《Devil's Advocate》 Chapter One The stars twinkled like diamonds without light pollution to dull their sparkle. They enveloped the world in a mystical darkness very few got to see every night. One of these lucky few included twelve-year-old Shayla Brookes. Tonight, like most nights, she was having trouble sleeping. The sound of crickets droning on put most people out in seconds, but not Shayla. She lie awake growing irritated by their song. It wasn¡¯t the noise. It was the kind of noise. The dry breeze blowing through the trees. The occasional moo of a cow whose sleep had been disrupted. Coyotes howling in the distance. This mix of natural sounds were quiet. Too quiet for Shayla. So, she tossed and turned. Wondering what was wrong with her. Why she couldn¡¯t sleep with the best white noise nature had to offer. Well, maybe not the best, she thought. She remembered last Spring when they had a rare thunderstorm. It rained all through the night. The thunder boomed and rumbled. It shook the earth. That was the last time she had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep. The rain hitting the roof. Cars driving through the shallow puddles on the road. Water flowing through the gutters. It had lulled her into the deepest, most comfortable sleep of her life. The memory of the storm had triggered young Shayla¡¯s imagination. In her world, it was raining. She could see the droplets on her window. Faraway thunder approached like a monster lurking in the shadows. The clouds blocked out the stars and moon. It was very dark now. The rain pattered with no real rhythm or beat. The drops came at random. A perfect cacophony. The storm played in her head even after she fell asleep. It followed her into her dreams and comforted her through the night. When she awoke, she was disappointed to find brilliant sunlight bursting through her window and filling her room with its rays. ¡°Shayla!¡± her mother called from the kitchen, ¡°Are you awake? It¡¯s time for school!¡± She rubbed her eyes and yawned before replying, ¡°Yeah, mom. I¡¯m up!¡± The girl pulled off her covers and got dressed in a pair of dark grey jeans, a black t-shirt, and a lumberjack flannel. Shayla admired herself in the mirror. It was her favorite outfit. She had to beg her mother to buy it for her instead of a nice dress. Shayla had never been fond of dresses, but her mother insisted on them. It wasn¡¯t the only thing they had different opinions about. Shayla had been dying to have short hair since she saw a picture of Gerard Way at a CD store, but her locks remained long. She had thought about cutting it herself, but she feared the wrath of her mother more than anything. Shayla shuffled into the kitchen where her mom was making pancakes. Her mother, Shannon, wore her hair up in a tight bun. An apron was tied around her waist. Her dad was sitting at the table dressed for work. He sipped his coffee and read the newspaper. ¡°Good morning,¡± her mother began building a plate of pancakes for her daughter. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She sat down at the table next to her father, ¡°Good morning.¡± Shannon brought the plate of pancakes, the butter dish, and a bottle of maple syrup over in one trip. She set each down with the grace of a ballerina, then returned to the kitchen. She returned with a bottle of orange juice and a carton of milk. Shayla grabbed the milk and poured it into an empty cup in front of her. ¡°You know I hate that outfit,¡± her mother sat down across from her and began building her own plate. Shayla bit her tongue and buttered her pancakes. ¡°What happened to that nice skirt we bought you at the beginning of the school year?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Shayla said, ¡°It¡¯s in my closet.¡± ¡°Well,¡± her mother said, ¡°I think you should wear it more often. It makes you look like a girl.¡± Shayla had to take a bite of her pancake to stop herself from retorting. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Shannon said, ¡°You use to be so girly. Now you dress and act like a dude.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± She didn¡¯t mean to say it. The words escaped her mouth. A knee-jerk reaction originating from her strong will and big mouth. There was a stunned silence between the mother and daughter. Bill, her father, continued to read his newspaper. Shannon looked at her daughter as if she had just been slapped. Shayla glued her eyes to the ground. ¡°You know why it¡¯s wrong,¡± she said. Shayla braced herself for more. The usual lecture about God¡¯s gender roles and the importance of fulfilling them, but she didn¡¯t say anything else. The rest of breakfast was silent except for the clanking of silverware and the sound of Bill turning the pages of the newspaper. The deafening screech of the school bus broke the tension. ¡°Well,¡± Shayla stood, ¡°That¡¯s my ride. See you later.¡± She threw on her backpack and ran for the door. ¡°Shayla, honey,¡± her mother followed her. ¡°I can¡¯t be late,¡± she said as she swung the door closed behind her. Her mother watched her get on the bus and stared out the window long after it had disappeared from sight. Bill wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her head. ¡°What did we do wrong, Bill?¡± she said on the verge of tears. ¡°Nothing, darling,¡± he said, ¡°She¡¯ll grow out of it.¡± Chapter Two Four years later, Shayla started dating her first girlfriend, Grace. They had a lot in common. Both of them were raised in religions that disapproved of their lifestyle. Both had known they were lesbian from an early age (although Shayla¡¯s sexual awakening was Sofia Vergara and Grace¡¯s was Shakira). They liked the same music and movies. They were physically compatible, and a very attractive couple. The main difference between the pair was that Grace was raised in Seattle, and Shayla had lived in Firth, Idaho her entire life. ¡°Why¡¯d you move here of all places?¡± Shayla asked one day. ¡°My parents were just visiting. I think they were going to try and buy some land and build houses or something, but when they got here, they kind of fell in love with it and decided to move here.¡± ¡°They fell in love with Firth?!¡± Shayla scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s a dump!¡± ¡°I know,¡± she smiled, ¡°But they¡¯re kind of stupid.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll fit right in.¡± They both laughed. They were at Shayla¡¯s house. Her parents were at a movie. The nearest movie theater was an hour away, so they felt safe enough in the living room. They were laying on the couch while a movie they didn¡¯t care about on the TV. ¡°Do you miss Seattle?¡± Shayla asked. ¡°More than anything in the world,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m moving back as soon as I turn 18.¡± ¡°What do you miss most about it?¡± ¡°Oh, my God. Where do I start?¡± Grace got a wistful look in her eyes, ¡°The coffee there is amazing, for starters. And there¡¯s a coffee shop every ten feet, so you¡¯ll never have to go without it. The market is amazing. It always smells like fresh seafood. There¡¯s so much to do all the time. Like you¡¯ll never be bored for a second. The buildings are gorgeous. Our library is literally a ten-story geometric masterpiece. But the thing I miss the most is the rain.¡± ¡°The rain?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she sighed, ¡°It rains all the time there and I love it. The smell. The sound. The big dark clouds.¡± ¡°I love the rain.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d love Seattle,¡± Grace smiled. ¡°I think,¡± Shayla bit her lip, ¡°I love you.¡± Grace¡¯s eyes welled up, ¡°I love you, too.¡± It started out with a kiss but escalated faster than either of them anticipated. They lost all sense of control and time. By the time Shayla¡¯s mom was unlocking the door, they were down to their bras and panties. They didn¡¯t even notice her standing there until she slammed the door. Shayla shoved Grace off of her and stood before her mother. ¡°Mom,¡± she said, ¡°before you get mad, let me explain.¡± ¡°Explain what?¡± her mother gestured to the two half-naked girls, ¡°This? I think it¡¯s pretty obvious.¡± ¡°Please, listen to me,¡± she said in a calm voice, ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± ¡°Oh, please, enlighten me.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you this for a very long time. This isn¡¯t how I wanted you to find out. Mom,¡± she closed her eyes and took a breath before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m a lesbian.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± she glared at her, then shifted her gaze to Grace, then back to Shayla. Bill came in, saw the girls, his daughter standing before his fuming wife, and Shayla¡¯s friend half lying on the couch, both wearing almost nothing, and dropped the soda in his hand. ¡°What is going on here?¡± his wide eyes went back and forth between the two girls. ¡°Our daughter,¡± Shannon said, ¡°is a lesbian, Bill.¡± He put his head in his hand and let out a long, stressed breath, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. My little girl grew up to be a homosexual.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± tears were forming at the edges of her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m still your little girl.