I woke up to Relly screaming at the doctors.
"You idiots! You killed her!"
The beeping of my machines must have shocked them as I just resumed stasis as if nothing had happened. Everyone looked around the room in shock as if some miracle I was obviously oblivious to had just taken place.
"What is everybody staring at?"
"You were dead! Clinically DEAD, Aeris!" Amiee shouted into the seemingly ever growing silence.
"Me? Dead? Come one guys. Stop messing around. This isn't funny."
I felt as though I was just awakened from a long, peaceful nap. What do they mean by dead? Weren't you supposed to come back from the dead as something totally unyou? I mean, I never felt better. And from the looks of my arms, I wasn't corpse grey anymore.
A nurse approached me, holding out a slip of paper. Her hands were shaking in fear, and she yelped when I touched her by mistake when taking the paper. On it was messily scribbled a number, time, and the word "passed." This was a paper with the notes required to fill out a death certificate. I stared at the clock, 12:36A. I was dead for 2 hours. Why wasn't I moved, then?
Seriously, Why would you keep a dead body in a room with 2 live patients? I mean, Yeah, we're quarantined with the same thing, but why not hazmat me up and take me to the morgue? Were they waiting for whatever they tried to give me to work?
I shifted on my cott, slowly pushing myself off of it. Relly rushed to my side, his mother shooting daggers at me as he assisted me up. She had always hated me for some unknown reason.
"Careful, hun." He said, taking one hand in his, resting his other hand on my back in an attempt to steady me. I put one hand on his arm that was on my back, the other I used to push myself off my cott.
"I got it, I think." I half smiled and side glanced at him. He was smiling at me, clearly relieved that I was not, in fact dead.
As soon as I was on my feet, he pulled me into an embrace that would normally send shivers down my spine. However, this time, it sent nothing. What was wrong with me? Normally, my heart flutters at the slightest touch from him. Yet, now, it did nothing. Everyone in the room gasped. As Relly and I obliviously got the electrodes off me and a nurse assisted in taking out my IV, the room was filled with the putrid smell of decaying flesh. Amiee hid her face, signalling to me that something was horribly wrong. I looked at the doorway, first, seeing that I was already facing it. I was taken aback at the sight. With me frozen, staring into the familiar, haunting eyes, Relly turned to see the man that had followed me to his house.
Relly protectively put an arm out, sliding me behind him as the man laughed. Relly signaled Amiee and his mother to get behind him with a simple gesture of pointing to her, then the wall behind us. She ran to me, standing behind me, and hugged me from behind, as I stood with my hands lighting on Relly's sides. I would have normally felt safe, this way, and I'm sure Amiee was. However, I still felt nothing. No fear, no urge to fight the strange man, nothing. I couldn't even smell the scent of decayed flesh that Amiee and Relly had made evident that they could not tolerate.
The man laughed as Amiee and I peered out from behind Relly. He locked eyes with me, in what should have made me scared for my life, but the stare left me feeling just as numb as before. Relly's mother ran behind Amiee in what I assumed was supposed to be an attempt to protect her if we needed to split. Seemed like she knew exactly what was happening.
Then it hit me, she knew this man. She called him Lucy. What man would go by Lucy if it wasn't short for something?? Relly kept his eyes locked on this man as his mother yelled at at Lucy. I wasn't paying enough attention to be able to tell what they were talking about.
" Wait, Lucy as in LUCIFER?" I blurted, staring at the man in the doorway as his features seemed less and less human like.
"yes, dimwit. He's the fucking devil. Why the hell else would he have glowing eyes!?!?!?"
"I didn't really think too much of it, ma'am. Last time I saw him, I was on my way home from working a double shift and an overnighter because my relief called off. Pardon me for not realizing that someone had glowing green eyes!"
"How would you pass up something like that??"
"How would I not if I try not to look at someone's face when I'm uncomfortable."
"You are the dumbest girl I have ever met. Relly, What the hell do you see in her??"
"Can we not argue, right now, mom???"
Lucifer laughed. The lights flickered and the equipment burst into flames, then dulled to a smolder.
Why weren't the alarms going off? What the actual fuck was going on?
Relly's mother gasped and stepped away from Amiee. The room from right behind her and up to Lucifer was sinking, and at an alarming pace.
"Jesus! Amiee, watch it!" I shouted when she pushed me forward.
"This is going to take quite some time. So do any of you have any questions?" Lucifer laughed.
"What the fuck is going on!?" Amiee cried.
"Why, child, it's the Death Games. I figured you and your sister would know about them. You seemed pretty smart. "
"Why us?" I stampered.
"I really only wanted you, Aeris. You confuse me. You're kind to the unfortunate and cruel to the fortunate. You dress as though you're the kind of woman to bite a man's head off at the neck if they get too close, yet, you're the most caring girl in town. You put everyone before yourself and you selfishly consider your options before you physically react to any situation. As for your sister, I know that you two make a great team. You never really could do anything apart for too long, so I figured she would have to come, too. That's why I only took your soul, Aeris. Because I only really wanted you. But upon seeing Relly protect you from me, I knew I needed him, as well. I was dying to know if you would selfishly sacrifice yourself to save him or your little sister. Such a hard choice it must be for you as you're weighing everything in your mind. You're trying to figure out who needs more protection and assistance and who can fend for themselves. I won't have you ponder it for too long. You'll all be training for a few weeks to get the feel for what I'll be putting you through. I spare no hard feelings and I will not hesitate to up the stakes if I feel that none of your performances are to my liking. So, with that, Relly, Do you have a question? Seeing as the girls contributed, might as well get something from you."
"How is any of this fair?"
"Silly boy!" Lucifer struck Relly, causing him to fall, breaking his protective stance. "I'm the mother fucking DEVIL! Do I look like someone who is going to play fair!?"
