I landed painfully onto the hard fiery ground with a dull thud. What had happened? All that I could remember was that I was being chased by Death and that I tried to trick him but failed. But wait! Now I remember how I got to this place! I could not escape from Death so I died screaming. There was still one thing that I could not understand at all. How come I ended up in Hell and not Heaven? Did I fail God’s test? Was that why I was sent here?

Thinking hard, I did not notice a blood red creature behind me until when he touched me with his scorching fingers. Screaming out in pain, I spun around and saw the Devil himself! Trembling with fear, I prayed silently to God the Creator. But the force of the Devil was too strong in his own personal home. Not even God could help him now.

“Would you like me to tell you why you are here with me?” asked the Devil with a raspy voice, “Would you?”

When I did not reply, he asked again. “I do not often do favours you know. I will ask again : Would you like me to tell you why you were sent here?”

When still, I did not reply, he told me anyway. “When you tried to escape from the Grim Reaper aka. Death, you insulted him by saying that he stood not a chance against you and your determination and courage. You did not know that Death has the power to temporarily send a holy being to my haven. So you do not have to worry about living here forever.”

Almost fainting in relief, I thought about what it would be like to live in Heaven.

“But!” added the Devil with an evil grin, “There is always a but. But, in the time that you are here, you will be experiencing temporary death.”

I was dragged into a a black flame and was kept there to burn. The fire could not kill me but the pain was extremely excruciating. It burned at heart and soul, tearing my apart. Outside my fiery cage, I spotted an enormous hourglass. Looking at it made my courage start to dim as I discovered that it had only been a minute of my painful torture. I did not think that I would survive this horrible fire but I was determined to. God had a place for me in Heaven! How could I discard the opportunity?