Healing in Hell: A Nurse's Tale at Babyls

Midnight Mischief and Magic

The cool night air was a soothing balm after a long, exhausting day at the pediatric clinic. The endless stream of concerned parents and their often-baffling home remedies had worn me thin, but nothing a good slice of pizza could fix. There I was, carrying a large box of pepperoni pizza down the deserted streets of the city, my stomach growling in eager anticipation.

As I approached my apartment building, a deep sigh of relief escaped me—it was finally time to unwind. I fished my keys out of my pocket, unlocked the front door with a satisfying click, and made my way through the lobby toward the elevator. "Man, I can't wait to sit down and eat this pizza," I muttered to myself, the aroma of cheesy goodness making my hunger even more acute.

The elevator dinged softly... as I stepped inside and pressed the button for the third floor. The ride was brief, and soon I was walking down the dimly lit hallway to my apartment. Balancing the pizza box under one arm, I gave a couple of firm knocks with my foot.

" Yo, Iruma, I am home! Get the door; my hands are full," I called out, chuckling slightly at the urgency in my voice.

There was a brief rustling from inside before the lock clicked and the door swung open. Framed in the soft light of the apartment stood Iruma, his eyes wide with excitement and a mischievous grin on his lips. Before I could even greet him, he snatched the pizza box from my hands and darted back inside.

"Pizza! " he exclaimed, already heading toward the living room.

"Hey, wait for me! Don't start without me," I laughed, stepping in quickly and shutting the door behind me. But as I moved to take off my shoes, a blinding light suddenly filled the room, forcing me to cover my eyes with a cry of surprise. "My eyes! What is this light?"

As the light dimmed, utter confusion enveloped us. An eerie auctioneer's voice declared "Sold!" sending a chill down my spine. Iruma's voice echoed my alarm, his words stumbling over one another, "Sold?! Wh-Wh-What... What is going on?"

Before we could grasp the situation, the scenery around us shifted dramatically. A vast, eerie forest unfolded, its trees black as pitch against a dark purple sky. But it was not just the surroundings that had changed; I felt a strange sensation of weightlessness. Looking down, my heart skipped a beat. "Oh my God, why the heck am I in the sky?" Beside me, Iruma was equally terrified, his body trembling as he hovered in mid-air.

"Iruma," I called out, trying to anchor myself to something familiar in the chaos.

"Scylla," he responded, his voice shaking. "Do you know where we are?"

"Are you okay? Are the ropes too tight?" I asked, now noticing the ropes that bound us only to the air itself. "Stay calm, okay? I will try to figure this out."

I tried to gather my wits and called out to the shadowy figure that seemed responsible for our predicament. "Um, hello sir, can you tell us where we are going?" My words felt hollow in the vast, alien landscape. His reply came in a language entirely foreign, undecipherable to my ears. But then, with a snap of his fingers, clarity washed over us.

"Huh, what was that?" I asked, startled by the sudden understanding.

The old man, his face now coming into focus, looked back at us with an eerie calm. "I made it so you can understand the demon language. And to answer both of your questions, this is the Netherworld. Suzuki Iruma, Scylla Suzuki."

Netherworld. The word echoed ominously around us. I went limp, the shock too much to bear momentarily. "Netherworld?" I echoed, disbelief clouding my voice.

"It's the realm of demons," the old man explained, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "Are you a demon? Did you use magic on us?" I demanded, my protective instincts flaring.