Chapter Seven

Rule.

He's in Georgia.

He. Is in Georgia.

His father is a sadist; that's the only explanation he can come to.

And, not only does he have to take souls, apparently he's being expected to bargain for them, too. Words simply cannot express how demeaning this is for him.

“Leo, remind me to murder my sorry excuse for a father,” Rule hisses into the cell phone, reorganizing the files currently spread out on the bed.

“At least the pay is good,” his friend replies, not bothering to even attempt to hide his laughter.

“You put him up to this didn't you?” Rule questions, balling his 

hand up into a fist.

“Nah, bro. Wasn't me. Although I did offer to switch with you, y'know,” Leo points out.

“Yeah, yeah.” he mumbles, cradling the phone in between his shoulder and ear. “Whatever...I'm just pissed I have to bargain down here. It's f*****g Georgia, man. Aren't they the super-bible-belt state? This is ridiculous!”

“Look at it this way,” Leo says. “At least you get an extended work period. I'll be done in a few days. What do you have? A month?”

“Six weeks for twenty-five souls. Not including the five I have on my hit list.”

“Damn, bro. That sucks. The Devil may be a sadist, but to his own son?”

“Ugh. Don't remind me I'm even related to that thing.”

Ceberus whines at the foot of the bed.

“At least you got a decent hotel,” Leo grumbles. “I'm stuck in some s****y inn they found. In Maine. Do you not understand how cold it gets up here? Everything. Freezes.”

“Sorry man. The Devil is a sadist after all. And he's head on the Board. Be happy he more or less tolerates you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I hey you. I gotta go, man, I'll talk to you later, alright?”

“Later, man.”

Rule hangs up and sets the phone on the nightstand. He rubs his hands over his face and packs up all the files but one.

Jamie Rice.

Age seventeen, male, interest in music. And according to the latest credit card usage, he recently bought concert tickets.

Quickly, Rule dials the number of his best connection.

“Hello?”

“Vic? Looks like I'm gonna need a ticket to Warp Tour after all...”

Des.

Des is cool, calm, and collected. It takes quite a bit to rattle her these days.

Of course, despite her status as human glacier, she can still be shocked in a number of ways.

A prime example would be getting jumped on from behind.

The poor girl barely has time to register someone calling her name before she's on her back, and there's a person sitting on her stomach.

“Cersie? What the Hell?!” Des exclaims, shoving her so-called best friend off of her.

“Hi Des!” Cersie giggles, getting up and brushing off her skirt before helping Des get up off the ground.

“Was that really necessary?” she asks, purple eyes narrowing into a glare.

“Probably not, but it was fun,” Cersie says shrugging.

Des shakes her head and walks with her to the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

“So, what's the special occasion? I don't normally get jumped on 'just because',” Des teases, already over her irritation.

“Well...Y'know how we wanted to go to Warp Tour?” she starts, looking at her shoes.

“You said you couldn't get tickets,” Des interrupts, watching her suspiciously.

“Yeah, well...I did.”

Des stares at Cersie with disbelief.

Cersie hates lies. And because of this, she never tells them. Ever.

“So everything I've ever know was a lie.”

“Don't be so over dramatic,” the girl says, rolling her eyes. “I didn't lie.”

“But you just said---”

“That I. Didn't get tickets.”

“Yeah, but---”

“Vic got them for me.”

Des debates whether or not the urge to strangle her friend or hug her is stronger, so she smacks her upside the head before hugging her.

“You. Are the best person ever,” Des says into her shoulder.

“I'm quite aware.” Cersie pulls back and looks at her seriously. 

“Just make sure you can get away from the family Friday night. You can say you're at my house, Vic said he'd cover for you.”

“You have no idea how much I love you for this.”

Cersie beams for a moment before growing serious.

“There's one more thing though,” she tells her, frowning. “It's really, really important that you remember this.”

“O...kay? What is it?”

“Not everything is as it seems. Appearances and personalities will fool you. If you don't watch out...Well, you being dead would be considered heaven compared to the worst case scenario.”

Before Des has time to question her friend's words, Cersie's running towards the parking lot.

Reviews

[master squiggles]

OOPS I GOT DISTRACTED BY TUMBLR FOR LIKE 20 MINUTES

*coughcough*

anyway

I LIKE THE P.O.V. CHANGES

my god, i love cersie. she is a beautiful person.

NEXT CHAPTERRRRRRRRRRR PLSSSSSSSSS