Author's notes:
Dear readers. I want to make some explanations on the chapter so that in the process of reading it, possible questions disappear, and the described picture appears more clearly.
This chapter is entirely devoted to Jungsuk's journey through the bowels of Hell. In this case, I described hell based on Dante's poem "The Divine Comedy", making my own adjustments and fantasy ideas accordingly, so do not try to draw a parallel between the poem and what is written in this chapter. The poem was used only as a short source for presenting the overall picture.
All the additional characters, violent scenes, detailed descriptions of the "hyena of fire" are just my personal fantasy, fueled by information from the Internet. This is not a course of introduction to religion, a generally accepted dogma, or an introductory material for believers. It's a fantasy! I am a non-believer, so for me personally, everything written is simply fiction, reflected only to help the reader present a picture for implementation. I have no goal to hurt someone's beliefs or personal preferences, but I do not seek to assert the real existence of, what I have written, and I will not, because I simply do not believe in it. Remember, the whole reflected world in this chapter is only a fantastic invention of the author for a specific purpose – to entertain the reader.
A short course of Jungsuk's journey through the bowels of Hell:
Jungsuk is in hell with Erik, and the first place, where they go, is an endless space, described in Dante as if before entering hell itself, the traveler is shown people, who have done neither good nor evil in their lives. Their punishment is to constantly wander in front of the entrance, not going to hell or heaven.
In my interpretation, the circles of hell are separate islands.
1 island (1 circle of hell according to Dante) – Limbo, where the main one is Charon (the same carrier of souls in ancient Greek mythology). In the first circle of hell languish, infants, who were not baptized, and virtuous non-Christians. Their punishment is silent sorrow.
In my case, Charon is the guy with the scythe.
2 island (2 circle of hell according to Dante) – Minos dominates, is a "haven" for adulterers and perverts. Here they are punished by storms and torsion of the body.
Minos by Dante is a demon with a serpent's tail, that wraps around the newly arrived soul and indicates the circle of hell, to which the soul will descend.
3 island (3 circle of hell according to Dante) – a place of gluttons. They are guarded by a three-headed Cerberus. Sinners suffer under the scorching sun, rot, and then for several days, there are torrential rains with mud.
4 island (4 circle of hell according to Dante) – belongs to Plutos, and he punishes speculators, usurers, and spenders here. Sinners are always fighting and arguing with each other over money.
Dante's Plutos is a bestial demon.
5 island (5 circle of hell according to Dante) – here dominates is Phlegius, the son of the god of war, Ares. It is not difficult to guess, that people, who cannot overcome themselves, their anger, or their laziness, get here. As punishment, they will have an eternal fight for a dry place in the swamp of Styx.
Phlegius by Dante burned the temple of Apollo and the punishment for this was killed with his arrows. In the underworld, he was condemned to eternal punishment – to sit under a rock, that was ready to collapse every minute.
In my case, the guy is not sitting under a rock, but here is the description with arrows I used.
6 island (6 circle of hell according to Dante) – these are the walls of the city of Dita, guarded by furies – grumpy, cruel, and very evil women. They mock false scientists and warlocks here. And as a punishment, eternal existence is in the form of a ghost in the grave.
7 island (7 circle of hell according to Dante) – for those, who committed violence. The main one here is a half-bull-half-human Minotaur.
The circle is divided into three belts:
- The first belt is Flageton. It includes those, who have committed violence against their neighbor, his material values, and property. They are tyrants, robbers, and footpads. All of them are boiling in a moat of red-hot blood, and those, who come up, are shot at by centaurs – half-human-half-horse.
- The second belt is the Suicide Forest. It contains suicides and gamblers. Spenders are tortured by hounds, and hapless suicides are torn to shreds by Harpies.
Typically Harpies described as half-women-half-birds, with a bird's beak, feathers with sharp as peaks, tips, which they showered their victims, smelly and messy creatures, that dwell in Tartarus (in Greek mythology, the deepest abyss beneath the underworld), which are the satellites the soul, pointing the way to the Kingdom of Hades (Greek God of the underworld).
- The third belt is the Combustible Sands. Here are blasphemers, who have committed violence against deities, and sodomites (perverts). The punishment is to stay in a completely barren desert, and from the sky, there is a hot rain, from which there is no place to hide.
I will not describe further, because, in our case, we stop at the second belt of the seventh circle – suicides.
Description of the characters accompanying Jungsuk:
Guide (reaper) – dressed in a black cloak and with a scythe on his shoulder, the reaper collects souls, as the reapers harvest in the field, and travels around the world, seeing off people and meeting their own kind. It is sometimes erroneously claimed, that the reaper is death, but he is only a guide through the veil to the spirit world, where there is nothing material. But people tend to deny, the soul can not accept the fact of her death. Then the reaper goes to work. Sometimes, he can show a person, what will happen, if he continues to remain in his form among the living, showing him the existence of a ghost or a vengeful spirit. Sometimes the reaper can show, what the sudden resurrection of one person will lead to, and what consequences it will have. And sometimes the reaper just unleashes on the soul of some undead, not allowing them to hide, and drags them by force to the afterlife. And sometimes reaper leaves the soul alone, among the living.
In any religion and mythology, the image of the reaper is described in different ways. In my case, this is an ordinary dude in a black raincoat with a staff, who rides souls on a boat.
I will not name the other characters on each island (circle) of hell, because in the short course above there are all their names and a brief description. I just added or removed something from the description, to present the picture more clearly.
If you suddenly have any questions after reading, you can safely ask them. I will try to answer any. But remember, that all this is fiction, mysticism, fantasy, unreality. The author is an unbeliever (atheist). An atheist does not believe in anything: neither in heaven nor in hell. Do not confuse this with Satanism or blasphemy. These are completely different concepts. All information is taken from the Internet or once and somewhere underlined material of the mythology of books, that I was actively interested in earlier.
Thank you all, enjoy reading!
***
Everyone has their own hell – it's not necessarily fire and tar! Our hell is a wasted life!
("What dreams may come")
After Erik's words, everything inside Jungsuk went cold. His body was so heavy, that he didn't have the strength to get up from the bench at all. Terrible images flashed before his eyes. His head was blurred by the realization, that Jonghyong had taken his own life. Bitter tears welled up from the corners of his eyes, and Jungsuk squeezed his eyes shut, to hold them back. He'd been crying more lately than he'd ever cried in his entire life.
"I'm really sorry, Jungsuk," Erik put his hand on Jungsuk's shoulder, and it felt incredibly heavy to the young man, "to be honest, I didn't expect this from Jonghyong," Erik's voice was full of pain and sympathy. Jungsuk thought it was strange. Erik didn't know Jonghyong enough in his lifetime, to make his death upset the senior so much. But in the current state of Park just shrugged off the thought. The realization of the death of his beloved husband, which had just saddened him so much, hit him with a new force – it dawned on Jungsuk.
