DEVIL'S HIGH

CHAPTER 7

KIARA’S POINT OF VIEW

My luggage was carried by the demon on my right and the other one was carrying his colleague’s sphere since his hands were full. I apologized to them for causing inconvenience and even told them that I would get my own things, but I was met with stone cold silence. Both of them were several feet taller than me and I am sure that I must look like a bug disturbing them.

“This place is a lot better than I thought.”

I commented on seeing the Soul Arrivals building and was in awe of the unique structure. Lucifer definitely has lots of resources than he is allowed to have. The building shown in my textbook was a dilapidated, crooked looking one, but this looks far more hospitable. And the roads too were not made of fire like I imagined, and it gave me immense relief. Seems like we all were underestimating the infrastructure in underworld.

“Why, you thought we were living in fire pits?”

Can he read my mind? I stared at the demon on my left with wide eyes, and he scoffed in disgust.

“You Angels think so highly of yourselves. We may be outcasts, but that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to live well.”

I mumbled a sorry and never opened my mouth again. Whatever I say, these devils were going to assume it in a wrong way and it will only cause more problems than I already have on my plate.

After the administration buildings, we came to a large parking lot where automobiles of different sizes and shapes filled the slots. Most of them were new to my pure eyes and when I saw a two-wheeled machine, I thought it was some kind of animal. One of the demons laughed on seeing my reaction and I immediately looked down in embarrassment. Heaven didn’t have these kinds of things, hence it isn’t my fault that I am unaware of these alien inventions.

We walked towards the end of the parking lot where a suit clad man stood in front of a very small car that reached only till his torso. Did kids too drive in hell? Its colour blinded my eyes, and I had to blink for a couple of times to adjust to the neon yellow paint. Sunlight was reflecting on the smooth surface and it looked like a picture than real.

“Good morning, Miss Kiara Snow Michael. Welcome to the underworld. I will be your driver for today.”

The old looking man with a sinister smile extended his palm to me and I was about to hold on to it, but he just pulled it back before I could reach. His face clearly said that he was not at all pleased with the arrangement but was doing it anyway, so I just nodded my head without giving a reply. What was I expecting, anyway? A smiling face and innocent eyes? This is hell, Kiara. No one is happy to see you.

My luggage was thrown inside the tiny car, and I gawked at the open door. He wants me to get inside this tiny thing?

“We don’t have all day, Miss Michael.”

His words held so much resentment towards me such that I really wanted to ask him if he even knew me personally to hate me so much. We just met, for heaven’s sake.

“But this is so small.”

My voice came out smaller than I expected and I hated to look so dumb in front of my enemies. He laughed in a terrifying way and looked at me with disinterest.

“I see that heaven is still the same. You have no idea about the latest technologies, do you?”

I bit my tongue to prevent it from giving a very good reply and just entered the suffocating car. Even though it looked small from the outside, surprisingly, I felt so comfortable in the seat. My entire body fit in perfectly and there was still more room for my legs. Unlike our four seater cars, this one could only accommodate two passengers and I wondered if it could match the efficiency of ours.

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“Dear Jesus,

You are the strength of my life;

You are my rock, my fortress and my protector; therefore, whom shall I be afraid?

You are my shield, my strong-tower and my stronghold.

I will call to You because you are worthy to be praised.

So, Father, I thank you for being my strength and My God in whom I trust, Amen.”

I repeated the prayer over and over until I felt like I was going to throw up. This monstrous thing was definitely taking me to hell as it sped off without actually touching the road. What is this made of? At first I screamed when he started to press down on the accelerator and begged him to go slower, but it only acted as a motivation for the demon and he laughed evilly, as I could feel my soul getting sucked out.

“Better get used to this, kid. We don’t have speed limits here.”

As if I am going to ever get into this again. I kept my mouth shut, afraid that an ear-splitting scream would escape instead of words. My pride has been extremely wounded by the time we reached in front of another building that looked too small to be a school. My head was spinning from the ride and the ground swayed as I tried to keep my shaking feet still. The important part was I was out of the death machine.

“You look a little disoriented.”

I saw two pair of legs in front of me, but it was interchanging and after a moment I realized that it was just my brain playing tricks. The woman in front of me wore a red dress that hugged her body like a second skin. Her legs were properly tanned and as soon as I saw her smiling face, I recognised her from the ‘Beware chart’ in my history text. Lilith, the only wife of Lucifer.

She is said to be the most charming yet dangerous woman in the entire realm, who lures her prey into a world of fantasies and then breaks them beyond repair. She mostly attacks mentally than physically. Lilith is also called as the master brain behind Lucifer’s actions. Right now, she was standing right beside me with that enchanting smile on her face. Although I have not graduated, I could repel evil power to some extent, and it was really coming in handy.

