America: 50☆Stars (Vol. 2)

Episode 8: Gates of Hell

Warning: The following episode is rated R for physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. In the context of this episode, such abuse isn't serious or harmful to an extent. However, some readers may be triggered by the vulgarity and/or the extreme behavior that's being depicted. To those who can't stomach such themes, feel free to stop reading at this point and skip this episode. To anyone fearless enough to face the horrors of Hell, don't say I didn't warn you. Mwahahahaha! You've been warned.

~

October 25, 2019—Las Vegas, Nevada

In the twilight of a Friday evening, deviants from all over the world head over to a particular spot in Sin City, looking for a thrilling scare in the spooky spirit of Halloween. They arrive at what appears to be the front gates of a mortuary with '666' painted in jet black and neon green across the stone wall. Frightening screams can be heard from inside the place, giving the people waiting in line a spine-tingling shiver.

"Ah! Save me!" California grabs onto Nevada's arm.

He gives her a blank stare. "Um, what are you doing?"

She fakes a few sniffles while cuddling his arm. "Isn't it obvious? An attractive woman like myself is going to be vulnerable to whatever monsters are in there. You don't want me getting hurt, do you?" She flutters her eyelashes.

"She's going to use you as a meat shield," Arizona whispers behind his back.

"Do you want to be my meat shield then?" She pouts.

He chuckles, "Come on, you two. You shouldn't be fighting on my birthday."

A creepy cackle startles the Olympic Trio. "Did someone say birthday?" A balding pale-faced priest in black Roman Catholic robes stands behind them, licking an upside-down cross necklace in a lewd manner. "I always love seeing familiar faces come back to Hell. It makes me feel...warm inside. Bwahahaha...!"

Arizona and California take a giant step back away from him, their arms covered in goosebumps.

Nevada does the opposite. He greets the talented actor with a friendly smile and a handshake. "Cardinal Sin. It has been a while."

"It certainly has been, birthday boy!" He hands him three waivers for him and his friends to read and sign before taking them back. "As always, I hope you and," he gives the young women a fiendish smile, "your dames can make it through the Gates of Hell. At least in one piece..." He lets out a sinister snicker before moving on to greet more visitors down the line.

California glares at him from afar. "He still gives me the creeps."

Arizona nods her head. "Same."

Nevada rolls his eyes. "If you're already this creeped out, I doubt you two will be able to get very far."

"Oh. Is that a bet?"

He smirks. "If both of you survive, I'm paying for dinner. If either one of you doesn't make it, you'll be paying. And before you agree, this buffet I want to go to costs about sixty dollars per person."

Despite the costs, they agree without hesitation. "Challenge accepted!"

☆☆☆☆☆

Stepping through the pitch-black curtains, the Olympic Trio begin their hellish journey into the Gates of Hell. They start their horrific adventure in a room full of lockers, illuminated by a faint white light above them. They immediately come face to face with a tall shirtless man wearing a black gas mask that covered most of his face except his menacing eyes.