Inferno | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Inferno | Previous Challenge Entry
By JC Hummel
08/17/17
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I stood on the stage and scanned the half-filled auditorium unable to find a familiar face. It was upsetting having no idea how I got there. My last memory was driving on the highway the rain pelting on my windshield and the wipers going back and forth as fast as they could. But when was that? Yesterday? A week ago?

The audience didn't seem to notice me as they smiled and chatted amongst themselves, each one beautiful, and impeccably dressed. Even though they appeared to be friendly, there was a air of superficiality about them.

A young man with black hair walked on to the stage and stood next to me. “Anna,” he said, “we’re ready to begin,” and he tapped on the microphone.
“How do you know my name?”
He ignored my question and faced the people. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said his voice booming.
The rumbling of the crowd ceased and they all turned to look at him.
“This is Anna. She’s our new arrival.”
They cheered and applauded.
“What a wonderful welcome. Can I get a volunteer to give her a tour later.”
“I will!” a petite, blonde woman said, raising her hand and standing up.
“Wait! I can’t stay here.”
Some people in the front row started to giggle.
“I’m not tying to be rude, but I really need to leave.”
Then they erupted into laughter.
“What are they laughing at?” I said, feeling uneasy by their reaction.
“You can’t leave.”
“Holding me against my will is kidnapping you know! I’ll call the authorities,” and I desperately searched in my pockets for my phone.

“You were sent here.”
“Sent here?” I said, as I pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket, now seeing that the screen was cracked and the case broken. Then I remembered my car careening down an embankment followed by the mayhem of breaking glass and crushing metal, my voice screaming for help.

Some of the people from the audience were getting out of their seats and moving toward the stage. They were no longer beautiful, but looked haggard and gray. The white plaster walls of the building started to crack and peel with pieces falling off to reveal stone underneath.

I spied the double doors at the end of the auditorium, and jumped off the stage and bolted down the aisle. I wanted to look back to see if they were following me, but feared it would slow me down. Almost there, my heart was thumping in my chest, but as I reached for the door handle I fell back yelling in agony. Lying on the floor holding my wrist, I looked down at my palm, burned and throbbing.

The man strolled down the aisle toward me. The people trudging behind him.
“What is this place?” I said with tears rolling down my face.
“I believe Dante called it the Inferno.”
“This is hell?”
The man nodded.
“But I shouldn't be here. I’m a good person.” I said, sobbing.
He sighed. “That’s what they all say.”
The crowd grew bigger and moved closer to me. They now had leathery skin with lizard eyes.
I screamed and buried my head in my knees wishing the darkness would take me away.

* * * * * *

“They found you just in time.” The nurse said, as she checked my vitals.
“Where am I?”
“St. Lukes.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Barbara, the night nurse.”
“I’m not dead?”
She smiled. “No dear. You were in a car accident, but you’re safe now.”
I grabbed her hand. “It was in a terrible place. He said it was hell.”
“Who said that?”
“The man. He told me I had been sent there.”
“You were alone and trapped in your car for days. You were dehydrated and had hypothermia. Whatever you experienced was a hallucination or a bad dream. Let’s not worry about it anymore”
“Of course, it was a dream,” I said feeling relieved.

“Let me change the dressing on your hand. It’s a nasty burn. Do you how it happened?”

I stared at the bandage unable to speak.

“The doctor couldn't understand how you got a burn like that when you were out in the middle of nowhere in December. There was no sign of fire in or around your car.”

I looked down at my hand as she removed the dressing and saw the red, blistered skin on my palm. It was exactly as I remembered.

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