Season Three - It Wasn’t Buddha

I awoke to pure darkness. All my senses were dulled; I could see and hear nothing but my ragged breathing. I tried to remember why I was here, but the last thing I could recall was fainting during my walk. I gasped, remembering the familiar disembodied whispers that surrounded me before my fall. I began to panic, frightened by the blackness around me and the lack of anything but me in this vast space.

I began to look around, searching for anything that could tell me where I was and why I was here. But once again, I could see nothing. I began to think that I was dreaming and that my body was still laying unconscious on the sidewalk. But all of a sudden, those harrowing whispers contradicted my assumption. That one crude word began to repeat once again.

"Peeeeenis..." a familiar male voice said.

Honestly, I was beginning to get annoyed. Why are these...things bothering me so much all just to say this to me? I scowled and decided that it was time I fought back.

"Who are you?! You're not Buddha! He would never do this!" I angrily yelled.

But I received no reply other than the quieting of the voices. I awaited a reply, but I did not get one. I sighed in irritation and decided to start walking. I didn't know if there was a way out, but I thought that it would not be good to stay in one place for too long. Several minutes later, I began to see a bright red light appear in distance. Thinking that it could be an escape route, I started sprinting towards it. But the closer and closer I got to it, I realized it was anything but.

Stopping about half a mile a away from the light, I stood still in horror at the sight before me. A fire—the light was a fire. And by no means would this allow me to escape. I could not believe what I was seeing. The raging fire stood a full head taller than my 6'7" frame and it burned hot like the sun. So hot I could feel it from where I stood. But it was not the scorching flame that instilled fear in me. No, the fire was the least of my concerns.

Dancing around the tall, red flame were five red, naked, horned creatures. I didn't believe in God or the Devil, but as I stood there in horror I couldn't help but think that this must be what the Devil looked like. Red all over the body with two black horns protruding from its hairless, oval head. Teeth as sharp and long as a shark's and nails just as dangerous. Their eyes were big and black, lacking anything like a pupil. The five of these creatures danced wildly in the darkness, the only light coming from the crackling fire. I didn't know what they were dancing to; I could hear no music. I dared to take a hesitant step closer, straining my ears to head for anything resembling a song.

As I got closer, I could hear what they were dancing to. The five demons—I decided that's what they were—were chanting. Chanting that one horrid word. They repeated nothing but that word. "Peeeenis...! Peeeeeenis...!" Was chanted over and over and over and over and over again.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I covered my aching ears and crouched down as if to hide myself from the sounds. I lifted my shaking eyes to the dancing demons and I screamed when I saw that they, too, were watching me.