Between Heaven and Hell

Chapter 26

Between Heaven and Hell

Copyright © 2012 by Carla Meyer

All Rights Reserved

 

CHAPTER 26

There was nothing beautiful about the scenery in front of Meredith. She had never seen anything quite as sinister, as frightening as the place she was about to enter. She wanted to heave just thinking about Joey trapped in this place, but she knew she had to stay strong, she knew there was no other way to save Joey. But she was afraid, even more so than she had been when the Son of Lucifer surfaced, or when the Archangels had wanted to kill her and Joey. She was more afraid than she had ever been, but she felt courageous; she had to be courageous for Joey Olsen.

She looked at Phoebe for a second, wondering what she was thinking. Meredith knew there was a strong bond between her and Joey; she could feel Phoebe’s love for her brother. It was all too overwhelming, because it had been less than a month ago that she had found Joey, that Joey had found her. She would never have thought that she would be standing before the gates of Hell for him; she would never have considered the idea that it would all come down to this.

“Are you ready?” asked Phoebe.

Her eyes were teary and her lips were parched and dry. Meredith knew it took a lot out of her fellow Guardian Angel to re-enter Hell; to risk her life when she had had the chance to survive. But still, they had no idea why any of this was happening. Why were the Olsen siblings so important to Lucifer?

“I’m ready,” declared Meredith, inhaling deeply through her mouth and exhaling through her nose.

Still holding onto one another’s hands, Meredith and Phoebe stepped over the threshold, and as though they had entered a whole new universe, Meredith could feel the wickedness seize hold of her mind; she could sense that neither she, Phoebe nor Joey belonged in this place of vice. It was a place for only the wicked souls, those who had been tortured and tarnished; those for whom there was no hope for salvation.

Meredith stood at the peak of the pathway and cringed as she watched the torched corpses cry out in agony. It was much worse than she could have imagined, and she idly wondered whether Joey was one of those figures. Phoebe caught her stare, and saw the concern in Meredith’s eyes.

“He is not like them,” she whispered.

Meredith relaxed at Phoebe’s words, though not completely. She knew that Joey was suffering, even though he did not look like the blazing figures. She knew that Lucifer must be inflicting some sort of suffering upon Joey, and she dreaded thinking about the consequences. Joey had lost control over the Son of Lucifer many times, and even though she knew that he was strong, she also knew that a person can only endure so much suffering.

“Where is he?” asked Meredith, looking at Phoebe for guidance.

“He was at the foot of the pathway the last time I was here. I wouldn’t know if Lucifer had moved him someplace else.”