Aziraphale & Crowley: An Ineffable Love Story

Inferno

A.Z Fell and Co.
Present Day

"Are you quite finished here? We need to go" said Metatron.

Aziraphale knew he could not stall anymore. Yet, he didn't want to depart without leaving some sort of clue to Crowley.

"You go ahead, I have to explain some works to Muriel. If this bookshop is going to remain an angel site on earth, Muriel needs to know the ropes" said Aziraphale, knowing it was not a convincing excuse.

Metatron frowned. Yet, he agreed to step outside. Aziraphale knew he would be dropping an ear to every word he would utter though.

"MURIEL" yelled Aziraphale, as he was frantically searching for a copy of Inferno by Dante in his desk drawers.

"Aha" said Aziraphale as he pulled the book from the back of his third drawer.

"I'm coming" said Muriel while climbing the stairs.

Aziraphale appreciated her kind personality. She reminded him of himself when he first got to Earth. Despite her inexperience with pretending to live as a mortal, he knew his bookshop was in good hands.

"Where did Crowley and the Metatron go?" she naively asked. Aziraphale realized that she must have truly not overheard anything that had happened. He smiled at her.

"Oh, they left" said Aziraphale, not wanting, or better not having the energy to explain anything further.

"Oh, okay" said Muriel. "Are you leaving as well?" anxiously said Muriel.

"Yes, I have to. But no worries my dear, I am sure you are going to do a fine job" said Aziraphale while giving her a pat of encouragement on her shoulder

"I hope so, I want to be a good representative of heaven" said Muriel.

Aziraphale had to hold his chuckle when the irony hit him. He doesn't remember the last time he wanted to be a good representative of heaven.

"So, I have this book for you. It contains everything you need to know about running this bookshop.

"Oh" said Muriel while she was staring at the book title. "Thank you?" she said while looking at Aziraphale's warning face not to say any further about it.

Aziraphale was very grateful that Muriel got the message, or at least he thinks she did. Only time would tell.

"Well then, I must keep going" said Aziraphale with a heavy heart. "Enjoy your time on Earth Muriel. I hope you love it as much as I did" he said flustered, trying to hold back tears.

"Well, thank you, Aziraphale. Good luck in heaven" said Muriel as she watched him walk away.

Muriel immediately sat at Aziraphale's desk and opened the book. She did not seem to understand why Aziraphale would give her a copy of a book titled Inferno. She had never heard of it, but she was aware that the book referred to hell.

As she opened the book, a piece of old-timed paper fell on the desk. She picked it up and read:

January 1st, 1800

"I, sir A.Z Fell, declare that sir Anthony J. Crowley will be welcomed in A.Z Fell and Co. until the end of times."