Chakra Wizard
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Alright, I personally think the last chapter was way too rushed and looks kinda sloppy. I’ve been picturing this chapter for a while, though, so it should be a lot easier to get done
Again, as always, I don’t try to be preachy when writing this, so please don’t take it that way, although I admit that this one was very difficult not to write in such a manner. Enjoy
…Adolf certainly wasn’t lying when he said that there was a large assembly of people hoping to accompany us. I couldn’t be entirely sure of the exact number, …but it was easy to tell that more than half of them would be feeling rather disappointed by the time this was all over. As the cafeteria was still serving its usual purpose, we were forced to find empty space in a corner of the large room for me to begin conducting my interviews of each…applicant. …We might have been there for a full day, had I not been looking for the answers to only five questions, …or six, depending on who I was speaking to.
“Your name?”
“…Ashton Dayley.”
“Age at time of death?”
“Twenty-…seven.”
“Cause of death?”
“Um, car accident.”
“Any crimes I should know about?”
“None at all.”
“…Alright. Religion?”
“Huh?”
“I said religion?”
“Oh, right. Uh, …Christian.”
“…Okay. Thanks for your offer, Ashton. You can go for now.”
“…Did I not make it or something?”
“Right now, nobody’s receiving that information. …We’ll come look for those we end up choosing when it’s all said and done, alright?”
“Sure thing!”
Having fallen for this ploy on my part, he quickly left the room. …Once he was out of hearing distance, Carmine looked at me in question.
“Hey, Justin. Why you gotta lie to him like that? What’s wrong with just coming out and saying that he didn’t pass?”
“…The last thing I need now is three hundred damned souls pissed off at me before I leave, …especially if there’s a small chance I’ll end up coming back.”
“…Hehe, touché.”
Having answered his question, I returned to my current ordeals, …while my colleagues on either side of me exchanged looks of irritation. …I had been doing this for the past two hours now, it seems, though up until this point, I had only found sixteen others that I was willing to bring along with our current group of eight. I told each of them to sit at a nearby table until we were finished speaking to the others, …in order to avoid complaints from those that I turned away without their knowledge. …Having been previously informed of his quick-tempered nature, I wasn’t too surprised when Sean eventually spoke up on this matter.
“Man, come on! This is taking forever! …Why couldn’t you just pick the first fifty guys to walk over here? We’d have been long gone by now.”
I held out my hand to inform the next person hoping to join us to wait for my signal…before redirecting my attention towards Sean. …Truthfully, I was rather disappointed that he felt the necessity to ask this…when the answer was so damn obvious.
“Because I’m not about to lead fifty people out of Hell if the majority of them deserve to stay here. …Is that a good enough reason for you?”
…Apparently not.
“I don’t get it, though. What’s the point in sortin’ ‘em out like this on your first attempt? …It’s not like we’re making it out this time.”
“…Interesting logic. …So, I take it you wouldn’t give a **** if I left you behind then, would you?”
“Justin, what are you-?”
“Ivan, stop it! I’m being serious!”
He quickly did as I requested, …now focusing his attention on Sean, who was sporting a rather…flabbergasted look on his face. I waited until I was certain that the young man’s attention was fixated solely on me before going on.
“…Sean, I have no idea why you’re in Hell and, frankly, now that you’re here, it doesn’t matter. …But, I’ll be damned if I’m just gonna stand here and listen to you speak like you’re any better than the man standing beside you.”
Turning his head ever so slightly, he realized then that he had been standing next to Adolf this entire time…and, judging from his resulting expression, he took quite a bit of offense to my remark, …as he should have.
“Dude, what the hell’s your deal? You just said I was worse than Hitler.”
“And right now, that’s exactly what you’re being. …I’m not talking about in life, Sean. Even he admits how terrible a person he was while he was alive. …But right here, at this moment, …yes. Adolf’s a far better man than you are. …Now, try to imagine what that says about the kind of person you’re being.”
…A slight shift in his field of vision was all the evidence I needed to know that he was doing just that. …For a moment, I felt rather regretful for my words, …then I remembered why I was telling him all this in the first place.
