The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Gateway to Fulfillment
by Marge Simon

At first, he thought something had gone wrong. He was dead, he knew that. No doubt about it, he even remembered being shot and dying trying to escape from a murder scene. No surprise to him, actually. He knew he was a rotten example of humanity, but so what. Strangely, now he was back in his body, standing in a huge field. It appeared to stretch horizon to horizon, interspersed with small haystacks. But there was no sign of Satan. No smoking fires and brimstone, not even the wails of the damned.

He had all eternity, so he determined to explore the field. Perhaps this was a test, and if he found a way outside, he’d be alive in the world again. Or maybe there were others here, far away. He looked forward to meeting them. The idea of being alone was now unbearable. He smiled wryly. Most of l his adult life he’d avoided company. He trusted no one, especially women. Devious creatures. The cheap ones would steal you blind. The expensive ones would steal your heart and leave you for another guy if you couldn’t keep them happy. Along the way, he’d maimed or killed someone over a woman. But now, given things were more on a par, a pretty gal would be a welcome change.

After an indeterminate time, a crow appeared and landed on his shoulder. “The gate is to your left, 10,000 paces.” 

“Gate? Gate to where?”

“The gateway to fulfillment,” replied the crow.

So it was that he came to a vast iron fence. He pushed open the gate. Suddenly feeling exhausted, he staggered through. Immediately after exiting, he sank to his knees.  His muscles hung in useless shreds from his bones, his skull had neither eyes to see nor ears to hear.

Yet some part of him was still alive, as if his nerves were all on fire. The pain was excruciating.  The crow flew down and alighted on the fence. “That field was your Purgatory, fool!” it cackled. “They were awaiting orders as to what your eternal punishment would be. You’re on your own, now, all alone. Welcome to your personalized fulfillment in Hell.”

Fiction © Copyright Marge Simon
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from Marge Simon:

Satan’s Sweethearts
by Marge Simon and‎ Mary Turzillo

Satan’s Sweethearts – a collection of poems by Marge Simon and Mary Turzillo featuring the most monstrous, evil women throughout history!

Available on Amazon!