Chapter 24
DAMIEN
Damien didn’t know exactly why he followed the group down to Floor Lust. He couldn’t actually take the trial. But the fate of his dear hotel, his home, rested on their success. At the very least, he would wish them good luck . . . even if he still had trouble looking Delilah in the eye.
How had he been so bold? What had he been thinking? He blamed the sugar rush.
Floor Lust made Damien very nervous. He had never once looked directly into the room, always closing his eyes when the test door opened.
People who left the floor often smelled like perfume, and he’d seen lipstick marks on collars too.
He did not like to think of Delilah going there .
. . because he was worried about her safety, of course. No other reason.
There was one person who worried him even more than Delilah. Damien grabbed Jaime’s collar to stop her from entering. ‘This floor is a bit too old for you.’
Squirming, Jaime complained, ‘That place isn’t as scary as you think.’
‘Damien is right.’ Heather patted Jaime’s head. ‘Just wait for us, kiddo. We’ll be back soon. We don’t need you in the engine room, so I’m not exposing you to lechery.’
Jaime grumbled, ‘I hate being left out.’
‘Here’s a joke just for you,’ Howard said. ‘Most people can’t tell the difference between entomology and etymology. I can’t find the words for how much this bugs me.’
Jaime laughed. ‘I reluctantly admit it, that one is actually funny.’
While she was laughing, Howard took the opportunity to slip through the door. The others followed him.
Damien didn’t let Jaime go until after the door closed. Then he quickly moved to bar her path.
Jaime huffed and crossed her arms. ‘I tried to explain that you’re being ridiculous. I’ve already been on Floor Lust.’
‘You have?’ Damien squawked.
‘Yeah, it was incredibly boring. There’s nothing debauched and depraved like you’re picturing. I was disappointed.’
His shoulders relaxed. ‘Actually, that makes perfect sense. You don’t have any lust in your heart. Therefore, the floor didn’t have any way to test you.’ He felt glad there was a mechanism to avoid exposing children to indecency.
‘Oh, is that it? I did wonder why the test was so weird.’
‘It must be.’
‘I’ve been on all the floors and I suppose technically passed all the tests.
’ Jaime looked down. ‘I’ve been trapped here for a long time.
At one point, I wondered if I could get into Heaven if I passed all the other six tests.
I passed every trial – but of course I’m still stuck here.
Even though it turns out I passed Heresy just by standing there!
But it didn’t count for the button! It was stupid of me. I’m rarely so illogical.’
‘I don’t think you were illogical. I think you were brave to try. At least that means you will be able to make it to the engine room with the others. Unlike me.’ Damien hoped he didn’t sound too bitter.
Jaime glanced at him sideways. ‘You know what it feels like to be trapped.’
‘Yes.’
They sat like that for a while, in companionable silence.
Eventually, Damien said, ‘They’re taking an oddly long time. I thought they said they’d be right back.’
Jaime sighed. ‘They should have let me go along. I could have censored the entire floor with my presence.’