Nine † Beyond the Grave

Darkness enveloped the surroundings, immediate and sinister, settling over everything like a thick, hazy grayscale filter. The music had slowed to the point that the tune was nonexistent. The falling pipes were frozen midair. The hands of the clock in the distance were unmoving.

It seemed that time had stopped, but Kat and Calix were unaffected. They exchanged dubious looks, her face pale and nervous, his pink and bright. The event clearly injected life into him, but it made her not want to move. Not yet. Not when her knees still threatening to buckle. Not when there was suddenly a swirl of flesh-colored smoke rising from the floor, forming a humanoid the exact figure of the boss before he'd gotten buried under his own equipment.

Okay, that was creepy. She'd wished for action, but not like this. This was too weird for her. She kind of wanted to throw up.

Fortunately, Calix had no such qualms. He stepped forward just as she'd shuffled back, approaching the man who was now glaring at him.

"What happened?" he demanded haughtily. "Who are you?"

"I am Calix, Reaper of iniquitous souls, Punisher of the wicked," Calix replied, as calm as ever. Only he could say those things and sound sane, even though he was dressed like an eighties bad boy. "I have come to take you to Hell."

At the mention of Hell, the boss's scowl deepened. He tried to grab Calix's shoulder, but his hand passed through his body. Angered instead of disappointed, the boss casted around as though searching for something to hurl at Calix, but instead he clapped eyes on his own lifeless body. His shoulders sagged. A guttural half-scream, half-whimper escaped his lips.

When he lifted his head again, he didn't look menacing anymore. He looked desperate. "I can't be dead. And I most definitely can't go to Hell. What can I do? How do I—"

"Negotiation is not an option," Calix interjected evenly. "Now follow me, Auric Johnson."

Kat's ears perked up. She slid out from behind the pillar. "You said you didn't know his name—"

"Please!" Auric saw her. He must've decided she'd be more merciful, because he began to run towards her. "Please." He knelt by her feet. "I'm begging you, don't take me. I can't be dead. I can't go to Hell. I've done nothing. Nothing!"

Despite his earlier displays of rudeness, Kat felt a tweak of sympathy. His words were her exact thoughts when Calix had shown up in apartment B3. And he'd died such a horrible death. . . .

Meanwhile, Calix was watching her with his eyebrow raised, like he was challenging her. Let's see how you handle this, he seemed to say. Let's see if you can keep your word and see this through.

Right. Kat had forgotten she wasn't supposed to look weak. This was her idea, right? She needed to prove that teaming up was a sensible idea, that she wouldn't be the weak link. This was her test, and if she bombed it . . . well, he'd probably make her open a portal at all costs.

And she couldn't have that. She had to live.

"You're already dead," Kat told Auric firmly, and remembering everything Calix had told her, she added, "You're already headed to Hell, and your only option is to come peacefully and face your fate."

For a frizzy-haired girl in a High School Musical shirt, she sounded pretty intimidating. So intimidating, in fact, that Calix was now tilting his head, regarding her with a considering gaze.

Her confidence was boosted up by this, so she continued, "A trial is all you get, but that's only to decide the degree of punishment you're getting. Like he said, negotiation is not an option."

Auric just stared at her, his gaze growing flinty. In a speed that none could have anticipated from a dead beefy man, he swung at Kat. His ham-sized fist made contact with her upper arm, sending a bolt of pain right to her bone.

"Bitch!" he screamed. "You stupid bitch!"

Wincing and horribly shocked at the fact that he could touch her, she aimed a kick at Auric's head, but Calix tugged her back so she missed. Pissed, she wheeled around on Calix. "He attacked me first!"

He sighed. "I know—"

"Good!" She jabbed a finger in Auric's direction. "I can't believe I almost felt sorry for you, the idiot who died because he didn't know how to do inventory like a normal person!"

At this, Auric shot upright, no doubt to deliver another punch, but Calix easily grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back like he weighed nothing.