“I’m not coming back here, Sean. I won’t allow the odds to apply to me, but I’m not gonna lie and say that I can do this alone. …I have to find a team, but I need to know that those I choose to bring really deserve a second chance…and the eight of you are no exceptions.”
He continued to nod to assure me that he had been listening, but I couldn’t be entirely certain that I was getting my point across to him, …and if I wasn’t, what I said next would surely do the trick.
“…I think you ought to be there to welcome your mother into Heaven, Sean.”
As expected, his eyes nearly doubled in size and his gaze shifted from the floor to me. …In truth, I couldn’t be sure at the time whether this was because I had mentioned his mother…or because he was previously unaware that Louis had spoke of her to me earlier that day. …In the end, though, it really didn’t matter, so I simply continued, though I walked over and placed my hand on his shoulder before doing so.
“She’s already seen her son die, so I would like nothing more than to make sure that that’s the last time she’s ever forced to endure that much pain all at once. …She deserves to be with you in Heaven, Sean. I have little doubt of that, …but do you deserve to be in Heaven with her? …I’d like to think you are.”
It took him a moment to respond, …a very long moment, …but a smile eventually found its place upon his face.
“…Thanks, …Justin.”
“…My pleasure.”
Looking around now that this conversation was over, I quickly realized that everyone else had begun to exchange looks of concern and slight anger, …appearing almost put off by my earlier insinuation that I didn’t trust them all enough to bring them with me. …Not wanting to lose any of them, I quickly reassured them of the meaning behind my words.
“Guys, I’ve been evaluating everybody I’ve met since I first got here, I promise you. …Some of you, I already consider to be my friends. …Others, …for the time being, I can’t be so sure, but I swear that I’ll do my best to ensure that all of you are coming with me today.”
This latter statement was directed mostly towards Violet, …but I did my best to conceal this from her. Fortunately, however, the entire group seemed satisfied with my answer, …Adolf nodding his head in approval as a smile stretched out across his face, …both of which I returned in kind. …This matter now settled, I returned my attention to the one at hand, gesturing to the next person in line to come forward.
“Name?”
“Krishna…Meena.”
“When did you die, Krishna?”
“About nine years ago. …I was thirty.”
“…Alright. What happened?”
“I had a disease. …Malaria, I think. Died from it within the first year.”
“Hmm, …must have been painful.”
“Very.”
“Okay, then. …I take it that you’re Hinduic, Krishna? …Not to typecast you, but you seem…”
“Oh, yes, hahaha. No, that’s quite alright. …Yes, I was a Hindu.”
“...Faithful? …Very religious, I mean.”
“Oh, yes, very religious. I was raised to be a good man.”
He wasn’t the first one with these kinds of answers to appear before us today…and, quite frankly, they were beginning to pull at my heart. …They continued to remind me of how…picky God could be with his children.
“Well, I really can’t argue with that. …Do you see that table over there, Krishna?”
Following the path of my finger, he fixed his eyes on the group of people whom I had already chosen to bring along.
“Yes, sir.”
“You can go sit with them for now. …I’ll be speaking to all of you once this line is completely gone.”
“Yes. Thank you, sir.”
“…My pleasure, Krishna.”
The moment he was out of ear’s reach, Leonard tugged at my sleeve to ask something of me. Unlike the rest with us, who were merely standing against the wall, he was sitting in a rusted chair that Louis took the courtesy of finding for him. …The old man was far too frail to stand on his feet that long.
“Excuse me, my boy, …if you don’t mind me asking this.”
…The timing of his question was far too coincidental for me to believe he was asking something else.
“Hmhmhm…no, it’s fine, Leonard. …He just looked to be the type of person that never had the chance to believe in something else, same with half of the people sitting with him. …Misinformation isn’t really a sin, Leonard, …especially when the correct information has no proof to back it up. …I can’t blame him for growing up with different beliefs, otherwise I’d be engaging in bias judgement. …And that, I’m afraid, IS a sin.”
“…Fine answer, Justin.”
“Hehehe, I’m an entertainer, Leonard. Good speech is in my blood.”
The majority of the group joined in our laughter. …In Hell, it truly was the greatest treasure one could come by.