¡± ¡°No,¡± he looked at her, ¡°No daughter of mine would commit such a sinful act.¡± ¡°Shayla,¡± her mother said, ¡°This is unacceptable. Your father and I are sending you to conversion camp right away.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Grace stood, ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°And as for you,¡± Shannon pushed her daughter aside and got very close to Grace, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever come near my daughter or our family ever again.¡± Grace opened her mouth to protest but closed it when Shayla looked over at her. ¡°Now get out of my house,¡± Shayla¡¯s mom said, ¡°whore.¡± Grace began to pick up her clothes. ¡°Mom, please,¡± Shayla sobbed, ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Go to your room,¡± she said. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Now!¡± Grace had opened the door and was about to leave, but she turned around and gave Shayla a final look. Her eyes were filled with more than just tears. There was something else behind them. Behind the sadness, there was pure rebellion. A flicker of defiance. She closed the door and Shayla went to her room. As she lie in her bed, she sobbed into her pillow. Shayla didn¡¯t remember falling asleep, but the next thing she knew, she was waking up to tapping at her window. Shayla stirred but didn¡¯t get up. What was the point? She would probably never see Grace again. Nothing mattered anymore. She thought of all the ways she could kill herself. Her dad¡¯s gun was locked in a safe, but the medicine cabinet was open to everyone in the house. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be pretty, but she didn¡¯t care. Shayla flipped off the covers and got up. That¡¯s when she heard the tapping again. She turned towards her window and almost screamed at what she saw. Grace was standing outside with a backpack on. Shayla unlocked the window and let her girlfriend in, ¡°Are you crazy? Do you know what my parents will do if they see you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Grace sounded exasperated, ¡°Shove everything you can in your backpack. We¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Grace found Shayla¡¯s backpack and began opening drawers and shoving clothes into it, ¡°Seattle.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just up and go to Seattle,¡± she said. ¡°I already bought the plane tickets,¡± Grace said, ¡°Our flight leaves in two hours.¡± ¡°Grace,¡± Shayla stopped her from putting a pair of panties into the bag, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She set the backpack down and took Shayla¡¯s hands, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°We have school and work and my parents¡­¡± her voice trailed off. ¡°Who cares about all that?¡± she said, ¡°I love you. And we¡¯re never gonna be happy here.¡± Shayla knew that Grace was right. Her parents were never going to accept her for who she was, and she began to cry again. She nodded, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Grace pumped her fist and handed her a jacket, ¡°Put this on. It¡¯s cold as balls out there.¡± She put it on, checked the bag, then, took one final look at her bedroom. She realized that she wasn¡¯t going to miss Idaho or her life here in the slightest. A smile grew on her face. ¡°You coming?¡± Grace asked from outside. ¡°Yeah,¡± Shayla said, ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Two hours later, she was on a plane flying away from everything she ever knew to a place she had never been. But she was with the person she loved and to her, nothing else mattered. They were going to be happy in Seattle. She could feel it. Chapter Three Chapter Three The night was colder than the last. It was going to be a brutal winter. She rubbed her hands together and breathed into them. The plethora of tents mocked her with their shelter. Their relative warmth. A man approached her and without a second thought, she pulled out her pockets to reveal nothing in them. The man gave her a sad look. She could see the hunger, not only in his skeletal body, but in his eyes, too. I¡¯m sorry, she thought as she walked away, I¡¯m so fucking sorry. As she approached her neighborhood, another man walked up to her. ¡°Hey, Shay,¡± he waved. ¡°Hey, Joe,¡± she tried a smile, ¡°How the hell are you?¡± He shrugged, ¡°I got half a sandwich and four dollars today, so I can¡¯t complain.¡± Shayla smirked, ¡°Yes, you can.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± he laughed, ¡°How are you?¡± That was the worst question you could ask someone in Shayla¡¯s shoes. She began tearing up but swallowed it. ¡°I¡¯m holding up,¡± she said. ¡°Have you eaten today?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Well, come on,¡± Joe beckoned, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a 7/11 dog.¡± They walked to 7/11 arm in arm. They bought the hot dog in loose change and shared it on the sidewalk near the neighborhood of tents. They ate in ravenous silence. When the hot dog was gone, their stomachs were still growling for more. But, of course, there was none to be had. Shayla tried to distract her hunger by looking out at the vast sea of tents and makeshift camps. Joe looked over at her and asked the question that had been on his mind since meeting her. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°Regret what?¡± Shayla shifted her gaze to him. ¡°Coming here,¡± Joe said. ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°Not a bit.¡± Joe gave her a skeptical look, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well,¡± she thought for a moment, ¡°yeah. I never would have been happy in Idaho. I would have been living a lie there. In Seattle, I¡¯m homeless, but at least I¡¯m myself.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°Although,¡± Shayla said, ¡°I do wish she was here.¡± ¡°Can I ask?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Shayla¡¯s throat clenched up. Hot tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision. She stared at nothing for a long time before speaking again. ¡°Her name was Grace,¡± she began, ¡°We met in high school. We managed to keep our relationship a secret for a while, but when my mom found out, Grace and I came here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They were going to send me away,¡± Shayla felt the old anger rising up again, ¡°They were going to keep us apart. It was her idea.¡± ¡°Where is she now?¡± The memory came back in such vivid detail, it was like she was there again. From the first day Grace disappeared, to that horrifying moment in the alleyway three days later. She was leaning on the wall by the dumpster. Her skin was a placid white. Empty syringes were on the ground around her. One protruded from her right arm. Shayla remembered staring at her beloved before falling to her knees and howling. She stayed there until the cops showed up and an ambulance took the body away. ¡°Gone.¡± Joe put an arm on her shoulder and gave her a sincere look, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Shayla said with glazed eyes, ¡°It was a long time ago. Anyways, I should probably find a place to shack up for the night. It¡¯s getting late.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± he said and stood. He put out a hand and helped her up. ¡°You, too.¡± Shayla found a spot outside an old apartment building near Chinatown. She put her bag down and made herself as comfortable as she could. However, sleep would not take her. She stared at the awning above her through a small peephole in the bag. She flinched as something hit her eye. She rubbed it and examined her hand. It was clear liquid. Of course, it was beginning to rain. Shayla tucked her hand back into her bag, rolled over to her side, and closed her eyes. In that moment, she was a young girl again. Lying in her twin-sized bed, in her farmhouse, in the middle of nowhere Idaho. The rain began to create a cacophonous rhythm. It lulled her to sleep just as it had when she was an ignorant and hopeful child. But as always, her dreams brought her back to that dreadful day in the alley. Grace¡¯s once vibrant eyes glazed over. The eyes that once saw the world in such marvelous hues staring at nothing. The needles on the ground telling her final moments. And the question that haunted Shayla even in her dreams. Why? She woke up soaking wet. Some combination of sweat, tears, and the rain dripping through the space between the awnings. Shayla was freezing. Her throat was a desert from dehydration and, she guessed, screaming. She sat up and coughed a dry, hoarse cough. The street was empty as it had been when she had lied down, but when her coughing subsided, she could hear voices. They were close, but not close enough to see. Shayla stood and rolled up her bag. She tucked it in her pocket and listened. She heard the cheering of a small crowd coming from the alley across from her. She walked in that direction and the cheering grew louder. The sensible part of her was telling her to stop, but she kept going, because the part of her she was listening to was putting up a better argument: what do you have to lose? She followed the noise until she saw an orange glow. Shayla hugged the wall and peered around the corner where the light seemed to be coming from. There was a sizeable fire circled by a group of naked people. Their clothes lie at their feet. A man with a drum between his legs sat at the corner farthest from Shayla. He beat on it once with his palm and the people in the circle fell to their knees. He hit it again and they put their arms up. On the third beat, they bowed their whole upper body. Shayla began to step backwards. She didn¡¯t know what was happening, but she didn¡¯t want to be a part of it. Not paying attention, she tripped over her own ankle and stumbled forward in an effort to find her balance. She hit the ground and felt every eye fall on her. Shayla rubbed the elbow that hit the ground and stood. