Chapter 2:

First Circle. Limbo

CRISPeR


The stress I went through while drying is hard to describe. It was a small building; I think it was a fast-food restaurant in the real world. The toilets in Hell looked even more terrifying, the situation was extremely awkward. But it helped me not only to dry up, but also to calm down a little. I had a clear impression that Hell corresponded to the real world. Therefore, something was wrong with me. It was necessary to seek help before it was too late. It remains only unclear why the shadow rabbit is sure that we are in Hell. She was human, wasn't she? I even understood her speech without much distortion. Although in reality she could say something different, and indeed the whole thing be a hallucination! It was even more delusional, because she saved me. The eternal problem is to find out where the truth is. I decided to play a little more with the shadow rabbit, so we ended up at the "Erebus" bus. Is this a play on the word bus and the name of the god of darkness Erebus? The brain was definitely mocking me, but it was at least a little fun.

"I don't have a coin for Charon."

"A card or cash will do, of course, if they survived after the river."

The card survived, but I haven't used cash for a long time. Is it possible to go to Hell with accumulated savings? Will they be enough for eternal torment? I think not, and will have to look for a new hellish job. Is there a pension in Hell? Our president would have somewhere to roam about the extension of the retirement age. Nevertheless, I confidently got on the bus and paid, everything seemed to be successful. At least Charon - the driver - was not unhappy.

"What if I had no money with me?"

"Would have gone on foot."

"And if you ride a hare? That is, to avoid paying?"

Not appreciating the joke, the shadow rabbit pointed fingers on the ceiling. Instead of cameras, eyes hung there, watching intently the passengers-sinners.

"Just got to Hell, and already going to sin?"

"Charon is the bus driver. And the hellish cars are driven by shadows! How so?"

"You definitely don't hear the voice, there are so many questions. This Charon is far from one, there are a lot of them. And not only on buses. And as for cars, you can live luxuriously in Hell, just pay."

Only now, having recovered from the prolonged shock, I used my smartphone. I could not get through to Lilia to ask her for help or to warn that I would be late. Some friends, of whom I had few, answered the call. Unfortunately, nothing could be heard on the call. But when I called my mother, I could clearly hear her speech. She called me to her. My concern began to return when I remembered that my mother had died a long time ago. It was only at this point that I became even more confused in my thoughts. The hope that my mother was still alive added fuel to the fire. What to believe?

I tried to understand the smartphone interface and opened the map. At that moment, we were approaching the four-closure route on the Moscow Ring Road. The shadow rabbit watched me with interest, which is why she said.

"It's ironic, isn't it? Christians believed that Eve brought such a clover with her in memory of Paradise."

"Hope, faith, love and…"

"Luck. So, you see."

I looked out the window and saw a sign in front of the "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here" interchange. I'm already used to this bullying of the surrounding world. I was only supported by the thought that I would soon be at the doctor. There was our stop. We went, as I understand it, to the temple. The shadow rabbit broke the awkward silence.

"Are you wondering how to get out of here, huh?"

"…"

"I can see it in my eyes. But it's almost impossible. Everything in Hell obeys him laws."

"Shadows in the river… I've seen their memories mixed with mine."

"These weren't shadows. They were just a fraction of the consequences of what's going on here."

"Everything is so gray and oppressive. I recognize the features of Moscow, but everything has changed too much to grotesque-gothic, seasoned with post-apocalypse and cyberpunk. This could make a good game, but I would like to get out of it… And here is my transition. "

"Will you come with me?

"No, I won't. I have something to figure out."

"Are you sure? It's a pity, but I just found hope. Then I will be in that temple two turns, opposite the theater. I go there all the time…"

"Good. I have to go. Maybe I'll see you again."

It was a strange acquaintance. As if I knew her for a long time. Maybe this was still a hallucination created by my brain, hence the feeling of closeness? In this case, I did not listen to the part of myself that wanted to take me to the temple instead of the hospital. It's good that I've been here before and I'm guided by the terrain, although it is heavily distorted. Soon I would be given sedatives and antipsychotics to subdue my imagination. There was just a little more patience.

In a way, the hospital in Hell looked even better than in reality. Where there was still an old Soviet renovation with sullen crumbling walls. What was definitely better was the lack of queues! No long hellish lines for you! Although the receptionist did not want to admit me for a long time, they even helped me find the office I needed.

"Hello, doctor. Here is my medical card."

"Hello… Mikhail."

Doctor resembled a bus driver rather than a shadow. Only now I thought that he was very different from the others, that I even took him for the transporter of souls - Charon. I didn't like it anymore.

"Any complaints?"

"Yes, and what more! In the morning, the whole world turned upside down!"

