Devilish Love

8. I Bring Extra Baggage To Hell

Chapter 8: I Bring Extra Baggage To Hell

I snapped my fingers. I could do just that. It seemed crazy but feasible. A smile worked it's way on my face and I burst into the cafe.

Ianthe, the little hardworking spirit, was arranging the flowers on another table. She stepped back and looked at her work in satisfaction. The entire room was spotlessly clean, adorned with beautiful flowers in such vibrant colours I knew they were created by magic, not grown and plucked from fields. Turning to me, Ianthe said "My work is finally done. After centuries, I can leave in peace, knowing that my work is complete. Thank you, Ma'am."

"Ianthe, um, you shouldn't thank me," I said, slightly nervously. "I mean, once you hear my idea, you might not be too anxious to thank me."

I whispered my plan in her ear.

Her smile faded.

"It's the only way I could think of!" I defended myself.

She hesitated. "Are you sure I will be happy in Hell?"

"No," I said confidently. Would I be happy?

"It is better than being fed like an animal and locked in here," Ianthe judged, after a long silence. "I will do it. But-" she hesitated. I did not understand why she was hesitating. If she had been cruelly treated here, why would she want to stay? Was someone keeping her here?

"Do what?" A new voice cut in.

We spun around, only to see yet another spirit. However, this spirit was a different colour from Ianthe.

It was a tiny girl, just as small as Ianthe (both were definitely about 120 cm, or about 4 feet). I could tell from looking at her that she was just as underfed, and she was always on the alert, light on her toes. Leaves were strewn on her head, and in her hair, and she was encased in a pale green light, whereas Ianthe had been in a pale blue light. She had pretty auburn hair that reached her waist, and dreamy green eyes, the exact colour of spring leaves. While Ianthe seemed only capable of being, well, watery and blue, this girl seemed to be exploding with colour. She also wore a flower crown and a flowy white dress. It was a good look on her.

Ianthe's eyes widened. She seemed unable to say anything for a while, struggling to express herself. Then she choked out "I thought you were dead."

There was a frozen moment before Ianthe and the new girl rushed to each other. Ianthe buried her face in the girl's shoulder and seemed to be crying. I watched, half in alarm and half in confusion. Dear me...

Then they started garbling. And really, I might mean gurgling, because they began talking in a strange language that sounded like...well, I don't know. Ianthe sounded just like a bubbling, gurgling spring. The girl sounded like plants rustling in the wind. I had guessed by now that this new girl was some sort of plant or tree spirit. So it was fitting, I suppose. But the language just sounded so odd. I was, suffice to say, quite flabbergasted.

Ianthe finally extracted herself from the girl's embrace and said to me "Ma'am, this is my twin sister, Gadina. Will you please allow her to come?"

Ah, English sounded good coming from her mouth. Her language had sounded better, but to hear Ianthe speak a language I understood, felt so heartwarming. I beamed at Ianthe, overcome with joy, and said "Of course!"

I was, as always, too impulsive. I acted without thinking, without considering the effects. So later, when I was rethinking my Plan W, I had only myself to blame for the logistical problem I had created yet again.

It was easily solved, however. 

Five minutes later, I strolled up to the Devil, who was looking at the darkening sky, with two large "Halfway To Heaven" bags hooked on my arms.