Paimon
How the fuck do I get out of this one? I tried to brainstorm ideas as people on the beach stared at me. I knew i was in my human form, so what was the big deal?
"What did I tell you,Tyler! You need a bathing suit!" A woman walked into the water and looped our arms, shaking her head.
"Sorry folks, My brother is a little slow." She gave a small smile and walked me out of the water and on to the street before she dropped her arm.
"Thank you Miss...?" I cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Ivy, Ivy Lendel. And it's no problem, hopefully I'll get good karma for helping you out." She smiled again and began to walk off.
I'd make sure Karma would only provide Miss Lendel with good things and happiness. She owed me a favor anyway.
"Miss Lendel, wait up!" I called after the young lady. She stopped and turned to face me.
"Yes?" She asked impatiently and checked her watch.
"Sorry to keep you, but I'm new around here. Anyway you can show me around?" I heard water slush around in my shoes as I stood tall.
"Uhm," Ivy tapped her watch,"Yeah okay. But I have some errands to run first. You down to tag along?" She smiled and nodded in the direction she was originally heading in.
Also I've been on earth for all of 5 minutes and I don't understand anything these humans are spewing. Instagram? Snapchat? Down to tag along? They sounded like Aliens.
I cautiously nodded.
We walked several blocks in silence before she finally spoke,"So what were you doing in the water?"
Oh shit. I forgot an excuse for it. Although i wasn't exactly expecting to pop up in a body of water.
"Oh I-"
"You'll have to tell me another time, We are here." She smiled and pointed to a small worn down house.
"This where you live?" I asked as we walked up the unstable staircase.
"God no." She laughed and I swear It was an angel acapella group.
My eyes wondered around the small home. It had pictures and art on the walls, beat up furniture, and a few coffee mugs laying around.
"Grandpa? You up?" Ivy called as she collected the mugs off of the table and the floor.
"I don't want any damn cookies!" A loud, mucus infested voice screamed.
Ivy shook her head and walked towards a back hallway. I followed, feeling uncomfortable being alone in a strangers home.
In Hell, I would have made myself at home by now. Feet on the table (or foot servant depending on wealth) and a bowl of hopes and a cup of blood in hand.
Humans were weird though. They knocked on doors and usually didn't look comfortable while in another's home.
I followed Ivy into a dark room, where an older gentleman was propped against a mountain of pillows.
"Gramps, it's Ivy. How are you?" She sat down and took his hand in hers.
He pulled away,"Get out of my house!" The old man shouted and fell into a coughing fit.
I moved my eyes away to give them a little bit of privacy. Something shuffled in the corner and I looked closer.
Thanatos? What was he doing here? He usually waited until they were fully passed to show up.
The old man leaned back and closed his eyes, falling asleep.
"Would you mind leaving the room?" Ivy kept her eyes on her grandfather.
"Ivy, it's okay." Thanatos stepped forward and her eyes widened.
"What are you doing! He could compromise this whole thing." Ivy stood from the bed.
"He won't. He, is Paimon." Thanatos clasped a boney hand on my shoulder.
"Paimon? Like the stories you told me?" She backed away. I wondered what stories he told her, the legends or the truthful ones?
"That's me." I smiled stupidly and shot Thanatos a glare.
"Woah. Calm down. I only told her the facts." Thanatos held his hands up in defense.
"Which are?" I raised my eyebrow and cross my arms over my chest.
"You're a demon. A really powerful one. And good looking." Thanatos flashed me a smile and I shook my head.
"And that you ride a camel." Ivy winked at Thanatos.
"Not in over a hundred years. He passed away due to the conditions of Hell." I missed my partner. He was passionate and good company.
"Oh." Ivy sat back down next to her grandfather.
"So, Grim Reaper, would you care to explain as to why you're socializing with a human?"
Thanatos put a hand on his chin and pretended to be lost in thought.
"Thanatos,I'm waiting." I tapped my foot impatiently.
