Chapter 5: Getting To Know Hell

The Ice didn't melt...

In the hours I had been upstairs, it seemed not one piece of the shattered ice had melted.

Yet as soon as I touched the ice with that thought in mind, it became nothing but a puddle of water, melting in an instant.

It took all night, practicing, experimenting.

The raccoon complaining about everything from the lack of food, to the noise, to the light being too much to sleep with. He honestly didn't seem to realize he wasn't going to be around much longer. Or maybe he did, and he wanted to be as annoying as possible in the time he had left. Little did he know the noise keeps me sane... well as sane as I can be anyway. Minor details.

By the time Annabella was walking down the stairs in her pajamas, a long green robe over the light pink set. I had been able to get a decent grasp of my ice magic.

The ice would only melt if that was my intention, and I could raise or lower the temperature of the surface of the ice. I could make the most intricate designs, like flowers that looked frozen in time.

I had even been able to stand on an ice block I made, while it stayed floating in mid-air. I could also use the ice blocks to float items around the basement.

However, I hadn't slept, or eaten at all again. And the look on Annabella's face said, she was less than impressed by my lack of care towards myself.

After a scolding, and breakfast, Annabella was out the door to work at the emporium. And I decided to go check out more of Hell.

The different parts of the city all looked like different eras in time. The tech district was too noisy and dirty, so I didn't stick around there for long. The Doomsday district was utter chaos, and while I made a note to go back and test out more skills, I didn't stay there long either. I had taken out a few people in both places that couldn't take no for an answer, and raided their pockets for whatever cash they had on them. Leaving my pockets now full as I make my way to a district on the edge of the city. I had stopped in a book store, and was told this was the territory of the oldest of the Overlords in current power, and that it was where I could find older books the easiest. The newer generations seemed to under value books, leading to a lack of variety in the titles in other districts.

Books on magic were my focus today, other topics could wait, and Annabella, Rosie, and Franklin, had all been a good source of information on Hell itself, offering information on the what to do, and what not to do, with deals. And to avoid shaking ones hand unless upon introducing ones self.

The bookstore I was at was on the edge of the old Overlord's territory, so I suppose it shouldn't have been surprising to have a group of gun welding shark demons walk in and try to start shit. They got louder and louder, and I was already loosing my patience with them for the noise, as I was trying to read the contents of the books I had picked up. But one just had to walk up to me and grab my tail.

My form changed in an instant, the whole group ended up being tossed through the front window, and across the street before they knew what hit them. One by one landing in a pile, courtesy of muah. With a raging fox demon ripping their throats out with my fangs, swallowing the pieces. My hands start glowing blue, burning through the sharks clothes, and scalding their flesh underneath.

OK, that was new.

It took a hot minute, but after I calmed down, and was no longer glowing. I paid for my books, left extra money for the window, gave a weak apology, and a promise to be a repeat customer, as I left the shop, nearly walking into a very tall demon in black spider- like cloak, and four glowing green eyes.

"Ah, please excuse me." I muttered politely. "I apologize for the mess. Some people just don't know how to not touch a person without their consent." I add as I made my way to the pile of bodies, using my ice magic to incase them, and raised them off the ground. It took more focus, but it would work. I made a chain of ice connected to it and pulled it behind me all the way back to Cannibal town.

They can have shark sushi tonight, I still had enough cash to stop by a grocery store, and purchase necessary ingredients for cooking fish or preparing sushi. Soy sauce, garlic, and ginger were kitchen basics in my book.

I also grabbed other ingredients, herbs and spices, oils, vinegar, and cooking wines. It seemed like Annabella, had eaten with Rosie and Franklin, before. The kitchen only having the bare minimum, and what Rosie had grabbed for me.

I sat all of my bags on the block of sharks, and made the ice tall enough it wouldn't fall. Then off I went.

...

I suppose I was quite the spectacle. Enough people had gone to Rosie to share the gossip, that Rosie, Franklin, and Annabella, were all outside the emporium waiting for me when I got back.

Annabella looked like she wanted to burst into laughter.

Rosie had one eyebrow raised.

And poor Franklin, didn't know what to think by the looks of it.

"I brought groceries, does anyone want sushi?" I tug on the chain. Allowing the bottom part holding the sharks to melt, and the bodies to hit the ground. "I brought enough for a party."

Annabella couldn't hold it anymore and started laughing.

"What? They grabbed me by the tail, and I lost my shit. I was only trying buy some books." I pout.

"It seems there will never be a dull moment with you here." Rosie smiles widely, her sharp teeth on full display in her amusement.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Entertainment and enjoyment are good to have around." I tilt my head, my ears shifting to the side with the movement. My tail swaying happily behind me.

"I can have someone prepare them for us, if you would like to rest. Bella said you didn't sleep last night." Franklin seemed more concerned than anything.

"I didn't usually sleep before either, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try." I gave a small smile.

"Did someone help you in your fight?" Annabella asks, motioning to the burns.

