|Five|
⑉
I rested my head on the table, my mind needing a minute to come back down from the corrupt thought I just had. Silence joined the two of us at the table like a non-speaking third party member.
I couldn't figure out or nor could I understand Lucifer's reasonings. Did it not scare him to be all alone? Did the Fates do something to him?
My mind felt hot and heavy in my head. It sloshed against the sides of my skull like an upset tidal wave. The masses of thoughts overcrowding the space like a couple thousand opened tabs.
I wanted to go to sleep. I needed sleep to swim over me and take me into a deep, unconscious bubble. Only I couldn't fall asleep. Not yet. Not down here. I didn't trust my surroundings down here.
I was so involved in my inner thoughts that I failed to notice a small boy of around the young age of six pop up out from nowhere beside to me to angrily slam a silver coated pitcher onto the table. The obnoxious sound effect jolting me awake.
"Oh, Jesus!" I let out a high-pitched squeal; my heart leaping into a mile sprint as I jump out of my chair.
The boy looked at me; his utterly blank iris squinting at my climactic reaction. They were white, not a single speck of colour or any sign of a pupil appeared in the creamy almond of his eyes. He was small in size too. I mean naturally, he looked about six. And his messy brown hair drifted about the sides of his scalp in complicated knots.
"That's not Jesus darling," Lucifer sneakily commented, "that's Agramon, demon of fear." Lucifer introduced waving his hand over the table.
"Oh," I nodded, taking in the new segment of terrifying information.
Couldn't the Fates slow down with the demons? Lucifer was enough as it was. I don't need to acquaint myself with any second party. My heart rate was still beating irregularly against the cage of my ribs, the fragile muscle almost tearing itself apart as it thumped and hammered against the bone. My throat was closing too, the lack of oxygen entering my straining lungs caused my head to start hurting and my vision to blur.
Don't faint, Charmeine. Whatever you do, do not faint.
I blinked harshly, trying to force energy into my shutting down self and keep myself from falling faint in the hands of two demons. The chair in front of me found its secondary use as a steady grip to stop me from falling to the ground.
"He is," I swallowed, hitting my chest in a pathetic attempt to calm myself down," certainly good at his profession."
Lucifer merely chuckled at my distressed reaction. Whereas, Agramaon provided an appreciative smile and a nod of I don't know, thanks? His thin, painfully peeling lips ripped back to reveal a crooked row of six unhealthy teeth.
"You can go now, Agramon," Lucifer instructed with the flick of his wrist. To which Agramon nodded and scurried out of the slender dining room as quickly and as silently as he had entered. You almost missed his movements.
It took a bit for my heart rate to slow down, it pounded against my chest almost painfully. I was still breathing heavily but returned to my seat anyway.
"I think," I squeaked, my voice only beginning to get used to the flow of oxygen entering my bruised lungs, "he was hungry."
Lucifer just laughed. His entire head jolting backwards as rich, earthy laughter filled the empty silence. "How could you possibly notice that when you just almost died from shock? He's a child, Charmeine. He isn't even scary."
"It took me by suprise okay!" I defended myself. "I didn't hear him enter. It's like he floated in like a balloon or something." I tapped the table with my nails. "But seriously, do you even provide food for your demons?"
Lucifer nodded, his thick lips pursed together. "When they are on the brink of collapsing, I may or may not toss them a little something to eat."
"What?" I retort, a concoction of sadness, hurt and shock fuelling the fire in my voice. "Lucifer that is horrible."
"Is it?" His tone gave it all way - he didn't care.
"How could you?" He is only a small child!" My voice broke as I spoke, the last few syllables breaking off into a hoarse whisper.
"Age doesn't come into the equation."
"Lucifer, don't you have a heart? He is merely a child. He doesn't deserve to starve."
Lucifer neglectes the primary point. "I assure you my heart is in perfect working condition."
"Then why don't you feed your demons more?"
Lucifer sighed and dropped his vision to the side. "Will you pipe down if I tell you that the same child who you view as weak and frail targets children all over the world for mere amusement?" His words end higher as he mocks me without a second doubt. "He enjoys seeing the stark faces of frightened children who are never able to get a good night of sleep ever again. He enjoyed watching you squeal in fear. He was pleased you ran around the table to get away from him. He was happy that you couldn't breathe properly. He's a demon Charmeine. He isn't like you."
