Chapter six
“What are you thinking P? Are you ok?” Camilla asks.
“What happened to me?” I asked her.
I must’ve fainted. My heart is beating out of my chest. I cannot catch air; I cannot… I need air, my lungs and my chest hurt. I am not sure what is going on. Am I OK? I am a celestial. This is not supposed to happen. 1 2 3 I continue counting in my head.
Sam picks me up and places me on the couch. I am cradled in his arms. I need to rest.
“Can I sleep here awhile Sam?” I drift off. I can hear their voices.
“It's a lot for her to take in at once. She loves her brother Sam.” I hear Camilla’s sweet voice. I concentrate on the music I hear playing. I sleep. I am a child in the underworld.
I see Labith. I see my mother figure, my protector. “Labith what have you done?” I scream myself awake.
I am still cradled in Sam’s arms. “Sam, I am hot. I am thirsty. I am so confused right now.” I say to him.
He looked into my eyes. “You need to know you are the answer to everything Perdition. You will save us all.”
“I cannot be Sam.” I laughed as I began to cry. ”Sam I am just a girl.” I tell him.
I have to get out of here. This is just too much for me to handle right now. I am not sure what to do.
“Sam let’s take her to Ryan’s place. I want to show her who we are.” Camilla Dawn spoke so sweetly.
“O.K. let’s go but first I want you to meet a few people here then we will go. Ryan’s place is protected. We will all be safe there. No need to worry.” He said as he opened the unholy door.
I jump up and walk back into the music. There is so much smoke in this bar. This is so different from what I imagined in my mind.
I notice red hair at the bar. That must be Tiffany. She has red hair and a black leather jacket. “Hey Perdition what are you drinking?” She is yelling from behind the bar.
Why is everyone looking at me? The music stops and they are looking at me. A big burly looking guy is walking toward me. Am I going to die?
My first day on the topside and I feel like there is way too much happening. How can all this be real? I am a celestial being and I am freaking out. Day one here and I am standing in a bar with people looking at me like I am important.
The big guy hugs me. “Welcome to the family Perdition. You are safe here.” He says.
“Thank you. I am frightened. Is that ok” I reply. “Can you make everyone stop staring at me?”
“Guys give her some room. It's been a big day for her.” He shouted to the crowd.
They return to their lives. The bar is loud again; the music plays, there is laughter. I smile at him and take a deep breath.
“Let's get you a drink from Tiffany. What are you drinking girl?” He asked.
“Well, I have never had a drink before so I do not know. We have a limited selection in the underworld.” I laugh as I tell him.
“No worries I’ll grab you something and we can talk for a while. Sound good.” He said as he walked toward the bar.
Oh, well, there is a place in the corner where no one can stare at me. I can't get over all this green and red. It is different. I have lived my life in a very different environment. The people are still looking at me as I walk to the corner booth.
I can feel their eyes and I can hear their thoughts, the only real power given to me. I can feel people and hear their desires. They think I can save them.
The big guy returns. “My name is JJ. I am a lot like you. I was born a celestial. I am bound here to earth. I have been helping the descendants for many years. I know this confuses you. I was too when I first came here. They tossed me out of heaven. I had no one to help me. I had to wing it. We are all here to help you and your brother.”
He is so sincere when he speaks with his rough voice.
“My brother tried to kill me. You know of that right? Why would I help him? He needs to return to the underworld.” I sternly tell him as I notice this strange glass in front of me. “What is this?”
Sam walks up, smiling. “It's a house special. Frog pen juice.”
These people are crazy. I am in a bar listening to music surrounded by crazy-ass people drinking green frog juice and they think I am their damn savior.
“I can hear your thoughts Perdition. All celestials have the power to hear when they are on earth.” JJ tells me. “You will be fine. Maybe you need to just have some fun tonight. We can go see Ryan tomorrow. You know Day two. For tonight just try to take it all in. And by the way, it’s just whiskey. It won't even affect you. It just helps you fit in with them. They feel like they are doing something for you. Let them. Let them admire you. Let them care about you and your well being. They have waited on you for a long time. So buck up and be the daughter of Lucifer, the badass you are Perdition. So drop the scared girl act and pull yourself together. There is work to do sweetie.” JJ says.
He is so right. I am feeling sorry for myself. I am the daughter of Lucifer and Venus. I survived the void and I am whining like an idiot. I smile at JJ and pick up the frog juice.
