Lose Those Chains

I'm Losing It Lately

"Oh, good. You're awake," a deadpan voice said off to the side. "Not that I care either way. But I'm sure your parents are on their way over here and the last thing I need is for them to think I killed you."

"Or maybe that'll be one last 'fuck you' to them and I can die with a grin on my face." 

Charlie groaned and put a hand on her forehead. "How long was I out for?" 

"Just a few minutes." Adam was still slicing away at his wing but hadn't seemed to make any progress since Charlie last saw him. "Damn it! Those bitches can take away my halo! My holy power! But they won't let me cut these ugly pieces of–"

He slammed the rock down so hard it bounced and nearly hit Charlie in the face. But despite nearly being struck, she remained unfazed, too preoccupied with the sight in front of her. 

"I know I look super hot right now, but your staring is starting to freak me out." Adam returned her gaze with a frown. 

"I'm sorry, but how are you– why are you–" Charlie's legs trembled as she stood to her feet. "I don't understand! I thought maybe these fumes were messing with my head but it doesn't make any sense!" 

Adam opened his mouth to respond, but Charlie kept on talking. "No, wait! I actually don't care why you're here! After what you did to my people! To my friends! To Vaggie! It serves you right you've been kicked out of Heaven! In fact, you should've been here a long time ago!" 

She dusted herself off and started to walk away. "So with that, I bid you good luck and goodbye!" 

Just as she began the long ascend back out of the crater, a raucous, bitter laugh startled her. 

"What happened to little Miss Optimist? I thought everyone deserved a chance to be redeemed?" Adam wiped a faux tear from his eye. "But when suddenly someone you don't like is here, you change your mind? You abandon them? You call me a hypocrite, but look in the mirror, sweetie!"

A twinge of pain shot through Charlie's heart at his words. She shook her head at them, trying to push down the creeping panic that what he was saying was true. 

But whatever doubt she had was instantly erased with Adam's next sentence:

"I expected nothing less from Lilith's spawn!" 

"And I see exactly why she left such a sadistic, selfish, arrogant scumbag like you!" Charlie whipped back around, her true form starting to reveal itself. 

Any other person would have cowered and retreated, but instead, Adam rose up, straightened his back, and marched towards Charlie. Their eyes locked onto one another and although Adam's were no longer just a yellow orb, his human eyes looked somehow more menacing than before. Years of rage, pain, and utter hate were swirling within them, marring his youthful face. 

"You don't know the first thing about me." His voice dropped to a hiss. 

"I know that no matter what you look like, you'll always be the same bastard on the inside." Charlie's face was just inches from his. When she first met him, he towered over her. But now, they were the same height. And even though she was much closer to him than she wanted to be, there was no chance she'd back down.

"And I know you don't deserve to be redeemed."

If looks could kill, Charlie would've been six feet under brimstone by now. But she knew he couldn't do anything to harm her. This fight was already over before it even started. 

Charlie started to walk away again, expecting Adam to yell a string of expletives behind her back. But instead, he followed after her. 

"You think you have everything figured out, don't you, princess? You don't even know the half of it! Why do you think humans even need to be redeemed? Why do you think there's even a Hell?" 

She knew she should keep walking and just ignore him. This argument was over. But against her better judgment, she came to a halt. 

"What my father and mother intended–" 

"Everything falling apart like this is because of them! Why we're even standing here is because your parents stabbed me in the back!" 

Now it was Charlie's turn to laugh. "I should've expected this type of logic from someone like you! You screw up, get yourself kicked out of Heaven, and somehow it's everyone else's fault?"

"You stupid brat, it wasn't just my life they destroyed. What we had was a good thing. It was perfect." Every word that came out of his mouth dripped with venom. "No death, no disease, no pain! But because of your parents' pride and their ego, they had to ruin everything! They couldn't have just done what they were told and known their place!"

Charlie was about to fire back how it was that same controlling attitude that drove her mother away in the first place. But Adam suddenly stormed off, picking up another jagged rock on his way.

"You Morningstars have fucked up enough of my life. Now leave me alone and let me die in peace." Adam raised the pointed end of the rock against his throat. 

"Don't." Charlie cringed at how soft she could be. She wished she had her parents' inner strength. If they had been in her place, they would've let Adam slit his throat. Hell, they'd probably even encourage him to. 

Adam let out an irritated groan. "What now?" 

"I don't want anyone else to die. Especially in front of me." 

"Well, nothing's keeping you here. I told you to leave." 

Charlie took a few cautious steps closer. "I know... But you're right. If someone wants to improve themselves, then I have no right to stop them, no matter how I feel about them. That was the whole point of my hotel."

Adam stared at her with an unimpressed expression, but at least he had lowered the rock. 

"I don't know if I can help you with your path to redemption. But I know I don't want you to hurt yourself." Charlie was so glad her parents weren't here right now. They'd be rolling their eyes at her plea, probably thinking it was beyond cheesy. 

Even Adam looked skeptical. "Okay... So are you done or?"

Charlie sighed. It was hard to imagine this man even wanting to be redeemed. Even harder to imagine what the next words out of her lips were:

"You said there were other lives my parents destroyed. What did you mean by that?"