"Bitch!" Auric spat out and struggled, trying to land a hit on Calix. "Let go of me so I can show this useless bitch—"

Calix grabbed his arm and twisted it to the point of breaking. "Touch her again, and I will make sure you get each of your fingers smashed under a rock."

"You have no right to threaten—"

Sighing, Calix put a hand on Auric's head. Instantly, Auric's mouth disappeared. Now there was only a stretch of skin between his nose and his chin. No trace of lips or teeth. Nothing.

Auric's eyes widened with fear, his entire body shaking. Calix stepped back as though to admire his work, a shadow of a smile on his lips. Kat would've been terrified at this display of power (which she thought he no longer possessed), but her arm was still smarting, so the sight of Auric trembling and weeping was nothing short of satisfying.

"Yeah, that's right," she scoffed. "Not so brave when you're. . . ."

She faltered with the questioning look Calix was giving her. Clearing her throat, she gestured at the door leading to the booth. "Shall I open the gate?"

"Yes," he answered curtly, pulling Auric to his feet with one yank.

For Kat, it was awkward taking the lead again, especially since Calix was expecting something from her and if she failed, there would be a witness. Still, she managed to compose herself enough to remember the Catholic room in detail as she and Calix opened the door together.

But that room was not where the door led them into.

A circular room greeted them, every inch of the walls covered in mosaics of a dog-headed dude walking sideways. The floor was made of solid gold, dotted with bright blue slabs of lapis lazuli. Reed torches were propped close to the high ceiling, illuminating the sarcophagus in the opposite side of the entrance. The table-sized block of gold dominated the middle of the room. On top of the giant gold block was a gold goblet filled with red liquid and a small roll of fragile-looking paper.

"Um, I'm sorry." With her entire face going red, Kat turned to Calix. "Maybe it's a glitch? I know this isn't the gateway—"

"Do not worry," he said, but he looked plenty worried himself. Still, he strode inside with Auric in tow. "This is also a gateway, but it hasn't been used in a long time."

She sighed in relief. "And by long time you mean what? A year?"

"About five thousand years." Calix wiped his face free of emotion and beckoned her to come in. "Come in and close the door behind you."

Again, her head erupted with questions. She wanted to grill him, but her inquiries had to wait. Once the door was closed, Calix released Auric in front of the golden block and stood on the opposite side, his back straight and his face grave.

Not knowing where to go and too afraid to ask, Kat stayed beside the door like a security guard.

Calix took the small scroll, unfurled it, and began to read. "Auric Walter Johnson, fifty-seven years of age, died of a severe head injury at two twenty-one on the tenth day of June. All correct?"

He leaned across the slab and touched Auric's head. Auric's mouth reappeared. Kat thought that the very first thing he'd say was a plea, but it turned out to be a curse. "I'm going to kill you, you bastard!"

He lunged, but Calix lazily flicked his wrist and Auric just bounced back to his spot as though repelled by an invisible force.

"Ha!" Kat couldn't help whooping, but she noticed that Calix was watching her warningly. "Sorry. I'll shut up now. Carry on."

"I will take that as an affirmative, and may I remind you that any further protest will cost you dearly," Calix said dryly and continued his reading. "You have inherited the shop when you were twenty-five from your reputable father whose teachings you despised. In 2007, your first repair customer died of an accident because you had replaced one his car parts with something substandard. You knew but paid no mind. Five more customers suffered the same fate in 2010 and eleven more from 2011 to 2015, until your business went under. All correct?"

"As soon as I get my hands on you, I swear to God I will—"

"Again, taken as an affirmative." Calix looked bored with him already. "A total of eighteen employees have been damned due to the fact that you have given them only a portion of the wages you have promised. Nine were injured due to your temper, all of whom were too afraid to let the human law deal with you. Last year, an employee died of stroke in your shop because you forced her to work despite her health concerns. You were not imprisoned because you have bribed the authorities. All correct?"

"Lies!" Auric snarled. "That bitch died because she was—"

"Oh, shut up!" Kat cut in fiercely. She'd been trying so hard to tame her tongue, but the things she'd heard were too much for her. This scumbag was despicable. "You deserve to go to Hell. I hope they peel you off and dip you in salt."

