Sorren
“Look at this view.” Malachi marvels, staring out the windows that span the back wall of my new office.
The view overlooks skyscrapers that are uninspired even by brutalist standards stretching as far as the eye can see.
It doesn’t compare to the view outside of Eva’s bedroom window though.
I guess these giant windows come with the additional benefit of reflecting my misery back to me.
“It’s fine.” I go back to the stack of papers on my desk. Turns out when demons are kidnapped by witches, there is a tremendous amount of paperwork that has to be done.
“You’re still pouting over that witch? Dude, you’re CEO. You can get any tail you want now!” Malachi tries, unsuccessfully, to cheer me up.
I won’t dignify him with a response, so I roll my eyes and go back to signing and initialing.
Jeff has agreed to a modest increase in salary to make up for the inconvenience of being tortured by Lena. His job classification now includes the designation ‘hazard pay.’
He and I both testified under oath that Lena no longer poses a threat.
Paige and Robin confirmed that Lena was acting outside her coven’s knowledge.
While they should have recognized the signs that something wasn’t right with her, no one else in that coven directly participated in her depraved plan.
“Hello. I’m still here.” Malachi waves his hand in front of my face.
“Sorry. I just want to get this done and get out of here.” I can’t bring myself to call my condo ‘home’ anymore. It’s soul-crushing gray, as Eva likes to call it. And devoid of all the happiness and warmth I got used to around her.
“Not staying for the pizza party?” he asks. If only he knew the pleasure of real pizza.
“You can have mine.”
“Is human pizza seriously that good? It’s all Jeff talks about. For some reason, that evil witch fed him pretty well while torturing him.”
“She wanted to keep him alive.” That reminds me, he doesn’t know the truth about our father. I slide the papers forward and cap the fountain pen. It’s best to just say it, rip it off like a bandaid.
“Kai, Lena confessed that she killed Dad.”
He drops down into the chair opposite my desk. “No shit,” he says in disbelief.
“If it wasn’t for Eva, she’d probably still be stealing demons.” It hurts to say her name.
“We better not spread that around. We just got the Board settled down, the last thing we need is another round of indictments.” Malachi runs his hand over his horns, deep in thought.
A few months ago, Malachi wouldn’t have an opinion on how to handle a situation like this, but over the last few weeks he’s stepped up. He goes to the window and stares down, over the city.
I glance at my watch. “Oh shit! I’m going to be late.” I shove away from the desk in a hurry, accidentally scattering the papers all over the floor.
“I’ll take care of this. Say ‘hi’ to Eva for me.”
I don’t wait for the elevator to make it to the top floor.
It’s faster to run down the twelve stories, so I go on foot, taking the time to steady my breathing and calm the static electricity running under my skin at the thought of seeing Eva.
I burst through the metal doors into the dim gray light and keep up my quick pace across the empty parking lot to my depressing apartment.
It was miserable down here before, but now that I know how much life is up there, it’s absolutely unbearable.
The plan worked. I should be happy. Everyone got what they wanted. Almost.
The Board calmed down the moment I stepped back into the underworld. Their smug faces made me suspect that it was all a bunch of bluster. For the first time in months at Mephisto Inc., things are working as they should.
I snap my fingers, leap over the back of my scratchy couch, and plant myself on the center cushion. Eva’s face appears in the center of a pentagram with five candles freshly lit.
“There you are!” she says with a bright smile.
My insides warm right away. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re a busy demon. I understand.”
“How was your day?” I ask. “I want to hear every beautiful detail.” I live for these moments when we can coordinate calendars and talk. I spend half the time listening to her talk about her life. I especially like the updates on the café, a place I’ll always regret not seeing.
“The town is getting ready for Halloween. Main Street does a trick-or-treat where all the businesses give away candy and other stuff. Riley and I are still trying to figure out what to hand out. I want to go with the classic caramel apple lollipop, Riley wants to give out packets of these jelly beans that taste disgusting. She says kids these days are too soft and need to live under the constant threat of a prank.”
I laugh, imagining how that conversation went. It’s the first time I’ve laughed since last week. It feels good, like stretching a muscle that’s been cramped up for hours.