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll just go now.¡± The man with the drum pointed to her and began beating his drum. The beat was steady and ominous. The crowd stood and pointed at her. It was at this moment that Shayla noticed the rain had stopped. Considering what was happening, this sudden realization was funny to her, and she began to laugh. She continued to laugh even as the crowd mobbed together and lifted her above their heads. Laughed still as they tore of her ragged clothes piece by piece as they carried her underground. She was even giggling when they shackled her to a mine cart and pushed her into the darkness. I¡¯m coming Grace. I¡¯m coming. Chapter Four The strong smell of sulfur hit her nose. She thought she opened her eyes, but it was still pitch black. Shayla was still bound to the minecart by her wrists. She tried to wriggle them loose with no luck. ¡°Hello?¡± her voice echoed into the vast emptiness before her, ¡°Hellooo.¡± The response was a large clang. Wind whipped through her hair as the mine cart zoomed in some indiscernible direction. Shayla screamed. It felt like she was falling in every direction at once and every inch of her bare skin felt the rush of the sudden movement. Then, she stopped. Her body jolted as much as it could in the restraints. Laughter arose from the air. A deep and sinister chuckle. Shayla became very aware of her nudity and did her best to cover her most private bits. ¡°So young,¡± she felt a breathy whisper in her ear, ¡°So beautiful.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Shayla struggled with her shackles again. ¡°No!¡± the whisper said, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Shayla Williams,¡± her eyes searched for the source of the voice but found only darkness. ¡°Mm, my sweet, sweet Shayla,¡± the voice wrapped around her, ¡°You are so fortunate.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± There was a huge gust of wind. It swirled around her, then there was the sound of snapping fingers. Several sconces illuminated a small stone room with a dirt floor. Shayla had to blink to adjust to the change. The speaker was standing in front of her. He was a handsome man who looked to be about Shayla¡¯s age, maybe a little older. He wore a red and black three-piece suit with slicked-back black hair and deep crimson eyes. ¡°Shayla,¡± he smirked, ¡°What I want from you is nothing compared to what I can give you.¡± Her eyes widened and followed him as he glided around the room, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I go by many names,¡± he sighed, ¡°The traditional ones bore me to death, except I am quite fond of Lucifer. It just rolls off the tongue, don¡¯t you think?¡± The man stuck out a forked tongue. Shayla winced. Lucifer laughed again. The same evil chuckle as before. There was something so dark, yet so pure about the way he laughed. He was finding genuine pleasure in her discomfort, and it was unsettling. ¡°Am I dead?¡± Shayla said with a hint of optimism. ¡°So many questions,¡± he groaned, ¡°No. You¡¯re not dead. I¡¯m trying to give you a second chance at life.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, there must be something you want,¡± he gave her a side eye, ¡°Something you want so bad you¡¯d kill for it.¡± Shayla stared at him. Tears formed in her eyes. That¡¯s impossible. But if he is who he claims to be¡­. Lucifer smirked. He could feel her desire. It radiated off her like an aura. He breathed it in. As usual, he was going to win. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Wait,¡± she seemed to come out of her trance, ¡°what do I have to do?¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m not gonna do it out of the goodness of my heart,¡± he said, ¡°All I want from you is an itty bitty favor. Nothing really.¡± ¡°Cut to the chase,¡± she said, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°All you have to do,¡± he said, ¡°is send someone to me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shayla asked, ¡°Like join that weird cult that kidnapped me?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he looked disappointed, ¡°No. Those guys are crazy. No. I mean kill someone.¡± ¡°Kill someone?¡± she said, ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he shrugged, ¡°Like I said, no biggie.¡± ¡°What do you mean? That¡¯s like the worst thing a person can do.¡± ¡°Darling,¡± he said, ¡°There are far worse sins than killing someone. Believe me.¡± Shayla shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill anybody.¡± Lucifer evaporated and reappeared behind her. She tensed up as he got very close to her ear, pulled her hair back, and whispered, ¡°Not even to get Grace back?¡± ¡°How do you know about Grace?¡± she whipped her head around, but he had already apparated to the front of the minecart. ¡°Oh honey,¡± he smiled, ¡°I know everything.¡± Shayla glared at him. Hot tears streamed down her face. Her thoughts were disheveled and scattered. Conflicting and painful. The years of suffering Grace¡¯s loss would all be meaningless. The idea made Shayla want to puke. But she was running out of reasons to go on. She remembered how many times she thought ¡°if only Grace were here¡±. She would never have to hear herself say those words again. She would be happy again. ¡°Who do I have to kill?¡± Lucifer clapped his hands together, ¡°Oh, delightful. You¡¯re making the right choice, darling. You won¡¯t re- ¡°I didn¡¯t say I would do it,¡± she said, ¡°I need to know who before I decide.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been chasing this soul for quite some time. I almost got him a few times. I was so close. He was on his way to off himself when he ran into you.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Shayla asked, ¡°I never stopped anyone from killing themselves.¡± ¡°Oh, but you did,¡± Lucifer said, ¡°He may not have told you, but you saved his life.¡± Then it dawned on her, ¡°Joe?¡± ¡°Bingo!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t kill Joe,¡± she said, ¡°He¡¯s all I got left.¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t be,¡± Lucifer sneered, ¡°Come on. You barely know the guy. And if you think about it, you kinda stole him from me. So, in reality you¡¯re just righting a wrong.¡± It all made sense. Twisted and demented sense. ¡°How do I,¡± she paused, ¡°do it?¡± ¡°Use this,¡± he protruded a small vial from his suit jacket. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just some of my homebrewed poison,¡± he said, ¡°Kills fast. Tasteless. Odorless. And the best part is, traceless.¡± ¡°So, I won¡¯t get caught?¡± Shayla asked. ¡°No, siree,¡± he shook his head. ¡°And how do I explain it to her?¡± ¡°Any trace or memory of her death will be taken care of by yours truly.¡± ¡°So,¡± she thought for a moment, ¡°It¡¯ll be like it never happened.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get exactly what you want.¡± Shayla swallowed hard and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± He reached his hand out and gave her a sly look. A look that made her love him and hate him all at once. A smile she couldn¡¯t trust and a glint in his eye that made her stomach turn, but what choice did she have? She shook his hand. His skin was warmer than she expected. Smooth skin and a firm grip matched his physical persona, but she remembered who he was. Even if she didn¡¯t, it was too late to turn back now. Chapter FIve Shayla walked with her head down, hands in her pockets. Her left hand gripped the vial that proved it wasn¡¯t a dream. She was determined to go through with it, but that didn¡¯t mean it was going to be easy. It was Joe¡¯s turn in downtown, so he should be on their corner before dark. She stood as still as the building she leaned on. Her eyes fixated on the ground as she tried to clear her mind. It was easier than she thought. By the time she heard Joe¡¯s footsteps, she was almost calm. ¡°Hey, Joe,¡± she waved with a grin on her face. He returned the smile, ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°I had a great day,¡± she said, ¡°I got ten dollars, plus someone bought me a 7/11 dog.¡± ¡°Sounds like a great day.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, ¡°So, I wanted to buy you dinner. What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually not hungry,¡± he said, ¡°Thanks though.¡± She scoffed, ¡°Not hungry? Joe, when was the last time you weren¡¯t hungry?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to waste your money on me, Shae,¡± Joe said. ¡°But I want to, Joe,¡± she said, ¡°please.