Impish

CHAPTER 22: TETRIS

The next morning, the two of us go to the park for what I hope will be the last time. I have my pickaxe; I wear my overalls, which are made of surprisingly sturdy black denim, in hopes of protecting my legs. I would have worn my old denim jacket for the same reason, but I didn't want my arms to be restricted. It's surprisingly hard to find things to use as improvised armor on such a short notice.

The two of us bypass Hirphias rather easily. I think it's most likely that she doesn't really care and would let us in for free whether we were demons or not. Roux decides to wait outside the entrance to The Bible Experience. That's a good idea, I think, and I don't object as I pop up onto my tiptoes, kiss them on the cheek, and prepare to head in.

"You'll come and save me if things get bad, won't you?" I ask.

They laugh. "Do you really think I'll be any help?"

"I mean, you did bring a bat. That's better than nothing."

"Yeah," they said, their voice drier than a Walmart chicken. "A wooden bat I found in the dumpster by that park. It's probably full of termites."

"It's better than nothing? I was technically supposed to 'be back quick' but, you know. I left and abandoned Doug." I shrug, look away, then say a little too quickly, "Which I don't regret. He's a dick. We know that. But we're still going to save him. And we're still going to make it out of here alive. At least, I hope so." I catch myself rambling, so I clamp my mouth shut and pull away from Roux. "Listen. You're my best friend and favorite sibling. I love you so much. If I don't make it out of here--"

"I love you, too. Now get going and be safe. If an hour passes before you come out, I'll go in, I swear. I'll be in if you need me."

"Hopefully I won't."

"Maybe you will, and I'll have the opportunity to get my hands dirty," they say, squeezing my shoulders with both hands.

I pop up onto my tiptoes and give them a quick kiss on the cheek before I go. I charge through the archway like I own the place, like I have any authority here, like I'm supposed to be here at all.

It's easy. Nobody stops me. Nobody questions me or stops me from getting where I need to go. I march through the exhibition of the history of the Bible, past all the people who are genuinely looking at paintings and plaques, through the mirror maze, through the trail of shattered mirrors and gore that was left in my wake, until I find the mirror that I know leads to Lady Courtney Istremid's big-ass throne room. I don't bother trying to open it like a door. I just shatter it and step through the portal on the other side.

And then I'm there.

I'm in hell.

The room is different than it was last time I was in here. By different, I mean bloodier. The room is generally more hellish than it was yesterday. The floor seems to breathe and throb like a living being. The columns heave with it like ribs. I can smell bile under the overwhelming stench of blood.

In the center, there is a large steel table similar to the kind you would see in a morgue. It's in the middle of the room, glowing white-hot like it's on the verge of becoming malleable. Doug is strapped to it, naked, with his dick in a vise like some sort of genital torture is happening. The scent of burning flesh This doesn't seem to be like the kind of torture someone would enjoy. This seems like a full-on, flat-out method of hurting someone. I can see it in the way that Lady Istremid looks at him and in the way that he screams. There is no pleasure there, just punishment and pain.

The room is covered in blood. I would assume that most of it is Doug's, but I can't help eyeing the limp bodies piled up in the corner, hoping that they have something to do with all this. Doug's body is open right now, and all his hearts are beating and spewing blood like he is the ground at a splash pad. The blood is everywhere. It's thick, hot, atmospheric, heavy, and impossible to ignore.