“Here’s to the void” We toast. I drink. They all smile. It's a sudden calm. Why do I feel at home suddenly? I have served my entire life. Now they want to serve me. It is strange. JJ stay out of my head I tell him and give him a wink.
I continue to sit in this booth and drink Frog juice. I listen to the voices of everyone in the room. They have so many hopes and dreams. They have thoughts of home and love. I have never been around so much family.
Camilla Dawn and I are walking back upstairs. My thoughts and feelings are like a fire inside my body. What a night! I have never experienced such a family feeling. It was like being in a family for the first time in my life.
It is almost like I am home. Is this my home now? I never want to go back to the underworld. There is still so much more to see. Do not lose sight Perdition. Find your brother and you have to send him back.
Camilla Dawn opens the door she is a little tipsy.
“You ok, Camilla?” I ask her.
“I have never been better. You saved me.”She smiles.
I have survived my first day on the topside.
Chapter SevenDay two I am awake I am still here. This is not a dream. I am out of the void. I am surrounded by witches and I am sleeping above a frog green bar. Strange how everything has happened, one day I am rotting in the void and then I am here seeking something so familiar to me.I am here and I will do my job. I will find my brother. Every person here has so much faith in me. I have no faith in myself. Yes, I know I am perdition. I am the one to stop it all. I am trying to wrap my head around all this and I can’t seem to focus.For now, I will focus on getting out of bed and meeting this Ryan person. He knows how to find Damnation. He is the one they need to be thanking not me. They all seem to think I am the savior of their world. I am just a girl with daddy issues and a crazy brother and evidently a psycho mother. I am not sure if I can focus beyond the day. I am just going to get through the day. I will meet Rya
Chapter eightDay threeI am still at the farm. I do not want to leave. Why can I not just stay here? I know I cannot stay here. There is so much to be done and as quickly as possible. I feel so connected here. This place feels like home.“This is your home Perdition.” I hear a voice speaking to me but I am not sure who it is.I am losing my mind. The void was hard on me. My mind keeps going back to it. I have spent my life not belonging anywhere. I do not belong in the underworld, I do not belong in the void, and I do not belong here. I feel lost. I am hurting.I want to talk to my father. I have so many questions for him. I want him to know I am okay and that I love him. I want him to know I understand why he killed Koko. I may not agree but I understand.Celestials deal with their problems so differently than normal people. I wonder if he is capable of for
Chapter nine“There are no children in the void,” I say as I open my eyes.Mayhem places his hand on mine. “There were two, a set of twins. They were with you there. You cared for them.” He says,I feel like I am losing my mind. I feel like I am falling. What else are they going to tell me?“Maybe we should stop and tell you before we get there?” Mayhem says to me.“No, let’s just get Ryan and go from there. Okay.” I respond.“It’s the next road up here on the left Mayhem. Turn off your lights. I am not sure if he is alone or if Damnation is with him. We think Damnation is in the garden. I am not sure. Let’s just be careful.” Sunnie says.“I thought Damnation had him,” I ask.“His followers took him. He got word to me where he was. I contacted Mayhem to help me get him back. No worr
Day FourWe arrive at the bar just after midnight. Day four on topside I guess, let’s see what today holds.I help Mayhem with the twins. JJ and Camilla Dawn meet us at the door.“Get in here. Everything is going crazy.” She tells me.She is so dramatic. I am already aware that everything went sideways. I was there. I will let her fret over me; it is what she does best. This girl worries way too much.“P do you know what is going on honey?” She asks me.“Well my bubbly friend I know Sunnie tried to kill me, my brother is more psychotic than I originally thought, and I also know I was trapped for 900 years in hell. Oh and before I forget there are two children caught up in all of this. Did I leave anything out?” I say to her a little too dramatic.Camilla is staring at me like I am crazy. “I am going to get you a drink of Heaven's nectar. Is that okay?&rdqu
Day 5 I am awake, I'm not sure what's going on everything seems quiet. I hear ringing. It seems to be getting louder. Maybe I need to check on that. I wonder where Camilla is. I don't hear mayhem I don't hear the twins. Why is it so quiet? The ringing it seems so loud. I'll go downstairs and see if I see anybody maybe I should stay here I'm not sure what to do. Mayhem says I need to listen he told me to stay here. I just know there's something wrong. The last thing I remember is coming to rest yesterday morning. I can't stay here I have to look. I have to check on everybody. Something is not right. I push the covers off and I step onto the floor. The ri
The three of us walk towards the bar. "Sam, who is that at the bar? Is it Bowen? That looks like Bowen!” I ask. I don't give Sam time to answer I run for the bar. I run straight to Bowen. It is Bowen. I hope he is here to help. He turns around and looks straight at me. He smiles but it's a sad smile. He reaches for me, but at this very moment, I'm not sure what to do. I have no idea whose side he's on. “Why are you here Bowen?" I ask him. "Are you here for me or are you here for my brother?" Bowen looks at us. “I’m not here for you. I'm here for Camilla Dawn. She summoned me.”
