Soul Drinking - Part 5
Red and Milly exited Satan's office without so much as a goodbye. The imps were still clearing up the mess made from the booming voice of Satan. With the scroll in hand and the permission of the Lord of Hell itself they had full clearance to the second circle of Hell.
"So what's Hell like? You know, without all the fire and brimstone." Milly questioned as they parked themselves down in the worlds largest waiting room.
Red raised an eyebrow in her direction and stayed silent for a moment, throwing Milly for a loop. The silent treatment didn't bode well but she kept quiet. He did explain earlier that only the lower circles of Hell had actual fire and brimstone but never explained the upper circles.
"Think of it like a nice spring day." Red spoke softly, something Milly never expected him to do. "It's a perfect day. A balmy 72 degrees with a light breeze. The birds sing, the bugs buzz, and there's barely a cloud in the sky." It wasn't difficult to imagine such a nice day in Milly's mind. "The weather is also regulated and scheduled. There's rain on some days, and during special occasions there's snow. There goes that saying, "Snowball chance in hell"!", his chuckle echoed barely in the vast, empty expanse of chairs and cheap A/C.
"Why is Hell filled with all this..." She paused, spreading her arms wide, "bureaucratic bullshit? Where's the legions of demons? The torture? The burning? The...the things that I grew up that was scared into me?"
Milly was in a word, annoyed. She admittedly had been a little stressed when this whole mess with Hell invaded into her life but she felt like her sanity was slipping on a daily basis. Here she was in the belly of the beast and talking to a demon child while not even 100 yards away from the supposed being of supreme evil who was currently wearing a business suit and drinking whiskey like nothing. She felt...powerless, like she lost control of her life at one point and it was finally catching up with her. The mouse let out a harsh sigh as she buried her face in her hands.
Both were quiet for a time. She knew Red would eventually say something to ruin the moment but for some reason he chose to stay quiet.
"Red?"
Silence.
"...Red?"
Milly raised her head from her hands and was suddenly assaulted by the rays of the sun. On reflex Milly shielded her eyes with her hands, looking around to find her bearings. She was alone again and sitting on a park bench. In front of her was a paved road, spreading from her left all the way to her right, and across was grass as far as the eye could see. She turned around and gaped at what she saw. She rubbed her eyes to make sure it wasn't some sick joke or trick.
In front of her was her own Grandmother's house. The same home she played in and the same yard she knew as a child before they moved away. She recognized the old tire swing and those weird looking lawn gnomes she always kept around. Flower bushes dotted around the front porch, swaying gently in a breeze. Milly felt weak in the knees and eventually collapse onto them as she took in the sight before her.
It was just the way she remembered.
Movement caught her eye as she saw the door of the home open, revealing a mouse just like Milly. She was a head shorter than Milly and kept her hair in a bun, patches of grey mixed in the with black. Both Milly and her Grandmother locked eyes for a moment before a smile broke out on both their faces.
"Milly, dear? Is that you?"
That voice made Milly's eyes water. It honestly and truly was her Grandmother. She even feel the ache in her legs as she ran across the yard and into the open arms of her Grandmother.
Only one could shed tears of joy. It was also very strange that no heartbeat was heard or felt.
After a heartfelt reunion of crying and hugging, Milly found herself in the living room that she practically grew up in. All the pictures and decorations still dotted the walls and shelves, including a few baby pictures Milly had forgotten about. Her reminescing was ruined by Red marching out of the kitchen with a plate of cookies.
"You know girl, if I knew your Grandma could make good cookies I would've came here myself."
Red was about to take a bite of a cookie when a hand swatted it out of his grip, making it drop onto the plate.
"Ow! Hey! What the hell, lady?" Smack! "What was that for?"
Milly's Grandmother took the plate of cookies from his hand, sitting them on the table, "Dinner first. Cookies later. She also has a name you little shit. Don't curse."
Yep, all those memories are coming back. Red was busy nursing his sore hand, making Milly smile.
"Grandma? Where's Grandpa?"
Grandma's face resumed its warmth as she turned to Milly, "Out back gathering wood for the winter."
That reply made Milly make a straight face. "But Grandma, the weather is regulated. He doesn't have to."
"Bad habits die hard, child. Even in hell. Now come, dinner is ready and I'm curious why my only grand daughter is here."
Red and Milly were quick to follow her Grandmother into the next room and sit at the table. A small table littered with four plates and various plates of food were revealed to Milly. She had to fight a smile and a few tears. The way her Grandma acted, and the way she treated everyone...it was all the same as if she had never passed away.