Day Trip To Hell: Trapped [ Fiction]

The eerie howl of a lone wolf cut through the dark woods.

That was the signal. A call across every corner of the woods that a god had arrived without invitation.

A flock of ravens burst out into the sky from the trees. The birds and insects ceased singing at once as though a maestro had lowered his baton.

I knew my arrival had caused a shift in the air. Fear and curiosity curled from every corner through the stillness of the cold night. The full moon lit up the woods yet the nocturnal creatures sank further into the shadows, nearly invisible.

I wasn't going to be alone for long. A pack of white wolves quietly stalked out, their lips pulled back in a snarl. I rolled my eyes at the theatrics and sighed, mist swirling from my nostrils.

Qyara not only loved her winter but also her pets—the white wolves. So I won't hurt them. They slunk closer, their eyes red and glowing, a sharp contrast to their white fur.

I swiped two fingers in the air in an X, calming the wolves. They sniffed around me and immediately dropped down to their front paws with soft whimpers. I ruffled the head of the one closest to me as static rippled through the air.

She was here.

“Why do you always visit on full moons? They are my busiest and you unsettle my wolves,” Qyara tsked with a smile.

We hadn't seen each other in over a century yet she looked the same. Delicate and alluring. She was still the prettiest of the goddesses and her effect on me had not waned over time.

A chalice appeared in her hand as she approached. “Why are you here, Aodhan?”

I smirked, taking the chalice from her and drinking the wine in one gulp. “And if I simply wanted to see you, my love? Would that not suffice?”

“You are here because you want something. Speak so I can return to my duties.”

I circled her slowly, admiring her, taking in every flutter of her lashes, every hitch of her breath, and the soft blush rising along her neck. Her feelings for me had not changed, not in a millennium.

My heartbeat steadied. I tucked a strand of her silver-blond hair behind an ear and tilted her chin toward me. She leaned into my touch, closing her eyes for a moment.

“Open the South portal for me. I want to make a day trip to Hell.”

Her eyes snapped open. I held her gaze to show how serious my request was. “I know Clauditus gave you the keys.”

“You would have me betray him?”

“Just a day's trip, Qyara.”

“I swore an oath. He would have my head, Aodhan. Please.”

“If you truly love me, hand me the keys,” I pushed. I was desperate to go down to Hell at any cost. The scroll that would grant me ownership of the Heighton seas and its treasures was buried in the Great Library in Hell. Qyara was my only way in.

She smiled and pushed on her tiptoes to kiss me. I tipped my head back slightly. Now was no time for affectionate displays. Her face fell, hurt flickering across her features.

“Alright. You will have your keys.” She snapped her fingers and a set of white skeleton keys shimmered into existence, dangling in front of me. I snatched them out of the air in a blink.

“You have done well, my love. When I return, you'll have a seat by my side,” I said with a smirk and leaned in for a kiss but she walked away from me.

“So long, Aodhan.” Qyara whispered, fading away with her wolves back to her wintery lair.

I shrugged and spelled the skeleton keys into action. One moment, I was in the dark woods. Next, I stood in a locked cell in the underlayers of Hell, blue fire roaring on all sides.

Qyara!!!!

I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "day trip to hell".

Thank you for visiting my blog.

^{_{Image credit: Alexas_Fotos}}