Phantom Pain (trilogy)

Light in Hell

Chapter 3: Light in Hell

The first thing I noticed was that there were no lights on in the two bedroom apartment. One of the rooms was Dez's, the other's the scum I'd thrown through the window.

The second thing I noticed was how sad Dez felt. She was just around the corner, in the bed room from the previous night.

I peeked around the corner. She sat on the bed, pain on her face, fingers massaging her temples. On the end table beside her was a half empty glass of water. The window had been covered with a layer of plastic, but glass shards still lay on the floor.

"Are you okay?" The words were out of my mouth before I could think better of them.

Dez shot up, facing me, her posture defensive.

"Ramie, what the fuck?" Her voice was hoarse, but not angry. Incredulous, was more accurate.

"Do you remember what happened last night?" I asked.

She froze, confusion clouding her face. There was fear there, like she was afraid to go there, afraid to know. Just when I felt the levee was about to break the door flew open. It was Dominic. I didn't even have to turn around to know. I'd thought he was with Gavyn. One coffee cup of two crashed to the floor, the other he set down on the table.

"Don't move." His blessed pistol was out, pointed at my chest. "Shut up, I know it won't kill you. But it will hurt like a motherfucker."

I put my hands up. I did not wish to be having this confrontation. All I needed was an opportunity, and I was going to get the hell out of there.

"This was you!" Dominic exclaimed, taking a step forwards and gesturing towards the window. "Dez said she saw you, but she thought she was dreaming."

I took a step back. All I needed was a bit more room between him and the door.

"I just wanted her to be okay," I said, looking back over my shoulder at the girl in question. "I shouldn't have come back, I'm sorry."

"That's fucking rich," Dominic was falling for it, moving away from the door to close the gap between us. "After what you did."

I steeled myself to make the dash. I was faster than they were, faster than any human. I could make it. "Just tell me one thing," I asked, "did that bastard make it?"

"Lucas is alive." Dominic smirked. "And with that half angel blood of his he's recovering quickly."

So it had all been for not. "I'm sorry, Dez," I apologized, as I took off running.

As I passed him, I slammed my arm down on the back of Dominic's neck. He fell to the floor, but as I burst through the door his gun went off. The bullet lodged itself in my side, blooding seeping into my shirt, down my leg. Down the stairs I ran, and out onto the street without stopping. It barely hurt, not in comparison with what the scars used to feel like. Had it really been so long ago, that they had been a daily concern?

When I banged through the door of the demon bar no one even looked up. I still felt like an angel, but I'd been lurking in Newark long enough they were used to me.

"Shit man," commented one of the demons at the counter.

I lifted my shirt, looking at the wound for the first time. Only a small calibre. It would heal quickly. I shrugged.