“The Devil’s Last Whisper”
By Tom Bellitire
It was a cold, lonely night on the Appalachian Trail. We had been hiking for days with little food or water. Our knees were growing weaker by day as we tried to reach our destination. We would walk aimlessly until one day I spotted a black snake. Both my friend George and I became interested in this mysterious looking snake. As leaned closer to it, I noticed some of its wicked features. The snake had black eyes and a black tongue and a velvety black mouth; it was unnatural. Unknowing of the danger, I began to lean closer and closer.
“Don’t get to close”, warned George.
I could not help myself, but get closer; this mysterious snake was like none other. As my legs pulled my closer, I felt a sudden jolt of pain. The snake had bitten me. Panicking, George and I ran, we ran mindlessly, full of fear. Fearing the worst, I began to shout; that’s all I could think to do. Eventually, we both grew tired and had to stop. Gasping for air I took a break on a rock, and soon passed out.
“Richard wake up, wake up, I found help, please wake up”, George frantically shouted.
I slowly opened my eyes looking for a familiar face, but all I could see was haunting images. Everything around me became distorted in every way imaginable. The sky, the trees, my friend, all became distorted. It seemed like objects started to blend with the air, but only this air was black. These black clouds would move like the wind, almost like a dust storm.
George escorted me to a tall mansion he had spotted in the woods. He described the house as a beautiful mansion with everything paved in gold. All I could see was death, and destruction and malice throughout the house. I grew scared of this so called mansion, but still hoped i could get help.
George, usually the shy, introverted type of person, nervously rang the doorbell. A deep organ noise let out as we waited for an answer. Finally, a tall, beautiful woman answered the door. She led us inside the house and told us to make ourselves at home. Astonished by this mansion, George and I both looked to the mural on the ceiling and noticed the mansion was 15 stories tall. The woman then asked why we were here.
“I need a doctor, quickly”, I said. The words could not have rushed out of me any faster.
The woman then escorted us to an elevator, a glass elevator. As we began to rise, I could see a nervous look on George’s face. I figured that he did not like standing on top of a glass floor 13 stories in the air.
“We are here” the mysterious woman said.
With a sigh of relief, I quickly exited the elevator and almost ran into the owner. I quickly introduced myself and told him I needed to see a doctor, quick.
“Hello, my name is Dante and I just so happen to be a doctor”, the owner proudly exclaimed.
I followed him into an operating room, in which, consisted only of a table and one hanging light. I feel under some kind of deep sleep and woke up a few hours after the operation. I was lying on a bed in a room filled with disturbing decorations. I decided to go back to sleep after I thought a random statue was talking to me. I figured I was delirious.
I woke up 3 days later, awakening to a weird slithering noise. A note was carefully placed upon my stomach and so out of curiosity I began to read it.
Dear Mr. Richard and George, we would be more than happy to have you as our guests for a week or two. I also feel a few more operations on your bite should be done before you are released.
Sincerely, Tasan.
I was more than willing to accept there offers and instantly began to explore the house. I got lost several times before I began to slowly reflect on the past events and that I would be no where without George.
“George!”, I yelled out loud. I had no idea where he was and so now I was determined to find him. I needed to thank him. As soon as I could get up I noticed a big mural of the snake I had been bitten by. Puzzled and confused, I started to analyze it. It appeared to be a shrine to the mysterious black snake. Only a few feet from my room, I noticed a figure searching for me. It was the woman from before. She was waiting like a stalking butler, for me, for George, for you. Who knows what she was really there for; all I knew is that I wasn’t going to stick around to find out.
“Richard… Richard…Richard”, whispered a voice. It was George. I began to search for this familiar voice. Soon I found him, but something was wrong. A grotesque expression was displayed on his pale face.
“What the!”, I yelled. I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder which would make even the bravest of men shriek. It was the owner, Dante.
“Man I thought you were some kind of monster”, I let out with a relieved sigh. “What was the mural of the snake for? Wasn’t that the snake I was bitten by? What is it called?”.
“That is called the Snake of Deception”.
My eyes instantly became blood shot just from the name alone. I knew that snake, but by another name, Satan. I began to question everything thinking all of this could not be real.
“You are now a part of him. Soon he will be you and you will be him. He is taking your body as a part of his 60 year cycle; a cycle in which he takes over a new person every 60 years, so he can be immortal. Today is the day he must switch… Lucky you”, Dante reassuringly told me.
The room instantly began to spin as I tried to comprehend my fate. I could not take this anymore; I fell to the floor. I saw my life flash through my eyes. I looked up and saw George standing there with a guilty face, blaming himself for the current events. As I laid there I tried to think of a way out, a loop hole, an escape route out of this madness. I felt there was only one thing I could do. I quickly began to scan the room for anything of use. A dagger rested upon a nearby book. With tears in my eyes, I hastily grabbed the dagger and pierced my skin. It was the only way to save myself, my friends, the world. I figured if I was dead than Satan would have to die too, ending destruction and leaving peace. So now I proudly tell my story from person to person, roaming the Earth, forever.
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