A Light in the Darkness
A Novel by Rebecca “Reiko” Ohashi
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Copyright 2010 Rebecca “Reiko” Ohashi
Chapter 1
Introduction
The world is a fun thing to watch – like one big reality TV show. One family’s got problems, and another is in the lap of luxury. Yet, just like the television, there are only certain channels you want to watch. Celebrity lives are like one big paparazzi movie – all gossip made up to please people, and you better believe that gets boring. There are so many teen dramas – many of them are useless, not because of the people themselves, but because of the lives they choose to live. The good ones are the lives that get out of control, spontaneous, cheating life kind of lives.
But when you live as long as I do, you just want to get back in there and do it all yourself. I was human once before; before the world was stuck on computers and cell phones, when things were so much simpler. They’re losing basic communication and emotions – but when you die, you can’t feel, and those are the things you want back the most. Or so I thought.
It happened one day while I was watching families welcome their parents, siblings, sons, and daughters back home from a war – there were so many happy tears.
“Father, why can’t we feel like humans can,” I said aloud.
“You have felt what a human feels,” a warm fatherly voice called down to me, “you are past that stage my son.”
But I couldn’t get past it – I wanted my life back. I didn’t want to die and never feel again, “Father, I want to be human.”
“You cannot.”
I forced myself to look away from Earth, “make me human, Father. I can’t just stay here and watch this forever,” I said with my emotionless voice.
“I cannot give you a human body. It is not your time – you are a Watcher.”
I turned back around from the beaming light – I needed to feel that emotion – I needed to feel anger, but I couldn’t. A hot feeling flooded my vision, and I could feel the warmth around me, “why?”
“I disown you my son. Fall to Earth and feel everything – you cannot come back here.”
And in a flood of tears I fell from the clouds to Earth, and to humanity.
***
“Yo, Layla!”
“Hey, Keith,” I grinned as I approached my group of friends.
“Babe,” Keith growled when I stood beside him, “you’re looking super hot today.”
I smiled and turned a small pirouette on the spot, “Thanks.”
The rest of the group was in deep conversation, something about piercings and band labeled shirts. I, for one, never listened to what they had to say. I didn’t like dressing like this – but all of my friends somehow ended up as a group of rebels and dressed like punk rockers. Leather jackets were one thing, but bondage pants, platform boots, and piercings galore was a whole other story.
Luckily I had a leather jacket to begin with, and I loved wearing skinny jeans which was okay in their book. Any shirt with a band logo was a hit, or any plain shirt for that matter. V-necks were my favourite, with big jewelry. I looked more like a rock star than a punk rocker, but it was how I fit in. As for the piercings, mine were pretty much all fake – thank God for seamless rings. My parents hated me wearing any makeup, most of the time they weren’t there when I got home so I had time to wash my face. Things have gotten a lot easier since I’ve moved out – but I still wash my face the moment I walk through the door.
I think everyone knows that I fake the hair and piercings, but they’re okay with it; I’m not the only one.
“Everyone ready to go,” bellowed Keith as the last few members of our group arrived, “time to crash some parties!”
We go to the college dorms and find the biggest parties – bring drinks and, well, drugs, and kick the parties up a notch. I had smoked weed – twice – but I had never done anything worse than that. I’ve never gotten drunk either; I can act it out if I need to get away though.
This weekend there was a huge post-midterm Hallowe’en party. We heard it was costumes only, but since we’re rebels, we had to rebel.
Keith hammered on the door – we could hear the music pounding through it. And when the door opened, the beats figuratively smacked us all in the face. Keith exchanged words with the lead man of the party, and we were in. The hard drinks and drugs were out the moment we reached the main room. The music rang in my ears as I walked by the DJ’s speakers.
“Take a drag,” Willow barked in my ear as she passed me one of the biggest joints I had ever seen. I play along and turn my head as I pretended to take a drag and passed it along. Willow pulls me up close to her and we push into the mass of dancing bodies. All I could smell was booze, sweat, and skunk smoke. I learned to tolerate it after four years – high school ended with tons of weed, and that was the first time I tried it.
We were at the centre of the dance floor when the room started spinning. I noticed that Willow was not the only person grinding her body on mine, and I knew I had to leave to get some air. I danced my way out of the crowd, avoiding the passing of the joints.
I made it to the back door and let myself out into the misting rain. Clouds covered the sky and the sun had just set – I decided to take a quick walk before heading back in to the party. I hopped over the short fence to the sidewalk on the other side.
I walked for about a block before my head was completely clear – it had been a few months since we had crashed a party that big. I decided to grab a clean drink from the convenience store only half a block more ahead. I turned into a well lit alleyway for a shortcut.
I watched my hair blow in front of me as a harsh wind hit my back. I was frozen in my place – what I was staring at was unreal. My mind wanted me to walk, march right up to the body and see if everything was okay. Yet, my own body would not move, would not even let me turn and walk away.
The body arched on the cold wet concrete. It pushed itself up before falling right back down on the hard ground. A gasp escaped from the mouth of the body as it hit.
Right then I knew I had to help – I forced my body to move. I sprinted for the body, now lying completely motionless on the ground. I fell to my knees at his side. He was downright gorgeous; my heart pounded harder. I had to help him.
