Like Hell

Chapter 3: Misery Business

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Haven't heard this song in a while but I couldn't just make the reference in the chapter title and not attach a video... Hope y'all don't mind a little throwback!🙃
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I've never been anything exceptional, sure, but I've always tried to be the best person I could be. I'm not a criminal, nor have I ever had any desire to be one. I was bullied year after year in school because of my second-hand clothing and poor upbringing. Classmates teased me mercilessly, so as someone who knows what that feels like, I made a concerted effort to be kind to everyone around me. Why would the devil possibly drag me, of all people, to hell? There's seriously no way I could belong here! Is there any hope that this could all just be an elaborate prank?

No, unless I'm plugged into some high-tech virtual reality system this couldn't possibly be a prank. The landscape is far too realistic to be fake, and now that I look more closely I can actually see little trails of molten lava flowing across the rock, collecting in shallow steaming red puddles in the distance, emitting sulfuric clouds.

My heart is racing and my head is spinning but somehow I've managed to keep it together just enough to avoid passing out. The shock was enough to knock me out for sure, but I can't lose my grip because who knows what would happen to me if I were unconscious in a place like this? The last time I fell asleep, I ended up in hell. I'm not remotely ready to test what happens if I faint, just yet.

Once again turning to Henri, I decide to investigate a bit further. He has allowed me to wait here with him in the car to process everything before entering the building, and if he really is as kind as he seemed at first, then I should take advantage of his willingness to help me.

"If this is actually Hell, what would that make you?"

He gives me a curious look, as if analyzing my mental state to determine whether or not I can handle his response. Coming to a decision, he clears his throat in one last moment of hesitation.

"I am a demon," his probing eyes search mine once more, "the word may sound evil, but I assure you, I'm just a humble servant to the boss. I don't have any unsavory jobs, only those he believes I can handle. Currently, I am assigned as your full-time driver, and expect to be for the foreseeable future."

A demon? I want to believe his words, to believe that he really isn't some evil soul-less creature. But he's a demon.

"Okay... so how does one become a demon? Is that what is expected of me? Because I really do like being alive." I speak carefully, activity hiding my fear and skepticism so as not to hurt his feelings.

For all I know, I could be destined to end up in his shoes one day soon. If there is a God out there somewhere, I hope and pray that he's watching over me. It's comforting to think that someone powerful is out there. Someone who won't let these things I fear actually happen to me.

He chuckles, clearly amused by my response--although I don't see why. I choose to take it as a good sign and let myself relax a bit.

"First of all, no one expects you to become a demon. It's not a common transition--even less so now that fewer people know it's an option. As to your other question, like every other demon, I simply made a deal."

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Hell may be terrifying, but the headquarters itself is almost exactly like any other major corporation's main corporate office. The building towers above the surrounding landscape, the only skyscraper in sight.