In total, this painstaking task consumed no less than five hours, …but at last, the long line of potential candidates had completely faded away. Helping Leonard out of his chair, I signaled to those who passed my inspection to walk over and join us. …As a whole and with the exclusion of Adolf, our new group came out at exactly fifty people…and, if this didn’t work out as I had planned, we could be leaving with only forty-nine.
“Thank you for the wait, everyone. I’m sorry that took so long, but now that we’re done, we can get started as soon as possible.”
This announcement was met with cheers and a few raised fists. …It seemed I wasn’t the only one eager to leave the Core.
“Hmhmhm, my thoughts exactly. Alright, with the group standing behind me included in the mix, we’ve got a head count of exactly forty-nine, which is a fairly decent number.”
“Uh, Justin?”
As I expected, one of my colleagues, specifically Louis, had been counting along and realized my…purposeful miscalculation.
“Hm?”
“You’re off by one.”
My response was not immediate, …though I did fix my eyes on one particular individual standing back behind the rest. …Following my gaze, as did everyone else, …Louis’s eyes were now fixed on Violet, who was just as surprised as the rest of them, …if not more so.
“Me? …What the hell? Why me?”
I was leaning against the end of the table as this transpired, quickly standing up straight again after she asked me this. I looked at Adolf and tilted my head in the direction of our new colleagues, silently requesting that he take over for me. …He paused a moment in confusion, but quickly nodded as he came to understand what I was asking for. This done, I walked past the others and threw my arm around Violet’s shoulder, directing her towards the open doorway.
“Come on. …I need to have a talk with you.”
I wasn’t entirely sure what was going through her mind at the moment, since she didn’t answer, …but as soon as we were out of everybody else’s field of vision, she immediately changed into the stubborn teenager Louis said she was.
“Alright, now seriously, what the hell is this? I don’t know who you think YOU are to judge ME, but I deserve to be in Heaven, too, okay?”
“…Okay. …And why’s that?”
Whatever her answer, I was certainly going to enjoy it…and it would probably take all the control I could muster to keep my hands off her neck.
“Hey, I believed in God, okay? I prayed, I went to church, I celebrated Christmas, so why shouldn’t I get into-?”
That self-control I was searching for, …I couldn’t find it.
“Shut…the hell…up.”
“Ow! Hey, …let go of me. …Come on, that really hurts.”
“And it should. …There’s nothing I hate more than atheists in denial…and you know exactly what I mean by that.”
“I’m a Chris-”
“No, you’re NOT!!”
At this point, it was impossible for her to hide the fact that I was frightening her. …Hopefully, though, this would make it much easier for her to listen to what I had to say.
“…Somebody that says grace before they eat, yet doesn’t pray in the morning when they wake up and at night before they fall asleep, is not a Christian. …Somebody that attends church only four or five times a year and only does so because they were forced to by their parents is not a Christian. …Somebody that celebrates Christmas merely to receive presents, yet doesn’t even know the reason it’s celebrated in the first place, …is NOT a Christian. …You know what I’m saying is true, Violet. I can see it right there in your eyes. …And you know damn well that all of it applies to you.”
At this point in time, I decided it best to release my grip on her neck, at which point she immediately fell to her knees, her eyes now overcome by tears. …I would’ve stopped then, had I not the slightest suspicion that they resulted from fear…and not remorse.
“I’m gonna tell you something, Violet, …and it’s in your best interest never to forget it, because it separates you from every other poor soul that’s trapped within these walls. …Look at me, Violet.”
I dropped to one knee in order to match her eye level, placing two fingers beneath her chin and lifting her head up until her eyes met mine. …I had to make sure that she heard this.
“…Those who can’t understand why they’re in Hell…are the ones that deserve to be here the most. …To find absolutely no faults in the things you did in life is a form of pride with virtually no equal. …You’re a good person, Violet, and I know that you are. …But, you’re not great…and you sure as hell aren’t perfect. Never forget that.”
Her tears hadn’t quite dried yet, so I stood up and headed back inside the cafeteria to let her think on her own for a while, …though not before reassuring her of my real intentions.
“I told Lucifer that I was bringing fifty people with me. …And that’s how many I intend to have when I walk through that gate.”