Day SixThere are so many memories in my brain now. I can smell my mother. I see my father. The fight that started this mess. Why? It is hard for me to understand why a garden built for humans can cause so much pain and suffering.The truth. The ugly hidden truth about the topside and the humans living there. The garden is home to everything needed to end the topside. Somehow in this mess, my mother became the caretaker of evil. When humans failed the garden and were tossed out my mother was the only one left there. No way out.She has been stranded there with no wings and no children for centuries. In the process, she has lost everything she ever loved. She was left abandoned. The only way out is to open the doors. Two celestial twins must open the doors. Only one twin will survive. A sacrifice must be made for her to leave.Her vengeance has grown. She no longer cares. She just wants out to kill everything on the topside. Now she has
The moon is full. “Sarge, are you ready?” I ask as I run my fingers through his fur. He looks at me with his big eyes and acknowledges he is ready. He gets up. I am still sitting beside the rock grave. He places his paw on my knee. I can hear him.“Stay still.” He sits in front of me and begins to howl. He stops places his nose to mine. He looks in my eyes. I start to think of KoKo. I focus on KoKo in the void. Sarge howls again.“He can hear you, Sarge.” Sarge keeps howling.“Come to us KoKo!” Sarge howls again. I can feel KoKo breaking free.“Follow my voice KoKo!” I scream.Sarge continues to howl. I can feel every move KoKo is making. He is trying to get to me.“KoKo! I command you to come to me now!” I scream.Sarge scrambles around the grave. KoKo is breaking free. It will not be a simple task for him. Sarge and I will wait for him. Eyes are on h
Perdition had little time to get everyone safe. She wasn’t sure how she would handle Sam. She planned to get Angie and Mrs. Bee as far away from New Orleans as possible with the newborns. She also had to deal with Mayhem, Tiffany, JJ, and Chaos. She planned to use Chaos to distract Jaza. She wasn’t sure how much she could depend on him. Jaza had to die. She knew there would be hell to pay, but it had to be done. What was the worst they could do to her? Send her to the void. She wasn’t afraid, and there was no one as powerful as her. Not even her brother could come close to her power. She could feel it growing every day. Now she just had to figure out exactly how to use it to save her friends. Her powers were strong but raw. She still had difficulty focusing on just using her power and not it taking over. She knew she needed to focu
Jaza was no fool. Whatever Perdition was planning, he was prepared. He was on guard. He had sent word to every watcher hiding on earth to be ready. Perdition had contacted Labith and told her to bring Jaza to the inn tonight. Perdition was ready to give up Camilla Dawn in exchange Jaza would leave Sam alone and not interfere with the babies. Labith knew there was no way Perdition would just quietly hand over Camilla Dawn. She knew she was up to something. Labith had raised the once sweet girl. She knew her better than anyone. “What do you think she is up to?” Jaza asked Labith. Labith walked into Jaza’s chamber. It is such a dark and menacing place. Labith did not like being in closed spaces with him. “I honestly cannot say Jaza,” Labith answered him.“She is unique, isn’t she?” Jaza says as he moves closer to Labith
“Because we are from yesterday.” Camilla Dawn says. Key stops what she is doing and runs to her side.“What? What are you saying?” Key says.“Because we are from yesterday and we know nothing because our days on earth are like a shadow.” Camilla Dawn says.“I do not understand,” Key says. Camilla Dawn opens her eyes. She stares into Key’s eyes.“I am scared.” Camilla Dawn says. Camilla Dawn closes her eyes and goes back to sleep.Camilla Dawn slips into a deep sleep. Her mind is reliving her past. It’s slow torture for her. She has tried to pay for her past. There is no way to make it right unless she gives in to the watchers.As vivid images flash before her, she knows what she must do. She must submit to Jaza. She cannot let anyone else get hurt. The image of Sam being stabbed plays for her over and over. “No!” She screams.Key watc
Sam was a little drunk when he entered his room. He knew how Mrs. Bee felt about smoking in the rooms, but he desperately needed one. He almost smoked in the room, then he remembered how mean Bee could be if she felt disrespected. He decided it was best if he stepped outside his room. He turned the radio on to his favorite New Orleans station.“Sweet Jazz.” He said out loud. “Nothing like it.” Sam stood outside his room smoking. As the rain fell in New Orleans, the sweet rain and sounds of Jazz coming out of his radio he could only think of Angie.“I was so stupid.” He said.“Yes, you were and still are idiotic.” A soft voice said.It was Angie. She looked amazing standing there. “I’m sorry I brought her here. I am sorry I hurt you and mostly I am just sorry.” He sa