I reached for his hand, and grasped it lightly in mine while reaching over to check his pulse. Right then, I hated myself for not paying attention in my high school’s first aid class. I could feel his pulse! He was still alive.
“Are you alright?” I asked cautiously in a low voice. I felt his fingers twitch in my hand and his eyes flickered as if he was a baby in a bright light.
He looked at me with a blank expression on his face, saying nothing in response to my question. His hand, however, moved in mine – as if he’d never held another hand before.
“Are you okay?” I asked again, this time more loudly if he could not have heard me the first time. This time he opened his mouth as if to say something, but only took in a deep breath before closing his eyes once more.
I pulled my hand from his and stood beside him, “I guess you’re fine, but it would be a whole lot more helpful if you could answer my questions.”
His hand reached up for me ever so slightly – barely a foot off of the ground. I squatted back down and touched my hand to his, for some weird reason, I wasn’t scared of him. I felt as if I knew him – as if I could trust him. His fingers patted my palm gently. What did he want me to do? He couldn’t be…
“A-are you a mute? Or maybe,” I stuttered, “deaf?”
My face felt read hot with embarrassment and I patted him on the shoulder with my other hand. He looked at me again and I said slowly, “Are you hurt? Is it alright if I help you sit up?”
He nodded slightly and I realized I had asked him two very different questions. Regardless, I placed one of my hands behind his neck and grasped his hand with my own. I gave a slight tug and he helped me along, pushed himself up on his elbows and then into a sitting position. His body wavered under his own weight, and that’s when I saw wings.
There were wings on his back. I tried touching them but they weren’t tangible, and they weren’t see-through either. They were like angel’s wings, but they were black and badly wrecked.
“What are these?” I wondered aloud, “Am I seeing things?”
He shook his head slowly and looked at me, “They’re my wings, only,” he paused, “I don’t think I can use them here like this.”
I was startled. His voice was crisp and sweet, but very much mature. So he could hear me before, and he definitely was not mute. But he knew he had wings? Maybe I imagined his voice as well. I must have inhaled too much of that skunk smoke.
“I’m sorry,” I laughed, “I must be seeing things. Can I help you up?”
I stood and grabbed both of his hands, “lean forward when I pull you up, okay?” He nodded again and I tugged him up to his feet. His wings spread high and wide but cast no shadow. He stumbled forward and almost knocked me to the ground. His weight pressed down on me as I tried as hard as I could to keep him upright.
“I can’t,” he gasped. He weighed a ton! It was as if he wasn’t supporting himself at all.
“You’re not drunk, are you,” I grunted as he continued to lean into me, “Just put your feet flat on the ground!”
Just then, I heard voices rushing down the alleyway, “Yo, man, what’s going on here,” one shouted, “That’s not cool, dude,” yelled another. And then his body was off of mine and back on the ground. I stumbled backwards and leaned against the alley wall; out of breath.
Keith and Toby were there – pacing around his body – barking rude remarks at him. Then, Toby planted a kick into his side, and next Keith did the same.
“Stop,” I whimpered. I walked over and kneeled beside his body once again, “I’m sorry; we’re going to help you now.”
“What are you saying, Layla?” Keith bellowed at me, “He was all over you! And now you want to help him?”
“He couldn’t stand up by himself!”
“He’s must be drunk,” Toby sneered.
I jumped up and took a swing at Toby, but he was faster and kicked me in the stomach.
“Dude,” Keith hollered as he caught me from behind, “what the fuck?” Keith cradled me in his arms and asked me if I was okay. I nodded but clasped my stomach – Toby wasn’t holding back on that one, he must be pretty intoxicated. Keith’s eyes were extremely dilated and I knew they both must have smoked more than weed.
I swallowed hard – I didn’t want them to get angrier than they already were, “I want to help him, I swear he didn’t do anything to me, Keith. I can’t just call the cops to come get him.”
Keith let go of me and walked over to his body, “What’s your name, buddy?”
“Lucifer.”
Chapter 2
Lucifer
I woke up in a dark, sweet smelling room. I tried to move, but I still felt so heavy. There was the sound of birds chirping outside the window and I hoped that meant it was morning. Wandering in and out of sleep for the next few hours, or so said the digital clock beside me, until light engulfed the room.
I heard some sort of clatter coming from somewhere else in the house, and then someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” I croaked weakly.
The door opened to reveal a charming looking girl. Her hair was dark, long, and straight with a full bang. She had hazel eyes, pouty lips, and wonderfully tanned skin. Her body was a healthy hourglass shape which her fitted clothes accentuated beautifully. I then noticed she had brought a plate of food in with her.
“Are you hungry,” she asked politely, “Can you move yet?”
“You only ever ask questions,” I replied sourly, grunting as I tried to sit up again.
“And you answer none of them,” she said with a sigh and helped me prop myself up against a pillow. “Okay, well, here’s your breakfast, I need to shower and get ready for work,” she said as she put the plate of food on my lap, “I expect you to be ready to leave when I’m done.”
“Wait,” I said hesitantly when she was just outside the door, “I can’t eat this.”
“Excuse me,” she said exasperatedly.
“I mean,” I stuttered, “I mean I can’t physically eat it!”
“You’ve got some nerve!”
“No,” I sputtered, “I mean I can’t move my arms!”