I didn’t look back to see her reaction, …though I’m sure that she looked up in surprise. Walking back over to the table I was standing in front of only ten minutes ago, the number of people sitting there seemed to have drastically decreased, …while those that remained were eating a tray of that vulgar slop that served as our means of nutrition. Adolf, who was sitting beside Leonard at the end of the table, stood up to welcome me back.
“…Is she alright?”
“…Yeah, she’s fine. …Just needs a little time, that’s all. Hey, where’s everyone else?”
“Here and there, …looking for one of the torture chambers.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, do you not see it?”
Still confused, I looked back at the table and watched as my new friends continued to devour their meals, …doing so for almost thirty seconds before it finally clicked in my mind.
“Aaahh, …our last supper, I take it?”
“Hmhmhm, …I suppose it could be called such.”
“And everyone who has already eaten once is snooping around for a way to remove that puncture in their hand.”
“Hm, exactly.”
I myself hadn't eaten in almost eight hours, so I was rather famished at the time. I looked down at my own hands, which were completely clear of cuts or bruises. …Of course, I had died three separate times since my last meal.
“Well, I suppose I should grab some food for myself, then.”
“Agreed, …but before that…”
“Hm?”
Tilting his head forward, looking over at the doorway as he did, I followed his eyes to a familiar face that had decided to rejoin our group, …wiping the last few tears from her eyes as she walked toward us.
“Are you alright?”
She didn’t reply with words, …at least not right away, though she did nod her head in a somewhat feeble manner to assure me that she was.
“…Good.”
“Justin?”
“Yeah?”
“…Thanks…a lot.”
…It seems I was able to get through to her, after all. …It was a rather nice feeling, actually.
“No problem. …You should probably grab some food and sit down with us. …Won’t get a chance later on, I’m afraid.”
Nodding her head again, she hesitated a moment before heading over to the pile of trays. …She seemed almost in a hurry. The group now totaling fifty once again, I turned back to Adolf, who was sporting a rather…impressed smile on his face.
“You are doing rather well, Justin.”
“…I guess. …Of course, I haven’t even left the Core yet, Adolf.”
“Hmhmhmhm, true. …Soon enough, though, lad.”
“…Yeah, …very soon.”
Again, as always, I don’t try to be preachy when writing this, so please don’t take it that way, although I admit that this one was very difficult not to write in such a manner. Enjoy
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Selection
…Adolf certainly wasn’t lying when he said that there was a large assembly of people hoping to accompany us. I couldn’t be entirely sure of the exact number, …but it was easy to tell that more than half of them would be feeling rather disappointed by the time this was all over. As the cafeteria was still serving its usual purpose, we were forced to find empty space in a corner of the large room for me to begin conducting my interviews of each…applicant. …We might have been there for a full day, had I not been looking for the answers to only five questions, …or six, depending on who I was speaking to.
“Your name?”
“…Ashton Dayley.”
“Age at time of death?”
“Twenty-…seven.”
“Cause of death?”
“Um, car accident.”
“Any crimes I should know about?”
“None at all.”
“…Alright. Religion?”
“Huh?”
“I said religion?”
“Oh, right. Uh, …Christian.”
“…Okay. Thanks for your offer, Ashton. You can go for now.”
“…Did I not make it or something?”
“Right now, nobody’s receiving that information. …We’ll come look for those we end up choosing when it’s all said and done, alright?”
“Sure thing!”
Having fallen for this ploy on my part, he quickly left the room. …Once he was out of hearing distance, Carmine looked at me in question.
“Hey, Justin. Why you gotta lie to him like that? What’s wrong with just coming out and saying that he didn’t pass?”
“…The last thing I need now is three hundred damned souls pissed off at me before I leave, …especially if there’s a small chance I’ll end up coming back.”
“…Hehe, touché.”
Having answered his question, I returned to my current ordeals, …while my colleagues on either side of me exchanged looks of irritation. …I had been doing this for the past two hours now, it seems, though up until this point, I had only found sixteen others that I was willing to bring along with our current group of eight. I told each of them to sit at a nearby table until we were finished speaking to the others, …in order to avoid complaints from those that I turned away without their knowledge. …Having been previously informed of his quick-tempered nature, I wasn’t too surprised when Sean eventually spoke up on this matter.
