I nervously approach the red door of the recording studio.
Maybe... maybe I was so wasted last night, that I... just... IMAGINED everything that happened.
I mean- what are the chances that THE Alastor, THE host of 'Smile', RECOGNISED someone as small as me and OFFERED a job out of the blue after a short conversation at a bar? That's crazy!
I looked down at the papers I was holding. The content was fine, but the handwriting was messy because of the circumstances in which it was written.
I wrote it late at night, while being drunk, excited and tired. I even fell asleep on it a bit before sunrise, causing the paper to be crumpled and uneven. By some miracle, I didn't drool on it.
Even with my few hours of sleep, my anxiety kept me energised.
What if I mess up?
What if I say a wrong fact?
What if I'm boring?
And- again- what if I just imagined everything?
"The door won't open itself, dear."
A playful voice behind me made me jump.
He leaned on the wall, playing with a key.
"Uh- sir- good afternoon!"
I blurted out, clearing the way.
I didn't even know the door was locked.
He paused before using the key and turned around, slightly tilting his head to the side.
"Sir?"
"Um, sorry, right, Alastor."
I corrected.
"This isn't how you called me last night, dear. What was it...?"
He tried to recall.
My eyes widened.
We WHAT last night??
"It was... uh... I told you to drop the formalities so you called me..."
He noticed my expression.
"GOD NO, NONE OF THAT! NEVER.
You simply came up with a fun nickname when we shook hands..."
"Oh!"
I was relieved, but also completely red from embarrassment. Luckily, he was too busy trying to remember than to dwell on the matter.
He opened the door, and I was amazed.
This is a dream come true.
The studio was so cosy, I wanted to compliment him on that.
"Al- WOAH!"
I almost tripped on a cable, but Alastor stabilised me back before I could fall.
He laughed.
"That's it! It was Al!"
His joking mood and big smile made me less worried about my new job.
Looks like I wasn't hallucinating yesterday night after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My fingers were running through the typewriter as I was printing the first draft of the article. It's been going well enough.
OUCH!
DAMN IT.
I think I hurt my finger.
Enough typing for now.
I heard some commotion going on downstairs. Intrigued, I exited my room and started going downstairs.
"Vaggie is right, Alastor. The commercial was to let sinners know we are trying to help them."
I heard Charlie trying to explain.
Tch. They let him FILM a commercial?
The man could barely take still-pictures with cameras from our time.
Even though Alastor was downstairs, this fact is not going to stop me from walking around here freely.
"Well, my dear, I haven't been active in hell for some time, and everyone remembers me from my radio show..."
He noticed me arriving but kept talking.
"...The PROPER medium to express oneself. But, YOU insisted on this noisy picture box advertisement."
I tried to hold back a smile as he tapped on the television with his staff.
He never liked these screens.
"We are not filming a porn as a commercial."
Vaggie turned Angel dust's offer down.
"Why not? Sex sells don't it? I swear if you film me going at it with Mr. fancy talk creepy voice here..."
WHAT.
"...you'd be ROLLING in participants willing to stay at this tacky hotel."
"Ha ha. Never going to happen."
Alastor concluded.
"I'll be right back!"
Charlie announced anxiously and hurried away with her ringing phone.
"I'll figure something out."
Vaggie decided.
"Alastor, camera."
"Hmmmmmm...🚚⛴️"
I snickered when a camera from our time appeared in her hands.
I quickly stopped when I noticed him smiling at me.
I won't give him the satisfaction of my reaction.
"A... video camera...?"
Vaggie corrected.
"No, no, this is great. Let him try to piece a commercial together with that."
I turned the joke onto the radio demon.
"He was so bad at this. Once, he tried to-"
"-A video camera it is."
Alastor said while staring at me with a warning in his eyes.
Oh, look how the tables have turned.
Who's amused and who's irritated.
Maybe having Alastor around won't be THAT much of a nightmare.
He placed an interesting-looking technology in Vaggie's hands. The old camera was thrown aside.
"Hey, I have a question. If freaky face over there is SO powerful, then why can't he just... MAKE people stay here?"
Angel dust pointed out.
"Oh, trust me, I CAN."
Ugh...
"Why do you think I'm here?"
Husk spoke up from the bar.