A look of amusement passed through her eyes as she saw me staring back at her with a straight face. I may be scared of their weird inventions, but mentally I was stronger than they take me for. I was not at the top of my class just because of mere bookish knowledge. We had to go through all kinds of tests and trials where most of our strengths are polished and the weaknesses are given more care for. Lilith might be the demoness of bewitchment, but I was the daughter of Archangel Michael and the student of Archangel Gabriel.

“This is interesting.”

She smirked and took a few steps towards me before taking a strand of my long silver blonde hair and smelled it in a very beastly way. I kept my ground without flinching, but the negative aura emitting from her was really making me dizzy.

“You smell different, too. Something so innocent but unique. Harmless but powerful. What a rare combination!”

Lilith looked at me and she was so close to my face such that I could feel her hot breath fanning my cheeks. It smelled metallic, and I knew right then what her break fast was. Don’t gag, Kiara. The demons have already seen you weak. Please don’t fall for their tricks again.

“I wouldn’t be here if I was an ordinary angel. Don’t you think so?”

Go girl, go. Rachel would have been so proud if she saw the annoyed expression on Lilith’s face. My father has only taught me to be polite to the beings who deserve your respect, not demons like her.

“If it wasn’t for my husband, you would have been burned already.”

She growled menacingly and the coldness in her voice was scary. But I didn’t break eye contact with her and tried to smile through my tight lips.

“Then it’s a good thing your husband is involved.”

Lilith looked ready to break her charismatic exterior and tear me limb by limb, but fortunately, she was interrupted by a booming male voice.

“I didn’t think you would come personally, Lilith.”

I glanced at the newcomer and silently thanked the Lord for his intervention. Lilith glared at me for a few more seconds before plastering her fake smile again.

“Good morning, Principal. I was just doing my duty as a hostess. After all, this pretty child is our guest.”

Wow, no one can say ‘pretty child’ in such a vicious manner. I wonder why they accepted me in the first place, if all they were going to do was growl and make death threats.

“That’s so unusually kind of you, Lilith. But I will take care of the kid from here. I am sure you have a tight schedule ahead.”

The so called ‘Principal’ wasn’t smiling when he told that and Lilith understood his indirect message. Did he hold more power than Lucifer’s wife? She spread her black wings; the end hitting me a little. She smirked and flew away, telling nothing. Did she do that on purpose? What a childish thing to do!

“I hope you are okay.”

I nodded at the man and took a few seconds to study his crooked face. He definitely belonged to the underworld, but there was something different in his eyes. He wasn’t looking at me with hatred, but concern. Maybe it’s all part of their game. Trying to make me believe that he was a good guy. Seeing that I wasn’t replying to his comment, the Principal took my suitcase effortlessly from the trunk of the car and ordered my ‘loving’ driver to leave.

“You must be tired from the long journey. Do you want to take the day off, or can you attend the classes today?”

He wasn’t beating around the bush, and even though I didn’t trust him, I wasn’t going to judge him. After all, I am an Angel.

“I am okay. And I don’t want to be behind the portions.”

He smiled at me appreciatively and walked to another car, which looked far more better than the previous one.

I was impressed when he drove at a comfortable speed and I decided to be more lenient with him, considering how neutral his energy was.

“Lilith doesn’t seem to like me.”

I said, hoping to start a conversation.

“Well, your father threw her husband out of heaven. Don’t tell me you expected her to be all lovey dovey.”

I laughed on hearing his genuine answer and I knew that he didn’t have any ultimate intentions; at least for now.

“And this is just a beginning, Kiara. You will have to face many more difficulties. I hope you are stronger like your father.”

I knew that my bad days were going to start, but learning it from a demon himself was making it worse.

“I won’t let my family down.”

I said, more to myself than to him. I have to make it through the year some way or the other.

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The rest of the ride was mixed with conversations and silence. He just asked me how everyone was doing and if they still had the old rules. I answered everything briefly, just enough information that was harmless. He slowed down the vehicle once a large stone building came into view and turned off the engine near to a pavement.

“I don’t want the students to see us coming together. Your books will be provided in the Administration and I will take care of your luggage till evening. That is your school and Kiara..”

I turned to him, my stomach turning into a knot. I was here. This was finally happening.

“Don’t trust anyone.”

With that, he opened the door for me, and I made baby steps towards the haunted building. Lord, please be with me!

I could see the empty ground from outside and everything was eerily silent except the rattling of leaves and the steady breeze that comforted me slightly. Did the class already start? Just as I placed my right foot inside the gate, something fell on my body from high above and the sticky liquid seeped through my white clothes.

It was blood.

“Welcome to Devil’s High, b****h.”

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