"Of course," Park rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to control his breathing, "you don't know Jonghyong, as I do. You don't know us. We couldn't have done it without each other," Jungsuk found the strength to stand up and began pacing in front of Erik, who was still sitting on the bench, looking grim. "Everything will be all right now. We'll be together again, just like before."
"Jungsuk."
"Jonghyong will get used to it. I'll be there for him. He can handle it. We can do it together."
"Jungsuk, listen to me…" Erik tried to call the junior, because he was completely oblivious to him, being in his own fantasies. Of course, Erik immediately guessed, why Jungsuk was so animated. He believed, that after his death, Jonghyong would be with him again. That now they will not be separated by the line of the living and the dead, which was just recently divided. That now they would be reunited again. Erik would have given anything, not to be the man, who would shatter all of Jungsuk's hopes.
"When will I see him, Erik? When?!" Jungsuk literally flew over to his senior, plopping back down on the bench and grabbing his hands. A storm of emotions was raging inside, but the strongest of them was a joy. He would be able to see Jonghyong again. They won't be apart anymore. The person, which he loves, will be with him. He and Jonghyong had been through enough during the senior's life and after his death, that they now seemed to deserve a piece of happiness. Even in this way.
"Never."
Erik's answer knocked the ground out from under Jungsuk's feet. He pushed the senior's hands away from him as if he'd been burned. His eyes widened in unthinkable surprise and incomprehension. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and stirred uncomfortably. A strange feeling came over Jungsuk. He didn't know, what it felt like, but he knew, that it didn't like him.
"What do you mean, never? What the fuck are you talking about? You just told me…"
"Jonghyong is suicidal, Jungsuk!" Erik said as quickly, as he could, so as not to change his mind and walk away in disgrace, avoiding the fate of a messenger of such terrible news. Never in all his time here had it been so hard for him. Reporting a death is not an easy task in itself. People react to this in different ways. Someone is crying, someone is hysterical from their own helplessness and grief, someone does not believe in, what they have heard, and some show aggression of a kind, that is difficult to imagine. But there was still a reason, why it was so hard for Erik to talk with Jungsuk about his husband's death, it was quite personal and painful for Erik himself. And with all his immortal soul, he wanted to be as far away from junior, as possible right now.
Jungsuk was looking at Erik with such an unconscious gaze, that he didn't seem to see the man at all. Park couldn't understand, what his mentor was trying to tell him.
"Such souls are not allowed here, Jungsuk. For people, like Jonghyong… They end up in a different place."
Jungsuk shook his head, slowly realizing the meaning of other words. He couldn't believe his ears. All the emotions, that had hitherto gripped his soul, were twisted into a big tight knot, swelling and swelling with anger. Jungsuk felt so angry, that he was ready to tear off the head of anyone with his bare hands, who dared to block his way to his husband.
"So, you're telling me, that Jonghyong doesn't deserve to be here, right?" Jungsuk stood up again, to get as far away from Erik, as possible, because he wasn't sure of his own self-control at the moment.
"Jungsuk, I…"
"Are you saying, that the shit, which Jonghyong went through in his lifetime, isn't enough, to pass for a righteous man? Are you saying, that he doesn't deserve peace even after he's fucking dead? That he would suffer and suffer here, as he had in life? Is that what you mean?!" with each sentence, Park could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks, his fingernails digging into the inside of his palms, the air getting stuck somewhere in his throat, blocking access to oxygen, a nasty sticky sweat running down his temples and the back of his head. The fog began to thicken around Jungsuk, the wind whipping leaves and blades of grass into the air, whirling them in a frenzied dance, the clouds gathering overhead, gathering into one black, impenetrable abyss. The first rumble of thunder shook the earth, and a bright bolt of lightning struck somewhere in the distance so deafening, that at the time need cover ears so, as not to lose hearing. Jungsuk was angry. Very angry. He didn't understand, how someone as wonderful, talented, tenacious, and purposeful, as Jonghyong, could be honored with such a fate.
"Jungsuk, I can't change anything. If I could, I would do my best… But that's not possible. This is not a sentence or a punishment, understand. Everyone is equal here. There are no rules. It's just the way it works," Erik hated himself for saying it. Now more than ever, he wished, that it was all a lie.
"How does it work, Erik!? That suicides are destined for hell?! How can this not be a punishment?! Jonghyong suffered and suffered so much! His place is rightfully here! He deserves it more than anyone else. More, than me! More, than you, damn you!" Jungsuk gripped the collar of Erik's clothes and shook him as hard, as he could. He was shaking with the uncontrollable fury of realization. He couldn't accept, what the senior had told him. Even now, being on the same side, Park couldn't reunite with Jonghyong. And it was killing him, stabbing him to the very depths of his soul, destroying his mind, drowning his senses.
"Jungsuk," Erik tried to put his hands on top of Jungsuk's, but the junior pushed him away and took a few steps away. His whole body was shaking with anger, his chest heaving and falling, his muscles ache to twitch.
"I understand, how hard it is for you…"
"Go to hell, Erik! You don't understand shit, okay?! I've had enough of your moralizing. So you better shut up and leave me now!" Jungsuk snapped, unable to listen to his senior's monologue any longer. How can he talk about understanding, when he doesn't know a damn thing? He doesn't know, what Jonghyong went through. He doesn't know, how he struggled with himself every day. How tried to change himself. To be different. How he'd cornered himself over and over again, how he'd tortured himself over the smallest of minor mistakes. Erik had no idea, what Jungsuk was feeling right now. So he'd better shut the hell up!
Erik closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. He wished he could find the right words and support junior. But he couldn't. He couldn't reveal his true identity. Otherwise, Jungsuk will get even more confused. Erik had already given up when he couldn't hold back his emotions when he reported Jonghyong's death. He couldn't risk it any longer. If Jungsuk understands the essence of the situation, this time he must do it himself.
"Okay," Erik said, moving a little closer, but not close enough, to give the junior some privacy, "you think, that I have no idea, what I'm talking about. You think, that I don't care about you and Jonghyong. That it's my job to make nice speeches and lecture newcomers, like you," Erik lowered his voice a little, feeling, like he was about to break down emotionally again. "Think what you want. You can call me anything you want. You don't even have to talk to me. But then just listen, damn you!" Erik gripped Jungsuk's shoulder hard and spun him around, because he was still standing with his back to the man, not paying any attention. "You think, that hell is fire and pitch? What are these demons and monsters, about which fairy tales and legends have been written for hundreds of years? Do you think, that Jonghyong will be torn to pieces by monsters in the pitch dark? You are wrong, Jungsuk," Erik caught a glimpse of fear in the eyes opposite him. He didn't want to scare Jungsuk, god, he didn't want to say any of the things, that he'd just said. Erik tried to keep his temper under control. But when he opened his mouth, and the first words came out, he just couldn't stop.
