***TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS BLOOD/GORE AND EATING DISORDERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.***

Despite being tired and slightly hungover, the group decided to press on the next day. Georgia asked Finn to join them, but he politely declined. Someone had to make sure the weather control towers stayed down. He saw them off to the edge of the circle. He gave Georgia a hug and a kiss on the cheek before heading back to his bunker. The others continued down to the third level.

Drusilla gave a devilish smile. “Are you sure you don’t want to try to change his mind Miss Georgia? You were awfully cozy aaaaaall night.”

Georgia rolled her eyes. “We’re just friends. Finn was only helping me out. Besides, he’s nice, but not my type.”

“He is cute though in a boyish sort of way. You never know when the seeds of love may bloom.”

“He’s dead. And I’m trying to live. Not exactly practical to fall in love with someone, even if he were my type.” Georgia replied.

“I suppose. But a little romance couldn’t hurt.”

Virgil piped up. “This isn’t a dating service. She’s not here to meet someone new. She’s here to try to avoid total damnation.”

“I know, I know! I’m just saying a little romance wouldn’t hurt anyone.” Drusilla argued.

“It would if they actually fell for each other. Like she said, if she wins, she goes home and leaves him here. If she loses, she’s damned on another floor. Sounds like a lot of pain to me.” Virgil snorted.

Old Verge gave a frustrated sigh. “Oh, now, now children. No need to fight. The young miss said she wasn’t interested.  Young Finn must be halfway home and we’re almost halfway to the next circle. There is no romance, not even a speculative one.”  

“Thank you, Verge.” Georgia said.

Drusilla crossed her arms and huffed. “You all are no fun.”

“I’m not here for fun.” Virgil gruffed. Drusilla frowned and Old Verge shot him a dirty look. Virgil rolled his eyes. “Oh, fine.”

***

As they inched closer to the third circle, a putrid smell filled the air. There was no other way to describe it other than a mixture of death and decay.  When they arrived, the reason for it was clear.

The ground was covered in a grainy sludge because of the constant icy rain. Piles of vomit, rotting food, and bodies littered the ground. The bodies that weren’t covered in the icy sludge lay bloated and exposed. Their eyes bulged out of their head and their large, swollen tongues protruded from their lips. Some were being ravaged by pigs.  

There was a sea of banquet tables covered in food and drink. The people seated at them were forced to consume. Even when they seemed past their breaking point, they were forced to continue to eat and drink until they vomited and then consume it.  This was one of the better scenarios. Some passed out from exhaustion, drowning in rotting food and vomit. Other’s stomachs exploded. Monster like creatures paced the tables making sure there were no moments of rest for those seated.

These weren’t even the worst of the atrocities. In far off corners, some people were forced to consume large amounts of drugs, money, and sex. The state of these men and women were far worse than anything else Georgia had seen. The mouth of one of the men forced to consume dollars and coins was covered in cuts and bruises. His stomach protruded with coins like it would burst any moment. The soul next to him seemed to have already met that fate. Bloody coins and dollar bills spilled from their torn stomach.

In addition to the pigs, there were half pig men running around ravaging what they could, dead or alive.

Drusilla vomited. A few pigs ran up to lick it up causing her to vomit again. Georgia whisked her away and the other woman clung to her. “What is this horrible place?”

“Gluttony, my dear child.” Old Verge replied grimly.

“How can…how can things be so different? So cruel?”

“One could say the act of overindulgence is cruel. Cruel to oneself, cruel to those around them. A cold act of selfishness.”

“You’re not saying people deserve this?” Drusilla asked in shock.

Virgil shook his head. “No, dear child. But this was something chosen. We can’t help what people choose to do, especially at this stage.”

 Drusilla looked to Georgia with wide, terrified eyes. Georgia looked around her, not seeing a way to help these people. There were no towers to topple. No people to rally together and rise against their oppressors. There were far too many. Here lay only the broken and defeated.

She smiled at Drusilla and patted her arm. “We’ll see what we can do. For now, let’s see if we can find Luci. We may find a way while we’re looking.”

“Thank you.”

Georgia patted her arm again as she set off to begin hunting.

***

Time seemed to grind to a halt as Georgia and the others searched for Luci. She had touched and smelled things she never dreamed of. The sludge seemed to be caking onto her so much, Georgia feared she was going to be encased in it. And yet they still hadn’t found that damned snake!

Her attention drifted to Drusilla. She wasn’t completely covered in muck, but her dress was torn in several places. She bit her lip as she gingerly sifted through waste and bodies. It looked like she was trying to hold back tears.

Georgia turned to Virgil who was standing nearby.

“Hey Mr. Washington, do you think you could take Drusilla to the side and distract her or something? She doesn’t look too hot.”

Virgil laughed bitterly. “I don’t think I’m the right person to comfort her.”

“What’s your beef with her anyway? You’ve been picking at her ever since she met with us.”

“I don’t like people who use people.” He replied.

“But everyone uses people in some way. Love, money, company, sex. Everyone wants something outta someone.”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you really believe that.”

“I can be cynical too.” Georgia replied quietly.

Virgil sighed. “I can’t promise to make her feel better.”

“I’d just appreciate the effort. She might not be as bad as you think.”

“Or she might not be as good as you think. But I’ll play along.” He said as he walked away.

Georgia sighed. Maybe this was too much than she bargained for.

***

Georgia found herself humming to drown out the desperate cries of the souls around her. Some grabbed at her begging to be saved. All she could do is provide words of comfort and encouragement as she continued to sift through the surrounding rot. She was getting really fed up with this circle.

“Not having so much fun now huh, little miss ‘Heroine of Hell’.” One of the demons patrolling the tables mocked.

“Seems like you are.” Georgia replied.

“Of course! We feed on suffering. Pain is the greatest pleasure. And you sure have been giving us a lot.”

Georgia rolled her eyes as she continued to feel around the table she was searching. She felt something long and rubbery in a pile of rotting food. Assuming it was some poor soul’s intestine, she gently pulled and squealed when she saw it was Luci. She sighed in relief. “About damn time.”

The snake seemed amused. “We told you we wouldn’t go easy on you from now on.”

“Revenge for the towers?”

“We don’t need to resort to revenge. After all, you are in our home, and we are playing a game. We are playing to win.”

Georgia smiled. “So am I. I’ll give you a head start.”

“See you on the next level.”