Devil in the Dark

Chapter 3

Liyah sat on her couch in silence. She was attempting to process everything that had taken place since she stepped into her apartment the night before. Her exhaustion. Her ex popping up out of nowhere. Her...dream? She couldn't think of a way to properly explain what happened. Everything seemed too real, but it couldn't have been real... Right?

It just didn't make sense. Who was that woman? What was that woman? And, why had she called Liyah, Lilith?

A headache was beginning to present itself when Liyah heard her phone go off in her bedroom. She sat still in her spot, holding her breath.

'Just let it ring.' She thought. 'Maybe they'll think I'm busy.'

She let out a sigh of relief when her ringtone came to an end, only to let out a loud groan when it started back up four seconds later. Liyah yanked herself from the couch and marched to her room. Taking a look at her phone, she saw that the caller was one of her coworkers at the parlor, Taylor. For some reason she couldn't stand the girl, and she honestly didn't know why. She rolled her eyes and answered the phone.

"'Fuck you want?" She growled.

"The fuck wrong wit' you? I ain't even do shit." Taylor spoke. Liyah rolled her eyes.

"Taylor, I just left that damn parlor."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, what the fuck do you want?"

There was silence for a second or two before the woman on the other end decided to speak again.

"We need you to co-" click!

Liyah tossed her phone on the bed and went to walk away, only for it to begin to ring again. Her right eye began to twitch as snatched up the phone, pressing the green button and putting it on speaker phone.

"What, Nigga?!" She yelled.

There was silence again, this time longer.

"Bitch, bye. 'Cause now you playin on my phone." But, right before she could press the button, this familiar angelic voice appeared on the other end.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." They said.

That definitely wasn't Taylor. She kept looking at the caller ID, but it displayed Taylor's name.

"Um... who is this?" Liyah's voice was shaky.

"Mm, it doesn't matter who I am. Well...Yes, it does. But that's information you're going to have to figure out on your own. Right now, all you need to know is that I am someone willing to pay triple for one of your masterpieces."

Everything went quiet, allowing Liyah to think. She was already very irritated and didn't want to be bothered. Not to mention the fact that today was her only off day from both of her jobs for the next two weeks. And yet, a big part of her wanted to go to the parlor to see who this person was. She felt as if she had to know who the voice on the other end of the line belonged to.

And the triple pay.

Giving in, Liyah sighed into the phone.

"Okay, fine." She spoke. "Give me half an hour."

"Alright, then. See you in thirty." The voice answered. Then the phone hung up. Liyah sighed and got up to take a much needed shower before heading over to the parlor.

Meanwhile, at the parlor:

Mari, as well as her assistant, Katy, sat in Taylor's section to wait. Taylor was on her lunch break and didn't mind an old friend waiting with her. Though, she couldn't understand why her dear friend wouldn't just let her do the tattoo she desired.

"So," Taylor started, "why won't you let me do it?"

Mari looked to her for a while before answering, "Because I want her to."

Taylor scoffed and rolled her eyes, continuing to eat her food.

Mari sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Alright, what is it? Why don't you two get along?"

Taylor paused, her gaze meeting the cement floor.

"She took something that belonged to me." She mumbled. Mari just looked.

"And what might that be?" Mari asked. Taylor fell silent.

Before Mari could ask again, a bell rang signaling that someone had entered the shop.

In walks a pissed off Liyah, her hair bouncing with every stomp. Mari couldn't help but stare. She hadn't seen the love of her life in such a long time.

Liyah looked around until her eyes met Mari's. Within an instant it was as if all of her anger just melted away. It was strange to her. She didn't know this woman, and yet just looking into her eyes calmed her spirit.

"So you're the one that wants the piece?" Taliyah asked.

"Yes, I am." Mari replied. Taliyah nodded.

Taylor sat with a mean mug while Katy sat quietly with her face in her phone.

"I'm sorry, do we have a problem?" Taliyah challenged. Taylor rolled her eyes and went back to eating the fries she had ordered for lunch.

"Okay then." Taliyah turned her focus back to the goddess standing before her.

"Follow me."

She turned around and made her way out of the small work room. As they walked down the hall they approached upon a door. It was different from all the others. A shockingly recognizable wood door with intricate carvings riddled throughout.

Mari froze.

'It couldn't be...' She thought.

Not hearing the second set of footsteps, Taliyah paused as well, turning to look at the woman.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her brows furrowed into a look of concern.

Mari's hands began to sweat. This couldn't be that door...could it?

"Yes, I'm fine." She answered, straightening herself quickly before placing her sweaty palms behind her back. "What's the story behind the door?"

Liyah tilted her head before looking over at the door.

"Oh, um..." She started. "I see it in my dreams a lot, and I like it, so I decided to carve it out and... Well... Here we are." She smiled and presented her door as if it were her most prized possession.

Mari swallowed.

So, this isn't the door? Only one way to find out...

"I like it." She finally responds.

Liyah nods and turns to open the door.

"Let's get this over with."