Hell On Earth

A week had passed since the moon turned black and the waters became blood. Asia sunk into turmoil. Religious states strengthened, and any remnants of secularism disappeared. The middle east became the true haven of theocracy. Civil wars rampaged through south America and Africa. The unknown destruction of satellites made the world go back to early 20th century. The mobilization and organization of the world's militaries were severely hindered.

USA alone lost 25 destroyers, 22 submarines, 4 carriers and 3 frigates in a single week from unknown causes. The radio transmissions indicated an underwater element to the destruction. What is that said element is of anyone's guess. The US navy and all other world's navies are landlocked. All domestic and international flights are suspended indefinitely and any means of travel between the cities are forbidden. Reports from all around the world indicate the red and black smokes that descended from the skies are a global event. Fear became the constant and dominant feeling. We don't know what to think anymore. The government tells us next to nothing. The forcefield-like dome that risen a week ago was when the entire world went to hell.

A single announcement came after the dome rose up and then silence from whomever that was. The announcement that confused everyone rather than make things clear said:

"People of the world, this is Earth Defence Commander in Chief Edward Marshall. As the fortunate ones that can see, a dome has arisen in each of the major civilized cities. This "Protector field" is to defend against the forces of the unknown. Whatever you do, stay inside the fields and you will be protected. It is forbidden to leave the field for all citizens and all government personnel that do not have the specific permits. Anyone who was not inside the fields will be taken to a safe facility for inspection. Any individual who resists detainment, no matter the rank, position nor the clarification, will be shot. Stay inside. This problem will be solved."

After this global announcement, the moon blackened and the oceans turned red. Military forces were already in move before, but we thought they were part of the announced drills the day before. After the domes have arisen, smokes of red and black descended from seemingly nowhere. Anti-air fires lightened the sky. Some of the clouds that made it onto the ground went through frightened people in the streets, ripping them apart in agony. We, my roommate Mark and me, watched the carnage from our apartment's windows. The smokes didn't make it to our apartment. The AA seemed to have been working.

After hours of massacre of the innocent people and the thousands of rounds lightening the night sky, the sounds dimmed. The red and black clouds disappeared from the sky. A very loud siren echoed on the entire city. Mark and I went outside with all the others that left their homes to figure out what was going on. The television channels and the internet were down, so we had no other choice of learning what was going on other than the radio channels that we didn't think of listening to.

The streets were filled with ruptured corpses and the blood was sweeping through the grills, like it just had rained. Ambulances and police cars rushed the streets that were already filled with military trucks.
We asked a police officer what the hell was going on, but he only responded with: "Yes, Hell."

A man with grey hair and light beard asked a paramedic that was trying to figure out how to lift a ruptured leg, and he answered:

"I don't know sir, we were just ordered to help the injured and carry the dead after the all clear siren. There is a curfew, so before the soldiers detain you people, return to your homes."

Then we went home as he said. Scared and confused, stayed up until morning lights shined. Curfew announcements and warnings about leaving the protector field filled the dead of night. On and off gun fires made us jumpy each time.

That was the first day of something we don't know. All news we could get were from radio announcements. The bit of knowledge I have written about the US navy were the last news we got from one of the radio channels. We never heard them again.

In all the chaos going on, there was also something else happening, something sinister. Our neighbours were disappearing. One night we were praying together, the next day they were gone. Nowhere to be found. No noise, no forced entry to their apartments, no nothing. When we asked the military police, they only left us with a "We are looking into it." We would have suspected them if it wasn't for the soldiers themselves disappearing.
One morning we woke up with the sound of a man shouting. When we looked outside, the captain of our block's watch was yelling: "Where the hell are the men of this gun?" A sergeant who came running explained that they were nowhere to be found.

It could still well have been the government that took the people, but it doesn't make much sense to be discreet about this when they were already detaining people in the middle of the day.

But other than this, the rest of the week was relatively calm. No homicidal smokes, no mystery announcements from the world defence guy, no AA fire and no sirens. We lived our day, bought food at morning and went to our jobs. We speculated; the Russians, the Germans, the Americans, the Chinese, the religious terrorists, the North Koreans. Some said it was the aliens, some claimed it to be the apocalypse. Nobody knew. Just speculations, and rumours. Rumours of people beyond the protector field. People that looked demonic, as some put.

Troops with what appeared to be special tanks that projected micro protector fields went beyond the dome every day. Some passed through our streets. We could hear moans and screeches from the enclosed trucks. If the possibility of getting executed didn't keep people inside the dome, those screeches did.

And now as the clock strikes 1 am, I am ending my blog that no one can read. I feel dizzy, So I willllssxADSsfwewaa




* * * *



"Jim, wake up. Come on man, please, wake up."

The pounding pain on his head was the first thing Jim noticed when he woke up.