At that she softened, “oh,” was all she said before she came back into the room and took the plate from my lap. She sat softly beside me on the bed and pricked a piece of scrambled egg with the fork and lifted it to my face.
I opened my mouth and bit down on the piece of egg. I chewed it slowly – you never ate food in heaven, you didn’t need to eat. I couldn’t believe how much I missed eating after just one bite.
“Your name is Lucifer, right?” she asked suddenly.
“Uh, yes, it is.”
She looked up at me with a kind smile, “My name is Layla.” She dropped her head back down as she fed me my next bite.
“Don’t you have to get ready for work,” I asked when she was just about finished feeding me breakfast.
She looked quickly at the clock and her eyes widened, “I guess there’s no time for a shower now! Look, if you can promise me you won’t steal anything, I can be back to give you some lunch and then maybe I can call someone you know to come pick you up. Alright?”
I scrambled for words as she rushed around her room grabbing clothing items, but she left before I could give her a straight answer. I sat for a few minutes wondering what I should do now. I shifted myself back into a more comfortable sleeping position, and decided to take a nap until she got back.
***
I quickly slammed the door behind me and hoped that would wake Lucifer up if he wasn’t already – I only had a few minute before I would have to drive back to work. I threw my jacket and purse on the couch and I made my way through the entranceway, kitchen, and hall, to my bedroom.
“Hey, Layla,” Lucifer grinned and waved as I entered the room.
“Uh, hi, look I have to feed you quick cause I need to get back to work in a few minutes. Did you get some more sleep?”
Lucifer nodded and sat up quickly beside me. I unwrapped one fast-food burger and shoved it in my own mouth before I opened another and held it in front of Lucifer.
“Hey wait,” I murmured incoherently through the burger, and then pulled it away from my mouth with my free hand, “You can get up on your own now? And your wings are gone! I mean, I’m not sure they were there in the first place because Keith and Toby couldn’t see them, maybe the weed did that. God, you must think I’m crazy for even bringing that up.”
Lucifer giggled a very disturbingly cute giggle. It was then that I noticed his lean body and well toned muscles. He had pure blonde hair and piercing grey eyes. His skin was pale – but not the kind of pink pale tone most people were – it was a strange sort of pale. When we had found him, he was wearing nothing but a sash across his nether regions – Keith gave him some clothes to cover him up when he left him with me the night before.
“I think breakfast helped,” he said as he stretched his arms out in front of him, and bent his legs under the covers. He then proceeded to arch his back and I saw the wings faintly reappear.
“What are you,” I asked, astonished.
“Well I’m,” he paused, “I’m human I guess,” he said looking down at his hands. “I can’t believe the old man did it! He really made me human!”
All I could do was sit and stare at him. He was as astonished at himself as I was with the fact that I could see wings on his back. I placed the burger beside him on my bed and got up to leave. But Lucifer grabbed my arm, hard.
“Ouch, let go!” I whimpered as I pulled away quickly.
“I’m sorry,” he said, shocked, “I didn’t mean to, I swear. I don’t know my own strength yet.” He slowly got out of my bed and put his hands up in front of himself.
Keith’s baggy pants hung loosely about Lucifer’s hips, and as he stepped closer to me I could see them shifting in a downward motion.
“Stop,” I shouted, “You’re sick, tricking me into feeding you like that – and lending you my bed for the night! I want you out of my house by the time I get home from work.” I turned and ignored anything he had to say to me. I helped him to get back on his feet – I did my good deed, right?
***
I heard the door slam behind her, and the sound rang over and over in my ears. It seems that once I had digested human food, I had acquired heightened senses. Can you see me now, Father? I’m meant to be human. I can be the best human on Earth.
I picked up the burger Layla had left on the bed and devoured it hurriedly. I needed to tell him that I was right. I pulled on a shirt that had also been left on the bed and took a trip to the bathroom before taking off out the front door.
Just then, Keith was pulling up in Layla’s driveway.
“Hey, Keith,” I grinned as he exited his car.
He marched right up to me and sneered, “Where’s Layla?”
“She’s at work,” I stated simply, not mentioning Layla’s outburst at me.
Keith relaxed and let out a deep breath, “Well I can see you can walk by yourself now. But you certainly can’t dress yourself.”
I blinked and looked down at what I was wearing – I didn’t have shoes on like Keith did.
“Look, man, why don’t you come with me and I’ll give you some of my old clothes,” Keith said unexpectedly.
“I thought you didn’t like me.”
Keith perked up, “Nah, man, I like Layla, and if she says you’re okay, then you’re alright in my books.” He walked back around to the driver’s seat of his car and motioned for me to get in on the other side. We drove for no more than five minutes before he pulled in at what I guessed was his home. He told me to stay in his car though – his family never liked having guests.
I pulled on a pair of socks and old sneakers from the box he had brought back out to his car, “Thanks, I really appreciate this.”
“No problem,” Keith chuckled, “So whereabouts do you live? Do you need a ride?”
“Uh, I,” I stumbled for words – what could I tell him? How was I going to get back to Father… how could I communicate with him? “I don’t remember.”
Keith’s eyes grew wide, “Dude, do you have amnesia, or something? Is that why you were, like, naked when we found you?”