"The real hell is when a person doesn't realize, that he's dead. When you don't understand, what's going on around you. You feel like you're still out there, over the line. But this is not the case at all. There you create the world, that you want to see," Erik waved a hand at Jungsuk's "domain". "But in hell, a person projects their most desperate and terrifying nightmares. The horrors, that lurked deep in his soul in life and remained with him after death. A man tortures himself. Of course, anyone, who believes in demons, ghosts, monsters, sees just that. But suicide… that's different. A person, who commits suicide, violates the most important and immutable law – the law of natural order. Everything has a beginning and an end, but each stage of life, whether it is birth or withering, should take place naturally and in its turn, without outside interference. Suicide violates this established harmony. A suicide, intentionally or not, takes his own life, thereby violating the natural order of things, and does not want to admit it. Just as in heaven, there are many worlds in hell, each of which belongs to a certain person. The world, that he creates for himself, the world, that he wants to see as his punishment. But the worst thing is oblivion. Hell is a wasted life, without self-awareness. When each day is similar to the previous one, until all merge together, representing only one stream of countless pain. And it can't be stopped."
Jungsuk recoiled from Erik, as senior continued to step on him, as if in a trance. It seemed that the mentor was so emotionally tensed up and heated, that the air around him began to resonate with electric discharges, that was ready to strike a current of several hundred amperes. His mentor's words scared Jungsuk, and all his anger faded, as he imagined, what Jonghyong would feel in such a terrible place. His whole gut was literally beating in hysterics, trying to break out of the cage and find a kindred spirit.
Jungsuk looked into Erik's eyes and saw… pain. So much pain, that it was ready to spill over the edge. Erik was so overwhelmed, by what he had to say, by the fact, that there was nothing he could do to help, that Jungsuk could literally feel his powerlessness. And again, something familiar, some usual feeling pricked somewhere in the chest. Jungsuk couldn't quite grasp the feeling, to fully grasp, what it meant. Why is it that he feels so nostalgic in Erik's presence lately, a sense of deja vu, as if someone has once aroused this kind of emotion in him?
"And anyway, Jonghyong is in hell," Jungsuk ran a hand over his face, feeling, how the anger gradually recedes, replaced by impotence. He was so tired. So exhausted. It seemed like the time for peace had come. But Jungsuk felt trapped, like never before.
"You said, that our bond is strong even after death," Jungsuk looked into the distance, where the purple tree had appeared when Jonghyong drew it.
"Jungsuk, no! Don't even fucking think about it!"
But Jungsuk didn't care, what Erik said. A sudden thought struck him, giving him confidence and strength, and even the sky seemed to brighten a little, as did Park's mind at the moment. There was a snide smile on his lips, the same smile, that he had when he was alive when he teased Jonghyong or guessed the motive for his actions, which maknae had tried so hard, to hide to surprise his Hyong.
"I'll find him."
"Damn it!" Erik couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed Jungsuk's shoulders, trying to bring him to his senses, because he could see, that the junior seemed to have completely lost his mind. "You don't want to understand anything! I've tried so hard to help you get used to the world around you, to merge with it, to feel it. But you're still fucking holding on to something, that's long gone! He's gone, Jungsuk! Jonghyong is gone! Come to terms with it, finally!"
Jungsuk punched Erik in the face so hard, that he could almost hear the bones crack. The knuckles on his hand immediately ached, but Park continued to smile, like some kind of deranged maniac, and he felt a sense of satisfaction that he hadn't felt, since he'd been here. All the negative emotions seemed to have gone with the blow.
"Keep your moralizing to yourself, Chief," Jungsuk said calmly, stepping closer and patting Erik on the shoulder, as he rubbed the bruised spot. "I'll never give up. I'll turn the whole fucking hell upside down, but I'll find Jonghyong. And you won't be able to stop me," the determination in his voice sent strength through his. Jungsuk looked at Erik so intently, that for a moment it seemed as if the man hadn't expected the younger man's reaction. Other's eyes looked at Park with admiration and awe, something, that Jungsuk had never seen in his lifetime, even at his highest indicators of work. Erik was a good man, despite his tough temper and grumpy personality. But still, this kind of admiration for someone, like Jungsuk, the junior never noticed from senior. The eyes opposite seemed to belong not to a grown-up, experienced man, but to an inexperienced boy, who prostrated himself in admiration of his senior.
"All right," Erik said hoarsely. "The hell with you, you really deserve your chance, like no one else," the senior straightened up and straightened his clothes. In an instant, the feeling, that Jungsuk had felt, was gone. It irritated the hell out of him, to have this nonsense in his head. He wanted to know, what the fuck was going on. But at the moment, his mentor's positive response was far more interesting, so Jungsuk was completely focused on his most basic task – finding and saving Jonghyong.
"We need a guide."
***
If you've got in hell, don't stop, move on
(Winston Churchill)
Jungsuk had a twofold feeling. On the one hand, he was curious. He looked around, keeping close to Erik, and couldn't help but be surprised at, what he saw. It was like a vast expanse with no end in sight, no end in sight. The atmosphere was strange: either tense or indifferent, but he didn't feel threatened, only distant. The sky was overcast with gray clouds, that drifted here and there, pulsing and increasing, as they collided with each other, but the rain didn't seem to become. The ground around him was dry and dark, and there was no sign of vegetation or animal life. The river, which had its source from God knows where, seemed to be completely black, with its sharp loops and turns visible in the distance, the water was at rest in places, and in some places, the waves rose so high, that they were ready to swallow you whole. There were people everywhere: women, men, children; old and young, rich and poor. They were all different, but Jungsuk could see the detachment and complete indifference on their faces, and their eyes seemed to be as empty, like a bottomless bowl. They loitered here and there, completely oblivious to each other as if they were in a world of their own.
"Are they sinners?" Jungsuk asked, leaning close to Erik's ear, as a middle-aged man with tousled hair and dark eyes brushed past him, his shoulder brushing against him. Jungsuk felt a chilling chill. It was as if Death itself had touched him with a bony hand. But the man walked on as if he hadn't just bumped into Park.
"It's hard to say," Erik took Jungsuk's elbow, trying to lead him through the crowd of people, closer to the river. "These are people, who have done neither good nor evil in their lifetime. They are doomed to wander here forever, unable to cross the border and go to the other world."
Jungsuk squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. He believed, that death is the most terrible thing, that can happen to a person. But oblivion is much scarier. At least, Jungsuk knew, that he was dead, he had someone, who help him all the way here, but these people were like uncomplaining puppets, whose puppeteer was just tired of pulling strings, leaving his toys hanging around on their own.
As he approached the river, Jungsuk saw the large boats moored near the shore, swaying slightly in the black water. In each boat, there was a… Jungsuk couldn't tell exactly, who it was. The creature was similar in size and build to a human, wearing a long black floor-length robe, with its face, which was completely hidden by a hood. In its hands, it held something like a long wooden stick, with which it pointed out to the people descending into the boat their places.