"Oh thank god, I thought you were a goner."

"What? Wh- Mark! Where are we? What is this?"

"I don't know man, but I am shitting myself. Do you remember how we got here?"

"No, what happened? I was on my computer, writing, and then nothing."

Jim got himself up, barely keeping his balance.

"Me too, I was lying in bed, then I felt funny. Next thing I know, I woke up in this shithole lying next to an actual shit, rats I think."

Jim looked around and he agreed with his friend Mark. The old corroded looking stone tiles with ruptured blankets and pillows on ground. Both he and Mark were wearing ruptured old clothes.

"Who brought us here? Why?" Mark continued questioning.

"I don't know. Wait, my side is hurting."

"Mine too. You don't think? Fuck!"

They both checked their sides for scars.

"Oh thank god, only bruises. Kidneys are safe."

"Do not take the Lord's name in vain!"

A loud cold male voice filled the dungeon looking room. Both Mark and Jim turned pale. Jim felt his knees unravelling, so he sat down on the floor. They both kept their mouths shut for hours. Only time any of them did something was when they had to share the one bucket that was left there to do the business.

Two days have passed without food nor any drink, at least, that is how many hours they think they have endured. The bucket was attracting flies from somewhere. The whole room was filled with smells of piss and feces. It didn't bother them though, they were used to it by now.

"So, this was what was happening to people?" Jim said silently.

"No shit."

"What do we do know? Who will get us?"

"How should I know? As far as I can think, I am pretty sure we are fucked."

"Should we try to-

The heavy steel door opened and four men in white long outfits entered. Both Mark and Jim jumped to their feet. The men in white restrained them.

"No! Let us go! We are nobody! Please!" Jim cried, but it was in vain.

The men in white handcuffed them both from behind. Mark headbutted one of them but got a swift heavy-handed respond in return.

"No! Don't spill blood. It is not ours to do," one of the men ordered.

Mark and Jim were forcibly escorted out of the shit smelling room, walked through the hall with rows of rooms behind steel doors and again through a series of hallways. Finally, they were brought into a huge chamber with a straight stone way to a stage with an alter that held a blackened longsword on top. The sides were filled with men of white. Perhaps two hundred of them.

Mark was taken on top of the stage while Jim was taken to the left and sat on a bench with men in white with blackened daggers shaped as a new moon. Mark was forced to kneel by a man in white that struck his knees with a thick wooden bar.

"What is going on? Wha-

Another man in white but with a black crown held his chin and cut out his tongue with his blackened dagger.

"Thou shall speak no more heathen!"

The people cheered and chanted something unintelligible. The blood rushed from Mark's mouth and pooled below his knees. His eyes yelled terror instead of his mouth. Jim puked as his friend bled out. The crowned man held him up while he took the blackened crescent shaped sword from the top of the alter.

"O the mightiest! Hear us, see our actions, our actions of love and devotion. Accept our dedication for your acceptance. Forgive us for tolerating the heathens! Forgive our mistakes, forgive us! O the one that knows all! We sacrifice only to satisfy you. Accept this life and stop your damnation of your devotees. Make it go away. O the one that decides! This is for you."

The man took one step to the side, lifted his sword way up into the air and struck Mark's neck, decapitating him instantly. His headless body fell to the stone ground. It twitched and shook for seconds. The blood from his head, mouth and his body met on the ground. The people cheered and chanted so lovingly, so caringly, so happily.

"Oh Mark! No! Fuck no!"

A swing from the wooden bar temporarily blurred his vision.

"You will not speak! You will not swear!"

Two men in white stood Jim up, and walked him to the stone stage where others were taking his friend's body and head away. He could see the crowned man's lips moving but couldn't tell what he was speaking. His mind was tingling from the impact. They made Jim kneel on the same spot Mark was. His friend's blood washed his knees. His vision finally cleared and his hearing came back. He could hear the crowned man again.

"O the Ender of Worlds! Hear us!"

Jim felt a strong pain in his right ear, and then his left ear. His hearing became distorted.

"O the Destroyer of Civilizations! See us!"

Jim's sight was gone again, but this time complete blackness prevented his sight. First his right, then his left eye.

"O the Igniter of Life! Witness us!"

His forehead was scratched so forcefully. he felt as it was being carved. Jim tried so hard not to shout. He knew what would happen if he did, but he just couldn't hold it in.
"O the Passionate! Speak to us!"

His tongue felt a strong grip, then strong pain. His shouting became slurpy.

"O the Forgiver! Forgive us! Forgive us! Forgive us!"

Jim could hear the people cheering and chanting, albeit heavily muffled. The pain was unbearable. His entire head thumped with pain. He heard one heavy step, and one heavy yell. And then he heard no more, he felt no more.