I leaned on the hood of Keith’s car and thought about what I should do. What if I was stuck here for good? Father, I know I wanted to be a human, but I didn’t think you would leave me here with nowhere to go. But if he had really made me human, wouldn’t I have forgotten him, and my past life?
“Look, maybe one of our friends can house you up for a while – we may be rebels, but we’ve still got hearts. I’m sure a missing report will come out eventually.”
“Right,” I sighed, “I guess I’ll just ask Layla if I can stay at her place a little longer.”
“Whoa, man, I didn’t mean her – you’re a dude – I’m going to have to set you up at one of our guys’ houses. Maybe Toby’s got room,” Keith thought aloud as we got back into his car, “you got no money either, I’m guessing.”
I shook my head and we pulled back out onto the road. As we were driving, we passed a hospital, and that’s when I noticed it. I still had the ability to see spirits passing into heaven! One of an angel’s jobs is to help pull spirits up to heaven when a person dies. I had done it very few times – but maybe if I could do it now, I could make it to heaven and see Father. But hospitals always had angels all over them – I would have better luck finding a spirit somewhere else.
Chapter 3
Layla
I hung around work for an extra hour before I decided to head home – I hoped Lucifer had left already, although for some reason, part of me wanted him to still be there so I could apologize for overreacting. When I pulled up to my house – a small condo my parents used to rent out for extra cash – I noticed Keith’s red ‘01 Honda Prelude parked outside. He poked his head out his window as I parked in my driveway.
“Hey, Keith,” I called as I got out of my silver ’05 Toyota Camry. I wonder if he saw Lucifer leave.
“Hey, Layla, can we talk?”
I made my way to the front door and I heard his door slam, “Sure, come on in!” I didn’t hear Lucifer in the house – I just hoped he wasn’t hiding around a corner somewhere.
Keith closed the door behind him and followed me into the kitchen where he took a beer from my fridge. He settled himself against a counter as I scoured my fridge and cupboards for dinner.
“So you’re staying for dinner then,” I asked as he chugged down half of his beer bottle.
“Mm,” he grumbled, “what’s for dinner, babe?”
I pulled a box of spaghetti from the cupboard and turned to show him, “Pasta? I’d have to make the sauce from scratch though.”
He rubbed his stomach and mouthed, “Yum, yum,” with a grin on his face. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me closer to him, “You should go put your piercings in before Toby and Willow come over.”
“They’re coming here too?” I exclaimed with a furrowed brow.
Keith threw his head back and laughed. I watched his Adam’s apple slide viciously up and down his throat. He looked back down at me – he was about a foot taller than I was – with his gorgeous green eyes. “Of course they are; you don’t have work tomorrow, right?” He said calmly, running his free hand through his unkempt jet black hair.
Keith was a very handsome guy, the only reason I never wanted to go out with him was because of the drugs – and he knew that. He’d never crossed that line, but as we looked at each other now, he leaned down and kissed me. He pulled me in closer and I felt his lean body against mine for the first time.
I pulled back, I hated telling myself that I couldn’t have what I wanted, and I couldn’t be with someone who used drugs as much as Keith did. “Not now, Keith.”
“I’ll stop this time, babe,” Keith pleaded, “I’ll do it for you.”
“No, Keith, you won’t. You’re even on it right now, right? Your pupils are dilated.”
Keith froze and dropped his grip on me, “I’m sorry, I swear it’s the last time.”
I shook my head and turned back to the cupboard to grab a pot, “When are they supposed to get here?”
“I swear I’ll stop, Layla. I can do it if you help me – you’ve always resisted using.”
“That’s because I never started in the first place – and marijuana isn’t addictive. I can’t help you get off of,” I paused as I filled the pot with water, “I can’t help you get off of whatever you’re on right now, Keith.”
Just then there was a knock on the door. I patted Keith on the shoulder and he went to the bathroom to clean himself up. I ran to my room and slipped on my piercings before answering the door. It was Willow.
“Hey, girl! What happened to you at the party yesterday? I mean I know you had work today, but you didn’t have to split so soon. Is Keith here? His car is outside. Oh! Whatchya making for dinner?”
“Just a bunch of pasta,” I chuckled as I handed Willow a beer from the fridge. I pulled out a bunch of garlic and onions too. I put my water on to boil and opened a couple cans of tomato sauce into another big pot – adding some herbs and the chopped veggies to it as well.
“You should cook for, like, real, y’know?” Willow said as she watched me throw the spaghetti into the boiling water.
“Well thanks,” I said, not wanting to protest and generate a huge argument with her – she always got her way no matter what anyways.
Keith joined us about a minute later and continued on as if nothing had happened between us. We chatted for a while until there was another knock on the door.
“It must be Lucifer and Toby,” Keith said as he grabbed a third beer from the fridge.
The pasta pot made a loud clang as I dropped it in the sink, “What do you mean Lucifer and Toby?”
“Oh right, I was supposed to tell you,” Keith explained, “Lucifer has amnesia so he’s staying at Toby’s place until they put out a missing persons’ report or whatever.”
“Amnesia?” Willow said, surprised, “Wait, who’s Lucifer?”
“He’s a friend of mine,” I stuttered as Keith went to open the door. Lucifer had amnesia? I guess that’s possible knowing the condition we found him in. But I was so angry at him – and how did Keith and Toby end up taking care of him?
