Choose Wisely

My facial expressions go from shocked to horrified in seconds. What more do I have to play? Why is this happening to me? What could I have possibly done to deserve all of this? A lot ran through my mind, I don't know what to think anymore.

"I hope you're ready for a little fun, you get to have a chance to travel the infernal realm, how lucky are you."

He smirks a sinister smirk. His eyes are empty black sockets but it feels like he's staring into my soul.

"What kind of journey?"

I hold myself together attempting not to stutter. My body is tense but I try not to let it show.

"To pass this game, you must reach the highest juncture here, comes across simple enough does it not?"

I look around trying to see where the highest point is. I look behind me and see a mountain in the distance.

"Would that be the highest point?"

He doesn't say a word, he stands there with a smile on his face. He reaches his hand out and grabs my shoulder.

"Only one way to find out."

He turns me and shoves me away. I stumble forward catching my balance before I fall over. I look out into the distance and take a deep breath. The smell of sulfur rushes my nose. I let out a small cough and I walk towards the mountain in the distance.

"How am I going to get there?"

I look around for any path or trail I would be able to walk on. There's nothing in front of me but open land and fire. I can feel the heat burning my face as I walk onward. I can hear screams of pain and agony in the distance from all around me.

"Help me!"

The cries for help ripped through the air. I walk until I finally come to a path that split into two separate roads. I stop in the middle looking in both directions.

"Which way would be the best way?"

I stand there thinking to myself when a voice appears from behind me.

"Maybe I can help you"

I look behind me to see a man standing behind me. He had no eyes and was well dressed in a black suit.

"What? Where did you come from?"

The man stood there with a blank expression on his face.

"I can tell you which way to go for a fee."

I look at him, he still has the same blank expression on his face.

"I don't have any money"

The man's facial expression changes. He now looks upset. His fist is clenched and he puts his head down.

"You have no money? How am I going to get out of here? I will kill you!"

The man charges at me, I swiftly dodge out of his way but he quickly turns around and grabs my arm.

He ya is me towards him as he revealed fang-like teeth.

"I will kill you! I will kill you!"

I'm able to push him away from me as I run on the path to the left to attempt to escape him. I start running as fast as I can as he stands in the same spot screaming. He doesn't run after me he simply turns around, stops screaming, and walks away.

"What the hell was that?"

I continue walking the path looking behind me periodically to make sure the man isn't behind me. All around me I can hear rocks being thrown but I don't see anyone or anything around me. In the corner of my eyes, I can quickly see someone standing there or walking beside me but when I look they disappear.

"My mind must be playing tricks on me."

I start to get freaked out as I hear screaming coming from behind me. I keep looking forward hoping whatever is screaming doesn't show itself to me.

"So you chose this path"

Agreas appears to the right of me. He walks over to me and places his hand on my shoulder.

"I hope you follow through with this choice"

He laughs as he turns around and walks away from me.

"What do you mean?"

He suddenly appears behind me as he whispers in my ear

"Oh you'll see"

He walks past me laughing.

"Don't disappoint me"

He walks away and disappears in the distance. The only thing on my mind was how am I going to reach the mountain and what he meant by following through with my choices.

I start walking toward the mountain again. I walk for about an hour, I notice that the mountain doesn't seem to be getting closer. I stop walking and look off into the distance. I look around trying to find a way off this path. I decide to walk the opposite way thinking it might help. As I start walking for a few I notice the mountain is back in front of me.

"What the hell is going on?"

I turn around again and the mountain is still in front of me.

"How is that possible?"

I start to grow worried, I don't know what's going on. I can hear giggling behind me and when I turn around there's the little girl from the mansion.

"So do you need help?"

The little girl stands there giggling. She starts taking steps toward me as I'm taking steps back.

"I'm only here to help you, why are you trying to leave?"

The little girl sounded as if she was disappointed I was trying to ng to escape her.

"Are you serious?"

"What do you mean?" she responded visually confused.

"You tried to kill me in a game of hide and seek."

She laughed as she stopped walking.

"That was because those were my orders, I don't have orders now and I'm bored so I'm here to help!"

I look at her confused but I don't attempt to argue. I realize she might be my only way out of here so I decide to take her help but be cautious.

"Fine, you can help me. How do I get out of here?"

"You can't!" She cheered.

"The only way you can get out of the loop you're in is to finish the puzzle of this path."

I look at her confused.

"What do you mean puzzle?"

"You have to help the man in the suit."

I think back and remember the man with no eyes at the beginning of the crossroads.

"He asked for money, I didn't have money to help him."

She looks at me and smiles.

"Sad, I hope you get out of this loop soon."

The little girl walks away waving bye to me. I stand there confused as tears start to form in my eyes. I start overthinking about how I'm going to get out of this. I ain't down on the ground and put my head in my lap.

"This can't be."

Elsewhere Agreas is in the distance watching how everything is unfolding. He stands on top of the mountain laughing maniacally.

"This is working out better than I could expect, I should report to King Bael."

He walks away from the mountain into a door that appeared behind him. He opens the door and walks through to King Bael sitting at a table eating.

"King Bael, the human is set to die in an endless loop. I think disposing of the girl would also be necessary."

King Bael looks up to Agreas

"Good thing I don't need you to think Agreas, that would be devastating."

Agreas stands there looking at King Bael with a smug look.

"Don't think you're better than anyone Bael, you can still die the same way as everyone else."

King Bael stands from his seat and walks over to Agreas.

"Are you willing to put that to the test?"

Agreas turns his back to King Bael and tarts walking away,

"You aren't worth my time, I have other matters to attend to."

Agreas walks out of the room slamming the door behind him. He walks down the hall and stops in the middle in front of a door. He opens the door to a pitch-black room. He lights a small torch on the wall revealing the silhouette of someone tied up. He walks closer to them, kneels, and grabs their faces.

"So, you must be the girl the boy is trying to find."

Looking into the light Brittany's face is covered with blood as fear is instilled in her eyes.

"Heh, leave it to me I would've had you killed already, you're lucky Bael is a decent guy."

He stands up and walks toward the door. He stops and looks back at Brittany who's tied up. He puts the torch out leaving the room pitch black again and closes the door. He looks down the hall at King Bael who is standing there looking at him. He holds eye contact with Bael before walking off giving King Bael a face of disgust.

"This is your choice Bael, but disrespect me again and I will kill you."

King Bael lets out a laugh filling the halls

"A third-rate demon would never be able to harm me, you're pathetic Agreas."