City of Sinners

Chapter 30

“The second gate of hell is waiting for us,” I unconsciously said in whispers.

I am pretty sure that everyone was able to hear what the grim reaper have just said. Yet, no one, among any of us, was able to respond. We are all frightened, fear, from what we are seeing in our front. I mean, who would not be feeling fear if you see a skeletal figure walking and moving, and even being able to talk to you? It was surely a nightmare.

Added with the black-colored boats that was floating in the burning river, it seemed that whoever is going to ride those black boats will be joining a death parade.

Apparently, it is us who will be joining that ferocious parade.

We watched how the grim reaper move and walk. However, it seemed that the way how it walks is as if it does not have any feet or legs at all; it was just floating.

It rode on one of the boat. Now, even thpugh it does not have a paddle to make the boat moving, it started to move—as if the Grim reaper has some sort of magical, psychic power that makes the boat moving on its own will.

When the grim reaper noticed that we are not riding the boat, it looked at us wonderingly. And then, it waited.

“Damn it, man, I think that weird bone’s telling us to ride his death boats.” I heard Gaston telling to Valour.

“Shall we ride it?” Valor asked.

“If it is about going to the second gate of hell, so that we can enter the second circle of hell, why not?” I then interfered in their conversation.

Without any second thoughts, I started to walk towards one of the boats. I am the first one who is just having the gut to come towards one of the boat, placed at the river bank.

After having my body peacefully sitting at the boat, I waited for something dangerous to happen. I am alerted for it, but luckily, nothing happened.

I sighed after realizing that I am fine. And so, I once again looked at the coward flocks of men who was just looking at me with both fear and fascination. Well, they can’t blame me for being more courageous than them—for having bigger balls than them.

Seconds after, I’ve seen Valour and Gaston coming on the boat that I am currently riding. The Vulture gang followed.

The boat can only accommodate at least most ten people, that is why there is a whole fleet of black small boat waiting. Now, when the Vultures were already settled, the boat who was filled by us, has started to move, and come beside the Grim reaper’s own boat.

The next group of boats started to move towards the river bank, and then, soon as it came, the boats were immediately filled with members of varying gang. It happened repeatedly until everyone could have the chance in riding the boat, to sail across this Sao Garde river, and to open the second gate of hell.

“Are we sure about this, Sitri?” Gaston whispered beside me. He was wiping the sweat trickling on his forehead and neck because of the extreme heat that are coming from the burning river. Even I, feels uncomfortable, because of the extreme heat of the river. It was not burning as if you’ve touched a pan that has been sitting on a stove for a while, but it was something different: an unexplained hotness that can creep up until the inside of your chest and make you undeniably uncomfortable, which seemed that every part of your body was being paralyzed because of the restraining heat, added with the humidity of it which came from the evaporation of water from the burning river.

“As far as it would lead us to the second circle of hell, I don’t hesitate,” I answered Gaston despite the uncomfort. Added with the heat coming from the body of these men I am with, on the boat, it has even become more hotter and uncomfortable.

When the boats were already filled, and everyone was riding, the fleet of boats started to sail across the river. While it was moving, no one wanted to speak, nor open a conversation. We were just silent, wary of the things that might happen to us as we cross this deadly place.

Until, before reaching the middle of the river, we have noticed something.

“What is that?” I asked, pointing at the moving things swimming in the middle of the river.

“Got no idea,” Gaston said.

“Me neither,” Valour answered.

However, I think I have the slightest idea what could that thing be. And, I have confirmed it when we reached the middle of the river.

One man from our boat screamed when something touched his arm, near the elbows, which was resting at the ridge of the boat. Then we heard a moaning sound from the river.

“Hey, what happened?!” Gaston asked, and quickly, we checked it. There we saw the severely burnt arm of one of our gang member, crying because of the tremendous pain caused by the burn.

The culprit? A human figure swimming at the burning river, moaning, crying, and looking at us, begging us to save him—because he was swimming at the river of hell: the punishment for the sinners.