¡± He decided to go for a small order of dumplings at the cheapest Chinese restaurant they could find. ¡°Oh, my God,¡± he said in between chews, ¡°It¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve had bao. It¡¯s better than I remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Shayla said with a lump in her throat. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Joe swallowed, ¡°Do you want some?¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± she waved away the dumpling he was offering her, ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said, ¡°Well, there¡¯s a cozy little spot by the park. I was gonna take it, but it¡¯s all yours.¡± ¡°Oh, Joe,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Joe said, ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do for all you¡¯ve done for me.¡± ¡°I just bought you dinner,¡± she said, ¡°You¡¯d do the same for me.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°You¡¯ve done more than you¡¯ll ever know,¡± his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. Shayla had to suppress a squeal, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Joe.¡± ¡°Sorry for what, Shae?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The empty takeout container clattered to the ground as Joe¡¯s body stiffened. His throat made a horrible, strained scream. His bulging eyes gave a final pleading look at his horrified companion before his body went limp. She screamed but made no sound. She was sad but she couldn¡¯t mourn because it was her fault. Her hands were shaking the entire walk to the police station. It was locked, but there was an occupied cruiser outside. At this point she felt safe, even obligated, to let out every emotion that had been building up inside her since leaving Lucifer¡¯s den. The tears flowed like waterfalls out of her eyes as she told the cops that her friend was dead. And it¡¯s all my fault she wanted to shout. But she managed to keep her mouth shut. She left the police to do their thing and claimed she didn¡¯t know the dead man. They took a statement and sent her on her way. Shayla left the scene without looking back. If she did, she was sure she would go insane. The voices in her head were already too loud to cope with. Her head was so crowded, that it felt like it was going to explode. Killer. Murderer. Satanist. You killed your only friend. Now you¡¯re gonna die alone. Selfish bitch. ¡°Hey, Shae!¡± She heard footsteps running toward her from behind. Even the sound of her feet hitting the pavement was familiar. She had a kind of trot in her step that became more apparent when she was jogging. Shayla closed her eyes and let a tear fall. She watched it hit the payment with a silent splash. Shayla smiled at the ground. ¡°Thank you.¡± They walked hand in hand. Shayla kept squeezing Grace¡¯s hand. She was real. This was happening. But it was so euphoric that somehow her mind kept forgetting that she wasn¡¯t dreaming. ¡°Babe,¡± Grace said, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shayla blushed, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry. I guess I¡¯m just a little antsy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she smiled. ¡°Should we start scouting for places to sleep tonight?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± her smile fell, ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Shayla stopped walking and turned to her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Grace shook her head, ¡°Nothing.¡± They found a spot and curled up for the night. Shayla was comforted by the warmth of her partner. She had missed it while Grace was gone, and now it meant more than it ever had. Now, it meant she was real. She was alive and breathing. Her heinous act had been rewarded, but now that Grace was here, she didn¡¯t feel guilty. She only felt the way she always did when Grace was around, even in Idaho, safe. That night was the first time since discovering Grace¡¯s body that Shayla didn¡¯t have a nightmare. Her sleep was so deep and so peaceful that she almost forgot that she was huddled in a bag on a street corner. She forgot about her hunger. Her worries. Her crime. Everything except for Grace. Instead of the horrifying image of Grace¡¯s corpse in an alley, her dreams were filled with pleasant memories. Though they had been homeless since running away, Shayla thought they had a good life here. And she was happy to have it back. Chapter Six The sky was covered with a sea of dark grey clouds. They were sheer, but enough to block out the sun. It wasn¡¯t going to rain, but it was going to be dark. Because of this, Shayla did not wake up until half past noon. The thing that woke her up was the cold air in the space where Grace had been lying. Shayla sat up and looked around. Grace was nowhere to be seen. She stood and rolled the bag up. The street was holding its breath. The few pedestrians that trod upon it seemed to glide like ghosts. It was as if they were afraid of disturbing the stillness. Like they were being watched. Shayla walked through the murky, quiet street with a bit of unease and uncertainty. She wasn¡¯t quite worried, but her gut told her that something was askew. She credited it to Grace¡¯s absence. The more she walked, the more she was reminded of her first day without Grace. The first time she braced the streets of an unforgiving city by herself. The way her misery flowed through her veins like blood. Today had all the same tones. This did not disturb Shayla as much as she thought it would, however. She was queasy. No doubt about that, but not distressed by any means. As she walked, a police car flew by her. Then an ambulance. Then another police car. Their sirens wailed an unharmonious symphony. Shayla didn¡¯t think much of it and continued walking. The sound of the vehicles faded and echoed into the distance. Melting into the background noise of the city. Another color on the canvas of sounds. A painting Shayla was familiar and yet still enchanted with. Her stomach growled at the smell of a nearby steakhouse. She looked in at the people inside with their sirloins and T-bones and rib-eyes. A steady pool of drool threatened to leak out of her mouth. Shayla walked faster to distance herself from the divine scent. She then noticed that the sound of the sirens was growing louder. They must have stopped somewhere nearby. The sound continued to crescendo until she could see the ambulance and police cars parked in front of an alleyway. They blocked the sidewalk on her side of the street, so she crossed over. By now, Shayla had seen this kind of thing a thousand times, but this time, she felt compelled to watch. Some deep voice in her head told her that she had to see the body. The EMT¡¯s were loading the body onto a stretcher. Shayla stopped to watch them cover it. She, judging by the size and curves of the body, had long auburn hair that cascaded off the side of the stretcher and into a nearby puddle. They covered the body with a pale sheet and raised the stretcher. As they lifted it into the ambulance, a cop approached her. ¡°You see anything?¡± she asked as she pulled out a notepad and pen. Shayla shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a damn shame,¡± she said, ¡°We lug dead bums off the street all the time. Overdose mostly, but this girl was an obvious suicide.¡± Shayla looked at the cop, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Slit her wrists with a piece of glass. From hand to elbow,¡± she drew a straight line on her own arm, ¡°Worst part is, she¡¯s a Jane Doe. No ID. No family. No friends. No one to mourn her. Just another body in an alley. Isn¡¯t that horrible?¡± The image of Grace¡¯s corpse flashed behind her eyes, ¡°Yeah¡­ hey. Do you think it would be alright if I saw the body?¡± ¡°What for?¡± She shrugged, for she really didn¡¯t know why, ¡°Just curious I guess.¡± The officer squinted her eyes at her then sighed, ¡°Not really supposed to, but I guess.¡± She hailed an EMT over. The one who must have been in charge came over. They spoke in private but looked at Shayla the entire time. After a few moments, the EMT approached her with his arms crossed. ¡°So, you wanna see the corpse?¡± he asked. Shayla nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Shayla thought for a moment, then the feeling in her chest made sense, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my partner all morning. I just want to make sure it¡¯s not her.¡± The EMT shrugged, ¡°Guess it couldn¡¯t hurt anything.¡± He turned back towards the ambulance and beckoned her to follow him. He climbed in first then offered Shayla his hand to help her up. ¡°What the fuck¡¯s a civilian doin¡¯ in here?¡± the driver asked. ¡°Stand down,¡± he said, ¡°She just wants to take a quick peek to make sure it¡¯s not her friend.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The driver rolled his eyes and turned around. Then, the head EMT nodded at one of the underlings. He folded the sheet back further than he should have. Everyone in the ambulance could see not only the face of a beautiful young lady, but the deep, jagged cuts up her arms. There was so much intention in the wounds. You could almost see her concentrated face of pain as she dug the shard of glass from her wrist to her elbow. Shayla was so focused on the gory lines on the arms that she forgot her purpose. ¡°So, do you know her?