Silence. She realized she shouldn't have spoken in. However, Calix wasn't annoyed. In fact, he was nodding to what she'd said.

"Ingenious, I must say." Still nodding, he turned back to his scroll. "Your first wife had to go in hiding to avoid you, as you have tried to strangle her on multiple occasions. Your second wife and her child were beaten on a regular basis until she decided to leave you. Your third wife, the one waiting for you at home now, had lost three unborn children because of your assault. All correct?"

At this, Kat gasped. She was angry beyond words, to the point where she couldn't even think of a punishment cruel enough for this monster.

"They deserve it," Auric muttered smugly. "They all deserved it. I said I wanted no children."

"Confirmed, then." Calix's eyes were filled with cold contempt as he faced Auric squarely. "Now it must be clear why you are sentenced to go to Hell."

Calix extracted a thin silver chain from his pocket, connected to a small crystal vial filled with clear liquid. He uncapped it and poured a drop into the goblet, which instantly began to spew steam.

He took the goblet and offered it to Auric. "Drink."

"No way." Auric sneered. "I won't drink that shit."

Sighing, Calix lowered the goblet. Auric's face lit up in triumph, which made Kat's irritation go through the roof. Unable to contain herself, she marched across the room, snatched the goblet, and grabbed Auric's chin. Calix held up a hand in protest, but Kat was too angry to be stopped.

She angled his face so that he was looking her in the eye. "Drink or I'll shove this down your throat, goblet and all."

He snickered. "You wouldn't dare."

Kat dared. In a flash of pure loathing, she forced his jaw down and basically threw the liquid into his mouth. Some of it had trickled down his chin and onto his shirt, but a good amount managed to stay in his mouth, which he'd swallowed out of instinct. He tried to cough it out, but he'd already ingested at least a mouthful.

Auric tried to grab her by the hair, but Calix was quick to shield her. She stepped away, watching in dark satisfaction as Auric began to convulse.

A yelp of pain escaped him. He sank to his knees, clawing at his throat with shaky hands. His skin began to get more solid, more human-like, although it was much too leathery to be normal. His eyes rolled back to his skull. Kat could hear the muffled sound of bones creaking, mixed with his heavy breathing.

"Please!" he rasped. "Make it stop. Please make it stop. . . ."

Calix just watched with a blank expression, gesturing at Kat. "Open the door again. Think of the courtroom. That is where Auric Johnson's trial will be held."

She obeyed, but it was pretty hard to tear her eyes away from the wonderful sight of Auric's torture. Calix followed her, dragging the twitching monster behind him. Casting one last look at Auric so she could plant in her head the memory of him crying, Kat yanked the handle with Calix and opened the door.

Instantly, cold wind filled the circular room. She stood on her tiptoes to take a peek of what's beyond, but Calix slowly edged her hand off the handle.

"Do not show yourself," he told her sternly.

For a second she considered reasoning out, but when she heard the rumbling voices and the heavy footsteps, she hastily decided to slide back behind the door. And she was glad that she did, because as soon as she'd done so, the shadow of extremely huge figures slanted across the golden floor.

Calix hauled Auric forward, and instantly, multiple gray-skinned hands wrapped around Auric's shoulders, his belly, his face. The sharp nails at the tip of the freakishly long fingers left tears on his clothes and red welts on his skin. He was still mumbling pleas, but they were drowned by the cacophony of laughter coming from the other side of the door.

The Demons, clawing and jeering, dragged Auric until he was gone. And this time he was gone for good.

Calix promptly closed the door and returned to Kat's side. The chill in the air disappeared, so did the eerie sounds from the Demons and Calix's paranoid tendencies.

He faced her in a relaxed manner, as though they had just taken a walk instead gotten rid of a terrible man. "You did surprisingly well. I have thought you would—"

"I have so many questions," she blurted out.

"So do I." His eyes narrowed in wonder. "How about we answer them together?"