12
“We march into the Bone Desert!” Marc said, bursting through the doors into the strategy room.
“Why?” Lilith said, her red lips twisting into a pout.
“It’s a double bluff by Lucifer,” Marc said. “We have to move quickly! Rally our troops in the Black Citadels and at the Bleeding Rock. We’ll pincer the enemy legions.”
“A battle like this requires more planning,” Asmodeus said. “Even if we have superior numbers on this front, meeting them head-on isn’t the best strategic move. We should call in the harpy archers and have them thin out their numbers from above and then–”
“There is no time,” Marc interrupted. “We move now.”
Baphomet rose to his full towering height, his massive wings unfolding into the darkness above. His hooves clopped against the floor as he strode up to the King of Hell. “I’m with you on this, Marcellixis. Crush them when they’re not expecting it! Put me in command for this battle, my king. Too long have these claws thirsted for blood.”
Marc nodded, but Lilith held up her finger. “You’ve not told us yet what Lucifer’s troops are doing in the Bone Desert.”
“Do you remember who those bones belong to?”
“Everyone who died in the Great Flood.”
“Right, and after speaking to Abaddon, I believe that they hold a secret that Lucifer doesn’t want me to find.”
Lilith gave him an unamused look. “Let me guess. This is about Amanda again, isn’t it?”
Marc sighed. “It doesn’t matter what it’s about. This is not a democracy. I’m your king, and this is my decree.”
***
Amanda took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The knob turned instantly as if he’d been waiting for her on the other side.
“Aba–I mean, Don, uh, hi!” Amanda said, her face heating up.
Don looked at her, his eyes cold and empty like open graves. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to tell you – because I know you’re my guardian angel or something – that, uh, I’m taking the bus to the city to meet a friend.”
“No,” Abaddon said and closed the door.
Amanda bashed her knuckles against the wood, annoyed by the response. Abaddon opened again, his face in the exact same expression as before.
“Yes?”
“It wasn’t a question. I’m going to the city and you can either come along or not. It’s up to you.” She shrugged for emphasis.
He watched her in silence until Amanda finally inched away from the door and turned to walk down the stairs. She felt like an unruly child, ignoring her parents' direct wishes.
Hurrying down the street, she noticed Don, in his black blazer and slacks, strolling out of the building. She smiled inwardly.
The ride into the city took about fifteen minutes, with the bus driver stopping once to make Don put out his cigarette. The angel of death just watched him rant in silence until the man reached out to nab the cigarette out of his mouth. Don’s hand closed so fast around the driver’s wrist that Amanda hadn’t even seen it move.
In the city, the melting snow dripped from the rooftops and out of the downpipes, covering the ground in wet brown slush. Amanda followed the sidewalk with Don a few steps behind. Perhaps it was the sudden switch from the heat in the bus to the chilly outside, but Amanda’s headache had returned.
She massaged her temples. The mall she was meeting Sarah in was crowded, and as she stepped through the sluice doors, a sea of people swallowed her. Families shopping and kids running around. Their screams and laughs hammered against her eardrums.
A new message popped up on her phone. Sarah told her to meet at the indoor fountain near the food court. They’d been texting over the last couple of days, trying to patch things up after the fallout. Sarah still seemed pissed, but at least she had agreed to see her.
Amanda glanced over her shoulder, but couldn’t find Don. An angel couldn’t get lost in a crowd, though, right? She smiled at the thought. A waft of frying oil and chlorine from the fountain caught Amanda’s nose as she entered the food court. Sarah waited for her on a bench, leaning over her phone, a stupid grin on her face. She was probably browsing on Reddit, Amanda thought, inwardly rolling her eyes.
She tapped her friend on the shoulder.
“Hey!” Sarah said, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. “Only a little late this time.”
“There was this really annoying fallen angel on the bus who refused to stop smoking.” Amanda shrugged and gave Sarah a light hug.
“You’re weird; you know that?” Sarah said but seemed to relax a bit.
