I was unsure how I arrived in this warehouse, one minute I was being peppered with bullets from an adversary’s gun, the next I was here, no wounds and no marks. I looked around, the warehouse was mostly vacant. There were some old boxes with the letters ‘Geena’ written on them. I walked around for several minutes looking for a door. I found only one and it was sealed shut, I was trapped. Was this Hell? Thirty five years working as a drug dealer for the Cali Cartel, surely there was no other place I could be. That was when I noticed the darkened cargo lift in the corner of the room. The grate over it was lifted from within by a deformed hand; the figure kept to the shadows.

“Excuse me?” I said. There was no answer, so I made my way over. A light from within flickered on and off, I looked at the disfigured man, or was he a man? Maybe once, but no more, his skin was blistered, no now this was a monster. His face had deep scars, and his eyes gave out nothing, except darkness. I asked him where this lift went, he didn’t reply. He merely returned the same blank stare. I stepped into the lift to try and see him better.

“How do I get out of here?” I persisted. I never forgot the voice of many that responded. It was a thousand people speaking all at once. “You don’t.” I became instantly afraid, and tried to flee only to have the outer door of the cargo lift shut in my face.

“Where does this lift go?” I said in a panicked voice.

“Straight down,” said the voice of many. I shook violently; I felt hot urine soak my trousers. I tried to hide it from the demon, but it ran down my trouser leg onto the lift floor.

“What’s your name?”

“They call me Legion, and let me guess yours, is it piss pants?” A thousand laughs at all once, all at my expense. We plummeted for what felt like an eternity, until the very depths of the earth became visible. The lift was going dangerously fast, at this pace, we’d be lucky if it stopped at all.

“it’s still accelerating,” I said nervously. Legion shrugged, “there is no death here, although by the end of the first day you’ll wish there was.” Legion began laughing again.

“No I am sorry, honestly, I made a terrible mistake.”

“It’s too late,” said Legion, repeating the words he had said a billion times.

“I want to make amends.” Legion just shook his head, it was at that moment the lift smashed into the ground, sending me high in the air. I slammed my head against the roof leaving a dent, it bled furiously, I would have asked for a doctor, but I was sure even the doctors were crying out for doctors here. I landed on the metal surface. I had no time to even recover before Legion picked me up and dashed me out of the lift. The ground was bone dry and hot to touch, I felt my skin being seared by it. I smelt a familiar smell, like cooked bacon; it was seconds later when I realised it was me. My skin was burning, I pressed my hand on the ground; it burned violently as I stood up, my hand was black by the time I lifted it off. Only one thought crossed my mind, I needed to go back. I turned just in time to see Legion pull the grate down and the cargo elevator ascending. I ran over, but it was too late.

That was the first time I heard him.

“Going somewhere,” said a soft voice. I turned, in front of me was an angel, he smiled sweetly.

“You’re an angel!” I said. He began clapping softly. His features were not bright like I expected, but dull. His wore faded armour, adorned with jewels. “You do deserve a round of applause, you were a fantastic pawn, I enjoyed using you.” It was at that moment I remembered Lucifer, the angel cast down from Heaven.

“You’re the morning star, aren’t you?”

“The morning star? Oh I haven’t been called that name in years; most just call me Lucifer.”

“I came down here to ask for my seat back,” I said confidently.

“Wonderful, and you’re cocky, we like that down here, a little bit of fight,” He said pressing his hands together in a slightly camp way. He squeezed my shoulder tenderly, “makes it much more interesting when we put you on the racks. It’s just a Shame you didn’t have that boldness earlier when you pissed yourself.” Then his face changed, it was no longer camp, but aggressive and bitter, he leant over and whispered in my ear, “I am going to make you squirm!”

“Somebody, help me, I’m in Hell!” I screamed desperately. Lucifer looked at me strangely.

“What? You are not in Hell, you’re in purgatory, if you were in Hell you’d know about it!”