Then I began to doubt and wondered if it was worth tell further and generally stay here. I may be very paranoid, but my condition contributed to this. What if I was somehow injected with hallucinogens or anticholinergics, and then these planted substances or a whole laboratory for their manufacture were found in my house? To put me in jail and get promoted, like our police do. Or even worse - they will start to treat me, but they will never be able to do it, and for the rest of my life I will remain out of my will.

"Yes, Mikhail. You can see it, to be honest. Continue."

But I decided to go to the end of this logical path to salvation.

"It was a very ordinary day. But a very important one - a date with my beloved girl, which I was going to... I reached the metro, got to Rumyantsevo and upon leaving the train noticed that I saw the world in a completely different way. As if I got into…"

"Hell. Yes. I see. So, you can't come to terms with your death, classic story. Many go through this, now we will help you!"

"What!? I mean? How could I die, if we talk to you? Yes, I see you and the world differently, but it still exists!"

The doctor continued to listen to me, but already called someone on the phone.

"Three hounds please."

My pent-up confidence that things would get better soon vanished. And the old despair returned. Cold sweat was spreading all over my body, my heart was pounding again.

"I don't believe you! It's just part of my hallucinations and in truth you will treat me, right?"

"Now you will be sent to Limbo, and after that Minos will determine your circle on which you will serve your sentence."

At this moment, two creatures with dog faces enter sharply, I turned around to examine them. Before I even had time to say a word, a doctor came up from behind and did something. Then I passed out. Only a second passed for me as my suffering continued. I woke up from the pain when I fell. The hounds threw me near that temple and barked something menacingly.

"Minos has eyes and ears everywhere. Next time you better think about your intentions. Got it?"

"Does he have noses all over the place, too??"

After this question, I received a blow in the nose, and then a few more. Even though I was already lying on my back. Apparently, I was so desperate that I did not feel danger, or I didn’t care anymore. But if during life this is really possible, because when death is not scary, nothing is scary. But here it can probably go on indefinitely. I did not ask about the mouth, since it is most likely whispering thoughts into the heads of the shadows. Was that his voice heard by the shadow rabbit? The hounds left me there and went off somewhere. Lying on the ground, I noticed a bunch of eyes on the poles along the roads. They watched the shadows and me closely. It remains to find the ears, although it was roughly clear where they were.

"Well. It remains to play by the rules of this world and adapt."

But I did not lose hope to learn more and change my position. That is, I continued to believe that I was alive and would get out of this Hell. Whether it was real or not.

The Shadows went to the temple in large numbers, the rest fussed about their other business. Neither one nor the other reacted in any way to my appearance and beating. Violence is a common occurrence in Hell, no one doubted. While I was lying, recovering from the blows, I was able to focus on my feelings. Before that, it seemed to me that heightened sensations were a side effect of intense stress: from adrenaline or cortisol. But enough time has passed, and I even feel a kind of emptiness. And the sensations are still strong. The signal from each organ seemed to be amplified, or as if the brain trusts me with more information. But fatigue is much greater: the body is so heavy. Most clearly, however, I experienced some semblance of pain. It is far away, but constantly with me, and intensity is changeable. It looks like fear. This very pain has now intensified and made me stand up. Maybe this voice was referring to the shadow rabbit? I went to the temple, there is not much choice. In addition, the shadow rabbit is the only one who somehow treated me well. Whatever her reason for it. This is enough for now, otherwise I will go crazy with what is happening.

There was a cross at the top of the temple. And the temple itself looked more like a gothic cathedral. The inside was just as spacious. However, it was difficult to consider the interior arrangement, since almost the entire space was filled with smoke from a thousand candles. There seemed to be the same number of shadows. Something similar to a ritual was happening in front of them, again because of the smoke it was hard to see. And wherever I looked, there was always something before my eyes. Such annoying, as if on the very eye, there is even a separate word for this, but now I have forgotten it. Finding a rabbit in the crowd was easy thanks to the hood. It was pointless to talk to someone else, in response, if you were lucky, I heard an unintelligible muttering. All stood with folded hands, and whispering something. Perhaps they were praying. Noticing me, the shadow rabbit was distracted.

"How are you? Not very good, judging by the nose."

"That's right. What-"

"I'm anticipating your questions again. Yes, this is a temple in Hell. It is intended for virtuous non-christians and unbaptized babies. Painless grief awaits me with them. And Albego punishes us. He is a real eyesore, also known as BB – Big Baby or Bad Baby, as they call him among the shadows. It is said that those like him are born of sin itself."

"Big bad baby? It's 3B. Eyesore! It's the same word I forgot. Wait a minute."

