In Hell, Lucas was just another demon. There weren’t any laws throughout the land, just things that the demons agreed not to do. Eating souls was a taboo and going down to earth without permission from the high demon wasn’t exactly something a demon would want to do.
He wasn’t one of the first demons to come into existence, but he wasn’t a demon born from a human soul. In between those two categories was the second generation of demons. They were human-like but possessed all the traits of the first generation. They were treated all the same though they could live on earth longer. Most first generations went down for a few hours, scaring people and making deals with souls. Second generation demons were usually sent down to turn the good to bad.
Lucas pushed away from the looking portal, done with the human world for the moment. Just a day ago he’d been there, scouting for suitable souls to turn but an angel had appeared and ruined all the fun he’d been planning. This particular angel wasn’t anyone new to him. They’d met a few hundred years ago when Lucas was haunting a man who had killed his wife. The angel had driven him from the man’s home and helped the man return to doing good in the world.
He couldn’t stop his lip from curling in disgust. The angel’s name didn’t matter to him, not anymore than it would have mattered when they’d first met.
“This doesn’t surprise me.” Mathias wrapped one arm around Lucas’ shoulder. He pulled him close to his chest and laughed when Lucas struggled out of his hold.
Lucas frowned. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you working down on earth?”
The deal had been that Mathias would stay on earth for a full year and in return for working he would earn the right to live there for a century. There was a whole lot of fancy words and rules he would have to follow because of the treaty with Heaven, but in short he would be a free demon. To live on earth without working was what every demon was working towards. Lucas was a part of that group, hoping one day he would be able to try out many things the humans seemed to love.
“There’s been a cancellation,” Mathias said.
Lucas’ jaw dropped. “Cancellation? But it was a done deal—”
Mathias lifted up his hand and cut him off. He shook his head. “Nothing too serious. The contract is still intact, but I was summoned by the high demon. We’ll be discussing my case a little further. It isn’t anything to be worried about.”
Lucas was still a little shocked that a formal contract could be canceled or put on hold.
Mathias muffled a laugh behind his hand. "What are you making that face for?"
He moved to get a better look at him, but Lucas moved quick to hide his face. Mathias laughed again when he turned around and walked away. The open space around them didn't give them privacy and wouldn't stop other demons from catching their interaction. Mathias might not care what the others would say, but Lucas was still trying to grab a contract of his own. While they might have been around the same age, Lucas hadn't been graced with demon parents who had looked out for their adopted son.
Angels didn't have families in Heaven. From what he’d heard from rumors was that angels were born on their own and had to look after themselves. Humans were born with the instinct to take care of their young, an instinct that they had received from demons.
There were a lot of things that the humans got wrong over the thousands of years they had existed. Angels, while they were essentially good, had made mistakes when caring for the humans. They had forgotten that humans had just as much hatred and evil in them as their demon parents. Angels thought humans were born pure and only did bad when influenced by a demon.
They were wrong. Terribly wrong.
"Oh, come now," Mathias said as he took Lucas' hand into his own. "The high demon can't ignore you forever. The time isn't right, but it will come."
Lucas was waiting for him to say the inevitable. If it happened to me then it will happen to you.
It was a saying that he’d heard the humans tell each other. The words were meant to soothe the human's worry, but it could only cause hurt. The expectations would be far too great for their own mind and they would realize that things were probably too good to be true. Humans were very confusing, always comparing one thing to another or one person to another. To them difference was a disease, not something that could be beneficial.
Mathias lead him away from the looking portal.
Lucas couldn't have known that Mathias had been right. The high demon wouldn't ignore him forever. Lucas was the next one on his list.
***
Work was the same as it had always been. The dull hours slipped by, taking with them Adrian's hope and happiness. Worry started to set in the moment he heard Nick leave the apartment. The time had been right, Adrian thought. Nick had been in a good mood, probably willing to listen to Adrian. It was unfortunate that Adrian had left the paper out. Hiding it would have made it worse, but he wanted to think that he would have had more time.
That's what it all boils down to. The ticking clock and the moving of time were not things that could be stopped. They might seemed like the same thing. To anyone that wasn't Adrian the clock and time would never be different. Adrian knew time was infinite and the clock was a man made object.
The clock could be stopped. Time couldn't.
But these thoughts were of a man losing his mind.
He was back at the apartment now. The lights were turned off and the air smelled of smoke and alcohol. Nick wasn't there.
The curtains were drawn. Outside, cars zoomed by and lightening crackled like a lit fire. Rain bounced off the windows, tapping at the glass. Adrian loved the rain, loved thunder storms. This time though, when there was no one to comfort him or to even talk to, it was scary. He reached out for the light switch. The light came on and the dark room was filled with a golden glow. This should have made him fill better, should have given him the hope that he needed. Without Nick here, it would be hard to feel comfortable. It had been a while since they had fought.
The change was hard to get over.
He locked the door and turned off the light as he left the room. The apartment was filled with darkness once again, only the lights from outside helping him find his way to the bedroom. There wasn’t a reason for him to turn on the bedroom light. His movements were jerky as he removed his clothes and slipped into his and Nick’s bed. The scent of Nick lingered. His chest ached.
Everything reminded him of Nick. The sheets and the dip on the opposite side of the mattress were reminders of the man that was not here to hold him. This night had been important to him and he thought it had been the same for Nick. The way things had turned out were worse than he’d imagined. Nick’s eyes held more than anger. It showed Adrian hurt and distrust.
The tears soaked the pillow. He pulled the comforter over his head and wished that he could be more of a man. He wished that he could be a better person and that he didn’t hurt the one’s he loved. Thoughts of death and hurting himself filtered through his mind. What was the use of living if the one of loved hated him? Who would he be living for then?
He was disgusting. He was vile.
Nick was right to be angry at him. He had the right to hurt Adrian. The problem wasn’t Nick; it was Adrian.
The hushed sounds of the night lulled him to sleep. The tears dried, leaving behind a faint residue of stickiness. Adrian was a dreamer. Even when he wasn’t sleep he would dream of a better life, of things that he knew that he would never have. Fancy cars, nice clothes, and being much prettier than he was. What he saw in the mirror was a face that was far from what he would call perfect. His lips were uneven and his nose looked too big. There was always something wrong with him, whether it be his weight or the fact that his hair was beyond help.
That night, his dreams were different. There was nothing happy about the world that he was sucked in. Good was conquered by evil in this dream. It was a nightmare.
It started with a dark room. The walls and floor were painted black, no windows in sight. The door out had no doorknob and from outside he could hear thunder and lightening. His heart was racing. He tried to turn around, but he couldn’t move. The walls were closing in and the sounds of the thunder grew louder.
The door opened.
Standing in the doorway was a young girl. Her hair fell in long waves down to her waist. From a distance she looked familiar. Her features struck a chord inside of him, almost like a melody he could not place.
She smiled, but when the corners of her mouth reached the furthest they could go, the skin began to rip. Blood oozed from the cuts, dripping to the floor.
Adrian woke up with a start. His chest heaved and sweat rolled down the sides of his face.
The dream had been so real. Everything about it felt like it had really happened.
He gulped and prayed Nick would be back soon.
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