“Man, come on! This is taking forever! …Why couldn’t you just pick the first fifty guys to walk over here? We’d have been long gone by now.”
I held out my hand to inform the next person hoping to join us to wait for my signal…before redirecting my attention towards Sean. …Truthfully, I was rather disappointed that he felt the necessity to ask this…when the answer was so damn obvious.
“Because I’m not about to lead fifty people out of Hell if the majority of them deserve to stay here. …Is that a good enough reason for you?”
…Apparently not.
“I don’t get it, though. What’s the point in sortin’ ‘em out like this on your first attempt? …It’s not like we’re making it out this time.”
“…Interesting logic. …So, I take it you wouldn’t give a **** if I left you behind then, would you?”
“Justin, what are you-?”
“Ivan, stop it! I’m being serious!”
He quickly did as I requested, …now focusing his attention on Sean, who was sporting a rather…flabbergasted look on his face. I waited until I was certain that the young man’s attention was fixated solely on me before going on.
“…Sean, I have no idea why you’re in Hell and, frankly, now that you’re here, it doesn’t matter. …But, I’ll be damned if I’m just gonna stand here and listen to you speak like you’re any better than the man standing beside you.”
Turning his head ever so slightly, he realized then that he had been standing next to Adolf this entire time…and, judging from his resulting expression, he took quite a bit of offense to my remark, …as he should have.
“Dude, what the hell’s your deal? You just said I was worse than Hitler.”
“And right now, that’s exactly what you’re being. …I’m not talking about in life, Sean. Even he admits how terrible a person he was while he was alive. …But right here, at this moment, …yes. Adolf’s a far better man than you are. …Now, try to imagine what that says about the kind of person you’re being.”
…A slight shift in his field of vision was all the evidence I needed to know that he was doing just that. …For a moment, I felt rather regretful for my words, …then I remembered why I was telling him all this in the first place.
“I’m not coming back here, Sean. I won’t allow the odds to apply to me, but I’m not gonna lie and say that I can do this alone. …I have to find a team, but I need to know that those I choose to bring really deserve a second chance…and the eight of you are no exceptions.”
He continued to nod to assure me that he had been listening, but I couldn’t be entirely certain that I was getting my point across to him, …and if I wasn’t, what I said next would surely do the trick.
“…I think you ought to be there to welcome your mother into Heaven, Sean.”
As expected, his eyes nearly doubled in size and his gaze shifted from the floor to me. …In truth, I couldn’t be sure at the time whether this was because I had mentioned his mother…or because he was previously unaware that Louis had spoke of her to me earlier that day. …In the end, though, it really didn’t matter, so I simply continued, though I walked over and placed my hand on his shoulder before doing so.
“She’s already seen her son die, so I would like nothing more than to make sure that that’s the last time she’s ever forced to endure that much pain all at once. …She deserves to be with you in Heaven, Sean. I have little doubt of that, …but do you deserve to be in Heaven with her? …I’d like to think you are.”
It took him a moment to respond, …a very long moment, …but a smile eventually found its place upon his face.
“…Thanks, …Justin.”
“…My pleasure.”
Looking around now that this conversation was over, I quickly realized that everyone else had begun to exchange looks of concern and slight anger, …appearing almost put off by my earlier insinuation that I didn’t trust them all enough to bring them with me. …Not wanting to lose any of them, I quickly reassured them of the meaning behind my words.
“Guys, I’ve been evaluating everybody I’ve met since I first got here, I promise you. …Some of you, I already consider to be my friends. …Others, …for the time being, I can’t be so sure, but I swear that I’ll do my best to ensure that all of you are coming with me today.”
This latter statement was directed mostly towards Violet, …but I did my best to conceal this from her. Fortunately, however, the entire group seemed satisfied with my answer, …Adolf nodding his head in approval as a smile stretched out across his face, …both of which I returned in kind. …This matter now settled, I returned my attention to the one at hand, gesturing to the next person in line to come forward.
“Name?”
“Krishna…Meena.”
“When did you die, Krishna?”
“About nine years ago. …I was thirty.”
“…Alright. What happened?”
