamed, to my face a sickly smelling rag was held, I fell senseless to the dirty death smelling floor.

I awakened while he stopped to relieve the evil flowing from his loins. Being unchained, not tied up, I crept over to the seats and quietly crept out the opened door. Into the dark night I ran, seeking to stay always within Flight.

I ran in full flight, that's when I saw the sign which eerily read:

GATES TO HELL, highlighted by the pale glowing taunting yellow moon.

I ran opposite into full flight. I hid as the cave on wheels could be heard speeding hurriedly past, dust blanketing the road behind it.

Fly, flee, run, I told myself, for only in flight shall you be free. I kept fleeing. My feet were blistered, They hurt like the fires of hell. I had been running all night.

Finally, a paved road I see. The devil had doubled back twice, I had hidden well when he got out of the cave and looked angrily around, cursing, snarling and growling.

Now other vehicles were passing by. I waited until he was long gone, biding my time to find a perfect savior. So far, I had stayed within flight, torn, bedraggled, bleeding and exhausted, I fell in an unconscious stupor by the side of the long forsaken desert-like road.

I awaken to find myself within a warm bed. An elderly couple had rescued me, somehow picked me up and taken me home. They cleaned me up and laid me down to sleep. I was safe, still within flight.

The matronly lady came to sit by the bed. A steaming cup of something in her hand. I drank a bit, thankfully.

"Are you in trouble dearie, are you running from the law or something, we wanted to ask before calling the police".

"No, I was kidnapped, but I escaped. May I use your phone please".

"Oh, that's terrible. Did you see who did it". A strange question to ask.

"Not really, he knocked me out before I saw his face. The phone if you don't mind". I said.

"Sure dearie, come with me". Such a creepy lady, the hairs stood up on my arms.

A picture. On the wall. The devil. They know him. I stop to say how handsome he was. Nice family.

"Oh, that's my son". She boasts. Did she know that I recognized him, she kept a straight face.

I see the cave on wheels driving in my direction. Oh God, what do I do now. I am trapped. They were all in it together. On the wall a shotgun. Please God, let it be loaded. I run towards the gun, the woman lunge at me. She is old, slower. I grab the thing and crank it the way my grandfather taught me.

BOOM! The awful old woman is down.

The old evil man comes running. Click. BOOM! He too is cut down.

The cave speeds up. Out hops the devil, running into the house.

"Mom, Dad, are you...."? He sees me, lunges.

Click. BOOM! Click. BOOM! I got you, you son of a murdering kidnapping family. So much blood everywhere.

I called the police. They took forever. I checked to see if anyone else was coming for me. All was quiet. I found a rickety old basement. All sorts of chains and knives and stuff. I hurriedly left. The police can sort that out when they arrive.

I was called a hero-ine. The authorities had been searching for this killer, now these killers, in vain. Who would suspect such a nice elderly couple and their dutiful son. Many people had gone missing. Their belongings were found in a hidden compartment in the basement.

I had stayed in flight and freed myself.