The Tenth Circle

Canto XXXV
And so we climbed down Satan’s scaly back, 
And at the tip we found ourselves falling  
Into an inky black sea of nothingness.
The faint light of Cocytus disappeared 
From our sight and we were surrounded by 
An eternal and perpetual darkness.
We could not feel the force of gravity here. 
We were no longer at the center of God’s 
creation. I felt no disgust at unholiness 
As this place was neither holy nor was 
it unholy. God was absent from this place. 
The dark felt absent of both life and death. 
The Plague Doctor shined a light so we could 
see better, and before my eyes, countless 
Souls were aimlessly floating with us in here
Most were motionless, some were flailing their 
Arms and legs. But every one of them lacked 
Any features. Their faces were blank like an
Unpainted canvas. I, holding on to the 
Plague Doctor's hand so that I may not float 
Away, asked him why they were featureless. 
“In life, these damned couldn’t afford to be alone 
In quiet for even a second. They spent 
Every passing moment indulging in 
Any form of entertainment they could 
Find, so they could quell their boredom. These damned 
Couldn’t be with their thoughts, so now their mind 
Is all they have left. Their senses are all gone. 
The human mind can deteriorate into 
Madness without any stimuli in
Such a short time, and these souls are denied 
It for all eternity. Their minds are left 
To rot,” said the Plague Doctor. We floated 
Close to a soul who was completely still. 
Just like all the others, its face was gone. 
I softly grabbed its hand with my own to see
If it would react, but it did not stir. It 
Couldn’t feel me. Upon realizing this, 
I was overcome with a deep sadness 
Greater than all that I felt in Hell. These 
Souls were suffering completely and utterly 
Alone in their own minds. They likely 
Believed they were alone in this place
As they couldn’t speak, see, or even feel each 
Other. The Plague Doctor asked if I would like 
To speak to a soul. I said yes. He waved
A hand in front of the face of the soul 
Who’s hand I was still holding. Suddenly 
A mouth and ears formed on its face. There was
A moment of silence, as if the soul had 
No idea of what was going on, 
Then the spirit erupted into a 
Scream louder and more agonizing 
Than any I’d heard in Hell. This realm was 
Endless, and its screams did not echo. 
No other soul reacted or changed their 
Motion. The wailing continued unabated. 
This poor soul had been trapped in its own mind
For God knows how long. It seemed like the screams 
Of a mind that had long since tore itself 
Apart would never end. The Plague Doctor had 
To step in. “Silence you damned fool!” I was 
Taken aback at the doctor’s harshness 
Toward this soul, but it worked. The screams stopped. 
“You may speak to it now,” the Plague Doctor 
Said to me. “What is your name?” I asked the 
Spirit. “I can hear you,” it spoke. “I can 
HEAR you! Am I not alone in this place? 
I thought for so long I was alone here! 
Oh joy, oh joy, oh joy!” “What is your name?
I interrupted. After a moment 
of silence it spoke again. “My surname 
Is Hsieh. I cannot remember my
First name.” I proceeded to ask it why 
It was damned here. “I wasted my life away 
In search of preoccupation with
Entertainment. Video games, I played 
Video games. I remember now. I 
Passed away from life in a cafe. 
I played those damn games for so long. I drank 
No water nor ate any food. I lived 
For the game. It was my purpose. Of 
Course I wasn’t sleeping, and after some 
Time I dozed off, only to find myself 
Stuck in an endless nightmare. Only this
Isn’t a nightmare. I know I must have 
Died and I’m now in Hell.” Hsieh said. “Not 
Hell. We’re past that.” The Plague Doctor replied. 
Hsieh’s mouth made movement as if to 
Speak again but it suddenly closed up 
And disappeared along with his ears. He
Started flailing around rapidly but 
My attempts to calm him down were futile. 
Hsieh was back to his numb state. Just then 
A figure floated out from behind him. 
It was a dark, tall, foreboding being. 
Even before it spoke, I got the sense 
That it was old. Very old. “Who are you?” 
I asked. The being responded in a 
harmony of voices all mashed together.
Some voices sounded young, others sounded 
Ancient. “I am The Void,” it said. I 
Felt extremely frightened of this being,
More frightened by any demon in Hell. 
I hesitantly asked The Void just 
What it was. “I am the empty. I am
Nothing. ‘Nothing’ does exist. I existed long 
Before your God. Unlike him, I was not 
Born. I have always existed. I was
What all there was before your God and his 
Creation. I am neither holy or 
Unholy. I just am. I am the Void. 
Without the universe, there is just 
Emptiness, and that is what I always 
Was.” I pondered for a moment, then I 
Asked why these souls were damned here and not in 
Hell. “The Void is most fitting for them. Their 
Minds wither away into nothing, as
They themselves are in nothing. There is no 
Hope for them. I am eternal. I have 
Existed before God, and I will still
Exist after God’s death. The Void has always 
Existed, and it will always exist. 
Therefore these souls will always exist here.” 
I was startled by what it said about 
God. “God will die too?” I asked. “Oh yes, God 
Will die too, along with all of his creation.
The Void will be all that’s left in the end. 
Only there will be no end as I have no 
End,” the thing replied. I shook at the thought
Of God’s death. Finally my guide spoke up. 
“Will you help us great one, we need to get to 
Purgatory. Do you know of it?” “Yes,” 
It said. And with that, a light appeared below 
Us. “Maybe I’ll see you again someday,” 
The Void said to me as The Plague Doctor
And I floated through the portal. Upon 
Exiting this light, we found ourselves at 
The gates of Purgatory, and although 
I was still shaken, I was glad to be 
Out of that place and to be back in God’s 
Creation, where I could even see the stars. 
 
Category:Poetry