Where Crimson Springs Flow

The Demon was not what Thomas had expected, he was not a twisted, contorted, and mangled abomination of the human form, nor was he an inhuman looking creature. He was mutilated for sure, but not to a absolute mess of random flesh and jutting jagged bone. He was tall, standing at about 6.9" or 6.10", his skin was a grayish-white hue, his eyes, set an inch or two too far back into his skull, were black, black as tar pits, lost in the inky heart of midnight and how they shimmered in the light.

He was muscle bound being, not over the top as many body builders become, but toned, sculpted rather nicely, a statue from ancient Greece. The skin on his chest, all the way from between his shoulder blades was flayed away starting at a point, then as if to form a symbol of an ace of spades, rapped over his collar bones, and continued down in a V between his breasts, and stopped in another point just above his belly button. No blood however, just gleaming muscle shown bright.

From his biceps and forearms, jagged metal protruded, ranging from three to six inches in length. He did as well wear garments of some fashion, a leather loin cloth, that reached to the middle of his shins, and it appeared to be made of a very dark African mans skin. Also around his waist was a belt from which, crude instruments of torture dangled loosely. It struck Thomas as odd, how something as terrifying as this being called from hell standing in his presence, left him not feeling fear, but a wave of calm.

He was more frightened by the fact that he had called this being to him by performing a profane and dark ritual, why had he done it? Now basking in the Demons ambiance, he could not remember as to the reason behind it. The Demon eyed Thomas, with as much care and concern as one watches the empty space in font of ones eyes, it was as though he looked right through Tom. Then He spoke, "Why have you called upon me? Thomas Wade Hartly." Tom was beside himself, he knew his name, his full name, "Gazing on you now sir, I can not recall my reasoning." the Demons excretion did not change, he simply tilted his head ever so slightly and spoke again.

"You humans are curious things..." the Demons voice sounded sorrow filled yet mingled with indifference "you call upon us, me and my brothers, and sisters. Looking for fame and fortune, power and love, all things that exist here in you world. But not in mine." his voice was low, he lingered on words and syllables for to long and at random, his voice was soothing of all things, but behind it there was an uncomfortable and fear conjuring force.

Thomas felt a heavy rock drop in his guts, "I think I just needed to see, experience something new, and gain confirmation of there being something else out there, beyond death." The Demon chuckled, "Are you now satisfied?" Tom looked wide eyed at him "No. I wish to see your world, your Hell." The Demon looked puzzled for the briefest of moments "None in all my eons has ever requested to willingly step into our domain..." a thin smile crossed his lips "but I will oblige your whim." Shocked, even though he had asked for this, he sloppily spat out his words, syllables tripping over his tongue, "What! You will! Bu... bu... but can I come back?"

Tom guest was visibly annoyed by this outburst, even though his features had not shifted much, if at all, Tom could just feel a shift in the air, "If you go with me, you shall be allowed to return, but only if you pass my tests. I shall show you my Hell, but then as payment I will subject you to it, get my pound of flesh so to speak." Tom mulled this over in his head, rolling it around and around, until he finally answered, "Okay. Yes. I will go with you, and I will take your tests."

"Good." whispered the Demon, and with the death of his whisper, he rushed Tom and had him by either side of his head, and lifted him like a doll to eye level. Tom grabbed at the arms of the Demon as he grunted from between gritted teeth. The Demon pulled Toms face so close to his own, his lips brushed against Toms as he spoke, filling his nostrils with the sweet, stinging, vile, and bile inducing stench of overwhelming filth and decay, "See what I See." as he spoke these words, and as Toms lunch rushed up his throat, flooded his mouth, dripped from between his teeth, over his lips and down, the Demon plunged his thumbs into Toms eyes.

For a single stunned second in total blackness, Tom dangled there in the hands of the Demon slack jawed, vomit poring forth from his mouth, then once more he felt the thumbs slide in deeper, and agony washed through his body, from eyes all the way to the tips of his toes and back again. Tom screamed, so loudly that it threatened to tear his ear drums in two. He felt heat to, the temperature was rising fast. Then just a quickly as the thumbs were plunged in to his eyes they withdrew, and the Demon let him fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

He could see! The pain was still lingering in his head, but he could see. Oh, and what he saw. Plains, mountains, hills, and fields of rock, reddish dirt, and flesh. Mounds of discarded flesh and bone, also an organic, living, and growing flesh, that spread and covered much of the landscape. Long spikes littered the land as well, bodies, impaled through there anuses, and the other end erupting from there necks, mouths, guts, and chests clung to them, sill writhing and wiggling to get free, moaning and some gargling in anguish.