"You actually think I'd be cleaning bottles and listening to you fucks bitch and moan all the time if he wasn't forcing me?"
"I like being forced."
"Keep that to yourself, Nif."
Huh. So that's why they are here. ...though I don’t think I'll write it in the article.
I looked at Alastor, who observed the ongoing conversation in the room with a smile but without much interest.
What kind of power does he exactly hold over everyone...?
I looked away when his eyes landed on me. It was then that Charlie ran out excited, singing about a chance of getting heaven behind her plans.
Is she going to meet with heaven representatives? It's only been a week since the extermination...
What do they want so soon?
~~~~~~~~~
As everyone departed the room, I decided to speak with him.
"Alastor,"
As I approached, he took a couple steps away.
"Alastor."
...
"Dammit Al, I need to talk to you!"
I let out angrily.
"Now that's interesting."
His neck snapped first towards me before he turned the rest of his body.
Ew.
"I recall a certain someone who wanted nothing to do with me."
When will he ever stop being a bitch.
I sighed.
"Look-"
"Ah-Ah-Ah~!"
He sang and waved his finger in denial, stopping me.
"You made a very serious request, and I respect it- you know, for old time's sake.
Although, currently you are making this very hard to fulfil..."
"Well, then- I'd like to make another request."
I crossed my arm.
"Oh-ho-ho, it doesn't work like that, dear."
He fixed his monocle.
"And what do you mean by that?"
I crossed my arms.
"How about we make this a deal?"
The room felt cold all the sudden.
He extended his arm, but I was in no hurry to shake it.
"I'm not stupid. It's obvious that you have something creepy going on, and this is exactly what I wanted to ask about."
"Sharp as always. -well, almost always."
Alastor's wicked grin widened as he mocked me about our shared past.
I clenched my fists.
How DARE he...
"But I'm afraid I've got to stay away..."
That... little... UGH!
What does he want??
"You wanted to catch up, didn't you?"
I remembered.
"Then... me too. I agree for a coffee."
Alastor offered his hand again.
"You shake my hand and agree to not mind my presence."
"And...?"
There can't be only one side to that.
What's the catch?
"In return, I'll take you out, answer some of your questions and return you safely."
I squinted my eyes.
He gets something long-term while I get a small event.
"I am not asking for your soul, dear. Just a little thing."
Alastor urged.
"Isn't that what friends do?"
"We are not friends."
I hissed. He didn't like that comment.
"Maybe this is why I am making a deal, and not a verbal agreement."
He was losing his patience.
"F-FINE."
Though not entirely convinced, I firmly shook his hand.
"Lovely!"
He immediately cheered up and the room became brighter.
"Tomorrow, then."
~~~~~~~~~
Apperently, Alastor managed to strike a deal with Vaggie today, too, after she failed to direct the commercial herself.
We all helped, of course.
I am very proud of myself, that I managed to figure out (together with the creatures Alastor summoned) how the new camera technology works.
A thing I noticed while filming is that he doesn't appear too well on the final recording, but other than that- it was perfect.
When we all gathered in the main room, Charlie returned, looking exhausted.
"Honey! How did it go?"
Vaggie stood up to welcome her.
"Did they listen?"
She looked hesitant.
"Oh, they sure did hear it, but-"
Her partner had to cut her off when she noticed the time.
"Oh come here, we have something exciting to show you! Alastor pulled some strings and it's about to air."
"I pulled a few limbs too, hahaha!"
What?! When? Who?
"Wait, the commercial? You all made a new one?"
Charlie didn't mind his comment at all.
"Yeah, one of my better performances if I do say so myself."
Angel dust stretched.
"That's... that's amazing..."
Charlie seemed much more happier than she was when she entered.
"Sshh, it's starting!"
I got excited when it started playing, but then it was immediately cut off.
"Oh COME ON!"
I joined the complaints.
"Breaking news in Hell today! We have just received word from the Heaven Embassy that the next Extermination is happening sooner than ever before.
Do you know what that means, Tom?"
"No, what does that mean, Katie?"
"It means we're all ROYALLY FUCKED!"
My jaw dropped when the TV showed the Clock Tower reducing the number to 176 days 'till the next Extermination.
This...
This is BAD.