“She leans more toward the ‘trick’ part of Halloween. Do you guys do anything like that down there?”
“Nah. It used to be a big deal down here, but it eventually got monetized and lost all significance. I used to go out with my parents and haunt a few graveyards in your realm back in the day.” Some of my few good memories. Tiny glimpses into the lives of the human realm.
“Things get commercialized here too. That’s why I want to do something cool at the café. I want to host a pumpkin carving night for the novice witches. Oh, did I tell you two more awakened this week?” The joy in her voice is contagious, and for a brief moment I forget where I am.
“That’s awesome, Evie.” She has thrown herself into work with the coven. Her blood magick has proved especially helpful with getting witches to tap into their ancestral magic.
“How are things at Mephisto?” It’s nice that she cares enough to ask, but I don’t want to talk about how dull it is down here.
“The Board is quiet, for now. I’m almost caught up on all the paperwork from the summoning. And before you say a word, it’s not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for.” I can see her shame spiral from a mile away.
“How’s Grandma Iris? She gets messages out every once in a while. She seems happy.”
“From what I can tell she is. I’ve never seen a demon so devoted to his love. He follows Iris around like a lost kitten. Iris wants you to know that Vincent never stopped trying to come back. My father wouldn’t let him, and then the gate was closed.”
Her bright smile falters before she pulls her lips back up into a beautiful smile. “I miss you,” Eva says quietly.
“I miss you too.” I gulp hard. During these calls, I try as hard as possible to not say the words until I can’t contain them anymore. Every time it finally comes out we both get sad and the conversation ends shortly after.
“Samhain is in three days. Do you think you could sneak up here for a visit? Can Mephisto survive one night without their brilliant and sexy CEO?” she asks. Through her joke I can still hear a hint of sadness in her voice.
“I’ll try.”
“Okay. Oh shoot. I gotta go. I left the cauldron boiling! I love you.” Her face disappears without a chance to reply.
Maybe someday it won’t hurt this bad.
I fall back onto the couch and stare up at the ceiling.
Even my shadows are miserable down here.
At first they liked exploring all the evil corners of Hell, but they quickly realized that it’s not what it’s cracked up to be.
They lay in the corner, bored. Every once in a while they tug at me, urging me to go back up to Eva.
My intercom buzzes, and my doorman’s voice breaks through. “Mr. Mephistopheles, I have a visitor here for you. Can I send her up?”
I groan, this is not the first time Malachi has tried to distract me with a demoness. I’ll turn her away like I have all the others. The thought of touching someone else makes me sick.
“No, Larry. Not tonight.” In the distance, a shrill voice that shakes from age gives a sharp reply. It’s not a demoness, it’s Iris.
“It’s okay, send her up.”
In the background she says, “I told you so.”
Poor Larry. Never stand between a witch and her mission.
Her stubborn attitude and determination reminds me of her granddaughter.
That’s the reason I’ve made myself scarce around her.
She’s here with her demon, making up for lost time.
She doesn’t need me pouting in the corner, comparing everything to how great the human realm is.
The elevator dings, and Iris steps out. She still looks radiant, even down here. Her eyes are bright and she strides in with a spring in her step.
“Sorren. How are you? Have you spoken to Eva?” She gives me a kind hug. I’m touch-starved down here and hold on a couple seconds longer than usual. She doesn’t let go until I do.
“Just now. She’s good. More witches awakened today.”
She smiles at the good news. “That’s great, but I’m here to talk about something else.” Iris sits down on the arm chair like a queen claiming their throne. It’s downright impressive.
“I was wondering when this would happen. You want to talk about leaving Hell. I’m surprised you lasted this long.” I pre-empt what she’s about to say. “It’s okay that you want to go. It’s truly miserable.”
“Let an old lady speak for herself,” she barks at me, in the same sharp and joking way Eva does.
“Sorry. Just trying to make it easy on you. I can let you go, but Vincent would have to stay for now since we have a strict no-travel policy for demons in effect. It was a condition of the Board letting the whole summoning situation go.”