“I had a disease. …Malaria, I think. Died from it within the first year.”
“Hmm, …must have been painful.”
“Very.”
“Okay, then. …I take it that you’re Hinduic, Krishna? …Not to typecast you, but you seem…”
“Oh, yes, hahaha. No, that’s quite alright. …Yes, I was a Hindu.”
“...Faithful? …Very religious, I mean.”
“Oh, yes, very religious. I was raised to be a good man.”
He wasn’t the first one with these kinds of answers to appear before us today…and, quite frankly, they were beginning to pull at my heart. …They continued to remind me of how…picky God could be with his children.
“Well, I really can’t argue with that. …Do you see that table over there, Krishna?”
Following the path of my finger, he fixed his eyes on the group of people whom I had already chosen to bring along.
“Yes, sir.”
“You can go sit with them for now. …I’ll be speaking to all of you once this line is completely gone.”
“Yes. Thank you, sir.”
“…My pleasure, Krishna.”
The moment he was out of ear’s reach, Leonard tugged at my sleeve to ask something of me. Unlike the rest with us, who were merely standing against the wall, he was sitting in a rusted chair that Louis took the courtesy of finding for him. …The old man was far too frail to stand on his feet that long.
“Excuse me, my boy, …if you don’t mind me asking this.”
…The timing of his question was far too coincidental for me to believe he was asking something else.
“Hmhmhm…no, it’s fine, Leonard. …He just looked to be the type of person that never had the chance to believe in something else, same with half of the people sitting with him. …Misinformation isn’t really a sin, Leonard, …especially when the correct information has no proof to back it up. …I can’t blame him for growing up with different beliefs, otherwise I’d be engaging in bias judgement. …And that, I’m afraid, IS a sin.”
“…Fine answer, Justin.”
“Hehehe, I’m an entertainer, Leonard. Good speech is in my blood.”
The majority of the group joined in our laughter. …In Hell, it truly was the greatest treasure one could come by.
In total, this painstaking task consumed no less than five hours, …but at last, the long line of potential candidates had completely faded away. Helping Leonard out of his chair, I signaled to those who passed my inspection to walk over and join us. …As a whole and with the exclusion of Adolf, our new group came out at exactly fifty people…and, if this didn’t work out as I had planned, we could be leaving with only forty-nine.
“Thank you for the wait, everyone. I’m sorry that took so long, but now that we’re done, we can get started as soon as possible.”
This announcement was met with cheers and a few raised fists. …It seemed I wasn’t the only one eager to leave the Core.
“Hmhmhm, my thoughts exactly. Alright, with the group standing behind me included in the mix, we’ve got a head count of exactly forty-nine, which is a fairly decent number.”
“Uh, Justin?”
As I expected, one of my colleagues, specifically Louis, had been counting along and realized my…purposeful miscalculation.
“Hm?”
“You’re off by one.”
My response was not immediate, …though I did fix my eyes on one particular individual standing back behind the rest. …Following my gaze, as did everyone else, …Louis’s eyes were now fixed on Violet, who was just as surprised as the rest of them, …if not more so.
“Me? …What the hell? Why me?”
I was leaning against the end of the table as this transpired, quickly standing up straight again after she asked me this. I looked at Adolf and tilted my head in the direction of our new colleagues, silently requesting that he take over for me. …He paused a moment in confusion, but quickly nodded as he came to understand what I was asking for. This done, I walked past the others and threw my arm around Violet’s shoulder, directing her towards the open doorway.
“Come on. …I need to have a talk with you.”
I wasn’t entirely sure what was going through her mind at the moment, since she didn’t answer, …but as soon as we were out of everybody else’s field of vision, she immediately changed into the stubborn teenager Louis said she was.
“Alright, now seriously, what the hell is this? I don’t know who you think YOU are to judge ME, but I deserve to be in Heaven, too, okay?”
“…Okay. …And why’s that?”
Whatever her answer, I was certainly going to enjoy it…and it would probably take all the control I could muster to keep my hands off her neck.
“Hey, I believed in God, okay? I prayed, I went to church, I celebrated Christmas, so why shouldn’t I get into-?”
That self-control I was searching for, …I couldn’t find it.
“Shut…the hell…up.”
