Satan's Hunger

3

Numb. Oblivious. Peaceful.

A pool of swirling grey.

Nameless. Unknown. Nowhere.

Drifting.

Bring her back! An echo. An echo of a familiar voice. It meant something to the entity, but it couldn't understand what. It couldn't be bothered to understand what. What was the point when one was so content? Let the voice scream.

Bring her back.

The entity felt a tug, a strange sensation that disturbed its peaceful sleep. It rolled over, kicking out with its invisible appendage.

Another tug.

The entity kicked out again.

The tugging only got worse until the entity felt itself being dragged somewhere, out from the swirling grey and into a bright light that burned. It rolled over again but something rolled it back.

'Kaitlyn,' came a voice. Not an echo this time but a real voice, too close and too loud and damaging to its peace. 'You must come back.'

The bright light burned until the entity squirmed, clawing towards the swirling grey waiting for it beyond, beyond the burning light and all its pain and loud, echoing voices demanding it do things that it didn't want to do.

'Kaitlyn.'

Leave me in peace, the entity begged. I do not want to go.

'You do want to go, you just don't know it. Open your eyes, Kaitlyn. See me. Know me. I'm here to take you back.' The voice was louder now—and familiar.

Something shifted in the entity's mind. The tug became something different. Something known. It felt safe. It felt as safe and comfortable as the swirling grey.

I know you.

'That's right, Kaitlyn. You do. Remember me. Open your eyes.'

Eyes. It had eyes.

'Open your eyes, Kaitlyn.'

White light blazed but it no longer hurt. Familiar orange eyes gazed back into the entity's. A smiling face. A lovely face. Even in its confusion, the entity understood that much. Long black hair, gleaming silver against the light. Orange eyes that made the entity feel strange. Eyes that made it feel both warm and cold at the same time.

Slowly, hesitantly, the entity reached out to touch its face. A word sprang in its mind. A familiar, aching word. Angel. Angel. 'I know you,' the entity said.

The angel touched the entity's hand. 'Who am I, Kaitlyn?'

'Ezekiel. Zeke. My guardian angel.' The words seemed to tumble from its lips.

'That's right. You need to come back now.'

'Come back where?'

'Home.'

'Home.'

The angel held out his hand. The entity gazed at it for a long moment. It looked bright and smooth and familiar. The entity shut its eyes. The swirling grey was there. The swirling grey was familiar too—and comfortable. Painless. Loveless.

'Kaitlyn, Jacob is waiting for you.'

The entity opened its eyes again. 'Jacob?'

'That's right. You remember Jacob?'

The entity stared. Jacob. It reached up to touch its cheek at the feel of something soft. Something soft. 'He had wings. Great white wings. They were soft.'