Circle Three

As we crossed the bridge, birds flew all around us. Looking onward, we saw people, or spirits rather, running amuck in a field of pebbles. The birds, huge, black, and ominous, swarmed around the people, pecking at their torsos. One spirit cried out as his bowels fell from his core. Disgusted, Tori swoons and narrowly misses her head on a rock. Picking her up in his arms, Michael says,

“These spirits have stolen items in their lives, whether it be money, materialistic provisions, or spoils of war. They are now condemned to be chased by blackbirds who steal their intestines.”

Fastidiously, we turn and swear to ourselves that we will never steal again. Walking onward, we come to a door. Intrigued, Jamie tries the doorknob and finds it locked. She knocks and awaits an answer. After we have almost lost hope, we hear it creaking open. A spirit with no hands, eyes, or tongue peers out. Shocked, Jamie and Sarah jump backward, knocking Tori out of Michael’s arms and onto the rocky floor. Tori awakes with a start, and screams when she sees the ghastly spirit. Staring at us with empty sockets, the spirit leaves the door open and returns to its domain. Shaken, we all enter in through the door to discover the next circle.

Circle Two

After we came through a small channel the three of us arose after Michael to see the second circle through our journey through Jahannam.  We saw numerous individuals slowly wandering through the dimly lit hollow. The wanderers were all wearing crowns, but not made of silver or gold. These crowns made of lead, forcing their whole head and neck to come down and hunch over. Jamie asked our guide,

“Who are these people and what have they done to deserve this?”

Our guide looked at all the drifters as they patrolled slowly around us.

“These souls will forever roam through this place with their head down, for in their lives they had always had their head up. Their pride has brought them here, rightfully punishing them for the wrong they have committed.”

As we continued roaming through the circle we saw a grizzly man slowly try to lift up his head. We immediately knew whose face it was. The mayor from where we lived had taken had praised himself for most of his life. One day he become so prideful that he treated all of the people in our town like his own slaves, until someone accidentally hit him with their car.

“This must be where he came after death,”

 Tori said. When we walked past him he called to us asking us to help but he must forever suffer for what he did. We passed by all of them and came across a bridge.

Circle One

When we emerged from the dark passageway, our eyes became accustomed to the darkness as we made out four sections in a large arena. Walking over to the first section, we gasped in disgust. The spirits here had no ears, and looked as though they were deeply confused and agitated. Michael explained,

“These spirits have committed the crime of listening to people’s private conversations. They now have no ears, and constantly hear a murmuring but cannot understand.”

 Horrified, we numbly walked to the second section. Here, there was a huge vat of urine. We watched in disgust as spirits flailed among this putrescent bowl of liquid, frantically trying to escape the eternal hell. Our guide once again explained this desperate situation,

“The sin done these souls have committed is not very severe, but still punishable. They have not protected themselves from urine. I’m sure you understand the irony.”

 Continuing to the third section, we see no people. Perplexed, we raise our eyebrows questioningly to our guide. Seeing our reaction, he motions to the section and gives us a glance, seeming to say, “look closer”. Peering into the shady section, we make out figures, accompanied by the sound of wings, fluttering madly. They were statues! These spirits were frozen in time in grotesque figures, splattered by the constant barrage of pigeon poop.

“These sculptures have made statues and pictures in their mortal life. Henceforth, they are condemned to suffer being a statue and pooped on by birds. Alright, moving on,”

 our guide said. We did as Michael said and quickly turned to see section four. Horrified, all of us quickly covered our eyes from the gruesome sight we saw. The image was this: demon orphans (or what we assumed to be, there was no parental guidance) prancing about, chasing spirits and then biting and tearing them when caught. Our guide pronounced,

“These spirits have wrongfully consumed the property of an orphan some time in their existence. They are now torn about by orphans. This level, level one, is for those who commit misdemeanors in life. They are not serious, but wrong all the same. Are you ready for level two?”

 Processing this information, the three of us nod our heads slowly, wondering just what we got into.

Entrance into Jahannam

As soon as we realized Michael Jackson was a direct revelation from Allah, we followed him through the woods. Although it was extremely scary and ominous, we all made it out alive. As soon as we stepped out of the cover of the trees, a hyena jumped in front of us, taunting and laughing at us. Humiliated, Tori’s chin started quivering, a sure sign that tears were to follow. Michael, seeing Tori’s saddened expression, quickly said,

“Oh, don’t worry, this creature just represents disorderly conduct, the first of the three sections of Jahannam. Please, ignore him. He sometimes can be rude.”

At this remark, the hyena scampered away and Tori’s chin thankfully stopped it’s quivering. Continuing onward, we were met with a horde of mosquitoes. They attacked relentlessly, diving in toward the soft skin to extract the red juice of life underneath. After enduring about ten minutes of this nonsense, Michael cries out,

“These devilish creatures represent the second of the three sections of Jahannam, violence. Begone!”

The mosquitoes, hearing these words, fled. Without the constant whining in our ears, our guide explained.

“I’m sorry, I was supposed to wait for one of you to ask about these insects, but I just couldn’t take it any longer.”

All of us nodded our consent and agreement, and then continued on. Not five minutes after our strange encounter with the mosquitoes, we see a line of green directly in front of us. As we approach it, we are surprised to see it is made up of millions of praying mantises. The barricade went to the right and left as far as one could see and approximately thirteen feet forward. Not knowing how to get past this obstacle, we consulted our all-knowing guide.

“Oh esteemed Michael, sir, how in Allah’s name are we supposed to get past these gosh darn mantises!?”

 Smiling at us with the wisdom of a parent in his eyes, Michael explains,

“These praying mantises represent the final section of Jahannam, disobeying Allah.”

 At these words, the sea of mantises parted, allowing us to continue on our way. Soon we came upon a desert. We had only been walking for about an hour, so the three of us thought it strange to come upon this dry land so soon. However, none of us wanted to question our magnificent guide or Allah, so we kept silent. A few hundred feet more, we rounded a corner to see an eerie looking cave. Scared, Tori’s chin began to quiver once again. Jamie comforted her as Michael beckoned us to enter into the cave after him. Slowly stepping after him, we entered a world of darkness.

Meeting Our Guide

We (Sarah, Jamie, and Tori) were wandering in the Forbidden Forest when we heard a noise. As we stopped to strain our ears to listen to the faint noise, we were shocked when it was a familiar sound! It started as a beat, then a rhythm, and grew into a tune.

“You and I must make a pact…”

 It was Michael Jackson! Sarah tore away from us and started running toward the sound. We scrambled after her as the song continued…

“We must bring salvation back,"

We heard a cry of exclamation from Sarah. She had found him. Dodging through the underbrush, we followed the sounds of hyperventilation to find Michael Jackson singing to Sarah as she stared up at him with rapture and bliss. We listened as he sang

"Where there is love, I’ll be there."

As Michael Jackson finished his last note, we can’t help but to applaud. When we were finished basking in his eternal glory, we inquired about his presence in the forest. He told us he had a direct message from Allah to come and save us from damnation. Just as he told us this message, a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky. Allah was showing us that he was telling the truth. But what could we have possibly done wrong in our lives, we, the innocent teenagers?