I turned forward and peered into the smoke, there really was something very large. When I finally recognized the shape, I was horrified. Inside the room there was a giant almost half the size of this room! My head is dizzy, my legs are wobbling, the cold sweat is back.

"Yes and he's also blind, but he has a great scent. And you hold on well, even though you're trembling. Usually the shadows panic and run away, but Albugo's power is great and for beyond our understanding. If this is your circle, then the same awaits you as the others. If not, then he may not even notice you. "

Looks like she investigated me, so there are reasons to help all the same there is. But are they harmless to me? No time to think about it, there is a huge humanoid ahead! Our procession came closer, and I was able to examine it in more detail. Indeed, it was a huge baby, white eyes, a halo above his head that intersects with thirteen lines and at the same time he levitates!

"He is so big that he can…"

One of the shadows came to Albugo, continuing to say something. Giant covered the shadow with his hand, raised it over his mouth and released it.

"... eat me."

"All the shadows suffer from painless grief all the time in Limbo, but from time to time this suffering reaches its peak. That's what… Albugo is responsible for. You don't feel, don't see, don't you think of nothing but grief covering everything else."

"So, after that the shadows will come out of him."

"Yes, after a while the shadows will return from his womb."

My legs broke down and I fell to my knees, restraining my gagging urge.

"Oh, Lord!"

At this moment Albugo was preparing to release another shadow into his mouth, but suddenly freezes. Albugo shifted his gaze to me, and then let go of the shadow in his mouth.

"Do not take the name of the Lord in vain!"

I was numb in horror from his attention after these words. Albugo raised his hand in my direction and tensed. The shadows parted, even the smoke obeyed him. I suddenly began to slide on the floor towards him, guided by an invisible force.

"What!? It attracts to itself, but how? Does gravity obey the laws of Hell? Or is it just another illusion? But I've already gone through this. Yes, you can't forget about the likely illusory nature of what is happening, but my body obeys what is happening here! " so, I thought.

While I was thinking and resisting, Albugo was already within reach. The shadow rabbit just stood there and watched. I see, she couldn't do anything about it.

"Damn you! What are you?"

"Shut your pitiful mouth, infidel, and experience sorrow!"

Heavy Albugo 's bass drove into the very depths of despair. I felt even more helpless from this. But I still got up the courage to answer.

"I may be a non-christian, although I was formally baptized! Maybe I'm even an atheist, although I don't like stereotypes. What did I do that I deserve all this for?"

"Now you will understand everything!"

Albugo grabbed me with his big hand. I could not move before, and now even more so. My body resisted, and my mind was preparing for another death. Albugo lifted me to his mouth and prepared to swallow me.

"I won't go into your mouth, freak!"

Albugo's throat looked bottomless, from it came the agonizing voices of shadows. I understood that it was pointless to tell him something. What was happening around seemed meaningless too. Is it true that this is real Hell? Did I deserve such a punishment? I believe that only God or the Universe can judge, which, nevertheless, brought me here. My brain was unable to come up with any intelligent decision. My panic reached the limit and I could only pray.

"I believe in the truth! But what can I do in such a distorted world!?"

I even cried. The darkness of Albugo 's womb gripped me. I fiercely bit Albugo 's fingers, but it was all in vain. Then I felt a certain ease and relaxation. It was Albugo who began to loosen his grip - I will soon fall. I finally despaired and looked up, looking for help from somewhere.

"Please, save me, God!"

Albugo loosened his grip, I began to slide over my palm. I realized this faster from the ceiling, which was getting higher, and I am lower. But suddenly a crackling sound is heard from there, and something falls at us with great speed. I managed to recognize only the silhouette - it was a cross. It pierced the halo and Albugo 's head, the end of the cross came out of Albugo 's mouth. Together with him, we fell to the ground, raising dust and smoke nearby. Albugo fell face down, resting the end of the cross on the floor, and I lay in his open palm. The shadows began to stir, and soon a shadow rabbit ran up to me.

"Get up! We need to get out of here urgently!"

"How did this happen? I seemed to pull the cross with my prayer or the power of my mind."

"I don't know! But I expected something like this from you. You can really change something! Perhaps even."

"... get out of here?"

"..."

"So this is what you really wanted."

"Who doesn't want to? But there's no time to ask for forgiveness now, let's run!"

In a couple of moments we were already running along the sidewalk and hiding from our eyes on the poles. It seems like the shadow rabbit was already prepared for this in advance.

"So much information and so chaotic. Hopefully, in time I will figure it out and."

"Yes, we should definitely try to get out! But it won't work without strength. How about something to eat? "

"There is food in Hell too? But why am I surprised. I already agree to anything!"

I was right. The shadow rabbit is good at navigating here. We quickly reached the local restaurant Yamitoria.