¡± the head asked. Shayla shook herself out of the daze the cuts had put her in and moved her eyes up the body. When she reached the face, she stopped and let out a choked gasp. It was Grace. She stared at her face. It was paler than it was when she found her dead the first time, probably from blood loss. Her hair was ratty, in her face, and dripping puddle water. Shayla had to stop herself from pulling her hair aside and kissing her forehead. But she couldn¡¯t. She shook her head with wide eyes still locked on the body. One of the EMT¡¯s helped her off the ambulance and slammed the door shut behind her. Shayla stood on the sidewalk in front of the alley and stared at the pool of blood by the dumpster. She stared until the ambulance and cops were long gone. She didn¡¯t notice the footsteps coming towards her until a man tapped her shoulder. She flinched and the man jumped back. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± Shayla took a few deep breaths, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I just wanted to make sure you were okay,¡± he said, ¡°You seem distressed.¡± She glanced back at the blood, then turned her eyes to the man, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. Just a little shocked I guess.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded, ¡°You never quite get used to it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°Do you want to come over for some tea? It¡¯ll calm your nerves,¡± he said. She hesitated, but that same voice from the night she got kidnapped came back. What do I have to lose? ¡°Sure,¡± she said. He put out his arm and she took it. They walked down the alley. Then turned down another alley. And another. The buildings seemed to be getting taller, and Shayla was beginning to feel a tingling sensation all over her body. The hairs on her arm and back of her neck stood up. But she didn¡¯t feel scared. She was too apathetic for fear. Too sad for worry. The alleyways were becoming darker at every turn. Shayla remained unphased until she couldn¡¯t feel the man¡¯s arm in her hands anymore. She didn¡¯t feel him pull away. It was as if he had vanished in thin air. ¡°Hello,¡± she said to the darkness. Her voice echoed in every direction. A chill ran down her spine as the temperature plummeted. Then came an eerie and familiar laugh. It bounced off the unseeable walls and filled her head. Shayla¡¯s heart stopped. ¡°Come on. No more games.¡± At that, the sconces illuminated the same stone room she had been in the day before. And standing in the middle of the room was Lucifer. His arms were crossed. ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± he said. ¡°Why did you take her from me?¡± she said, ¡°That wasn¡¯t part of the deal.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t take her,¡± he said, ¡°She took herself. Just like the first time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she said, ¡°Why would she do that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± he raised an eyebrow, ¡°She¡¯s not happy.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t she tell me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged, ¡°But to me it¡¯s pretty obvious. How could she be happy when she¡¯s sleeping on the streets and begging for loose change. Never knowing where her next meal is coming from. If I were her, I¡¯d¡¯ve killed myself too.¡± ¡°But we were together,¡± she said. ¡°On the streets,¡± he said, ¡°But I can fix that and bring her back no problem.¡± ¡°No way,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m not killing anyone else.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± he said, ¡°This will literally solve your problem and hers. You don¡¯t want to live without her, and she doesn¡¯t want to live without a roof over her head. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± Shayla shook her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Grace deserve to live a happy life?¡± Shayla let the idea sit with her for a moment. The thought twisted her head into knots. Everything was pulling against each other, and nothing was coming loose. She closed her eyes and tried to digest the idea. It felt like her head was going to explode. She let out a long, agonized cry. When it ended, she was panting and glaring at her adversarial savior. ¡°Fine.¡± Lucifer gave her a wide smile revealing a mouth of perfect, straight, white teeth, ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Who is it this time?¡± she sighed. ¡°Her name is Chastity Baker,¡± he said, ¡°You don¡¯t know her well, but she¡¯s a barista at Center Street Coffeehouse. She got fired for giving you a bagel.¡± ¡°She did?¡± Shayla remembered the barista very well. Lucifer nodded, ¡°She did indeed.¡± ¡°Where can I find her?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find her address on the vial,¡± he pulled it out of his suit pocket and tossed it to her. Shayla stared at the vial. The address written on it was familiar to her. It was an apartment she had passed hundreds of times. One that she had dreamed of living in since leaving Idaho. She pocketed the vial and closed her eyes. Chapter Seven She had to be smart about her approach. Getting her to eat or drink something was going to be a challenge. She would have to build trust and that might take time that she didn¡¯t have. Shayla stood outside the apartment building brainstorming ways to greet her, but it was hard to think with the noises coming from the apartment interrupting her thoughts. It sounded like someone was shouting in the unit right next to her, but it wasn¡¯t an argument because there was only one voice. Shayla painted a picture of the scene in her head. An angry father at a child perhaps. There was the distinct sound of shattering glass and a thud. Then the sound of a door slamming. Shayla watched a man storm out of the front door of the building. He was burly and unshaven. His hair was unkempt, and his face was bright puce. She could feel his rage radiating from his body. It reminded me of her dad, and she felt like a child again. She felt herself shrink. ¡°What are you looking at, whore?¡± he said. Her eyes fell to the sidewalk, ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he walked past her, ¡°Women. Fuck.¡± Shayla waited until he was a safe distance away before moving again. She tried the door to the apartment building. Locked. There was a panel of buttons and numbers on the wall. She pressed the one that matched the number on the vial. A shaky voice came through the speaker. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not supposed to have people over while my boyfriend is gone.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Shayla swore under her breath, ¡°I just moved in and locked my key inside. Think you could let me in?¡± There was a long pause. ¡°O¡­ okay,¡± she said, ¡°I think that would be okay.¡± Shayla watched the stairs through the window. After a few moments, a shell of a woman shuffled down them. She was drowning in fabric from clothes that were much too large for her. She kept her head down even as she opened the door. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Shayla said, ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°No problem,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Shae,¡± she put out her hand. The woman flinched, but recovered and put out her hand, ¡°Jackie.¡± ¡°Well, Jackie,¡± Shayla shook her hand, ¡°I definitely owe you. How about coffee, on me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to stay here until my boyfriend gets back,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine,¡± she waved her arm, ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± She hugged herself and rubbed her arm with her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Please,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°Just hurry before he gets back.¡± ¡°Awesome! What do you want?¡± ¡°Just a drip coffee with three creams and one sugar,¡± she said, ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Shayla left the apartment and began walking. There was a coffee shop on the corner. She ordered the coffee, added the cream, sugar, and vial; and returned to the apartment building. Jackie was standing outside the door looking up and down the road with wide eyes. Shayla handed her the coffee. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she asked. Jackie nodded, ¡°Yeah. Thanks for the coffee, but you gotta go before he gets back.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± She looked up at her and that¡¯s when Shayla saw that Jackie had a big, black eye. She then noticed that Jackie was wearing clothing that covered most of her body, but the skin that was revealed was bruised. ¡°Jackie,¡± Shayla said, ¡°Are you okay?¡± She began to cry and shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t get him to stop. No matter how hard I try to do what he says, he always finds a reason to hit me. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She looked at the beaten woman before her. Jackie couldn¡¯t have been older than 25. Shayla tried to imagine what her life was like. Walking on eggshells. Afraid to breathe. It was like her life in Idaho. But it wasn¡¯t too late. She could save her. She could take the cup away, take her hand, and run away with her. But in a way, she could save her by going through with it too. Then they could both get what they wanted: freedom. ¡°Just drink your coffee,¡± Shayla said, ¡°I promise it¡¯ll get better.