How to Sell Your Soul

Chapter 4: The Fallen

"They meant the ones that were cast from heaven." Denarios said curious about her question. They were sitting in her apartment eating dinner. "There are the demons that are here because they had sinned badly. Then there are those that are here because of stupid sins. And for some of us, like myself," he cleared his throat before continuing, "that were Angels cast down to hell."

May almost choked on her food. "You were an angel?!"

"Yes." He said simply, taking another bite of his food.

"Ok, what are these stupid sins?" It didn't really sound like he wanted to talk about his own banishment so she figured she would leave it alone for the moment.

"We'll take Candy and Ginger. They were both strippers. They did it so they could put food on the table for their families. But since they died before they could get out of it they ended up down here. Then Rose, next door, she lost her baby, which by the way she decided to keep even though it was a product of rape. I commend her for that. Beautiful thing indeed! But she committed suicide because of her loss. Can't ask for forgiveness after you die. And don't let Jesse fool you... Yes he killed somebody, but it was out of pain. The man had killed his wife, Jesse and the other man met for a duel. Both fired both died."

"Those are stupid sins. I thought sacrifice was thought of kindly in heaven? Like in Candy and Gingers situation. It takes a lot of courage to do that."

"Not always. And they don't see it the same way you do." She hadn't asked, but he could easily tell she wanted to know. "My job was to guard the treasury for the head office of a group of churches through Europe." He scoffed. "Yup I guarded money. You'd think heaven would have better jobs for me to do." He sighed before he went on. "There was a family in need yet I saw them put their last coin in the collection box. Then another family, and another. And not just at one location, all of them. They couldn't spare it yet still they gave. I asked Aurum why the church didn't just take the collections and use it to help those families. Figured he would understand, he had the same job! And he takes care of the Vatican! His response was 'it matters not what they have here for they will be taken care of in heaven.' Which I understood. But I didn't like to see them suffer on earth." His mind wandered to his friend once in Heaven like him. Harmonia was the one angel he could talk to. She saw it the same way he did. And why he was sure Aurum had cracked the joke he had with May's voice. Harmonia was the Seraph that sung the lords praise above the churches he watched over. Her beautiful voice could be heard by all in every mass, even when they were going at the same time.

"What's the matter?" May asked taking Denarios's hand.

It brought him back but it hurt. Harmonia would do the exact same thing when he looked troubled. "I was thinking about the day I got stripped of my wings." He sighed. "It caused another angel hers."

"She was sent to hell?" May asked concerned.

"No, purgatory. I took money from the treasury and gave It back to those that needed it. But she... She didn't stop me or warn them as to what I was doing. They sent me to Hell for stealing. They sent her to purgatory just out of spite." That last part he said with bitter distaste. "It was Aurum that turned us in."

"How could they just do that to her?"

"Although we couldn't have 'relationships', Aurum had a thing for her. When she turned him away he hated her. So that was how he got back at her... And me..."

"You loved her didn't you?" She asked quietly holding his hand tighter.

He looked up at her surprised. "How could you tell?"

"Just the way you said it. He got back at you both. By not also sending her to hell. Can you go and see her?"

There was anger and pain in his voice. "I searched every inch of purgatory for the past four hundred and twenty five years! I couldn't find her anywhere!" He tried to calm himself. "While we were before the tribunal, as they ripped my wings off, I called out to her. I told her I would find her. They then held me down so I could watch as they ripped hers off! The pain she had to endure! Her screams!"

"That's horrible!" Bile was rising in her throat. How could they do such a thing?!

"It was worse for her. A seraph doesn't have just two wings... They have six! I couldn't run to her! There was nothing I could do to stop them! Then as soon as they were done, bam! We were sent away! Me to hell and her to purgatory! I never saw her again!" He stood up in frustration, May's hand falling away, and paced the room. He ran his hand through his hair. "But I know Harmonia is out there! I've heard her voice singing out! Every so often I can hear it. But by the time I got even close it was gone!" He turned to look at May. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laying all of this on you. I should get going." He turned to leave.

Something came over May as she shot out of her chair and ran up behind him, wrapping her arms around him. "I'll help you find her! I promise!" She cried against his back. "What they did to you both is sick!"

He stiffened at her touch. Again she surprised him. This human felt pain and sorrow for him... A demon... He relaxed and turned in her arms to face her. He placed his hand on her head. "You really are an odd human." He rubbed the top of her hair. "Thank you." Although he doubted that there was anything she could do, it made him feel better to know that somebody cared. When she looked up at him with tears in her eyes his heart fell into his stomach. Damnit! He couldn't let her see what he was feeling, but he had to get out of there. "I should get going though. I have other duties to take care of. Unlike you I don't get Sunday's off." He forced a sarcastic grin at her.

May leaned back away from him releasing her hold. "Smart ass." She laughed gently. But she was looking forward to her day off tomorrow. Maybe she could make a plan to help him find his love!

~

"It's you again?" Asked what looked like an old human woman wearing gray robes sitting behind a desk. "What can the department of soul placement do for you today Aurum Angelus? Same ole?"

"Why yes Auctrix. Same ole." He walked up closer to the desk. The beautiful gray marble desk sat in the middle of a beautiful grey marble office filled with gray binders stuffed with grey paper. "I need to know if the Seraph Harmonia's soul has been placed for reincarnation."

The worker peered over her glasses. "Well it had been a good break from you for a while. I had put that log away hoping I was done with it all those years ago." She stood up and walked over to a bookshelf far in the back. This pain in her hind end had visited her once a year for hundreds of years. But he had slowed it down, then eventually stopped fifty something years ago. Guess that had been wishful thinking. She had told him many times that angels sent to purgatory did not qualify for reincarnation. Not her fault he couldn't find her. It was easy to hide here. It's a big place! She pulled the volume off the shelf and carried it back to the desk. She practically threw it at him. "Last page as usual." She snarked as he caught it.  Maybe it was time for her to retire.  Thousand years here was long enough.

Purgatory was almost worse than Hell as far as the staff. They're so indifferent to both sides that he found it annoying. He put the book down on the desk and turned it right to the last page. "Well I always said she was no ordinary angel." How she had avoided him for so long was a mystery. But after all these years he finally found her. Now to wake her up.