“Ow! Hey, …let go of me. …Come on, that really hurts.”
“And it should. …There’s nothing I hate more than atheists in denial…and you know exactly what I mean by that.”
“I’m a Chris-”
“No, you’re NOT!!”
At this point, it was impossible for her to hide the fact that I was frightening her. …Hopefully, though, this would make it much easier for her to listen to what I had to say.
“…Somebody that says grace before they eat, yet doesn’t pray in the morning when they wake up and at night before they fall asleep, is not a Christian. …Somebody that attends church only four or five times a year and only does so because they were forced to by their parents is not a Christian. …Somebody that celebrates Christmas merely to receive presents, yet doesn’t even know the reason it’s celebrated in the first place, …is NOT a Christian. …You know what I’m saying is true, Violet. I can see it right there in your eyes. …And you know damn well that all of it applies to you.”
At this point in time, I decided it best to release my grip on her neck, at which point she immediately fell to her knees, her eyes now overcome by tears. …I would’ve stopped then, had I not the slightest suspicion that they resulted from fear…and not remorse.
“I’m gonna tell you something, Violet, …and it’s in your best interest never to forget it, because it separates you from every other poor soul that’s trapped within these walls. …Look at me, Violet.”
I dropped to one knee in order to match her eye level, placing two fingers beneath her chin and lifting her head up until her eyes met mine. …I had to make sure that she heard this.
“…Those who can’t understand why they’re in Hell…are the ones that deserve to be here the most. …To find absolutely no faults in the things you did in life is a form of pride with virtually no equal. …You’re a good person, Violet, and I know that you are. …But, you’re not great…and you sure as hell aren’t perfect. Never forget that.”
Her tears hadn’t quite dried yet, so I stood up and headed back inside the cafeteria to let her think on her own for a while, …though not before reassuring her of my real intentions.
“I told Lucifer that I was bringing fifty people with me. …And that’s how many I intend to have when I walk through that gate.”
I didn’t look back to see her reaction, …though I’m sure that she looked up in surprise. Walking back over to the table I was standing in front of only ten minutes ago, the number of people sitting there seemed to have drastically decreased, …while those that remained were eating a tray of that vulgar slop that served as our means of nutrition. Adolf, who was sitting beside Leonard at the end of the table, stood up to welcome me back.
“…Is she alright?”
“…Yeah, she’s fine. …Just needs a little time, that’s all. Hey, where’s everyone else?”
“Here and there, …looking for one of the torture chambers.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, do you not see it?”
Still confused, I looked back at the table and watched as my new friends continued to devour their meals, …doing so for almost thirty seconds before it finally clicked in my mind.
“Aaahh, …our last supper, I take it?”
“Hmhmhm, …I suppose it could be called such.”
“And everyone who has already eaten once is snooping around for a way to remove that puncture in their hand.”
“Hm, exactly.”
I myself hadn't eaten in almost eight hours, so I was rather famished at the time. I looked down at my own hands, which were completely clear of cuts or bruises. …Of course, I had died three separate times since my last meal.
“Well, I suppose I should grab some food for myself, then.”
“Agreed, …but before that…”
“Hm?”
Tilting his head forward, looking over at the doorway as he did, I followed his eyes to a familiar face that had decided to rejoin our group, …wiping the last few tears from her eyes as she walked toward us.
“Are you alright?”
She didn’t reply with words, …at least not right away, though she did nod her head in a somewhat feeble manner to assure me that she was.
“…Good.”
“Justin?”
“Yeah?”
“…Thanks…a lot.”
…It seems I was able to get through to her, after all. …It was a rather nice feeling, actually.
“No problem. …You should probably grab some food and sit down with us. …Won’t get a chance later on, I’m afraid.”
Nodding her head again, she hesitated a moment before heading over to the pile of trays. …She seemed almost in a hurry. The group now totaling fifty once again, I turned back to Adolf, who was sporting a rather…impressed smile on his face.
“You are doing rather well, Justin.”
“…I guess. …Of course, I haven’t even left the Core yet, Adolf.”
“Hmhmhmhm, true. …Soon enough, though, lad.”
“…Yeah, …very soon.”
- The End -
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