Doctor Demon

It was the most surreal experience he had ever had. There was a sense of calmness in the place but it was not of peace. Rather, he was dreading the strange world he had entered.

The world around him was dead. He was not sure how else to put it but it really felt dead or sleeping. Not a single sound could be heard. Even in the midst of complete silence, there was always a sound. Whether it was slow breathing or drops of water falling in a sink. Sometimes, insects would cry or the sounds of horns would erupt in the distance.

But now he was scared that he had gone deaf. The silence was ominously alluring him to its embrace, seducing him as if he wanted to be there. It was, after all, his own bedroom. He lived there.

"What is this?" he whispered. He looked around the place. Everything was a replica of his room. The desk, the bed and even the pen he had dropped on the floor were exactly how he put it. His towel lay on the chair where he had tossed it.

"This is Purgatory," Jina said.

"This is my room!"

"It is and yet, it's not," she replied. "Do you feel as if you belong here?"

Hobin pondered on her question. To be honest, he was feeling a cold and unsettling feeling in his heart. He never realized how noisy the world was and now that he was thrust into the silence, he missed those sounds. Even the slightest sounds which used to annoy him, suddenly felt more endearing. The calm world was starting to overwhelm him and he needed to get away from it.

Suddenly, he felt as if he was about to suffocate. He was a little restless and tried to control it but Jina saw through him.

"Staying here for too long will harm you," she said. "We should go back."

Jina felt the same dread but not as powerfully as him thanks to her abilities as a Transporter. She did not know why she was the odd one out in an already odd family.

But Hobin shook his head.

"No," he said. "I want to see this world. It's...it's making me curious."

Jina sighed. "Ten minutes," she stated. "No more than that."

He nodded and followed her to the door. She unlocked it and glanced outside.

"Remember, if you hear the sounds of a chain, hide," she warned. "Also, if you come across a reaper, jump out of its way without making any noise. Reapers are blind but have sharp hearing. Also, they can only sense someone if that person is standing directly in their way. They can move in only one direction. Forward. They patrol all corners of Purgatory to purge and slash any soul or creature which comes in their way. Living or dead."

"What happens if they slash us?"

"You'll become a Mindless soul," Jina replied in a whisper. Mindless?

"Krrr…"

Both of them jumped at the sound and looked around to find a very strange creature standing at the end of the corridor.

"What-" Hobin began but Jina put her hand on his mouth, shutting him up. The creature was unlike anything Hobin had ever seen.

It had several hands and legs, walking like a giant spider with limbs sticking out from its body. But it was big and the body was too heavy for it to move around. The creature had thousands of eyes but all of them were sewn shut. Only its mouth was open, grumbling and gurgling as it slowly came closer.

Hobin was staring at the humanoid spider which was inching towards them. His instinct was to run but to his surprise, Jina shook her head.

"Stay still," she mouthed him. Hobin did not question her but was rooted to his spot. The creature shrieked loudly but they did not move. It sniffed the air but the nostrils were also sealed shut. It had no sense of direction nor any rational thoughts. All it could do was exist.

The creature gurgled and passed by them, not bothering to even acknowledge their presence.

"What the hell is that?" Hobin whispered once the creature was gone.

"That," Jina began. "Is a Mindless soul. They were slashed by the reapers for coming in their way. Several of the Mindless souls merge together with time to become hideous creatures. It doesn't give them any strength though. Once a reaper slashes someone, they lose all their sanity and become an empty shell. They exist without any memories or sense of their previous selves. These creatures can't hurt anyone but their punishment is harsh. To live like that for eternity."

"All souls turn into that?"

"No. Just the ones unfortunate enough to be attacked by a Reaper. If any soul manages to complete their redemption here without running into a Reaper, they move to the Afterlife. This is a punishment process for their deeds. To be constantly on the run after death. Nothing can escape a Reaper's punishment once they are caught. Not even demons. That's how my parents got rid of the demon which haunted them for years. They pushed him in front of a reaper and had him turned into a Mindless."

Hobin was now horrified. Did someone really deserve a punishment like that?

"Let's go back for today," Jina nudged.

Hobin nodded and followed her back into his flat. He glanced one last time at the spot where the creature disappeared off.

What a terrible place, he thought. Jina closed her eyes again and muttered the chant to open the portal. They passed through it and were back in his room. Hobin was sure that it was really his house because Miyoo was sprawled on his bed, lightly snoring.

"Shaken by the experience?" Jina asked.

"Curious too," Hobin admitted. "It's like a parallel universe. Looks exactly like our world but it isn't!"

"You can say that it's a form of poetic punishment," she said in a bitter tone. "Waking up in the same place of their death. The souls there can't move from one building to another. They're confined to that place, running from Reapers for years. Centuries or millennia even. Until the soul completes the redemption that is."

Hobin was lost in his thoughts. He had studied psychological science for years and even though there was mention of death, no one could fully grasp what it was. He merely assumed it was the end of life.

Who knew that there was another unending journey beyond death?

It was complicated. It was fascinating.

And it was going to push them close to the Gates of Hell.