Welcome to Hell

It had been a wonderful Christmas but January came with some weirdness. Varg had disappeared after Christmas day. He didn’t stop by the shop and no one knew where he had gone to.

One frigid January day the shop was pretty slow. It always happened following a church burning. It was snowing outside blanketing the city. Benedikte and Kirsten were watching the shop while Euronymous was working in the basement office. The girls wondered why he would want to be in the frigid basement on a day like this. Faust no longer worked there, trying to dodge suspicions concerning the murder he committed.

Kirsten was going through the new releases with a bored expression, and slightly sighing every few seconds. The shrill ringing of the telephone broke the uncomfortable silence. Benedikte, who was next to the phone, picked it up on the first ring.

“Helvete how may I help you?” Benedikte spoke into the receiver.

“Hey Benedikte, it’s me Varg. Um, I’m in jail,” Varg stated.

“Where have you been we’ve been wondering? Why the hell are you in jail?” Benedikte screamed.

“Well a few days I went to the newspaper in Bergen and told them I burned the churches and about the black circle. They’ve arrested me on church burning charges.”

“Dammit Varg you such a fucking idiot sometimes. Well you’ll have to stay in there. I’m not coming to bail you out but I’m telling Euronymous.” Benedikte said and then slammed the receiver down.

Benedikte was fuming and her shoulders were shaking. Kirsten saw her face and rushed to ask her what was wrong.

“Well Varg’s in jail for saying he burnt the churches down to the newspaper. He even told them about the black metal circle. So now I need to tell Euronymous, he’s gonna be pissed.” Benedikte answered.

She walked slowly down the stairs to the basement. She knew that this would not be easy.

“Hey Euronymous you gotta a second?” Benedikte said softly.

“Sure what’s up,” he asked.

She told him all about Varg and what he had said to the newspaper.

“Really why the hell would he do that.” Euronymous exploded.

All Benedikte could do was shrug her shoulders. She was a little afraid of what he would do.

“Well all we can do is wait and see what else the paper is gonna say. I know they are going to blow this way out of proportion.” Euronymous said as he led Benedikte upstairs.

And blow it out of proportion they did. The newspaper took interest and dug up reports of satanic cults. They made tenuous connections between that and the black circle. When Varg was let out of jail on lack of evidence he went back to the newspaper. He told them it was a hoax and a way to spread the Burzum name and himself.

When Benedikte went back to work there was a crowd of media personalities. She had to wade and push through people to get through to the front door. Questions were hurled her way and she ignored them. Once she got through the door only Euronymous and Kirsten were inside.

“What the hell are we gonna do? We’ve gotta do something.” Benedikte said.

“We’ve gotta go out there and tell them something. Come with me girls I’m gonna try to set the record straight.” Euronymous said.

He locked his arms with theirs and walked them outside stoically.

“Members of the press,” Euronymous said loudly and everyone quieted down.

“My colleague Varg has made some statements to the press. They do not represent my store or my views. Helvete is just a normal record store and nothing else. I would like you to leave my property before I call the police. I will take no questions from any of you.” Euronymous said in his most commanding tone.

They walked back into the store and locked the doors. He heaved a sigh of relief and turned to the girls. Benedikte noticed small lines had started to appear on Euronymous’ youthful face.

“Okay I’m gonna give you all a list of the people in the black circle. All three of us will make phone calls giving them a heads up. I’m gonna be closed for few weeks while we figure all this out. In addition to you two when we open back up I’m gonna call a few friends to help out. Come on we’ve got lots to do.” Euronymous said.

All of them rushed to start the calls. Once they opened back up they were only on the weekends. They called help when they needed it. The whole scene stayed away from the record store.

All was well and Metalion even came by to say hi. He told Benedikte that he was gonna stay in Sarpsborg for a while. If she or any of the girls wanted to see him they should come to his house. Benedikte understood if she didn’t work there she wouldn’t come by either.

Sadly their friend Natasha moved away to live with her new boyfriend Marko Laiho in Finland. She came by the shop to talk to the girls. She told him that she had been talking to him since she was 17 and they finally decided to move in together. When they found out he was in a black metal band too and Natasha said she would send them some of the tapes when they were released. They said goodbye to their friend the same day Varg came back into their lives.

The day he came back it was cold and stormy. The storm marked the coming of evil and Varg’s return. He walked into the store with tired eyes and his hair was matted down from the rain. Kirsten was the first to see him and couldn’t recognize the man she once loved.

“Oh my God Varg is that you.” Kirsten said as her smile faded.

“Hey Kirsten,” Varg said.

She moved the hair from his eyes and scanned her eyes over his figure. Kirsten brought her hand up and slapped him hard across the face.

“You go to the newspaper and put us in the public eye, you disappeared for two weeks, and all you have to say is hi.” Kirsten said tersely raising her voice on the word ‘hi’.

“I’m sorry Kirsten but you need to know the whole story. Get everyone together because I have to tell you guys everything.” Varg said.

Kirsten found Benedikte and Euronymous in the back room, told them to hear him out, then took them to see Varg.

They locked the door of the shop and they all walked to the basement together in complete and awkward silence.

They sat down on the sofa and Varg began his speech.

“So this all started when two friends of mine interviewed me.” Varg began with weariness in his voice.

“In the interview I told them that I burnt the churches and covered for Faust about the killing in Lillehammer. They then brought it to the journalist at Bergens Tidende named Bjørn Tønder, hoping he would print it. Bjørn and I set up a meeting, but when they came, I told them I would shoot them if the police were called. We told the journalist that we burned the churches or knew who did it and we would continue the attacks. My friends claimed to be devil worshippers and I wanted to spread fear and devilry. I wanted to instill panic and to promote black metal and Helvete. I stupidly told them details of the church burnings unreleased by the press. Apparently he took what I said to the police to check the validity. The police said they found me from my address on a Burzum flyer but I know that journalist snitched on me. I did exaggerate some and he didn’t get I was pulling his leg. He edited the interview to sound more insane then it was. Me and a lot of the scene members were arrested but they had no evidence. I didn’t expect all this to happen and I’m sorry.” Varg explained.

There were no questions because of the detailed account. Varg sound sincere about his apology.

Euronymous broke the uneasy silence. Varg I understand all of that but we’re gonna have to just deal with whatever else happens. We can just forget about this because we’re putting your EP Aske.

“So we’re just going to forget this, what the hell is wrong with you.” Benedikte said bolting up off the couch.

“Benedikte there are more important things. Besides the heats died down, you’ll see it will all be okay.” Euronymous said sternly.

Before they walked out of the basement Kirsten and Benedikte exchanged worried glances. They could only sit back and see what would happen.