A Circle of Hell + Another Circle of Hell, by DM Rice
A Circle of Hell
There was no
-where else to go so
the spot-
light suited
at the front
of the room
those bodies
still being
tossed against
pavement
by harpies
with fiery
wings
;
the spines of
those children
were sliced open
with the entrails
staining the
harpies' lips
;
the lesson
was over
, though I
can't remember
what wisdom
I shared
;
my mouth never
stopped moving
though maybe
there were no
words that
formed
;
anyway, none
of the kids
interrupted me
, they just sat
with blank
faces hiding
their fear
because they
knew the
demons were
always watching
;
a single file
down the hall
past gray lockers
without locks
I followed the
children, always a
few paces
behind
there were no
demons in sight
but it was
still my first
day so they
thought they'd
have some fun
and let me
follow the
children down
the cavern
with its
hanging stalactites
and lava
lamp red glo-
w
that was just
a front because
after a few
steps into the
cavern
we fell and
everything went
black though
I could still
hear children
running for
safety and
being devoured
so I ran
forward to a
fork in the
path on the
right was
darkness on
the left
light and
I walked
to the light
and from
some
secret
crag a giant
, wearing a
brown sleeve-
less wool dress
with a black
belt, began
chasing me very
slowly
;
the giant had
a baby's head
with a blank
expression
and didn't seem
very hungry
or, rather,
seemed more
interested in scar-
ing me than eat-
ing me
;
the lighted path
led outside of
the school and
I managed to
make it to the
street and close
the chain link
fence on the
giant who
quickly accepted
my escape
and returned
to its
station
;
in the
moments that
followed I
scanned the
quiet streets
littered with
carcasses but
otherwise
devoid of
life and
knew with
the full force
of a well
-told rumor
that I could
walk down
the paved
road away
from the school
forever and I
would not
meet another
soul for many
many
miles
until the road
became desert
and the
soul that
I might
meet would look
just like me
but I
would-
n't rec-
ognize them.
Another Circle of Hell
I was back in hell.
Along the beach the red
sky billowed with gray
clouds.
A few stray lightning bolts
flashed above.
Of course, there you were
, in the distance; there is none
other, still.
As I walked down the way
condemned souls began
having their way
toward me with
dark intent.
I brandished my fountain pen
and plunged it into their jugular
veins.
I felt no remorse or pity
as I did this.
The night before I had
perfected my technique.
They went down easily
and without a sound.
I moved through the crowd
where you had been, but were
no longer.
A flash of lightning rang forth
over the cliffs descending upon
my sweeping footsteps onward.
There I made my way along
a narrow mine shaft where
the light hung from strings
like in an interrogation
room.
I saw my great uncle, Severo
, the widower, disappear
along a limestone
staircase.
I peered ahead at my grandmother, Olivia
kneeling over a lifeless corpse.
She may have been eating him, though
I don't remember any blood staining her
lips.
My silver fountain pen shone
in my hand, though I moved
along without wielding it
against her.
Down the way the walls were concrete
, and I plunged my pen in the necks
of the condemned as I moved forward
, searching for you.
And I walked down
into the basement
without hesitation.
There a group of three
surrounded to consume
me.
There was one more on the rusted concrete floor
, with braided hair and beautiful ebony skin
that glistened under the conical lamp
swinging overhead.
Was it you?
I feared her in her victimhood
, not knowing if it was some
duplicity on the part of
the architects of this
torturous place or
if it was you there
, struggling in blood
along the soil of your
ravaged form.
Before I ever learned
, I awoke.