I continued preparing dinner – now plating the sauce on the mounds of spaghetti I had cooked. Willow came in to check on me for a brief second before she left to give everyone another round of beers. I called her back in a moment later to take the plates out to everyone. I grabbed a cooler out from a hidden spot in the fridge and took a few deep breaths before I headed into the other room.
Lucifer looked right at me as I came around the corner – and as usual, Willow was clinging to the new guy. Her short red dyed hair was pressed up against his shoulder and she had stripped off her baggy hoody to reveal her favourite netted tank top and short black leather skirt. She claimed she could get any guy with that outfit – and I wouldn’t doubt all the horn dogs who’d agree with her on that one.
“Hey, looks like your man isn’t bad after all,” Toby teased, pretending to sock me in the stomach. Toby was like an out of control, big brother type kind of guy. He was big, healthy big, and tall, somewhere around six feet. His buzz cut, combat skills, and combat boots always made me wonder if he’d participated in a war at one point without me knowing it.
“Can I talk to you?” Lucifer said to me when we had all finished eating.
Keith looked at me strangely, but I nodded him off and he pulled out a joint and headed to my backyard. Toby and Willow followed him out. So much for his promise to quit all the drugs. I started piling up the plates, and Lucifer followed suit; gathering up all the beer bottles.
We stood briefly on opposite sides of the kitchen, fidgeting, and waiting for each other to start the conversation.
***
“I’m sorry, Lucifer,” Layla said finally, breaking the silence.
“No,” I said cautiously, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. I mean, I had just realized my Father had given me what I had asked for, and I was just so thrilled to be human, and be on Earth – I could move, and feel again. It’s been centuries since I’ve been able to feel.”
Layla’s expression changed from sympathetic to scared, and said, “Hold on. So you don’t have amnesia – because you can remember your family, your father. But… who are you, or rather, what are you? What do you mean by centuries? You can’t be very much older than I am.”
I approached Layla slowly, and I could tell she was afraid of me – or of what I had to say. “I know a lot of humans don’t believe in such things but I’m an angel, from heaven, I mean.”
“Are you serious?” Layla snorted, “Does that line usually work on the ladies for you?”
At that moment I knew I shouldn’t have told her something so ridiculous to humans. I was angry though that she, the one person I thought would understand would not take me seriously. Was this what Father wanted for me? No, I had to talk with him, and fast. I turned to leave the room, but Layla grabbed my hand. Hers was warm and soft, and I could feel her pulse beating quickly through her body.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “Maybe it is true – I mean I can see your wings again right now.”
“Really?” I exclaimed and turned and pulled her with me to the bathroom. The mirror did not lie – I could see them too, and when I concentrated I could feel the weight of them on my back. “It’s a miracle,” I mumbled.
Layla stood beside me, admiring them in the mirror as I was.
I turned to her, “I think you made them come back,” I stated quickly. I placed my hands gently on her shoulders, looked straight at her, and beamed. My smile vanished as her eyes wandered from my wings to my face – her eyes set off fireworks in my chest. I couldn’t help myself as I bent my head down and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
***
I had butterflies in my stomach as he looked right at me – if anything, I could believe he was an angel by the beauty and perfection of his face, and body. I rocked myself back on my heels as his face drew closer to mine. His lips were soft and gentle on my own.
As he withdrew from the kiss, I felt my heart wrench, and my body grew weak.
***
“Layla?” I asked anxiously, “Layla, please get up!”
I shook her body in my arms as I kneeled with her on the floor. I checked her pulse, but she didn’t have one. What happened to her?
“Lucifer?” I heard her voice say.
I looked up and saw her spirit floating just above her body, “Layla! What happened?”
I quickly reached for her lifeline and was relieved when I was able to hold onto it. Her spirit was bright, and it emanated throughout the whole bathroom. Her body twitched as I tried to tie her back into her reality.
“Lucifer, did you do this to me? Can angels kill people?” she asked.
“I, I don’t know, Layla.” I stuttered.
“Oh, but I do,” said an eerie voice that flooded the room, “Lucifer my son, how grateful I am that you have decided to join me.”
I grasped Layla’s lifeline tight in my hand as I looked around the room, “Show yourself!” I screamed.
“What’s going on in there,” I heard Keith’s voice bark from just outside the house. He came rushing in the bathroom, nearly breaking down the door. I could smell the sour alcohol coming off of his breath. He stumbled and leaned in the doorway, “I said – what’s going on here?”
Of course all Keith would be able to see would be Layla lying motionless on the ground and me, holding my tightly clenched fist in the air – really holding her lifeline.
“What the fuck did you do?” Keith demanded as he fell to his knees and tried to pull Layla’s body from my grip.
I knew what he would suspect, and I also knew he would never let me leave this house. But I couldn’t help Layla – I was the one who killed her – once you truly die, you can’t come back to life. Or at least that’s what I had always been told. Maybe I could talk to Father, tell him it was all a mistake.
“Wait,” I whispered, remembering the voice.
“Yes, my son?” the same eerie voice seethed through the walls, “What’s the matter – won’t you devour her soul? Or shall I do it for you?”
A dark matter evaporated through the mirror and formed a dark figure in front of me.
“Who are you?” I asked as I gritted my teeth – this had to be the one who killed Layla.