"It's complicated. But I've know this child since she was just a baby. I visit often but usually only with bad news." He shook his head and smiled sadly at the girl.
"Hm." Was all I could manage. He knew this was strictly prohibited. No socializing with Humans or letting them see you. If caught and you don't report it, you would be banished to the 9th circle of Hell.
"You're going to report me?" Thanatos as quietly.
"Absolutely." I waited for some sort of response.
"Not. You're my friend. And I'm not planning on going back to Hell." I smiled and Thanatos pulled me into a hug, whispering a thank you.
"Thanatos?" Ivy called out and nodded to her grandpa.
"You said your goodbyes?" The soft reaper walked over to the bed.
"I did." She kissed her grandpa's hand and slipped away from the bed.
Thanatos pulled a black ribbon from his pocket, and wrapped it around the old man's wrist. Only creatures from Hell could see them. It was a sign the body was empty, soul had been extracted and would be sent to heaven, if they passed examination. If not, Thanatos would escort them to the gates.
"Thank you." Ivy smiled sadly and hugged my boney friend.
"Of course. Now take care of yourself. I don't want to be down in this part again." Thanatos released her and walked over to me.
"Be careful,my friend. The human world works differently. You are not king down here. Be wise." Thanatos hugged me and turned into vapor, along with the old man.
"You don't want him buried?" I asked and Ivy shook her head.
Okay. Weird but she had her reasonings.
"I bet you have questions about this world?" Ivy asked as we walked into the living room.
"I've studied it for a while. The only thing I don't understand is the words you people use." I shook my head, I was still trying to decipher 'Snapchat'.
"Oh?" She laughed and angels reappeared.
"Yes. Like Snapchat? Instagram? Down to?" I listed off a few and a smile stretched across her face.
"You guys don't have social media in Hell?" Ivy grabbed a box off the counter and walked towards the door. I opened it and we stepped outside.
"No need for it. We all have powers of some sort down there, mince the slaves." I slid off my blazer and folded it over my arm. It was rather warm in Maine.
"I was going to ask about that. What can you do? Thanatos told me a little. And I haven't had the chance to google you." She winked.
"I'm a king in Hell. Although there are quite a few, so I suppose that doesn't help. I'm a powerful one, my brother is also Lucifer." I yawned and let out a stretch.
"Lucifer?" Ivy's jaw dropped.
"Oh what's he called down here? Uh." I scratched my jaw.
"Satan. The ruler of hell. Keeper of Sinners. Blah blah blah." I waved it off.
"Wow. Should I bow or something?" She adjusted the box.
I reached over and grabbed it.
"Careful!" She shouted at me.
"I got it. I got it." I held onto the box tightly.
"And no you don't need to bow. I'm not Satan. What else do you want to know?" I followed her doesn't he street.
"Uhm, what can you do?" She fiddled with her fingers.
"Have you ever heard of black magic? Or Voodoo?"
"Of course." She smiled and her blue eyes met mine.
"Well i can manipulate people as witches manipulate dolls and objects."
"Just alive people or?" Ivy was curious as a child at the store.
"Dead or Alive. I can produce fake happiness, money or anything a human can desire, apart from love. Only to those who follow me though."
Ivy made a face at the last bit of my sentence.
"Don't worry, i can't force people to follow me. They must choose. Although half of the goons who submit to me have no idea about what they're getting into." I kept my gaze trained on the side walk in front of me.
A lot of people have died serving Lucifer and I. It was a tragedy.
"Can you tell me about Thanatos? I know he's a Grim Reaper, but why is he? What does he do?" Ivy spoke softly.
"He's the Grim Reaper, my dear. What else is there to say?" I cocked an eyebrow at her.
She looked away, embarrassed.
I sighed, "He's death. He harvests souls. Thanatos may be the grim reaper, but he does not like it. He prefers happiness and light. Not sadness and darkness." I thought about my friend who deserved more.
"Is he like Lucifer?" Ivy looked up at me.
"Destructive or A fallen angel?"