"Ah, no. Apparently, at least when I'm pissed, I guess I can use fire magic as well." I reply. "Surprised me too when my hands started glowing with blue flames. But as you can see from the state of them, I wasn't exactly in the state of mind to process anything but nearly gutting them." I focus on my hands, while I talk, and it takes a couple tries, but as I feel my hands heat up, they start to glow blue.

"It matches your eyes and fur." Annabella points out.

My ears twitch. "Just one more thing to practice. But don't worry, I won't be playing with fire in the basement." I joke. "I should probably be practicing in the Doomsday district, it's already a mess. Won't matter if I accidentally torch too much." I rub my eyes, finally feeling the lack of sleep catching up with me.

"You look exhausted, dear. You should get some rest." Franklin says again.

"You do not have to worry about putting anything away, I will take care of it." Annabella adds.

"Yes, we will make sure our dinner is properly processed." Rosie give me her smile. "Go, and sleep well."

I nod. "Alright. I'll try my best." I grabbed my books, lowered the ice with the groceries on it to the ground beside the shark demons, and melted that too. I searched through the groceries and pulled out the items for sushi, setting them all in one bag to leave with the bodies. "Here's the condiments and stuff for the sharks. I'll put the rest in the kitchen on my way. I'll put it away later, none of it needs refrigeration until it's opened anyway.

"Thank you."

"Yup. Wake me if you need me." I toss over my shoulder and yawn as I walk away, toting the rest of the groceries away on a new block of ice.

When I get to Annabella's house I follow through with what I said. Dropping the groceries on the island counter in the kitchen, heading upstairs to shower, and try to sleep. By the time I'm in bed trying to drift off to dreamland, I'm feeling antsy again. Opening my window for fresh air hoping that would help, I lay back down and stare at the ceiling.

This had been a problem when I was alive too. Because of my medical problems I was always tired, but because of my depression and anxiety, sleep was nearly impossible to find when I wanted it. Yet when I didn't, it seemed like all I could do was sleep. It felt like a waste to spend all that time in bed, and still not sleep.

I growl to myself in frustration, getting up and grabbing one of the books I had picked up. Walking to the open window, I stepped out onto the roof, and climbed to the tallest part to sit and read.

The book was on demon spells, and was pretty interesting. But as the hours passed the red light of Hell's 'sun' began to dim, and reading became more difficult. Laying back and setting the book across my torso I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of Cannibal town.

And finally sleep finds me.

***

My dreams had always been vivid, and after suffering nightmares most of my childhood, I had figured out how to lucid dream. It took lots of trial and error, but any a dream would veer into a nightmare, I would be able to 'fix' it.

That never worked out with reliving old memories though.

So waking up with a start, the shaking, the tears, and feeling the ghost of unwanted attention, was always ruff. My adrenaline was pumping far too much to sleep anymore, yet I could tell it had only been a few hours since I had fallen asleep.

I grab the book from where it had fallen off me, and stand, my ears flicking all around, listening to my surroundings as I try to calm down. At least I knew my demons had yet to die up top. The wait would buy me time to grow my powers, and establish myself in this new world before they join me.

I'm making tea in the kitchen when Annabella stumbled in rubbing her eyes, her bedhead, and pajamas are telling signs I had probably been too loud on the roof.

"I'm sorry if I woke you, I suddenly felt the need for tea." I must not have been convincing with my tone because she looked more concerned.

"You still look exhausted. Did you not sleep when you came back? Why were you on the roof? You gave aunt Rosie a fright falling asleep there, she was worried you would fall off in your sleep."

I gave a strained smile. "Had a hard time getting to sleep, and apparently my brain thought it was a good time to take a walk down memory lane." I wince, still feeling like I was being touched. "It's always been easier for me to fall asleep, or calm myself if there is more noise to focus on. It was too quiet in my room." I hand her a cup of tea, grabbing my own and sitting at the counter.

"You did not have an easy life."

"I doubt anyone who ends up down here really had an easy life, we all view it as though it's just as bad as the others, but everything is simply different shades of gray." I take a sip. "Our darkness only consumes what we let it. We have a choice to fight that darkness, some just do it better than others." I look at Annabella with my own kind of hollowed eyes, my emotions deciding to shut down for a while. The familiar feeling of numbness is comfortable in a way.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head. "No. It's not something pleasant to listen to when you still have to sleep."

"Alright, I will take this and go back to bed then."

"I think I'm going to go to the Doomsday district again. I'll be back sometime tomorrow. I'll stop by the emporium if you are not home, and let you know when I'm back."

"Are you sure you want to go there without someone to watch your back?"

"Tinkerbell, if I'm by myself, I won't have to worry about going out of control. Because control will be the last thing on my mind. I need to vent my bloodlust, and I promised you, you could watch the raccoon demon's demise, so I will wait for you to deal with him." My response was tinged with said bloodlust. The urge to hunt and kill, always had been stronger after memories and dreams blended together. "I suppose I should feed Ricky raccoon first though, wouldn't want him losing too much weight if we are keeping the meat." I add thoughtfully.

"Do what you need." Annabella lets out a yawn, and leaves to go back to bed.

I sigh, and before my thoughts could consume me again, I down my tea and place the cup in the sink. Setting about feeding our captive.

It was going to be a long afterlife.