Lips Red As Blood

21 |

It's two a.m. in the morning and for some reason, they're headed towards an airport. Kai launches through an explanation of how it's easier to teleport to Hell in a flying vehicle and the taxi driver that's driving them shoots Kai a weirded-out look. 

Cora gazes out the window, watching as the ominous blue-grey clouds mix together. It looks like it's on the verge of drizzling. 

"So, where are you all heading?" the taxi driver asks, attempting to make conversation. 

Kai casually leans back, stretching, accidentally smacking Asher's face in the process. "We're going to Hell," he says matter-of-factly. "It's going to be so fun, am I right?" 

The driver looks confused as if he can't tell if the boy is serious or if "Hell" is a figure of speech. Because of Kai blabbering his plan about teleportation, making a perfect landing in Hell, murdering any demons that come in their way (the driver looks especially horrified by this), the drive to the airport ends up having the driver sending them wary looks through the rearview mirror. 

"Here's your location," the driver says, and after they board off, quickly speeds away. It's like he's saying: I'm running away as fast as possible because you all scare the crap out of me. 

Cora looks up at the towering glass building, watching as people sleepily mill around and shuffle with rolling luggage. The peaceful aura is the complete contrast of what's going to happen next. 

Two hours later, Cora is barely hanging to the wings of an airplane. 

She releases a terrified scream, tightening her fingers on whatever material she can hold onto. "If you keep screaming, I can't concentrate," Kai says, as he makes another vain attempt to create a portal. 

"Of course I'm screaming!" Cora shouts back. "How the hell was I supposed to know that we were supposed to — oh, I don't know — hang on an airplane wing while the airplane is moving, pray that we don't die, and wait for you to make a freaking portal?" 

"Excuse you," he huffs, finding time to cling on the airplane while rolling his eyes. "I thought I already told you the plan." 

"You did not. You specifically excluded the fact that we would be doing something dangerous and possibly death-inducing so that I would get on the plane." Cora lets out a slew of curses when her fingers slip. "I thought you meant we would make a portal with us inside the plane." 

Kai scoffs. "Because in what universe would taking an airplane with us to Hell not attract attention? We're laying low for a reason, and missy, accidentally crashing an airplane into Hell is not a good look. Plus, look at Asher. He's not kicking up a fuss, unlike someone." 

That's an understatement. Asher is casually floating through the wind, not looking too bothered if he slips off the plane. When he realizes Cora and Kai are staring at him, Asher blinks. "Sorry, what? I wasn't paying attention." 

The wind whips around, fiercer than before, and Cora lets out a frantic yelp. "I still don't know how I'm not dead," she hisses. "But if I get out here alive, I'm going to murder you, okay?" 

"You're not going to die, so chill." Kai shoots her a charming smile. "Besides, you're chilling with a bunch of devils, and hanging out with us means you get a good luck pass. If you're against us, death will come for you — but if you're our besties, then you get a free pass from death." 

How does that even work? Cora wants to ask, but her question is swallowed away when the airplane starts trembling. 

Well, shoot. 

"Hey, on the count of three, we're all going to let go of the plane," Kai announces cheerfully, like he's inviting everyone to a tea party. "Three..." 

At the same time, Cora and Asher speak. "Are you out of your mind?" shrieks Cora. "If we let go, we're going to die for sure." 

"Wait, are we going on three, or after three?" Asher asks, furrowing his eyebrows. "Like, is it 'three, two, go' or 'three, two, one, go?'" 

Kai thinks for a minute. "After three. Two..." 

Fear swoops into Cora's stomach and she swallows, watching as the world around her spins endlessly. Her blood rises and she watches helplessly as her arm goes tingly, then numb. 

"One." 

A devil's grin. Then Kai lets go, plummeting down to the ground. He disappears amongst the clouds and Cora gasps, horror coloring her tongue. 

"Hey." Asher's warm gaze is on her, but Cora is too terrified to speak. "It's going to be alright, Angel. Trust me." He cracks an amused smile. "So if we hit the ground and crack our heads, right after we go to the afterlife, you can kill me." 

Cora glares back, though she's trembling. "You're not helping at all," she says through gritted teeth. "But yes, I'll definitely take up your offer to kill you." 

"Great." He gives her an encouraging nod. "Let go of the plane and trust that you won't fall. Here, I'll hold your hand." 

Asher reaches out and after a hesitating second, Cora grabs his hand. Before she can realize what's happening, Asher yanks them down, using his weight to make her let go. 

He tricked me, Cora thinks numbly, watching as the world spirals around. All the colors blur together and for a moment, Cora can feel death caressing her with a gentle touch, her vision going dark— 

Warm arms encircle her, Asher protectively hugging her as they plummet down. Cora shuts her eyes, heart beating wildly, yet an odd feeling of calmness descends upon her. 

They stay like this for a few seconds, the wind bristling at Asher's back, as he holds her. They're going nearer to the ground. Cora can feel it. 

She wrenches her eyes open, gasping for air, gaze whipping downwards. The ground is getting closer and closer until— 

It feels like a thousand butterflies are flying at Cora's body, tickling and igniting her every nerve. Her mouth parts, as she watches silver shards swiftly sew into each other, blocking her vision of the ground. 

Then... it's no longer the rocky ground. They are no longer about to hit the ground, crack their heads, and break their bones with no one else to see. 

No, when Cora finally takes in the beautiful scenery, she's falling past modern city lights, glittering ruby-red and butter-gold sputtering in the distance. 

"Welcome to Hell," Kai calls out. 

And then Asher slams to the ground, still holding Cora as his body shields them from the impact. 

Author Note: 

soooo, what should there be in Hell? *thinking face*