Chapter 2

Gabriel walks down the long corridor. The man is in front of him, holding a rope that is tied to his hands. The place is wet and damp. There is a loud sound like rushing water that is filling his ears. The stone walls cause the sound to echo even more, and there is some kind of water source to Gabriel’s left.

He stumbles slightly as the man pulls on the rope. He catches himself and looks down at the water that he almost fell into.

Gabriel: “Hey!”

Man: “Keep up.”

Gabriel shrugs his shoulders.

To his right, there are numerous doors, but he doesn’t see handles on any of them.

Gabriel: “Where are we going?”

Man: “You’ll find out.”

Gabriel tries to itch his balls with his hands still in the rope, but to no avail.

Gabriel: “Can you help me?”

Man: “With what?”

Gabriel: “I need to itch my balls.”

The man stops.

Gabriel stops behind him.

The man doesn’t say anything for a minute.

Gabriel looks at him.

Gabriel: “My balls itch.”

Man: “Are you asking me to scratch your balls?”

Gabriel blinks.

Gabriel: “I mean I can’t do it myself.”

The man suddenly runs at Gabriel and kicks his crotch.

Gabriel recoils and falls to his knees.

He groans as he falls onto his stomach.

Gabriel: “What the fuck, man? My fucking balls.”

Man: “From now on no more fucking talking.”

The man begins walking again. He pulls on the rope and Gabriel falls onto his face. The man begins dragging him. Gabriel slowly gets up, trying to stand.

Barth (from inside his head): “You just got the shit kicked out of you.”

Gabriel: “Yeah, I know.”

Man: “What was that?”

Gabriel sets his jaw.

Man: “That’s what I thought.”

The man keeps walking. Gabriel limps after him.

-

A couple minutes later, the man comes to a stop.

Man: “We’re here.”

Gabriel looks up.

The door opens.

Inside is a dimly lit room. There is a single light that shines on what looks to be a kind of witness stand.

The man drags Gabriel inside.

Gabriel: “What is this place?”

Man: “Stand here.”

The man takes Gabriel to the stand before tying him to it and then going to stand against the wall behind him. Instead of the usual stone walls, this room is made entirely of wood planks.

A booming voice comes from the darkness.

Voice: “State your name.”

Gabriel gulps.

Gabriel: “My friends call me Gabe.”

The man standing in the back puts a hand to his forehead.

There is a pause from the other side.

Gabriel makes a popping sound with his mouth.

Voice: “Who do you work for?”

Gabe blinks.

Gabriel: “Uh, I don’t know. No one right now. I keep getting fired for some reason.”

Gabriel shifts on his feet as there is another pause.

Gabriel: “Can I go now?”

Voice: “What is his demon?”

Gabriel’s hands start to sweat. He bites his lip.

The man behind him speaks.

Man: “He made a contract with the baby-eating demon.”

Suddenly there are multiple voices whispering something that Gabe can’t hear.

The man speaks up behind him again.

Man: “I think he could be useful.”

Gabe turns around.

The man shoots him a look and Gabriel turns back around.

Voice: “Is that really what you want?”

The man shrugs.

Man: “If not I’ll just kill him.”

Gabriel peers into the darkness, but he can’t make anything out.

Voice: “Very well.”

The man walks over and unties Gabriel, who just stares at him.

Man: “Come on, then.”

The man grabs Gabe by the collar of his neck and drags him toward the door.

Voice: “If things don’t go well, this will be on you.”

The man puts an arm up in the air as he walks out.

-

Gabe walks in silence behind the man. The rope is still around his hands, but the man isn’t dragging him anymore.

Gabe: “So what just happened?”

Man: “Don’t make me regret this.”

Gabe doesn’t say anything.

Gabe: “Was that a good thing?”

The man laughs.

Man: “I guess we’ll find out.”

Gabe looks around the corridor. It’s the same one that he was in before.

Man: “My name is Julius by the way. I’m the leader of team X. It’s time for you to meet the rest of the team.”

Gabriel stops.

Gabriel: “Did they all make contracts too?”

Julius stops as well.

Suddenly a wall of smoke erupts from his back. The smoke manifests itself in a human shape, an exact replica of Julius. The new Julius straightens his tie.

Julius (original): “We all have demons, kid. Meet the profanity demon.”

The new Julius reaches out its hand.

Profanity Demon: “Bitch.”

Gabe recoils.

Gabe: “Your demon just called me a bitch.”

Julius grunts.

Julius: “Is he wrong? And he’s the profanity demon for a reason.”

Gabe shakes the demon’s hand. Its mouth extends into a smile.

Gabe shivers.

The demon gets absorbed back into Julius’s body.

Julius: “Now come on. It’s time to meet the others.”

Gabriel keeps walking.