¡± Jackie sniffled, then took her final sip. Chapter Eight She was lying on a mattress. A fucking mattress. And wrapped in a soft comforter. There was warmth radiating from beside her. She rolled over and saw Grace fast asleep. Shayla caressed her face careful not to wake her, then kissed her forehead. She got out of bed to discover she was not wearing tattered, dirty rags. She was clothed in a long sleeve shirt and fuzzy pants. She took a moment to feel the soft fabric on her skin before exploring her apartment. It was a single large room. A king-sized bed sat in the center against the back wall adjacent to a floor to ceiling window covered with an elegant curtain. A TV was mounted on the wall across from the bed above a dresser. There was a door on either side of it. One was open to reveal a bathroom. Shayla undressed and started a shower. The shower head exploded with a firm stream of hot water. She let the water massage her whole body. Despite being very clean, she spent a long time in the shower. When Grace came in and began brushing her teeth, she turned the water off and grabbed a fluffy, white towel from a rod on the wall. She patted her face dry as she stepped out. The room was full of fresh steam. ¡°Hey,¡± Shayla began drying off the rest of her body. Grace spit, ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°How did you sleep?¡± She shrugged, ¡°Alright I guess.¡± ¡°Any plans for today?¡± she asked. ¡°Might go down to the market,¡± she said. Shayla bit her lip before wrapping her arms around Grace from behind, ¡°You wanna hang out for a bit before you go? It¡¯s kinda early.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ten-minute walk and I still have to finish getting ready,¡± she said, ¡°Maybe later.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she let go, ¡°Okay.¡± She finished drying off and got dressed while Grace brushed her hair and put on makeup. Shayla tried not to gawk at her girlfriend when she emerged from the bathroom. They had been homeless for so long. She had forgotten how beautiful Grace could be. Shayla¡¯s eyes followed her across the room as she gathered her things but darted to the ground when she looked over. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be out for a while,¡± she put a jacket on, ¡°Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± ¡°Do you want me to come with you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± she put on her jacket and opened the door, ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Shayla followed her to the hallway and hugged her. Grace stood stiff. When she let go, she brushed a strand of Grace¡¯s hair aside and leaned in. ¡°I gotta go,¡± she said and turned away. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°I love you.¡± Grace stopped walking, ¡°Yeah. You, too.¡± Shayla watched her walk away until she was no longer visible before going back inside. She looked at her new home and tried to be happy, but something in the way Grace was acting worried her. She tried to distract herself, but there wasn¡¯t much to do except sit around. Shayla was trapped in a web of her own thoughts. Eventually something would come along and consume her if she didn¡¯t do something. Shayla began ruffling through her dresser and examining the outfits. They were fresh, clean, and totally her style except for something she found buried in the back of her underwear drawer. She pulled it out and held it up. It was hard to tell exactly what it was. It looked like a very tiny suit of some sort. The fabric was sheer and stretchy. It must be some kind of lingerie. She undressed, figured out which limbs went in which holes, and put it on. When she saw herself in the mirror, she gasped. She had seen herself naked before, but this was different. The fabric extenuated her many curves. The bralette inside made her boobs look at least a cup size bigger. She turned around to discover her ass had undergone a similar illusion. Shayla looked sexy for the first time in years, and it felt good. Shayla put her clothes on over the lingerie. She decided she was going to give Grace a sexy surprise when she got home. She turned on the TV and sat waiting in sweet anticipation. The day droned on like cattle grazing in a field. Each hour was a small eternity. Though the time stretched on, night came, and Grace wasn¡¯t back yet. The anxiety began to set in, and Shayla began to pace. After some time, she decided to go looking for Grace. She wasn¡¯t hard to find. It was nothing more than a tangled mass of limbs and blood and guts, but it was no doubt Grace. Splattered across the sidewalk right by the front door. Shayla screamed but heard no sound. Not the sirens. Not the people around her. It wasn¡¯t until a cop put her hand on her shoulder that she came back to reality. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± she said, ¡°Do you know her?¡± Shayla shook her head, eyes glued to the mess in front of her, ¡°Her name was Grace.¡± Of course, they had more questions after that, but foul play was ruled out from the start. Shayla was shaking the entire interrogation. When she was sent home, she had begun asking her own questions. The main one being, why? Why did she do it this time? And she knew who had the answers. Chapter Nine ¡°Oh, hello, darling,¡± Lucifer said, ¡°How are things with Grace?¡± He hid his smirk by taking a drink. It looked like scotch, but it was glowing a little bit more than any scotch Shayla had seen. It was more than amber. It was golden. For a moment, it distracted her. Enchanted her. Not only the drink, but the man who held it. He was nothing like she expected. He was delicious. That was the word that came to mind when she saw him. Delicious. Even as a gay woman, she could see his sex appeal. She could see herself wrapped in his arms as he caressed her. ¡°You know how things are,¡± she frowned, ¡°Why does she keep doing this? What do I need to do to make her happy?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy,¡± he scoffed, and a full body mirror appeared next to him, ¡°Look at yourself, sweetheart.¡± She did as she was told. She wasn¡¯t a great beauty, but she had all the bits. I guess I could lose a few pounds, she thought, And I wish my boobs were a little bigger. ¡°Okay,¡± she rubbed away at a tear forming in her left eye, ¡°You know what I want. Now, who is it this time.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Ah, delightful,¡± the mirror disappeared, ¡°Her real name is Taylor Jackson, but she goes by Kandy these days.¡± ¡°Candy?¡± she cocked her head. ¡°With a K,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯ll find tickets to her show in your coat pocket. Now, begone.¡± When she woke up, she was naked. The cool sheets covered every inch of her body. She felt well rested, almost euphoric. She rolled over. Her partner was also naked. Shayla sat up and saw the clothes scattered around the apartment. Inside out tops. Panties. Bras. Cast aside as if they were nothing. Except the bra that she saw was much bigger than the one she had worn yesterday. She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection was a model. Tiny waist, big boobs. Lush lips. Full body hair. Shayla was beautiful. ¡°Hey, sexy,¡± Grace said from the bed, ¡°What are you doing up so early? Come back to bed.¡± ¡°Do you want to go to a show with me tonight?¡± the words were out of her mouth before she could think. ¡°Um, sure,¡± she said, ¡°What kind of show?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shayla said, ¡°I just thought it would be fun to get out of the house.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Grace sat up, ¡°You wanna find something and I¡¯ll meet you there? I gotta run some errands.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°But for now,¡± she raised her eyebrow, ¡°I want you to get back over here.¡± She bit her lip before turning around and pouncing on her lover. Chapter Ten The club was dark and dingy, but it had a unique liveliness to it. Shayla sat at a wall booth on tattered, red leather. It was close enough to see the stage without craning your neck, but far enough away that she wouldn¡¯t be pressured to tip. A young waiter stopped at her table, ¡°Can I get you something to drink?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she said, ¡°How about two strawberry daiquiris?¡± He gave her a confused look. ¡°I¡¯m meeting someone here,¡± she assured him, ¡°She¡¯s on her way.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a sec.¡± He returned with the drinks a few minutes later. Shayla sipped on her drink and checked her phone every five seconds. Grace hadn¡¯t texted her back in an hour. Her last message promised that she was on the bus heading there, but there had been no updates since. Soon, the lights on the stage danced around the room and the dancers came out one by one. Kandy was somewhere in the middle of the lineup. She was a young girl. She was dazzling and a very talented dancer. Grace was still MIA as the dancers finished their final routine. Shayla swore under her breath. ¡°Everything okay?