Virgil and I made our way to the final pit in this section of Hell. The screams that escaped from those in this pit shot through my body like barbed wire. I clamped my hands to my ears as Virgil had done with my eyes when we encountered Medusa. The smell of rotting flesh wormed its way through the screams up to our ledge. We walked until we were able to finally make out the bottom of the pit.
Each man was piled on top of other men. They were all grasping at each other for comfort and buried in filth. I noticed that this was one of the only sections of Hell where I found men still relying on one another for comfort and companionship. Many of these sinners were covered in scabs. I saw that these came from incessant scratching of the skin with dirty nails that seemed inhumanly sharp. They were like lepers. I had to stop myself from shying away from them. Thankfully, they couldn't plague me with their diseases.
I may have spoken too soon about these men wanting to be a comfort to one another. Out of nowhere, two sinners came racing toward one that was near us. One of the sinners sunk his tusks into the man's shoulder. He was then dragged over to the bottom of the ditch and his stomach was torn open.
I was left trembling at the sight of all these sinners. Some left to run endlessly and be attacked by Furies, some were punished with lack of movement, and others suffered diseases. One specific man suffered from a thirst that couldn't be quenched. Whenever he leaned down for a drink, the water below him would dry up. Whenever he reached toward lush fruit trees above him, they rose up higher. His lips were cracked and dry and his tongue hung lifelessly.
Looking around, I became fixated on two arguing sinners. I was transfixed until I was scolded by my guide once more. Shame caused my eyes to swell with tears as happens sometimes out of embarrassment. I was so ashamed that I wished to disappear. I had hoped by now that I would be able to prove myself to Virgil as a worthy companion.
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