A large mouth appeared in the smoky bubbling mass of darkness and shed a gruesome grin upon us, “Why I’m your father, dear son.”
“You are not my father!” I screamed at the mass.
“Who the fuck are you talking to?” Keith growled at me as he tried to keep his balance in the doorway. “Just shut the fuck up and talk to me you asshole.”
“Shut up Keith!” I roared as I felt my anger rise to the surface.
The mass bobbed closer to me and murmured, “He’s going to hell anyway, why don’t we see how his soul tastes.”
I stood up swiftly, still clenching Layla’s lifeline in my hand, “You are not my father, you can’t be. You’re the devil, aren’t you?”
The mass bubbled madly as it cackled, “You’re clever! But you are my son now. You’re a fallen angel – you must have been an appalling boy to upset your father and send you down here like this. And you don’t have to clench that lifeline so hard, she’s coming to hell with or without your help… since you were the one to kill her.”
My breath caught as I loosened my grip on her lifeline – it was true – her lifeline had become fused to my hand, there’s no way she was going anywhere now. Father had told me of the fallen angels only once – but I never believed he would hate me so much to just let me fall. Fallen angels could feel for only one reason, and that was because the devil let them. Fallen angels were the devil’s property. Fallen angels always became demons – servants to the devil. But why didn’t I feel evil, why didn’t I know I was evil from the moment I hit the earth?
“You have to kill to see me, have you ever heard the expression ‘the kiss of death’?”
I stood, frozen, gawking at the damned figure in front of me. There’s no way I could have killed her. I never meant to hurt her – that kiss was nothing but an impulse.
“Did you know that Fallen Angels can’t love? Once you fall, you have lost the ability to love – but you have gained and intensified all of your other feelings.”
“Then why did I kiss her? If I don’t feel love, what made me kiss her?”
“You kissed my babe?” Keith growled at me, “You bastard, how dare you even touch her?” Keith stumbled and flung a fist at my face. I dodged him just in time.
“Keith, stop!” I demanded, “You’ll just end up hurting yourself.”
“Stop touching my girl, bitch!”
Keith grabbed onto me and kicked and slapped me – he was extremely drunk, and definitely buzzed up on something. I couldn’t help but throw him off of me… but that was definitely not the best idea. His body flew away from mine and slammed against the bathroom door – knocking him out completely. A faint light strained from his body.
“Oh no,” I sighed as the light grew brighter ever so slightly.
The devil flew over to his body, and looked up at me with bloody and damned eyes, “Shall I take him?”
I watched as the devil himself pulled Keith’s spirit from his body.
“I never get to do this anymore!” He cackled as he brought Keith’s lifeline closer and closer to his demonic mouth.
“Stop!” I shouted at him, and grabbed Keith’s lifeline as well. The devil swung his head around and blew me back with a force projected from his mouth.
I hit my head hard against the basin of the tub and cringed as the paint shot down my spine. The devil approached me and ran his cold lifeless fingers down the side of my face.
“Come home with me,” he hummed in a ghostly voice, “Won’t you?”
I clenched my jaw and shook my head fiercely – the pain in my head subsided and I could feel my legs and arms again. I propped myself up into a sitting position and avoided looking at the devil.
“Well, Lucifer,” he sighed deeply, “it looks like the rest of your friends are coming, so I think now would be a good time to leave.” His body grew massive as I heard footsteps coming down the hall – and as Toby’s face appeared in the doorway, the devil devoured us all in his outstretched mouth.
Chapter 4
Hell for the lot of us
My head throbbed, and my body felt as if it was on fire. I coughed as I inhaled substances unfamiliar to me. My mouth was extremely dry and the air was not helping one bit. I hesitated opening my eyes to the dry harsh space I was in. Where was I?
I tried speaking, but my throat was as dry as a desert. I couldn’t swallow either because there was no saliva for me to force down my throat. I started to panic as I felt something hotter than my skin touch my leg. There’s no way I could scream for help – and I couldn’t even open my eyes to see what it was.
“Layla,” a voice said as I weakly swatted at the blistering touch, “Layla stop, it’s me, Lucifer. Don’t open your eyes, and keep your mouth closed – alright?”
I nodded feebly as his scorching arms slid under me and picked me up from the ground. I tensed and tried my hardest not to open my mouth, even though I was unable to scream anyways.
Lucifer carried me for what seemed to be an eternity and the heat was starting to make me nauseous. At times it seemed as if Lucifer was flying with me in his arms, and at those points it made the heat seem the most bearable.
We stopped in a place slightly cooler than the rest, and he placed me carefully down on a soft sort of bedding. A breeze encompassed me and I sat completely still.
“You can open your eyes now, Layla,” Lucifer whispered softly.
I chanced blinking once, and felt that it didn’t hurt, so I looked at Lucifer. It was dark and quite cool now. Lucifer had formed his wings around us to make a barrier from the outside world.
“Where are we?” I asked in a crackled dry voice – a harsh cough overtook my body. Lucifer cupped my face in his hands and stroked my throat until it subsided.
He pulled a canteen from his pant pocket and handed it to me before he answered, “I’d say we’re in hell.”
I took a long hard drink before responding, “Literally or figuratively speaking?”
“Literally,” he said simply, “look, I never meant for this to happen – I never knew I was…” he trailed off.
