Paine's Guide to Hell

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

   “Hey Angie,” Paine called, quickening his pace to the match the girl’s. The small group was on their way yet again, traversing the canyon walls in their search for the dragon. Although the shopkeeper had given them basic directions, there was quite a bit of area that potentially fit the given descriptions.

   “Go east,” the man had said, using his hands as a means to demonstrate the instructions. “Three or four valleys down – I think it’s about a two hour walk – you’ll see a giant cave, with blackened sand all around. That’s where you’ll find it.”

   ‘Three or four valleys’ later, they still had yet to come across any traces of charred sand or giant, presumably fire-breathing mythical creatures. The long distance that had already been covered was taking its toll on the companions; their legs ached, and their shoes and clothing were caked with scarlet sand.

   “What do you want?” she replied, any bite the words may have had smothered by the weariness apparent in her voice.

   “I’ve got some questions,” he said, tapping his chin with a tanned finger. “Two, to be exact.”

   “Of course you do,” Angie grumbled, nodding absently. “Go ahead – it’s not like there’s anything else to do.”

   “Okay,” he beamed. “First off, we’ve been walking for a long time.”

   “That’s very observant of you,” she bit out acerbically.

   Ignoring the obvious hostility in her tone, he continued, “So why am I not hungry or thirsty?”

   She paused momentarily, brows furrowing in thought. “I don’t actually know. It never came up when this place was explained to me. Maybe you don’t need them?”

   “I would rather not make such an assumption,” Ilari remarked evenly from the back, brushing a few pieces of fair hair out of his face. “The shock from nearly dying twice may not yet have lifted.”

   “Perhaps,” the other boy conceded benignly before returning his attention to Angie. “And second, why do you speak in such modern English and know Russian swear words when for the past three hundred years, you’ve been watching over the sinners burning in Hell?”

   “I have…acquaintances who worked on Earth, and they visited me often.” She grimaced at the thought of the many times Oliver had stopped in when he was not on duty as a collector of souls. “And I took small breaks every twenty years or so, so it’s not like I haven’t been to the world above at all in recent years.”

   “I see,” the teenager said with a pleased grin, nodding slowly. “Interesting.”

   “I have a question,” Ilari cut in. “Earlier, you mentioned that those with a score below twenty were not sent to the testing grounds. Why is that?”

   “Oliver said-”

   “Oliver?” Paine interrupted, earning himself a positively frigid glare. “Who’s that? Is he a friend of yours?”

   Hardly, she thought with a shudder. “That’s irrelevant,” she growled out loud, with an accompanying look so dark that it managed to quiet the boy, if only temporarily. “Anyway, I was told that our goal here is to search for sinners who would potentially become fellow demons.”

   “Because Hell is understaffed,” Paine supplied with a sunny grin.

   “Do you want me to decapitate you?”

   “Not particularly, no.”

   “Then shut up,” Angie huffed. “Yes, we do need extra help to keep up with the rising world population and all, but not just anyone can do it. To be a good demon, one must be heartless and cruel, and willing to inflict pain on others. Simply put, we’re looking for the worst of the worst.”