Perdition wanted to check on Camilla Dawn and the babies. Key was with her.“Is she ok?” Perdition asks. Key shakes her head. “I do not know what is wrong with her. Mrs. Bee thinks it has something to do with the black magic, and honestly, I do too. I think she is drained.” Key says.“I think I can wake her.” Perdition says.“Why did Sam bring her here?” Perdition asks as Sam enters the room with Angie.“I thought she would be safe here.” He says.“Well, I am not so sure about that.” Perdition says. Perdition keeps staring at Sam. “You’re not being truthful, Sam. Why are you really here?” she asks him.Sam looks out the door of Camilla Dawn's room. He sees Mayhem waiting patiently.“Look, this all happened fast. We got word where Camilla Dawn was and where Mayhems kids were and we just … well, we just ended up here.
JJ sat in his room at the B&B contemplating what he should do. He didn’t want to go out into the city and leave the girls without someone close by. He wanted to go look for Perdition, but he felt that could wait at least one more day. Besides, as soon as Perdition and Chaos figured out they were in the city, the two would probably seek them out. He hoped they would anyway. He hoped he could talk to her and maybe reason with her.First, he needed Chaos out of the way. How in the hell would he get him out of the way? He thought about knocking him out cold. He figured it wouldn’t be that hard. The thought brought a smile to his face. The winds were blowing hard, and the rain was coming in. JJ opened his door.Rain in New Orleans was different. It was a spiritual experience. JJ had a deep love for New Orleans. Something he and Sam had in common. Sam would’ve never left New Orleans if Camilla Dawn would’ve just stayed away. He could&r
How was he holding up? All Angie could think of was how strong he has to be. There is no way he could just hold all this in. Not only is he caring for his ex-wife and her two newborns, but he has to hunt down the daughter of Lucifer and get her to come back to the side of the descendants.She was so infatuated with him. He was a sexy beast of a man. Maria knew she needed to make an exit. She knew Angie would want time with him alone. Angie would want to try again.Angie was in love with Sam. Their time in New Orleans was epic, to say the least about it. She thought he felt the same way too.In the end, Sam had to put distance between everything that had happened to him in New Orleans and his life. He could not get past losing his children. Now playing in his mind as he drank whiskey in the Devils Café with his old life, all he could think was what Bee meant by maybe we can make it right.What had happened to them? Where were the
The Devils Café was owned and operated by Mrs. Bee since her husband died. He bought the café because Bee loved the view from the balcony. It connected to her B & B, and she wanted to look out from the upstairs and drink her jack laced coffee every morning. She told him it would be a good business investment. He knew she loved the view.She went there every morning since they opened the B & B. He gave her the key to the Devils Café on their 10th wedding anniversary. She loved that little bar. Sam helped her run it when he was in New Orleans and now her daughter Maria and her son-in-law Ernie run it.She doesn’t go upstairs as often. In her later years, her knees bother her too much to go up the steps to the view she loves so much. Now and then she will still make it up to her beloved view of the city. Bee has a passion for New Orleans. A passion only a lifelong resident of the city has.“Sam,” Maria call
When they get to the front of the B & B there is a bright red bar, The Devils Café.“Are you serious?” Tiff says.“Everything in here is red. So when Sam opened the Frog Pen, he did everything green. He said this place inspired him. They have a drink here called wide open hell. Let’s get one.” Mayhem says.“Okay, but just one. I am not a drinker.” She says.“You work in a bar and you’re not a drinker. Okay, sounds about right.” Mayhem says.“We need to walk around the streets and just make sure we don’t see anyone that might you know be looking for us.” He says.She nods. “I guess we are a couple then tonight.” She smiles at him. Tiffany slams her drink and jumps up from the bar.“You ready?” Mayhem drinks the rest of his drink and takes her by the hand. The two of them go out onto Rampart Street.