Last night was, an experience to say the least. 

I arrived to Franks house a little past the time he told me to be there. No one likes to arrive way ahead of schedule, and plus I didn’t want these demon guys to think I was a nerd or anything. I wanna make a good name for myself down here, you know? But it wasn’t all entirely on purpose either.

While I was making my way towards Franks, I had run into a few people that I had known in my previous life. 

The lot of them were standing around the street corner, still wearing the standard clothes you receive upon entrance into the gates of despair. A sack cloth robe with a rope to hold the whole piece together. I buried my face into the leather coat I bought not too long ago, hoping the taller one wouldn’t see me. That plan failed, His eyes lit up like a christmas tree. He stared to slap the arms of his companions and motioned towards me with his hands.

“Dude! No way! So you ended up down here too?”

What sorta way is that to start a conversation while in hell? Obviously I am down here. We are both down here. 

“Yeah man. Crazy, I know? Totally thought it was all just a big joke. Guess not. Hey listen, I need to get going though it was go-“

The one that had spoken up first cut me off, “Nah man, come on! We just got down here.” Sweat poured from his forehead, his face flushed by the heat. “Show us around a bit! I bet its like a never ending party down here! Fuck yeah! WELCOME TO HELL, ha!”

So within that instant I felt compelled to show them around. Damn my contradicting hatred for mankind and innate urges of philanthropy. We were a few miles away from the center hub of souls, but I knew of a few local shops in the Demon Quarter that wouldn’t mind us. 

We were all walking down the street, four of us in total. I stood out from them, my newly obtained clothes with such contrast to these new arrivals. A few passing demons gave as a look of suspicion, like a old woman would eye a group of hoodlums.

Having walked around, showing a few of the more interesting parts of this side of hell, I spotted a chill place to take them too. A head of us sat a squat, limestone formed cave with a few lanterns outside the mouth. The glow of the light cast an odd blue shadow over everything, and the temperature dropped a few degrees once we entered the establishment. 

We sat around the bar, trying to catch up with one another and keep the interactions as polite as possible.

“How do you like it down here?” The question was direct towards me, and the three of them stared intently. Maybe they were hoping I would spill some life saving information or tell them that it really isn’t as bad as they thought it would be.

“It sucks. It’s the same thing every day. It’s no different then real life. This is real life. It’s just hotter.”

They all cracked a smile.

“Still the same old you, I see. Ever cheerful about everything.” 

From the back of the room, we could hear a worn looking old man ranting how the politics of the living world could be considered worse then the realm of the damned and dead. The fellow that had interrupted me earlier commented on how he was becoming aggravated.

“Jesus, I blow up a radio station and kill myself in the process to stop hearing all this babling non sense about Its his fault, no their fault, And what happens? I come to hell, hoping to get away from it all, and we are still talking about this shit! Can’t I catch a fucking break? Might as well just off myself again.”

My tolerance for these people had worn through, and I remembered again why in life I had avoided them like death.

“Yeah, that’s a good thought.” I said to him with a straight face.

Sick of being there, I simply stood up and walked out of the cave. They called out to me, but I let their cries fall onto deaf ears. 

Finding the riverside of the Quarter, I oreinted myself to make it back towards Franks house. I never had walked through the demons quarter this late at night, and the noises that I heard were almost becoming a comfort. The screeching of the lower rings could be heard from where I stood. I later learned that each ring is on a offset time scale. Satan apparently thought it wouldn’t be a good idea to have everyone yelling at once. 

After a good thirty minutes of walking, I came upon the road Frank told me to turn on. 

Decapitators Ave

Catchy. Simple. I liked it. 

Approaching his house, I made out that i was just a hollowed out stalagmite deposit. The tips of it were jagged and cryptic looking. Something out of a old horror movie, I was just waiting for the lighting to crash behind it and the evil bats to fly out. 

The front door was a large, round rock rolled into place and too the left of it was a window chipped out of the thick wall. From inside glowed the flicker of a thousand candles and the deep, murmuring roar of large, pot bellied demons could be heard from within. 

*Knock Knock*

Death like silence feel upon the house, a loud shhhhh could be heard from within as well. 

“Whooo do you think it isss?” Something hissed outloud.

“Fwank, Swome won is hewe to swee you.”

“Shut the fuck up Larry. I told you not to talk like that. You are a fucking demon, act like it!”

The sound of chairs sliding and heavy foot steps came towards the door. Slowly, the round rock moaned until enough room was made for a investigative eye to peak through.

“WHO GOES THERE!”

“Uh hi, is Frank here? He told me to come over tonight and play Poker with you guys.”

“WHO IS THIS FRANK YOU SPEAK OF?”

“Uh, he is a demon about ye high,” I stuck my hand out way above my head trying to help with the description. “He normally carries a rusted machete and has a bull head for a skull. Ring any bells?”

“Haha, I am just fucking with you. I am right here. Sure man, come on in.”