"It's a guide," Erik said, "someone, who people usually call Reapers. They are neither good nor evil. Their goal is to accompany the soul to the afterlife, making sure, that it does not break out and escape. The reaper can frighten a lost soul using the power of illusion, but as a rule, it does not carry a threat. Although sometimes the reapers resort to cruel methods, that to prevent others from trying to escape."
Jungsuk listened to Erik with half an ear, trying to get a closer look at the reaper in the boat. Suddenly, Park noticed, that one of the people, who had been loitering nearby, had run to the shore and tried to push past everyone else and squeeze into the already fairly well-packed boat. The reaper thrust out his wooden stick, the tip of which was pointed directly at the intruder's chest, but he did not stop, continuing to push and jostle the other people in the boat, which rocked the boat to the left and right, and the passengers, sitting on the sides, began to fall to the side, falling into the water. People splashed and shouted, beat their hands and feet on the water, begged, asked for help. But the reaper didn't seem to care about them. He pulled back his hood, revealing, what Jungsuk had noticed, was a fairly ordinary human face, but a moment later it was distorted and darkened, the skin gradually slipping away, revealing sunken, empty eye sockets and holes instead of a nose. The lips curved in a hideous grin, leaving only a bare jaw in their place. Instead of the reaper's face, the entire skeleton of a skull appeared before his eyes, completely naked, shrouded in a dark haze, and the wooden stick, that had been in the guide's hand seemed to disappear in an instant, replaced by a curved scythe, with a blade-sharp canvas, that glittered in the semi-darkness. The reaper's eyes glowed emerald, and his mouth opened in an unnatural position, his hand swung the scythe, and the next moment the head of the intruder, who had climbed into the boat, flew off his shoulders. There was a shrill cry from the crowd, when blood, black as pitch, bubbled up beside the body, that had fallen into the lifeboat. The head flew off somewhere in the crowd on the coast and was lost among hundreds of thousands of other people's feet, which rolling and kicking it like a ball, without even noticing. Jungsuk squeezed his eyes shut so, that he wouldn't see the awful sight. But as soon as he opened his eyes, everything disappeared. There was no mangled, bloody body in the boat, no head flying in the opposite direction, and the reaper looked exactly, which Jungsuk had seen him, with a hood over his head and a long wooden stick in his hands. He waved his hand, and the boat moved at once, propelled by the oars of the men inside, leaving behind those, who had fallen out of the now-receding means of transportation, still moaning softly and begging to be taken on board, but not daring to follow.
Erik looked at Jungsuk questioningly, expecting, that the junior to throw a bunch of questions at him. To be honest, Erik didn't really know the place himself. His area of knowledge extended in a completely different direction. Here, however, there seemed to be no rules at all. There were growls, sobs, little whimpers, or choking laughter. Erik was uneasy in this place. He rarely came down here, so he did not have enough knowledge in this area. He knew only the most basic things, that those who step over the line like to ask. But he could not explain the order and state of things, and probably did not want to.
Jungsuk glanced at his mentor, then looked around with disgust at the place, where the horribly unpleasant scene had just appeared before him.
"I don't want to know anything. I won't even ask."
"Thanks," Erik nodded, relieved, and let out a breath, that seemed to catch in his throat.
Erik led Jungsuk up the river until stopped next to an empty dinghy. In it, as in all the others, they met, stood a man in a black hoodie, that fell to the floor, with large round glasses and a battered hat. The guide held a book in his hands, completely absorbed in reading, leaning on a wooden staff, seemingly not at all interested in, what was happening around him. The man looked to be of advanced age, with pale gray curls showing under his hat, his face completely covered with wrinkles, a small nose, thin dry lips, narrow eyes almost invisible under thick-rimmed glasses, wrinkled bony hands. Jungsuk even chuckled, when he saw the old man. He was different from all the reapers, which they had encountered.
"Did you find something funny?" the guide said, without looking up from his book. His voice was even and calm, but it pierced Jungsuk with such coldness and indifference, that he shivered, immediately biting his tongue. Erik hovered nearby, not seeming to have much confidence in the reaper either. The guide suddenly looked up from his book, lowered his glasses, and looked Jungsuk up and down skeptically, snorting. Jungsuk immediately put his hands on his hips, despite the chilling fear. No one had ever looked at him like that. And it turned out to be unpleasant. Even Erik, when he was alive, when he accepted Jungsuk as a staff member, didn't look at Park like that.
"We need your help," Erik murmured, moving closer to Jungsuk and placing a hand on his shoulder, either as a support or to give himself more confidence.
"Well, of course, otherwise why would you have come here?" the guide asked, sweeping the landscape with his staff. "You're stubborn," his gaze suddenly slid back over Jungsuk's body, slowly rising to his face, lingering in his eyes. Jungsuk resisted the urge to look away, proudly meeting the fathomless blackness of others' eyes. The reaper seemed to be looking into the very soul, digging in with his wrinkled hands, pulling out the most secret corners of consciousness, that even Jungsuk no longer remembered, twisting and twisting all the feelings and sensations, exposing and pulling them out.
"Do you know, that stubbornness is the first sign of stupidity? I know, for example, that many colleagues dislike me for being too inquisitive," the guide twirled the book, still held in his hand, and then it disappeared, like it never existed, "and that I sometimes go beyond the established rules of this place," speech of reaper was slow and thoughtful, and it reminded Jungsuk Erik. He also spoke in a monotonous and detached manner to his staff, trying to convey to them the generally accepted norms. Jungsuk suppressed the urge to chuckle again at the absurdity of the situation. His senses were in such a confused state, that he couldn't concentrate. His thoughts wandered here and there. At the moment, it was dangerous.
"You can find that, what you're looking for," the reaper said in the same monotone, "if that's what, that you really want."
"I want to!" Jungsuk answered, without thinking. He was willing to do anything, to find Jonghyong. Wherever he has to go, whatever he has to overcome, he will do everything.
"Your tenacity deserves respect. But here it is devalued and works differently," the guide closed his eyes, and for a moment Jungsuk thought, that he was asleep. Opening his eyes again, the guide stared intently at Park.
"Your bond with your husband is strong, and it will help us find him. But your thoughts are too confused. You're soaring. You can't concentrate. This is bad for the search. If you can't control your emotions, it won't work. You will simply get lost in your own memories and feelings, which, like a hurricane, will capture you and will not allow you to escape. This place is completely different from, where you came from," the reaper glanced at Erik, and Erik shivered, which was not lost on Jungsuk. "Here, projecting your own fantasies is much easier, but therefore more painful and sophisticated. You will begin to wander in the flow of your own thoughts and will not be able to distinguish reality from fiction. You will fall into the abyss of nothingness, rejected by your world and rejected by this world. Anger and fear will consume you, and you will become one of those, which whom you have gone down," the reaper swept the staff the place around him again. "It's a lot harder to get out of here than it is to get out of the place, where you came from. Are you sure, that you're ready for this? Are you sure, that you can handle it?"