I let him finish, "That still doesn't explain why you should starve him."
Lucifer pushed his half-eaten noodle dish away in a sign of him getting irritated. His eyes rolled over to mine in an aggravated manner. "It does, Charmeine. It does although you will have to use that pretty little head of yours to work it out."
My eyebrows arched, I felt my facial muscles pull at them, straining to understand his twisted logic. What was Lucifer trying to imply?
How could a small child show anything? It's not like Lucifer hid the food he was eating. It was right there in front of him - anyone could still a roll or two.
It takes a few shameful seconds for me to fit the pieces together.
Oh. That's why.
Lucifer tilted his head, his eyes ablaze. "Clocked it?"
"It's temptation, isn't it? You're testing him, aren't you? To see how long he can hold off before he gives in."
His plump lips curved upward. "You are quite slow, aren't you?" he teased.
I sent Lucifer a scowl in return. "And you're quite cruel, aren't you?"
He shrugged. "Touche."
"I still think that you have deprived him of nutrients for too long. I mean he was freakishly skinny for a six-year-old. It isn't healthy."
He shrugged again. "He'll live."
"Lucifer!"
"Look, if you're going to whine about it, why don't you go give him some food? I'm sure if he is as hungry as you make him out to be then he'll appreciate it."
I thought about it. I really did. But the Underworld was still a new place to me and after my first encounter with Agramon. I honestly don't think my heart could handle a second. What would happen if I got lost and a demon found me wandering the hallway? Would I die? Would Lucifer step in and save me?
The last option was simply wishful thinking.
"Alone?" I stammered, feeling like a complete coward. "You want me to go alone?" I pointed to the portal with its shaking index, "out there?"
Lucifer nodded, pushing the plate of food towards me. "You're a big girl, Charmeine. You can handle it."
"But what happens if I get lost? Or another demon eats me or-"
"You think I would let another demon kill you? No! That would be like the dullest death out there."
"Lucifer!"
"Fine, don't go to him. You don't care enough."
"I do care! It's just ... I am scared."
Pathetic excuse. And you call yourself an Angel?
"Scared?" Lucifer rolled his eyes. Demons are just like you and your Angels. Just with different interests in mind-"
His sentence was cut off by a low, thunderous growl. The noise crept into the slender room like a growing storm. In reaction; the glasses rattled on the table tops, the overhead chandeliers shook from the vivid vibrations.
I was scared, growing on terrified. My heart unable to handle this much fear in one dosage. This was going to be the end of me. I was eventually going to die in the Underworld. Releasing a second squeal, I repeated my earlier action and jumped out of my chair.
"What was that?" I whispered turning towards Lucifer for an answer.
The fear-earning growl didn't bother Lucifer in the slightest. It was as if he had grown accustomed to the loud, unbearable noise just like one might do with their alarm tone. He remained relaxed in his chair, calm. The exact opposite to me.
"It's like you said earlier. Agramon is starving and even you failed to feed him. Someone's pissed."
Shit.
"You're kidding right!" I'm panicking. My eyes widened and dilated. Please tell me he is kidding. I turned frantically towards the portal entrance.
The noise was like a broken record, only deepening in octave as time passed. I think I lost my shit when the light above us began to flicker; a children's nursery rhyme beginning to sing out in a high-pitched tone- just as the lights went out. My heart couldn't handle it; neither could my mind nor my lungs, nor me. And with a crescendo-sounding scream, I jumped into the arms of the only safe soul in the room - Lucifer. I wrapped my arms around his slender frame tightly, burying my face into his neck. Tears seeped past the floodgates in my eyes and dripped down my cheeks, collecting at the base of Lucifer's neck. He smelt like cinnamon and white jasmine and for once, from my short track record of visits - I felt safe.
Lucifer's earthy laughter soothed my shaking shoulders. It was comforting; relaxing. I felt completely safe, cuddled up to his chest, my teary face in his neck. I felt his cold fingers card through my hair, the feeling therapeutic as I pleaded with my heart for it to calm down.
The sweet gesture was ruined when Lucifer dipped his head down by the shell of my ear to whisper, "Feeling Lust are we darling?"
⑉
until next time my angels,
-V
Edited: 17/06/18