¡± the waiter asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, ¡°Is there some kind of meet and greet or something? I¡¯d like a private lap dance from, what¡¯s her name, Kandy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to get a VIP pass. I can hook you up,¡± he said. ¡°That would be great,¡± she said, ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± ¡°This one¡¯s on me,¡± he said, ¡°I feel bad cause you got stood up.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she looked at the full glass in front of her, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Meet me out back in five,¡± he said. He left and Shayla found the back door. It opened to an alley next to a dumpster. She took in the fresh night air. It was a drastic change from the stuffiness of the inside. A door on the other side of the dumpster opened and closed. Shayla couldn¡¯t see who it was, but she could hear several voices. ¡°She¡¯s perfect,¡± one man said, ¡°Absolutely gorgeous.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought you¡¯d say,¡± another man said, ¡°She¡¯s one of my best.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s what I owe you,¡± the first man said. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you,¡± the second man said, ¡°Now, Kandy¡¯s gotta go give a couple lap dances, then she¡¯s all yours.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± the buyer said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, beautiful.¡± The door opened and shut again. Shayla didn¡¯t realize that she had been holding her breath and began panting. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the waiter asked. Shayla nodded and cleared her throat, ¡°You got the pass?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, ¡°Give me your wrist.¡± She held out her arm and the waiter wrapped a green admission bracelet around her wrist. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°No problem,¡± he smiled, ¡°Have a good time.¡± She went back inside, ordered a peach and a strawberry daquiri, and dumped the contents of the vial into the strawberry one. It was then that she noticed the stairway next to the stage. It had to be up there. Shayla climbed the stairs and followed the balconied hallway to a door guarded by a large man. She showed him her wristband and he opened the door behind him. It was hazy with smoke inside. There was a wall of small tables with a chair on either side of each. ¡°Welcome,¡± the same voice as the pimp outside said, ¡°Pick your poison.¡± ¡°I think her name was Kandy,¡± Shayla coughed. He whistled, ¡°Kandy, you have a customer.¡± ¡°Over here,¡± Kandy beckoned her to a table in the corner. ¡°I got you a drink,¡± Shayla handed her the strawberry daquiri. ¡°Oh, my God,¡± she snatched it out of her hands and chugged it, ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver. I¡¯m dying.¡± Yes, Shayla thought, you are now. ¡°You know what,¡± Shayla said, ¡°I don¡¯t need a lap dance, but I¡¯ll pay you for your trouble.¡± Kandy looked at the stack of cash in Shayla¡¯s hand, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she smiled, ¡°I should probably call my girlfriend. She was supposed to meet me here, but she never showed up.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shayla left the VIP lounge and went out front. She opened her phone and called Grace. ¡°Hello,¡± a male voice answered. ¡°Hi?¡± she said, ¡°Um¡­ are you with Grace?¡± ¡°Who am I speaking to?¡± ¡°Her girlfriend, Shayla,¡± she said, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Chase,¡± he took a breath, ¡°I¡¯m a nurse at the hospital. I¡¯m afraid your girlfriend has been in an accident.¡± ¡°Oh my God. Is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the ICU,¡± he said, ¡°You can come visit her. She should be waking up soon.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shayla¡¯s voice cracked, ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter Eleven She was hooked up to so many machines that she looked like a cyborg. The rhythmic beeping of machines was nothing but white noise in Shayla¡¯s head. She was sitting in an armchair that she had moved next to the bed. She held Grace¡¯s hand and stared at her disfigured body. Of course, it was nothing compared to the almost unrecognizable form on the sidewalk, but something about seeing her in pain hurt Shayla even more. A nurse walked in with a clipboard and began jotting something down. She left without saying a word, but several moments later, a cop knocked on the open door and waited by the doorway. Shayla looked at him for a moment before nodding and returning her gaze to Grace. He took a seat on the other side of the bed. He leaned in and rested his forearms on his legs. ¡°I¡¯m Officer Hadley,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened.¡± Shayla swallowed, ¡°What exactly did happen?¡± ¡°She was hit by a car on the highway,¡± he said. ¡°Obviously,¡± she laughed, ¡°It was on purpose though, right? She jumped in front of an unsuspecting driver?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she claims.¡± ¡°Officer, this wasn¡¯t an accident,¡± she looked at him, ¡°This was a failed suicide attempt.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s happened before.¡± Officer Hadley gave a sincere look, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It must be very difficult for you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, ¡°Yeah. It is, but you wanna know the hardest part? I have no fucking clue why she keeps doing it.¡± ¡°Sometimes people just do what they think they have to do,¡± he said, ¡°Even when there¡¯s better options.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t see what¡¯s right in front of them.¡± Shayla was silent. Officer Hadley stood up, ¡°Again, I¡¯m very sorry for what you¡¯re going through. If you have any questions about the driver¡¯s prosecution, give me a call.¡± She took the card and he left. Shayla was left alone with her lover once again. Her breath was shaky. ¡°Why do you keep doing this to me, Grace?¡± she asked, ¡°Why would you do it in the first place? I know times were tough, but we had each other. You¡¯ve always helped me through hard times. I want to be able to help you too. I want to help you be strong.¡± She squeezed Grace¡¯s hand and let a tear fall. To her surprise, the hand squeezed back. ¡°Grace?¡± The body lie motionless. Shayla let herself be disappointed. It was probably just a muscle spasm, after all. Chapter Twelve ¡°She¡¯s comatose,¡± the doctor said, ¡°The only thing keeping her alive right now is the machines. It is very unlikely that she will ever wake up. I know this is a hard choice to make, but we need a decision soon.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Shayla said. She looked at Grace and the half dozen monitors surrounding her and choked. Shayla put her hand on the window. She had gone through Grace¡¯s death many times, but this time felt different. Until now, it was always her own doing, now it was Shayla who had to pull the trigger, or plug in this case. She watched Grace for a moment longer before deciding she had to go to him. Not for another victim this time, but for answers. By this point, Shayla was an expert at getting to Lucifer¡¯s lair. She took the hospital elevator to the underground parking garage and walked to the lowest level. A door-shaped shadow appeared in the corner of the garage. She walked through it with fists clenched. ¡°Hello!¡± Lucifer beamed when she stepped into the candlelight. ¡°I¡¯ve been very patient with you,¡± she said, ¡°I feel like you owe me some answers.¡± ¡°Ask me anything,¡± he threw up his arms, ¡°I¡¯m an open book.¡± Shayla glared and swallowed hard, ¡°Why does she keep doing this?¡± Stolen novel; please report. Lucifer rolled his eyes, ¡°We¡¯ve been through this. I. Don¡¯t. Know. I¡¯ve done my fair share of guessing, but I¡¯ve never been right.¡± ¡°You have to know something,¡± she paused, ¡°Where does she go? You know, while she¡¯s¡­ dead.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s an easy one,¡± he said, ¡°She goes to Hell, of course. If she didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bring her back to life.¡± Shayla looked at him, ¡°But this isn¡¯t Hell, is it?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s my, well, let¡¯s call it my office.¡± ¡°Am I going to go to Hell?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°Almost everyone does. You gotta be a saint to get up top.¡± ¡°How do you decide who I kill?¡± she asked. ¡°I choose the ones who I think would have a better time down here,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m kind of like a savior from earthly damnation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°Wake up Grace and give me another vial.¡± Shayla felt the weight of the poison in her pocket. ¡°But this time,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to wake her until you¡¯ve killed your victim.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± she said. ¡°The address is attached to the vial,¡± Lucifer called as Shayla walked away. Once she was out of the threshold, she took the little piece of paper off the vial and shredded it. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± she said to no one. Chapter Thirteen Shayla walked back to the hospital room feeling solace and peace. Something deep inside her was at rest. The unanswered questions no longer gnawed at her. The uncertainty of tomorrow was irrelevant. All the pain and sadness of the past few weeks was forgotten. Washed away by the ineffable wave of comfort that had washed over her. For the first time, Shayla felt like everything was going to be okay. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the hospital as it disappeared behind the horizon little by little. Shayla stopped and took it in with a long breath. It was the most beautiful sunset she had seen in all her years. She had the stupid grin of a stoner plastered to her face even after leaving the serene glow of outside and entering the sterile fluorescent lights of the hospital. She went to the front desk and asked for Dr. Sandra Scholl. Dr. Scholl was busy at the moment, but the receptionist said she could meet Shayla in Grace¡¯s room in about ten minutes. ¡°Perfect,¡± Shayla said. She took the stairs to Grace¡¯s room, and when she arrived, she pulled a chair from the wall to Grace¡¯s bedside and sat in it. Shayla took Grace¡¯s cold hand once again and kissed it. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks, but this time, they were tears of joy. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grace,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Shayla took the vial out of her pocket, opened it, and drank it all in one swig. It tasted like the purest water. She closed the lid and slid it back into her pocket. There was a knock at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Shayla said. ¡°Hi,¡± said Dr. Scholl in her calm voice, ¡°Have you made a decision?¡± Shayla nodded, ¡°I think it would be best to let her go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very brave of you,¡± she said, ¡°Do you need a moment?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°We¡¯ve already said our goodbyes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she stepped in, ¡°Are you ready then?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shayla smiled. Dr. Scholl began unhooking things from Grace¡¯s body. Unscrewed IV¡¯s. Took off the breathing mask. Everything but the device monitoring her heart. It beeped at a regular pace for a moment before slowing, then flatlining. Dr. Scholl announced the time of death, then left. Shayla crawled into the bed next to Grace. The monitor¡¯s long steady beep went on as Shayla¡¯s eyes closed and never opened on Earth again. Chapter Fourteen She was gasping for air. She felt like she was underwater and trying to breathe in ash at the same time. It was dark. Shayla reached out, but it was like trying to move through Jell-O. Her hand touched something solid. She pushed on it, beat on it with her fists in slow motion. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. Instead, her mouth was filled with the awful taste of sulfur. Just when she thought her lungs would collapse under the pressure, there was sweet, fresh air. And a familiar laugh. ¡°Oh, I knew you¡¯d do it,¡± Lucifer clapped, ¡°It took a few tries, but you finally did it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shayla coughed, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You killed yourself, of course,¡± he said, ¡°I knew I could keep getting Grace. She was easy, but you were a little trickier.¡± ¡°Why would you want me to kill myself?¡± she asked. ¡°I wanted your soul,¡± he said, ¡°And there¡¯s a special place in Hell for people that off themselves and, quite frankly, love, it was looking a little empty.¡± ¡°So, you manipulated me into suicide because you were bored?¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°Exactly,¡± he said, ¡°I had so much fun watching you lose Grace over, and over, and over. Plus all the souls you brought me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°So, what now? You get to torture me forever? What about Grace? Where is she?¡± Shayla asked. ¡°That¡¯s the best part,¡± Lucifer smirked, ¡°Oh, Grace. Would you be a dear and come here please?¡± There was a great sound as a pair of large double doors creaked open and there, standing in the doorway, was Grace. She was wearing a sexy red dress and matching heels. Her hair was done up and her make-up was glamorous. Shayla almost didn¡¯t recognize her. The figure walked with her head down and stopped next to Lucifer. ¡°Grace!¡± she moved to run to her but was stopped by some invisible force. Lucifer wagged a finger at her, ¡°Nah-eh-eh.¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Shayla pushed against the unseen wall looking like the world¡¯s best mime. ¡°Would you like to explain?¡± he looked at Grace and put an arm around her. ¡°Shayla,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She broke down into hard sobs. ¡°Sorry for what?¡± she stopped struggling. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to explain if it¡¯s too hard for you,¡± Lucifer said. ¡°No,¡± Grace said, ¡°She needs to hear it from me.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Then get on with it.¡± ¡°After I died,¡± she said, ¡°I woke up here. I was scared. Deep down, I guess I knew where I was. Then Lucifer told me how happy he was that I was here. He offered me a deal.¡± ¡°Did he tell you to kill someone to be brought back?¡± ¡°No,¡± Grace shook her head, ¡°He told me that I could either be tortured forever, or I could be his queen if I could get you to kill yourself. When I asked how, he said he¡¯d work out the details later. A few days later, he told me that he¡¯d send me back as many times as it took, but I couldn¡¯t mention the deal, or it would be off. I¡¯m so sorry. If I could take it back, I would.¡± ¡°Why were you so unhappy? What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°Because,¡± she choked, ¡°I stopped loving you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Grace nodded, ¡°It started with the little things. I didn¡¯t want to hold your hand. I wanted to walk alone. I wanted to sleep in my own bag just once. I wanted to find out what a relationship with someone else would feel like. I was curious. It got to a point where I started to resent you a little bit. And I¡¯d rather die than live in a world where we weren¡¯t in love.¡± Shayla put her hand on the invisible wall, ¡°Grace, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± she said. ¡°But you did hurt me,¡± she said, ¡°Over. And over. And over.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Grace said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Shayla closed her eyes. Her head was spinning faster than ever. Every emotion that had been simmering below her consciousness was, at last, coming up like vomit. She was devastated by Grace¡¯s confession and furious at Lucifer, but most of all, she felt guilt. She feared she would never find the words to tell Grace the truth. Her mind was too jumbled to come up with anything coherent. All that came out was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grace.¡± Lucifer watched the pair with delight in his eyes. A smile of pure, sinister joy was glued to his handsome face. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Grace said, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°I did, though,¡± she said, ¡°Grace, I killed people, innocent people, to save you. But now I see it was all pointless. No matter what I did, you were going to leave me. And now I know why.¡± Shayla turned away. She felt nauseous and tired. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep forever, but that wasn¡¯t possible. There ain¡¯t no rest for the wicked. No matter how tired their damned souls may be. ¡°Looks like you both fucked up big time,¡± Lucifer laughed, ¡°You must really hate each other.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you Shae,¡± Grace said, ¡°I mean, I started to feel distant for a little while, but now, I see I was being stupid. You¡¯re the only one I want.¡± Shayla¡¯s whole body was trembling, ¡°I guess I can¡¯t be mad at you. I fucked up, too. That doesn¡¯t make what you did right, but if you can forgive me, I¡¯ll try to forgive you.¡± ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Lucifer¡¯s face went crimson, ¡°How could you say that? She literally damned you to Hell to save herself.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she turned around, ¡°But I understand why she did it. She was scared.¡± ¡°I was terrified,¡± Grace said, ¡°I still am. I don¡¯t want you to be tortured if I¡¯m safe and sound with Lucifer. That feels so wrong.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Shayla smiled. ¡°No! It most certainly is not!¡± Lucifer growled, ¡°The whole point of this was to get you two to hate each other. I don¡¯t want a mistress who¡¯s still in love with someone else. I wanted a mistress full of spite and hatred.¡± ¡°Then let me go with her,¡± Grace said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to Hell with Shayla. We can be tortured together. I think it¡¯s the perfect compromise.¡± Lucifer folded his arms and tapped his foot. He looked at Shayla and Grace with fire in his eyes. He was furious. He had never lost before, but he had to accept defeat. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, ¡°You can be tortured together. Just don¡¯t go telling the others what happened.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± they said in unison.