"I'm sure, get me where, where I need to go, and I'll decide, what to do next," Jungsuk replied with more confidence than ever. To be honest, the reaper's words scared the shit out of Park. He didn't want to stay in a place like this. He had seen enough, that to feel fear and disgust at such a thing. Although he could imagine, that he had not experienced half of, what was yet to be experienced. He was only at the beginning of his journey, and God knows how many more trials await him there.
"Wait," Erik suddenly grabbed Jungsuk's shoulder and turned to the guide, as he graciously provided the entrance to the lifeboat. Jungsuk raised his foot above the water, about to step on the surface of the vessel, but the other hand stopped him. A slight grin immediately appeared on the reaper's face.
"What's the price?" Erik stared into the reaper's eyes, wondering, why the reaper had never mentioned, what he would ask in return for his services. "You didn't say, what you wanted in return. I will never believe, that the reaper will not demand a transfer fee."
The reaper smiled as if Erik had said something outright stupid.
"You're not human, so I don't need to pay from you. I can't take your souls. At least, not yours," the reaper glared at Erik, then looked back at Jungsuk. "You're a different case. If you can't handle it, I'll be the first one, who picks you up, when you slip up. And if not, well, it'll just amuse me. I like to watch pathetic attempts, that are doomed to fail in advance."
Jungsuk's jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything.
"I don't like this," Erik whispered in Jungsuk's ear, as he sat down next to him on the bench. "Something there not clean. I don't believe, that he just let us in. I was prepared for, that him to demand payment."
"I don't care, what he really wants. My mission is to save Jonghyong. I don't care about anything else. If he can help us, I'll do anything," Jungsuk nodded toward the reaper, who was standing calmly in the bow of the boat, his stick in the water like an oar.
As he sailed down the river, Jungsuk saw a medium-sized island, with jagged banks, overgrown with gray grass and thick roots of dead trees, intertwining with each other, peeking out here and there from the ground, where men, women, and children were languishing. Their eyes followed the boats without a murmur, and they stretched out their hands to them. There was an expression of such sadness and pain on their faces, that Jungsuk's heart sank. But none of them made a sound. One glance was enough to tell, how much these people were pining and grieving, but when their mouths opened, the only thing, that came out, was a silent silence. Jungsuk closed his eyes and turned away. These people were not subject to torture, but they were so deeply immersed in sadness and disappointment, that it was felt even at a distance, penetrating the soul to the very core. Jungsuk felt such a tightness, that tears inadvertently blurred his eyes.
Sitting next to a fallen oak tree near the edge of the cliff was a man, who looked very much like the reapers, that Jungsuk had seen. But he was much taller, broader in the shoulders, and his long arms held a large scythe, the blade of which was long-winded curved and glittered so, that it lit up the entire island, like the moon in the night sky. His mouth was closed in a long, thin line, and a battered black blindfold covered his eyes. His head slowly turned from left to right, at the moment computing ambient sounds, and spit occasionally came into motion, fending off the curious and especially obstinate from the coast further inland.
"Focus," the reaper said, not taking his eyes off the river. "Your emotions should only be based on that, what you're looking for right now. Otherwise, you will be mired in the misery of others and will not be able to find that, what you are looking for."
Jungsuk furiously brushed away the salty drops and used all his strength, that to imagine the image of his husband before his eyes. He hated himself for giving in so quickly. He is only at the very beginning of the journey, and he can no longer control himself.
The second island, which seemed an eternity later, was much larger, than the first, and had no end or edge. Hurricane-force storms and winds were everywhere, and Jungsuk shivered, hugging himself against the biting cold, that enveloped him. Dust and dirt rose high in the sky, making it impossible to see, what was happening. But Jungsuk narrowed his eyes, peering more closely, and a huge monster appeared before his eyes. His horns, which represent the full bone appendages, that adorned his head, hard and strong, the forehead is slightly forward, his eyes burned amber sheen, curved fangs protruded from his mouth at the slightest smirk of a demon, the breath gave the stench, the body, huge and unconquerable, was like a smoothly hewn of solid stone, dotted with ornate red veins and furrows, legs like pillars, standing firmly on the ground, a long tail, at the end of which hissed and writhed head is a dangerous and poisonous snake, coiled around the torso and legs, crisscrossing the beast fully, hands, huge and long claws, came in motion whenever the demon martyr on another soul. Jungsuk could see, how people fell to the ground with agonized screams, their bodies twisting and spinning at unnatural angles, their arms and legs entwined in intricate knots, breaking with unknown force and exposing bones, sprinkled with black, foaming blood. The smell was such, that it was impossible to breathe, and the soul-torturing screams could not leave indifferent even the coldest and most calculating person. The demon turned toward the river, glancing at the dinghy, in which Jungsuk was sailing, and grinned maliciously, baring its huge white fangs, as extended a long arm in Jungsuk's direction. The snake-tail immediately moved, following its master's palm, hissing, and spitting venom, but it couldn't reach. Jungsuk turned away and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus again on the image of Jonghyong, which he needed right now.
The next thing, that Jungsuk heard after the terrible screams of the martyrs, was a wolf howling. Huge and black, with eyes, that glowed in the dark, the three-headed dog rushed to the edge of his domain and began to howl gutturally, baring the teeth of all three of his mouths, from which acidic saliva flowed like a river, dripping to the ground, leaving gaping holes in its wake. The monster's fur stood on end, sparks literally flew from its eyes, and the howl was as if several packs of wild dogs were alarmed at the same time. But as soon as the dog realized, that the boat passing by was not a threat and was not going to land on his shore, he turned around and headed inland with the heavy steps of his huge black paws. Bodies lay everywhere on the ground, their moans and screams rising above the howling. The skin swelled and burst in places, exposing the innards. A fetid, sickening smell of rot hung in the air. The scorching sun only added to the rotting of the damaged bodies, which swelled like balloons and exploded with a loud bang, after which all the entrails spilled out, presenting a blood-black shapeless mess. The three-headed dog immediately rushed to the next victim, digging his blade-sharp teeth into the rotting flesh, tearing off huge chunks of rotten meat, releasing guts and fluids, licking and flashing eyes, dripping with saliva from satisfaction. Filling his belly with rotting, fetid corpses, the dog continued to keep a close eye on the surrounding reality, growling and kicking, ready at any moment to rush at anyone, who approached. The screams of the sinners were drowned out by the sound of their own sobs, as the dog tore through the flesh of a man, who seemed to be still partially alive, and all, that he could do, was a gurgle and choke on his own blood.
Further on, Jungsuk saw a beast-like creature. Its face was unlike any animal, which Park had ever seen in his lifetime. His eyes followed everything, that was happening around him. The thick fur on his face obscured most of his features, his mouth was constantly twisted in a grin, and his long, clawed paws kept patting his legs in satisfaction. People were crowding around him. They shouted and quarreled, threw themselves at each other, and fought, until one killed the other, almost tearing the other to pieces, exposing the bones, turning out the entrails, sprinkling the hands with blood. The beast watched with ecstasy and excitement, not even moving a finger, but the excitement and desire in his eyes said, that he felt great pleasure from simply watching, how stupid little souls torture each other.