“What do you mean? You never knew you were what?”
“I’m a demon, Layla. I’m a fucking demon.”
“But how? You have wings, and you told me yourself that you came from heaven! Were you just lying to me?”
“No,” he said quickly, “I didn’t lie. But I remembered that when an angel falls to Earth without retuning to a new human body, we are fallen angels. And the devil becomes our father; our ruler.”
“So then how did I die?” I asked nervously.
“I kissed you,” he mumbled almost incoherently, “at least, that’s what the devil said killed you.”
I cringed at the thought of him conversing with the devil. A single kiss killed me? But then how did I end up in hell? Was I a bad person?
Lucifer reached out and caressed my hand in his and said, “I’m going to fix this. I’m going to go find Keith now – so I need you to keep your eyes closed again while I’m gone. I’m afraid of what might happen if you open them down here, from what I’ve seen, it’s not good.”
I nodded gently and closed my eyes, he was my only hope at this point I felt the warm air surround me as his wings parted. It was so much nicer with his protection.
“Wait here,” he whispered into my ear before flying off with a gust.
Recognition sparked in my mind, and I yelled after him, “Keith’s here too?”
***
Hell was, well, to put it simply, hell was a definite hell. The spirits down here were wrecked, worn down, poor and useless. When I had first arrived I was greeted by a horrid creature – burnt and blistered – a demon through and through. Nothing down here could be described as beautiful. It was like a massive never ending cavern filled with molten lava and demons of all shapes and sizes.
My skin ached from the blistering heat and I could see I wasn’t the only one. Spirits crawled all over the place and their eyes were replaced by searing flames when they were open. The walls and skin of everything and everyone boiled and steamed under the intense heat. I knew I wouldn’t last long here – and neither would Layla and Keith.
As I left Layla in a cooler corner I had found upon entering this place, I heard her call something to my back. The breeze as I flew was refreshing compared to the heat – I hated leaving Layla behind like that, but it would definitely be easier to find Keith without carrying her around. I also had to avoid running into other demons while I carried them – I don’t know how they would react to it.
I found Keith only inches from rolling into a puddle of magma. Thankfully his eyes were still tightly shut – and I told him to keep them that way as I swung him onto my back. It seemed that a shell of a body was restored to the spirits that came here. I guessed it was for them to be able to feel pain and sorrow with.
I couldn’t outstretch my wings as much with him on my back, so I could only jump and glide as I carried him to the safe spot. My feet were tired and severely blistered from the uneven and scorching ground – but I knew I had to pull through. Just because the devil named me as a demon did not mean I had to act as one.
“Where are you taking me,” Keith moaned.
“To Layla – I’m going to get you two out of here.”
Keith groaned every time I hit the ground – either he was a baby or Layla was much stronger than he was. At last we reached the cool corner of the massive cavern.
“We’re here Layla,” I said as I lowered Keith to the ground beside her.
“Already?” she exclaimed, “You found him pretty fast.”
I walked slowly on my aching feet over to the very corner of the wall and contemplated just that. It was weird that I had such an easy time finding them both in such a short time. Somehow I must have known where to look because I had some sort of connection with them before we were down here.
I pulled my canteen from my pocket and held it against the corner. I was lucky to have found some water down here – there was so much steam I knew it had to condense somewhere. A cool corner like this was the first thing I thought of.
Why was everything so easy for me to understand here? I winced at the fact that this was to be my home. Was it primal instinct?
I made my way back to Keith and Layla and sat as close as I could beside them. How did I know my wings could be a barrier to the heat? I wrapped my wings around them both this time, creating a cool capsule for them as my back still suffered the heat.
“You can open your eyes now,” I suggested as I handed Keith what little water I had collected.
Keith hesitated for a moment and Layla placed her hand over his.
“It’s fine now, Keith,” she said sweetly, “Lucifer has got us covered up from the heat.”
He opened his eyes at the sound of her voice and threw his arms around her.
“Careful, guys, my wings don’t stretch that much.”
Keith shifted his gaze swiftly towards me. He tried speaking but ended up coughing dryly. Layla helped him get down some water before he tried to speak again.
“Where the fuck are we, man,” he spat, “this is so not cool.”
“Keith! He’s trying to help us!” Layla shot back at him.
“Like hell you are,” he grumbled.
“Layla, close your eyes,” I ordered before Keith could continue.
“You can’t boss her around,” he barked, “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
I raised my hands defensively, “Like Layla said, I’m just trying to help you two. I know I got you both caught up in this, but it’s really not my fault.”
Keith raged and grabbed me by the collar, “Listen, punk, you got no right to say it’s not your fault, cause it is all your fault.”
“But I’m trying to help you now, Keith,” I reasoned gently, “Does that not count for something?”
“No asshole, it doesn’t!” he snarled as he pushed me back.
I fell onto my back and my wings released them both. I quickly got to my feet and heard Keith wailing. What I feared most had come to fruition – if a spirit opens their eyes down here, they burn out and are replaced with balls of flames. Keith howled with his head thrown back as he tried to cover his eyes with his hands.
I ran over and grabbed Layla, pulling her over to the very corner where the water gathers.
“Don’t worry,” I soothed as I knew she had heard Keith’s outburst, “I’ll try to help him.”