“You foolish demon. I’m perfectly happy. Nothing bothers me down here as long as I’m with Vincent. It’s you who doesn’t belong.” She crosses her arms and stares at me, daring me to disagree.
“I’m needed here.”
“Nonsense.” She rolls her eyes at me, just like Eva has done countless times. “Don’t try to be a martyr.”
“We don’t use the M-word down here,” I say wryly.
This place will run with you or without you. Go chase your happiness. If you learn anything from all this mess, I hope you know how important it is to take what you want and hold on for dear life.”
She makes it all sound so simple.
“I wish it was that easy. The Board would use any excuse to attack the witches, and if staying down here is the price for her safety, I’ll pay it for all of eternity.”
“Pish posh. I’m not wasting any more breath if you’re just going to be a fool.” She stands up and heads toward the elevator. “You’ll figure out a way, and if you can’t, then I suppose you never deserved her.”
A dull pitchfork to the gut would have been more merciful.
The sun never fully sets or rises down here. No bright morning colors to start off the day. No tiny drops of water on blades of grass. Nothing but concrete. I used to jog before work. What’s the point now? Seeing the expansive dismal surroundings every day only reopens the wound.
The cubicles are all empty this early. It’s quiet in here. It always is. Even when it’s packed full of demons, no one talks or even coughs. The only sound on the thirteenth floor is Debra’s loud and angry typing.
My hands are full of files and weak room-temperature coffee, so I kick open the door to my office.
“Finally! I’ve been waiting for you all morning,” Malachi says from somewhere in my office, startling me. I spill half my coffee down my white shirt.
“Kai, what the fuck!” I’m mad, this is my favorite shirt. It’s the one I wore when I was summoned. It smelled like her for weeks. I look around for him.
“Not sorry. I’ve got news.” He turns in the chair behind the desk, finally coming into view. His hands are pressed together at the index fingers in front of his chest while his elbows perch on the armrests. A perfect villain pose.
“What could possibly be so important that it dragged you up here before regular business hours?” I wipe off the drips of coffee and set down the files I should have looked at last night instead of feeling sorry for myself into the wee hours of the morning.
“While you have been moping around up here. I’ve been working.”
I can’t argue. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been a sad sap, only half aware of what has been going on around me.
“I decided that the way to solve our little problem was to not ‘do the right thing,’ whatever that means. We need to do the wrong thing.” A smile creeps across his face, one that surely means someone’s demise. Hopefully not mine.
“What are you talking about? Can you please just say it in plain English?” The day hasn’t even started yet, and I’m already tired of whatever this game is.
“I’ve been gathering information. I’ve been whispering in dark corners and plotting.” He sounds like one of our father’s old advisors.
“Seriously, get to the point. I have a shit ton of work to do.”
“You aren’t going to let me have this moment are you?
It’s got to be dramatic. I’m trying to save your ass with flair.
” He spins a full rotation in the chair.
“I have enough information to blackmail every member of the Board for the next 600 years.” The evil grin expands to a psychotic look in his eye.
“Sign everything over to me. I’ll lift the travel ban and spend my days blackmailing those miserable fucks. ”
His words knock the air out of my lungs. Disbelief is quickly followed by possibility. This could be my chance. I watch him carefully for any signs that he doesn’t want this, but I don’t find any.
“You mean it? You would do this for me?” Eva feels within arm’s reach for the first time in weeks, and I’m afraid to fully believe that it’s possible.
“For you? No. For me. I can’t wait. It took a minute, but I sorta liked being CEO.”
Malachi slides a manila envelope toward me.
It’s full of the necessary paperwork, already prepared.
I follow him down the hall to the conference room where this all began.
This time the papers are stacked in front of him.
The sense of dread and obligation is gone.
He found his passion, and in true demon form, it’s petty corporate torture.
“Has Debra from Accounting signed off on this?” I ask for the second time, but hoping for a different answer.
“Fuck no. Ask me if I care.” Malachi grabs the pen and signs the contract with flourish. “There. Now go. You’re bumming everyone out.”
I want to thank him or even give him a hug. But he’d probably mistake it for an attack and throw me out the window. I settle for a nod, then turn and run for the stairwell at full speed.