The next guard caused Jungsuk a puzzled look. He appeared to be an ordinary man, tall and clad in rich, glittering armor. His whole appearance and aura were admired and respected. But Jungsuk covered his nose with his hand when he smelled the unpleasant smell of dried blood. The guard's entire body was pierced from head to toe with lance-sharp arrows. The tips of the arrows were dark and caked with dark blood, and the wounds continued to ooze red liquid as if the arrow had pierced the flesh just recently. A fierce struggle was going on around the guard. The sinners, who came here, giving off their rage and righteous anger, they rushed at each other indiscriminately, shouted, fought, cut, hacked, and hacked each other to death, surrounded by swampy mud, which immediately pulled the fallen into its bowels. The screams of the fallen echoed for miles around, dragged down by the swampy mire, leaving only bubbling bubbles on the surface.
High stone walls appeared before Jungsuk's eyes, with strange creatures sitting on top of them. The body was completely human and feminine, graceful and fragile, but on the head instead of hair, hundreds of thin, hissing snakes were writhing, their yellow eyes glittering, keenly scanning the surroundings below, the wings behind the women were so huge, that it seemed they could cover half the island, the claws on their legs and arms were long and sharp, like double-edged daggers, ready to tear to shreds. Their faces were contorted with anger, twisted and terrible, showing several rows of teeth and glittering eyes. Women rushed down from the sheer walls, grabbing and tearing at people with their claws and teeth while screaming. The bodies crumbled to dust, leaving behind only a pitiful semblance of a ghostly soul, that continued to wander around the unbreakable walls, howling and moaning.
The next guard insight was a huge humanoid monster with a bull's head. His horns seemed ready to pierce the sky above, his red eyes glowed in the darkness, his nose emitted a burning, heavy breath, settling in clouds of steam in the air, his powerful and invincible body was an indestructible rock, his legs and arms were crowned with hooves, his tail constantly whipped sinners, who were too close. On one side of the monster stretched a bottomless moat filled with a red-hot liquid, in which sinners simmer, boil, and scream. Their skin blistered and burst with a heart-rending hiss, sliding down and exposing muscles and tendons, leaving only charred bones, that sank under their weight in rivers of blood. Those, who dared to get to the surface, were pierced by the well-aimed arrows of strange creatures, which stands on the edge of the cliff – half-horses, half-people. Screams and cries accompanied this place, and no one could escape from such a fate.
On the other side was an impenetrable dark forest. The trees grew so thick and dense, that there was no end or end to this blackening source of vegetation. However, there were no leaves, grass, or flowers in this forest, only thick, twisted black branches.
"This way," the reaper said suddenly, and Jungsuk cried out, startled by the other voice. He was so deeply imbued with all the horrors, cries of despair, and pain of the sinners, which he met on his way, that he almost forgot, why he had come here in the first place. The only desire was to leave this place. Runaway to his cozy and beautiful world and stay there until the end of time, forgetting about the terrible nightmares, that he managed to see here.
"Let's go," Erik said, and he rose from his seat confidently, even with a little too much determination, stepping onto the charred and dead ground immediately, after the boat had landed.
The sickening smell of burning flesh gripped his throat, and screams filled the space. Jungsuk wanted to go deaf for a while, to lose all his senses so that he could not see, hear or feel the horror of this place. Erik walked beside him. His face clearly expressed the full range of emotions, all the disgust, and fear, that he felt for this place. But the man followed the reaper firmly and confidently, keeping an eye on Jungsuk, to keep up with them. Jungsuk was strangely surprised. He had never thought, that Erik would show such determination and courage, going down with him to other's possessions, and even more so accompanying him all the way ahead. Erik could have delivered Jungsuk and left him in the reaper's care. He didn't have to be here. The man didn't fit in at all with his surroundings. He didn't belong here. He didn't have any abilities here. But he kept his feet firmly planted on the black ground, moving forward as if he wanted to find Jonghyong as much, as Park did. This seemed strange to Jungsuk. Erik was acting out of character for the way, that Jungsuk was used to seeing him.
Jungsuk was roused from his reverie by a bone-piercing moan of pain when the men and the reaper approached the pit of sinners. Jungsuk felt a wave of nausea. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to imagine, what was happening below. Just looking at the fearsome and terrifying guardian of this place, the humanoid monsters with their huge, sharp arrows, made the young man feel hot. Jungsuk froze in place, staggering. He couldn't go any further. His feet were rooted to the charred earth, unwilling to move. A sickening lump blocked his windpipe, making it impossible to breathe. His eyes watered from the stench and soot. The incessant screams made his ears ache. His heart was pounding so hard, that it hurt.
"We must continue on if you really want to find that, what you came here for."
Jungsuk heard the reaper's voice, flat and even slightly mocking. Park opened his eyes and shuddered. Several pairs of reddening lights looked at him with undisguised interest, as if waiting for something. Beside him, Erik also stiffened and froze. The monsters, who had been concentrating on tormenting sinful souls, pierced them with their well-aimed arrows, fixed their eyes on the strangers.
"They know, that you don't belong in their world, but that doesn't mean, that none of them will try to fix it," the reaper observed with interest the seemingly statue-like men. They continued to stare at the centaurs, while the monsters studied the newcomers with cold and calculating interest, their bloodshot eyes gleaming in the darkness.
"Focus on that, what you're looking for," the reaper approached Jungsuk, poking him lightly in the forehead with his staff. The young man shuddered and looked away from the monsters, who immediately lost all interest in him, once again taking up their weapons.
"Your soulmate's energy has become too weak. I can barely feel it. If you don't pull yourself together and focus, I won't be able to find that, what you need. Your thoughts are literally not here," the reaper said, slowly beginning to feel bored and frustrated. At the very beginning of their journey, he realized, that the soul of this once-human was strong. So strong, that it literally sparkles with energy. Both it own and the one, which it was so desperate to find. The threads, that bound the two souls, stretched for miles, bright and strong, allowing them to follow the path laid out without hindrance. But now, with each step, those threads faded, flickered, and disappeared before eyes. The reaper didn't feel the other energy, that had literally left its own imprint on this guy's soul.
"Because I'm thinking of something else," Jungsuk croaked, squeezing his eyes shut again in an attempt to tune in. But all his thoughts were occupied by this terrible and horrible place. And Erik. Even in his own world, Jungsuk felt, that something was wrong. Something's happening. Something strange and incomprehensible. Coming down here, Park felt it all over again. With each step he took, he could feel Erik literally changing before his eyes. The usual wisdom and calmness, the calculation and insight, the coldness and indifference of the man, that had characterized him in life, were gone. It was as if Erik had become a different person. After reporting Jonghyong's death, the man was not himself. His posture was tense, his arms twitching, his shoulders cramped, every muscle and sinew clearly visible even through the layers of white clothing. And there was such horror and fear in the blue eyes, covering the iris with a glass veil, that Jungsuk shivered. Why? Why is Erik acting so weird?