She nodded feebly as I cautiously made my way back to Keith. He was writhing on the ground screaming continuously – although his voice was fading with the dryness in his throat. I grabbed his wrist and he struggled against me.
Once his voice had disappeared and his struggle had weakened, I attempted to speak to him.
“Keith, are you alright?” I asked.
His fiery eyes stared at me with a complete emptiness. His mouth was still open, as if he was still screaming from the pain. I knew he couldn’t answer me, so I tried to close his eyes for him – hoping desperately that his eyes would return to normal.
The moment I touched his face, however, he overreacted. He flung himself from me, and entered a fighting-like stance. I guessed he knew it was me – even when his eyes were burning out, he still wanted to fight me.
I couldn’t let Layla down; I had to get Keith to cooperate somehow. I spread my wings and lightly lifted myself from the ground. I flew around to the back of him and grabbed him from behind under his arms. A deafening screech enveloped me and I had to let go of him to cover my ears. I fell back on the ground, pressing on my ears as hard as I can to block out the sound.
Just then Keith pounced on me and threw a punch at my face. I straightened my legs under him and flung him over my head – and in one fluid move, I was back on my feet. Keith lay, unmoving, on the ground in front of me. Cautiously, I turned him over with my foot.
His eyes were still balls of fire, but they were dim. I took a closer look and saw the revolting sight of the melted skin all around his eyes. And the stench of his burning flesh was horrid. I knew in that instant that there was nothing I could do to help him now.
I backed away slowly as to avoid another surprise attack, and then flew swiftly back to Layla’s side.
“Layla,” I whispered sympathetically, holding my head down.
“Lucifer is,” she started and felt her way along my arm to my chest, “is Keith okay?” Her voice caught in her throat as she bumped her hand against my face.
I swallowed hard before responding, “I couldn’t help him,” I choked back tears, “I’m sorry, Layla, I couldn’t do anything.”
She started crying hysterically almost immediately. I’m sorry Keith, I’m so sorry. I’ll make sure Layla will always be safe.
***
I cried for a very long time. I didn’t ask Lucifer to give me any details – it was easy enough to hear his screams from where I had been sitting. I could still hear them ringing in my ears. I had only wished I had been there for him, could have helped him, could have soothed him. The tears just never wanted to stop – it was so hard to cry with closed eyes, it was so hard to cry with only Lucifer by my side.
I don’t know what it was – I felt as if Lucifer had expected Keith to go under. He told me to close my eyes the moment Keith was angry. But maybe I had believed it too since I had closed my eyes. And why could I not just open them to see Keith for the last time. I guess I didn’t want to die, or I wasn’t ready for it, even if I already was dead.
As my hysteria calmed, Lucifer picked me from the ground and began carrying me. His broad chest and arms seared against my skin. He didn’t talk as we went, the only things I heard were the eruptions of the heat around me and the wails and cries of what I guessed were the countless souls here with us.
Warm winds flushed my skin as Lucifer moved quickly. I could feel him muscles flex as he pounded his wings through the air. I noticed the light under my eyelids becoming darker as we moved – it was a great pleasure as compared to the burning orange and red of the light against my eyelids.
“Who approaches the Gates of Hell?” A dark and rough voice boomed through the whistling air.
Lucifer slowed his pace and I knew we had stopped completely when he lowered my legs to the ground for me to stand.
“I am Lucifer,” Lucifer said simply.
***
“Do you have permission to leave?” thundered the voice of the Gatekeeper. He appeared in front of the massive gates as an enormous creature, unlike the other demons I had seen down here. His wings were a thousand times larger than my own, and his body was built like one continuous cord of muscle.
Just then the Devil himself materialized between us. His true form was revealed – the famous red skin and bull horns. His body was tattooed from head to toe and his facial features were of that that I had seen before. His grin grew wider as he saw me, and Layla, standing before him.
“Why if it isn’t my newest son sent by God himself,” he cackled as he stepped closer to me.
“I’m leaving this place,” I growled back at him.
The devil chortled demonically and said seriously, “That’s what they all say to me.”
I swallowed hard and reasoned, “Give Layla her life back – I’ll do anything.”
Layla squeezed my hand harder and moved even closer to me. I had already let her down, I had been the one to bring her here, I had to set things right.
“Do you know the Devil’s Bargain, my son?”
My mind wandered hesitantly over what my Father had taught me about the devil. The Devil’s Bargain was the most sinned thing you could ever do; to sell the devil your soul. But would he really let Layla live?
“I do know of it,” I mumbled, contemplating if that was the only way. There was no way I would be able to get past the Gatekeeper, or the Devil himself for that matter. The devil now stood in front of me and held my face in his claw-like hands.
“Shall I release her then?” he asked as he looked deep into my eyes, and my soul. He knew my answer already; he knew I wanted her to be free more than anything. Could he see that I was unable to love her no matter how hard I tried?
He snapped his fingers against my ear and I felt my body drop swiftly to the ground.
###
This book is being written during National Novel Writing Month. As such, the author will be updating and adding new chapters throughout the month, and/or until they are satisfied with their work to be permanently published.
Thank you for reading!
Author Bio:
Rebecca Ohashi is a regular participant in NaNoWriMo and enjoys writing for fun. She lives in British Columbia, Canada, and loves sharing her work with family and friends.