The Real Story of Heaven and Hell

The screams grew louder as I followed the line of souls heading into the bowels of Hell. I fell into step with them, making my face as vacant as theirs.
It occurred to me as soon as I stepped off the stairs that I had absolutely no idea where Jimmy would be, or how to get him out when I found him.
I didn’t care. I would wander down here forever to find him if I had to. I passed pits full of screaming souls, the fire licking at their bodies. I flinched away from them and kept walking. I was soon dripping in sweat from the damned heat. It was only hot next to the pits; everywhere else it was freezing cold, which was not making me feel very good.
I had no idea how long I’d been down here. I hadn’t thought to bring my phone for a time keeper and it probably would have melted anyway every time I came close to a pit.
“Where are the Nephilim?” I heard a growl that seemed straight out of my nightmares. I sped up, searching for the voice. A cry of pain rang in my ears and I started running.
I almost skidded past what seemed almost like a torture chamber.
Okay, it was a torture chamber. Jimmy’s hands were chained above his head and his chest, face and arms were covered in raw, bleeding welts. Whatever had been keeping me sane until now vanished and I jumped on the demon’s back.
“Get your hands off him you son of a bitch!” I would have used the sword, but I didn’t have the time or the space to use it. I settled for breaking his neck. Leaving the body behind, I moved on to Jimmy.
“Lil?” He croaked. “What are you doing here?”
“You must be fucking stupid if you think I would have left you here.” I hacked at the chains with the sword which did nothing but make a shit load of noise. “This might burn you a little.” I heated up the chains, hoping that it was far enough from his wrists that it wouldn’t burn him too much. He collapsed and I supported him on my shoulder. “I’ve got you. It’s gonna be okay baby.” A tear ran down my cheek as we stumbled out of the torture chamber.
“Why did you come back for me?” He asked.
“Because I love you Jimmy. And I don’t abandon the people I love.” I winced when I remembered Sera’s face when I left. I had been so angry. I had no idea how to make it up to her when I got back.
If I got back. I shoved that thought out of my head and kept moving, retracing my steps.
Loud clanks sounded from around the corner and I backed us up, trying to hide in the shadows. It didn’t work.
“Ah, daughter. You finally arrived.” The man from my nightmares, the man with black hair and blue eyes held his arms open. “Well, aren’t you going to give your father a hug?”
“Who are you?” My voice rang out strong, a fact I was grateful for.
“I’m the Devil. Satan, Beelzebub, the Morningstar. You may call me Lucifer or Father if you’d like.” He was too nice. I didn’t like it, not while I had an injured angel with me. “And who is this? The angel they captured? Well isn’t that quaint. The daughter of the Devil and an angel.” He looked over his shoulder. “Leviathan! Come look at my future son-in-law!” The first thing I noticed about the man who came around the corner was that he was dripping wet. The second is that he had completely black eyes ringed with red. I almost shit myself looking at him. He was a demon in every sense of the word.
“An angel?” Leviathan’s voice sounded like a snake’s hiss and my hand immediately went to the hilt of the sword.
“You do have interesting choices my dear.” Lucifer smiled, revealing pointed teeth.
“Look, I need to get him out of here.” I figured if he wanted me to call him Daddy he might as well act like a dad. “Please.”
“Lilith, there are some things even the Devil cannot do.” Lucifer shrugged. I heard running footsteps and Brian and Matt appeared around the corner. They dropped to one knee when they saw Leviathan and Lucifer. “Mathim, Briax. So nice that you could join us. Leviathan, tell Asmodeus his son is here.” I was slightly relieved that some guardians had shown up for back up.
“There is a way.” Leviathan hissed. “The trials.” Lucifer seemed thoughtful.
“Asmodeus!” He called over his shoulder. A third demon appeared around the corner. Out of the three, he seemed most human. Lucifer had a slight back glow, like there was some internal light source. This demon was heavily muscled with black hair and brown eyes.
“Father.” Brian nodded in deference. This was Brian’s dad? The demon barely acknowledged him, paying attention to Lucifer instead.
“Asmodeus, how quickly can we administer the trials to Lilith?” Lucifer was starting to get on my nerves.
“Right now if you’d wish.” Asmodeus’s voice was smooth and I remembered where I’d heard his name before. He was a demon of lechery, one of Lucifer’s second in commands. Jimmy’s head sagged forward and I remembered why we were here.
“What are the trials?” I asked.
“You must face your three worst fears. If you succeed, then you can take your angel home with you.” Leviathan smiled, which just creeped me out immensely.
“And if I don’t?” I wished I hadn’t asked as soon as I said it.
“Then you will be leaving here with your guardians, and the angel will stay here for eternity.” Leviathan had a sick look on his face, like he wanted me to fail so he could torture Jimmy.
“If anything happens to Jimmy while I’m in the trials, I’ll kill whoever touched him.” I snarled. My demon nature was rising faster than I could control it.
“Looks like she is your daughter Lucifer.” Asmodeus laughed, a laugh that made me shiver.
“This is not a joke.” I saw the glow from my eyes. “I want Brian and Matt to stand guard on him. No one else is allowed to get near him.” I was in no position to be making demands, but I guess I’m the fucking princess of Hell, so I might as well.
“As you wish.” Lucifer bowed. I turned to Jimmy.
“It’s gonna be okay.” I promised. He nodded slightly.
“I love you.” He murmured. I handed him off to Brian and Matt regretfully.
“Follow me.” Leviathan said. I did not feel comfortable following him, but I did anyway. Getting Jimmy out of here was my first priority. Leviathan put one hand against my forehead and his eyes began to swirl, the red blending with the black. Before I could say anything, the world went black.
The next time I could see, I was standing on the edge of a pool in a cave.
“Looks like one of my worst fears is drowning.” I muttered to myself, looking around. There was nowhere to go except down, through the water. I took several deep breaths before diving head first into the water. It was pitch black and immediately my body started freaking out. I tried lighting a flame, but obviously the water put it out.
My chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it by the time I broke through the surface on the other side.
That was way too easy. There must be some catch or these demons aren’t as hardcore as I thought.
Something brushed by my foot and I knew I was right. A cold hand wrapped around my ankle, tightening until it felt like a vice. I managed to suck in a breath before the owner of the hand dragged me under the water.
This time the pitch dark water was lit by the ghostly glow of a corpse. It was a little girl with a gaping wound in her chest. I would have screamed if I could have, except her hand was gripping my throat.
I could see better now that there were a huge group of corpses around us. Some were missing limbs or chunks of flesh. My body was screaming for air and the surface was so close. If I could just break loose I could breath.
I had failed. I’d die and Jimmy would be lost here forever.
I pictured his face and then Sera’s. I’d leave my love here forever and spend the rest of my life grieving, which would hurt my sister almost as much as it would hurt me.
My head broke through the surface and I sucked in a huge breath, refilling my oxygen supply. I fought away from the grasping hands of the corpses and crawled out of the water to lay on the cave floor, just getting my breath back. I’d managed to hang onto the sword somehow.
“One done, two to go.” I stood up and walked out of the cave. This time I was in a dark forest and to add insult to injury, it was fucking raining.
“Being hunted?” I wondered. I saw shadows flitting past and it answered my question.
Fabulous.
Fucking Elmer Fudd in demon form is going Lilith hunting.