"We have to go, Jungsuk. Come on. He's out there somewhere," Erik said, startled to realize, that he'd been standing there for too long, staring at the terrible mess of dark cinnabar, yellow, sometimes charred skin, smoldering bones, and orange scorching lava, that was rolling over the next sinner in ornate waves. Erik had no idea about this place. It was not within the scope of his knowledge. So he didn't know exactly, where Jonghyong might be, relying entirely on Jungsuk and their guide, to communicate with him. But Erik didn't want to think about the possibility, that Jonghyong might be somewhere… there. A chilling dread gripped his immortal soul, as he stared at the abyss, that opened up before him, squeezing his hand on Jungsuk's shoulder harder, not even noticing it, to somehow stay on his feet. The pounding of his own heart was deafening. He was ready to defy all the rules, to rush forward, to be torn to pieces by the centaurs, the guards, anyone, just to get Jonghyong out of this terrible place.
Jungsuk choked on air, as Erik's hand touched his shoulder. He was suddenly aware of everything, that Erik seemed to be experiencing right now. The sense of deja vu that had come from nowhere was dissipating, giving way to awareness. Images of his old life flashed before his eyes at the speed of light, so familiar and usual, and Park thought for a moment, that Erik had helped him reconnect with Jonghyong, because it was the kind of love, affection, and care, that Jungsuk didn't feel for anyone else, except…
A familiar face flashed before his eyes, and Jungsuk clutched his chest in the area of his heart. He couldn't believe, that it was real, couldn't believe that, what he was seeing. He clung to the image, and it stopped in a mad whirl of memories, reflected clearly and clearly: a medium-sized guy, with dark, almost black hair, bangs falling over his forehead, wide eyebrows, brown eyes, a bright smile on pink lips, revealing a row of snow-white teeth, unfolded shoulders, toned torso, slender legs. The guy laughed heartily, throwing back his head, and the sound filled Jungsuk's soul with aching pain. Without looking closely and not knowing for sure, Park could tell, that he saw Jonghyong firsthand. But the mischievous gleam in his brown eyes, the cheeky smile, and the word, that the guy always said with joy, almost knocked the air out of Park,
"Jungsuk-Hyong! You lost to me again! Hyong! Hyong! Hyong!"
Junghyun…
As soon as Jungsuk mentally uttered the name of Jonghyong's younger brother, the images disappeared, bringing him back to reality. Erik took his hand off his shoulder and looked at him uncertainly, "Are you all right?"
Jungsuk didn't know, what to say. He was so shocked, that he couldn't think straight. So that was why he felt so strange. That's why Jonghyong's death has shocked not only Jungsuk but Erik as well. That was why he was so desperate to follow Park, even though he didn't have to.
"Come on, Jungsuk. Let's go. We have to go."
"No…" Jungsuk saw, how Erik start toward the moat, confidently approaching almost to the edge of it. Park was seized with horror, which immediately sent a herd of goosebumps over his skin, and made his cheeks burn worse than hellfire. As soon as he realized, that Erik was stepping closer and closer to the edge, once again attracting the attention of the monsters, guarding the place, he rushed after him, catching him across the waist and dragging him back.
"No! No! No!" Jungsuk couldn't resist falling to the ground, pulling Erik as far away from the pit, as possible.
"What the hell, Jungsuk! Jonghyong is out there somewhere! We have to save him! Isn't that what you wanted, when you came down here? Or did you just get cold feet? Do you want to quit? Leave him there?!" Erik's voice grew louder and more desperate with each word. He struggled against Jungsuk's grip, trying to get up and rush back to his doom.
"No!" Jungsuk tried to pull his thoughts together, to tell him, that Jonghyong wasn't here. Even though Jungsuk didn't feel him as much, as he did at the beginning of his stay here, the connection kept him from completely losing the thread, that held him to his husband, because Jungsuk knew for sure, that in this terrible place, surrounded by fire and pain, Jonghyong was definitely not there. And if he lost Erik here, he just wouldn't be able to accept it. He can't lose it again!
"Jonghyong isn't here, do you hear? Junghyun, listen to me, Jonghyong isn't here!" Jungsuk shouted a name, that had been on the tip of his tongue for a long time, and the man, struggling in his arms, froze immediately. "Junghyun," Jungsuk repeated the name of his sworn brother again, more confidently and clearly, "Jonghyong is not here. You hear that kiddy, he's not here."
Jungsuk spun his mentor around to face him and gasped. It wasn't a grown man, who was looking at him, but a young boy. Junghyun looked just like the last time Jungsuk had seen him. Only now the look has become more conscious and adult. Jungsuk cupped his own face in his hands and said again, "Your brother is not here, Junghyun. But we'll find him. I promise you that."
Junghyun shook his entire body, immediately throwing himself into his senior's arms, bursting into sobs. Jungsuk stroked his head and back, and Junghyun cursed himself for not being able to control himself. Jungsuk understood. He knows, who he really is. The tears did not want to dry, continued to spill out of his eyes in thin salty paths. Hyong's embrace was so tight, but it was also relaxing. Junghyun was so tired. He was tired of exposing himself to Jungsuk as someone, which he wasn't. And now he just gave up, at the mercy of his own fears and emotions.
"If you're going to sit here any longer, I have a more important job, than overseeing the reunion of longtime relatives."
Jungsuk flinched at the reaper's voice. He was so focused on himself and then on Junghyun, so terrified of this place and shocked, that Erik wasn't who, that he claimed to be, that he completely forgot, that there was an outsider nearby.
"Come on," Jungsuk lifted Junghyun off the ground, wiping his tears from his face with one hand. "We must go on."
The three travelers approached the black forest, and Jungsuk took a deep breath.
"Well, do you feel anything?" he asked the reaper, who was peering into the impenetrable darkness.
"Not much, actually," the reaper said, holding out his hand toward a small trail, the only one, that led deeper into the forest. "Go."
Jungsuk started to move forward, and Junghyun immediately followed, but the reaper standing in his way, blocked the way, burying his staff in the guy's chest, allowing only Jungsuk to pass.
"Hey, what the hell?!" turning around, Park saw, that Junghyun was not allowed to pass.
"He'll stay here."
"No way in hell!" almost spat out Jungsuk, as he started to walk back towards Junghyun, but then the other end of the staff poked him in the chest. "Go to the devil!" he swore at the reaper, trying to throw the staff away from himself. To no avail. The stick, seemingly ordinary in appearance, rested sharply on his chest, almost burning. Jungsuk could have sworn, that just a little more and it would burn a gaping hole in him.
"I'd be happy. Not to have to mess with you here," the reaper drawled with his usual boredom.
"He's coming with me," Jungsuk said firmly, nodding his head in Junghyun's direction.