They sat down at a sushi bar and ordered lunch. Sarah hadn’t said anything about the knife, but Amanda guessed that it was the reason for the public setting.
“I’ve missed you,” Amanda said, trying to ease the tension further.
Sarah smiled weakly but didn’t say anything back. She picked at her maki rolls but didn’t seem particularly interested in the food, or the company for that matter. After several minutes of awkward silence, Sarah stood up.
“I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
A few more minutes passed. Amanda looked around for Don but still couldn’t find him. Instead, a dark shape fluttered by and landed in Sarah’s chair.
“Do you think she left?” Lucy said, glancing suspiciously toward the public bathrooms.
“Why would she do that?”
“Well, for one, you haven’t apologized yet. And she took her bag and things with her.” Lucy shrugged. “Seems to me like she ditched you.”
“She wouldn’t.”
“Come on; you know Sarah. There’s a good chance she would.”
Amanda bit her lip. “Maybe I’ll go check. I’m sure she’s still in there.”
She rose and hurried over to the bathroom, Lucy in tow. If Sarah asked, she’d just say she needed to pee.
The women’s bathroom was quiet compared to the overwhelming noise in the rest of the mall. Amanda’s head still hurt, but the silence soothed that a little. Her eyes wandered over the stalls and sinks. A plump lady in her fifties with a purple satin hat gave her a strange look and left. The other stalls appeared empty, except the last one. Amanda could hear someone talking behind the closed door.
She thought about calling out to Sarah, but then she got curious. She crept closer along the stalls until she reached the final door. It was definitely Sarah talking.
Amanda turned to Lucy, whispering, “See?”
Lucy just shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips.
“...I don’t know… yes, I did say I would, but she’s so strange lately…” Sarah’s voice was hushed but echoed within the stall. “...I know that’s what I said, but what’s the point? She’s always being a bitch and… yeah, but it’s her fault… okay, but she didn’t even offer to pay for the food. That’s the least she can do, right? No, she didn’t, not once when we texted… yeah, you know, I thought she was waiting to apologize in person, but apparently not! Well, I better go... yeah, okay, see you later…”
The toilet flushed, and the door swung open. Sarah flinched, her eyes expanding.
“Oh, hi, sorry it took so long,” Sarah said with a quick smile. “My stomach’s been disagreeing with me lately.”
“Who did you talk to?” Amanda said softly.
Sarah turned on the water and pretended not to hear her.
“You forgot this,” Lucy said, nudging Amanda’s shoulder.
“Thanks,” Amanda said, hooking the handbag over her shoulder.
“For what?” Sarah said, giving her a dark look.
“No, it was to Lucy.”
“Who the hell is Lucy?”
“You guys haven’t met.” Amanda nodded in Lucy’s direction. “She’s my new friend. Lucy, this is Sarah.”
Sarah looked at her intensely. The corners of her mouth dropped in disgust, but a frown of pity wrinkled her forehead.
“You’re fucking sick in the head,” Sarah said. “I knew it. You need help.”
Amanda looked between Sarah and Lucy, her lips parting in surprise.
“That’s not a very nice thing to say,” Lucy said. “Why do you always let her treat you this way?”
A fresh spike of pain pierced Amanda’s skull. She blinked a few times.
“Take that back,” Amanda whispered, turning to Sarah.
“Or what? Are you going to pull a knife on me again?” she spat.
“Yes, she will,” Lucy said, and pulled the exact same knife out of Amanda’s bag and put it in her hand.
Sarah’s face turned white, and she started backing away. “You’re crazy! Help! Hel–”
The first stab pierced her abdomen, cutting off her screams. Warm blood flowed over Amanda’s hands and arms, spraying onto the white floor.
“She deserves this,” Lucy said calmly.
Amanda nodded and plunged the knife into her friend again. And again. And again. Sarah’s eyes rolled back into her head. She let out a gurgling whine and sank to the floor. Spatters and smears of red painted the wall.
Panting heavily, Amanda turned to Lucy. The girl was smiling.
“Let’s go,” she said. “Don’t forget to wash your hands.”