It was horrid, and the smell was repulsive. "So this is it? This is Hell?" a huge flying creature, that looked to be made from the discarded flash and bone, caught his attention as he said this, and screeched high in the Hellish sky. "The Pit never goes hungry." said the Demon, ignoring Toms question. The more Tom looked, the more strange, disgusting, and yet tranquil and disturbingly pretty the landscape could be. There were grasslands, or rather, Hairlands. In place of tall green grass, there was long shining black hair growing from the fleshy growth. There were bushes, and twigs and other plant life as well, one that caught Toms eye, was tall gangling tree like plant, it had milky-brown wood, but in place of leaves there was rather large, violet thorns.

As Tom approached the plant he reached out and touched one of the thorns. "That is a Crown of Jesus." said the Demon, "Clever Name." answered Tom. His eyes scanned more of the world around him. A spring caught his eye, and he walked to it. It bubbled up out of a small mound of the flesh that grew here, and flowed in a thick stream, as far as Tom could see. It was a thick crimson liquid, with clumps and clots of thicker and darker red floating within it. It was blood. If the look of it hadn't given the identity of the substance away, the smell surly would have. As he lifted his head he saw more, many, many more, dotting the land. Springs of crimson gore. "Where crimson springs flow." Tom muttered under his breath.

"Have you seen your fill. Do you now wish to take my tests." The Demons voice rose with excitement at the word tests. Tom cast his eyes about the Hellish world, he saw what looked to be city in the distance, its sharp and jagged skyline of rusting iron, held no appeal to Tom. Tom was already regretting his coming here, for all its wonder, it was a revolting place, and he felt in this place the indifference, hate, and lust to inflict agony growing in his Demon companion by the second. "Yes I have. And yes I do." the Demon smiled, "Finally" with that, the Demon waved his hand and the Crown of Jesus stretched out and wrapped its thorn encrusted branches around his ankles, wrists, and waist. Tom screamed as the thorns tore through his flesh.

The Demon tore Toms tattered clothes from his shaking body, "Your screams and tears, are as sweet to me, as the finest wine..." He clamped a tool from his belt to one of Toms nipples, and ripped it off, a long snaking strip of flesh ripped off with it. Tom howled with agony as tears and snot streamed down from there creators. "Fool, You will suffer here with me for a spell. Until I get my pound of flesh." There was arousal in his voice, Tom noticed a large lump rising in the Demons loin cloth, "You sick fuck!!" Tom bellowed and spat at the Demon, "Yes fight me! Squirm! Makes your torment so.. much.. more.. sweet!" the lump in the Demons loin cloth was now a huge bulge.

The Demon flicked and swung his instruments as if he were a composer, and in truth he was, composing, at least to his infernal ears, a sonata of screams and cries. A tool found Toms nose and split both nostrils and the entire length of his nose, both his nipples were gone now, his bowels were hanging to his feet. Tom was simply slumped over, making only slight groans with each slice. The Demon placed his hand around Toms genitals, and surged healing energy into him, he came to and was feeling better, "Wanted you to fully feel and appreciate this Thomas." then he crushed Toms testicles in his fist and twisted, then he tore the whole package from between Tom legs. As Tom wailed and thrashed, the Demon Moaned and convulsed as he reached his climax, and ejaculated at Toms feet.

Then he held Toms amputated member in front of Toms face, "My pound of flesh." Tom cried uncontrollably as the Demon plunged his fingers into his eyes once more, and as he screamed the heat faded, until it was gone altogether. Suddenly, he was standing in his living room, through his tears and snot he chuckled, he was back, but his joy was short lived. He felt splashes at his feet, and warmth running down his legs. He looked down to see a gore leaking hole were his genitals had been located. His skin was white as snow, and really popped in contrast to the crimson streams gushing down him and pooling around his feet. He stumbled for the phone to dial 911, but slipped on his blood and collapsed. He attempted to pick himself up, but could not, he was too weak. He rolled to his side thinking how foolish he had been. As he glanced down for the last time and saw all of his crimson gore leaving his body, he softly said with his last breath, "Were crimson springs flow..." and darkness took him.

"Hello Thomas. Welcome back."