"Understand," the reaper turned to Park, "the connection to your soulmate almost weakened, when you realized, that this man was your relative. All your strength was put into it. If we take him with us now, you won't be able to switch, your thoughts will be scattered, the connection won't be restored, and I won't be able to find that, what you're looking for. Of course, you can try your luck in the dark forest on your own, but it is unlikely that you will be able to get out of there. Hellhounds will simply tear you apart as soon, as they smell a fresh soul, harpies will chase you all over the forest, showering you with feathers in the form of double-edged daggers. Even if you manage to hide, you won't last long. The forest embodies the most terrible and the most painful images, that you can imagine. You will simply go mad, losing the ability to distinguish between reality and illusion. If this is your fate, well, I won't stand in the way," the reaper shrugged and put his staff away, taking a couple of steps back, leaning on it with his hands.
"Junghyun," Jungsuk immediately rushed to the younger guy and grabbed his hands, "we can handle it. We can go together. Just you and me. Together we'll find Jonghyong. We don't need him," Park nodded briefly at the reaper, who only snorted. "We've come this far."
Junghyun smiled and squeezed Hyong's hands, but then let go and pushed him towards the forest.
"You must go."
"What? But…"
"You have to, Jungsuk-Hyong. I'll be in the way if I go with you. By focusing on my safety, you won't be able to find my brother. I'll stay here. Don't worry about me. Find Jonghyong-Hyong. Go and find my brother. Please."
Jungsuk tried to reach out to the younger man, but changed his mind at the last moment and just nodded. He really wouldn't be able to think about Jonghyong, while constantly looking out for Junghyun.
"Are you ready?" the reaper stepped closer and pointed toward the trail.
"Yes," Jungsuk took one last look at Junghyun, but he didn't look like himself anymore. A little way away from them, Erik was standing again.
"Let's go."
When Jungsuk was in the forest, he saw firsthand that, what the reaper was talking about. Before Park could blink, he saw a figure, rushing toward them. It was running so fast, that Jungsuk was afraid of the prospect of being knocked down. When the figure came into view, squinting in the darkness, Jungsuk saw a man in it. His hair was matted and black, his face was gray, stained in places with dirt, and there was red blood on his exposed arms and ribs, which were visible from under the torn cloth, and here and there it was already caked and dark. The man's breath caught in his throat, and he stopped, his body leaning forward, his hands on his knees. When Jungsuk was instinctively about to move towards him, the reaper stopped him with his staff.
"Don't come any closer."
Jungsuk opened his mouth to say, that the man needed help, but the sound, that was about to come out of his mouth, was cut off by a deafening howl. Just a moment later, a huge black monster leaped out of the dense undergrowth and violently attacked the man, who had just seemingly caught his breath. He fell to the ground, trying to crawl away from the monster, but in vain. The animal pounced on him, tearing at the rags with razor-sharp claws, exposing his body, ripping off the skin like a scalp. Even in the dark, Jungsuk could see deep gaping wounds, thick oozing out dark maroon blood, appearing on his chest, stomach, and thighs. The man screamed, and Park covered his ears with his hands, but still couldn't get the sound out of his ears. The monster tore the body apart, sinking its teeth into the yielding soft flesh, smacking and growling menacingly, its eyes glowing amber, literally dropping sparks to the ground. Suddenly the animal stopped abruptly and raised its bloody muzzle. Jungsuk could see something between a dog and a huge wild wolf in that face. The dog bristled and snarled at Jungsuk, ready to spring at him, but the reaper took a step forward, his staff outstretched.
"Get out," he said calmly, and the dog snorted and immediately returned its attention to its prey. The man no longer showed signs of life. All, that was left of him, were torn pieces of bloody meat, scattered guts, and tinkering blood, sprinkling the dead ground.
Jungsuk felt a sickening urge and couldn't resist, that covering his lips with his hand. He threw himself into the nearest bushes and was immediately sickened by the idea of all the horrors, which he had seen here.
"Let's go. We don't have to stay in one place for long. Otherwise, your mind will begin to respond to the calls of this part of the island, and it will be difficult for you to realize even your own existence."
Jungsuk nodded, but it seemed more automatic. There was still a terrible taste of nausea in his mouth and the smell of blood in his nose. He took a couple of deep breaths and followed the reaper.
It seemed like an eternity to Jungsuk, since they had seen a small open area in front of them, that didn't fit into the impassability of the black forest at all. Jungsuk gasped in surprise. The house was exact replica of the one, which they shared with Jonghyong. On the way here, Park saw many more terrible things, met many more souls. Some simply wandered around idly, loitering among the trees, while others ran and hid, not wanting to be torn apart by the monsters, that inhabited the place.
"Can you feel him?" the reaper asked, pausing a little way from the house.
"Yes," Jungsuk closed his eyes. It was some time before Jungsuk could feel the strong bond with Jonghyong, that had been weakened because of Junghyun. And now he felt his husband more clearly, than ever. And shuddered. Jonghyong was scared, confused, and… angry. God, junior felt so angry and frustrated, so helpless and powerless, that everything inside him felt like a tourniquet.
"You can try," reaper leaned on his staff again, speaking seriously to Jungsuk for the first time, urging him to pay attention to himself, "try to talk to him. But I assure you, once you go in there," he nodded toward the house, "all your hopes will be dashed to dust. Your husband will not be able to recognize you, he does not understand, that he is dead, he does not understand, what this place really is. This is his personal hell: living in fear and anger day after day, alone, unable to see and accept reality. You'll have a chance to try to reason with him, to apologize for everything, that you didn't have time for, to say goodbye, but believe me, it won't help. Even your love, which you cling to so desperately, will not save the situation. This place knows no mercy. This place knows no love. This place knows no forgiveness. This place knows only pain."
Every word sent a sharp dagger through Jungsuk's bleeding heart, but he didn't want to believe the reaper's words. Jungsuk will be able to bring Jonghyong back, in whatever condition he was in. He can do it. It always worked.
"If you're in there for more than ten minutes, you're going to go crazy," the reaper warned just when Park was about to start walking toward the house. "His reality will become your reality. If you lose your mind, as he did, no one will be able to help you. You will remain here forever, with your husband, only this time as a crippled and sick soul, who will no more be able to recognize him, than he will you."
Jungsuk froze for a moment, turning to face the reaper. He continued to stand in the same position, in which he was in.
"I'll wait for you here."
Jungsuk just nodded and started walking toward the porch. Each step was so heavy, his breathing quickened with every second, and a veil of fear grew in his eyes. Jungsuk walked slowly up the steps and reached for the door handle. He squeezed his eyes shut again and took a deep breath. A bright and beloved image of his husband appeared before his eyes. His slightly wavy hair, soft smile, brown eyes, light skin, pleasant laugh. The lips, that always wanted to be kissed, the hands, that hugged Jungsuk, the body, that responded so desperately and sensuously to every touch of the senior. The voice, was the most pleasant sound for Park.
Jungsuk opened his eyes, gripped the handle firmly, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. He had come this far and was not going to give up now. He's going to get Jonghyong out of here no matter what. And even fucking Hell can't stop him.