Twisted

Chapter 14

*Hell Sept. 10, 1923*

I wake up in the middle of a familiar red street. My head spins and my vision is blurry as I open my eyes. Just barely I can make out the silhouette of Harley standing over me. Her brows are furrowed in confusion and concern. She doesn't say anything at first and I can hear the faint sound of whispers coming from the sidewalks. 

"The siren?"

"What happened to her?"

"She fell from the sky."

"Was she defeated?"

I groan as my vision begins to clear a bit. My head stops spinning but it thumps with pain as I try to sit up. 

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Easy." Harley says and helps me sit up. 

"What happened?" I ask.

"I was hoping to ask you the same question." Harley says. "You fell from the fucking sky!" Harley gives me a once over. "And there's not a scratch on you."

I scratch my neck and try to recall what happened. In the corner of my eye I see a punk demon pull out a gun. I raise an eyebrow and whistle sharply causing his head to promptly explode on the spot. Brain matter and shards of bone paint the sidewalk and any demons standing near the unfortunate victim. One demon, assumingly new to Hell, looks pale and proceeds to throw up. All other demons scatter. 

"Let's get you inside." Harley says as she gets her hands under my armpits and helps me to my feet. 

I nod and with her help we slowly make it back inside. Harley helps me to the bar and goes around the other side to get me a glass of (f/d). I accept the drink from her and take a sip, trying to clear my fuzzy head. 

"So what do you last remember?" Harley asks and she gets herself a bloody marry and stands across from me. 

"I remember going to Imp City." I say slowly and my memories slowly come back.

"Okay." Harley nods, "Were you there to see your imp friends?"

"I wouldn't call them friends exactly. I pay them to take me to earth and that's it." I sat running my fingertip along the rim of my glass.

"Okay." Harley stabs the olive with her claw and taps it against her chin before swiftly eating it. "So you went to Earth. Do you remember why?"

"Well to see Alastor of course." I scrunch my nose as I try to remember what happened after I followed Al into his house. 

"How was Alastor doing?" Harley asks, using the pickle to mix her drink. 

"He was..." My mind flashes to a bloody handprint on an old leather book. I close my eyes as more memories spring forth. 

The book.

Blood.

Alastor.

A spell.

A portal.

And who walked through that portal? 

"You good? You looking a bit constipated over there." Harley's voice pulls me from the flashes. 

"Yeah yeah just trying to remember." 

Harley shrugs and takes a bit of her pickle. "Tell me what you remember so far and maybe that will trigger more memories."

I nod. "I went into his house. I followed him. Normally he cleans up before he makes dinner but this time he didn't. He went to an old bookshelf and pulled a leather book from it. I remember his hands left prints on blood on the cover. He went to the living room and set the book down. I tried to take the book. I couldn't. He does a spell and opens a portal to Hell." I pause as I try to remember what came next.