Growing up in Hell was not for the faint of heart. For Valrul, it was home sweet home. Earth hadn't worked out so well for her with all its rules and expectations. None of the other kids had found it funny when she would set someone's hair on fire.

Hell, on the other hand, was fabulous. Here, the other kids had been like her as they learned the principles of torture from a young age. School field trips involved adventures in places like the Fields of Agony and the Swamps of Desolation.

So, when her old man had given up on her being a normal child and surrendered her to her mother's care, it had been great. No more trying to hide who she was, no more judgy eyes from the adults, no more kids calling her evil. Here she had been welcomed, embraced, encouraged, and loved. All the things every child needs.

If her father had not wanted a child like her, then he should have thought twice about having one with Lilith. Lilith loved having children, especially with humans. So Val had grown up with a riot of siblings to romp around the Pits of Redemption with.

As her graduation from the Academy of Cambions commenced, she was sad to have to leave. Every graduate had to go through an apprenticeship on Earth to find their calling for how we could best serve Lucifer. Sure, everyone thinks they were a bunch of evildoersdown there, but their mission was for a much higher purpose.

People assume Hell is a one-way trip to eternal damnation but it is more of a rehab center. Saint Peter judges souls at the pearly gates and those that do not make the cut get sent down here. There is torture, do not get it wrong. It just is not eternal. It is more like a barrage until recompense has been made and then the recovery starts.

All those circles of Hell are more like stages to get the soul to Heaven. It starts with judgment, moves to punishment, then detox. After detox comes recovery and then the halfway for observation before a soul can go to Heaven.

Each demon or cambion, the children of demons and humans, has a part to play. Some stay on Earth the whole time but those are special agents. Val liked the torture part, she had a knack for it. That was why she was looking forward to getting this apprenticeship out of the way and back down to Hell where she belonged.

She had wondered what form her apprenticeship would take. Over the years, students were evaluated for potential and aptitudes and all her reviews had pointed to the torture department. Students were also expected to submit their preferred roles and she was hoping for pest control or corrections officer. Pest control meant she could be acceptable worldwide but if she worked in a prison in some of the more unfavorable areas, she could learn a lot.

She was abuzz with anticipation as she sat across from the dean, Belias. She really had her fingers crossed for Siberia or North Korea. She was sure that at the top of her class, she had a shoe in.

"You are exceptional in your choice of craft Valrul," Belias said before drinking from his goblet. "I see a bright future for you and we are going to send you a program few are selected for."

"Thank you sir," Val gushed.

"We are sending you to the nanny program," Belias gloated.

"That is, wait. The what?" Val questioned.

She had to of misheard him. That couldn't be correct, people didn't look kindly to torturing children on Earth. She could not refine her craft if she was stuck babysitting someone's brats. It was a joke, it had to be.

"Haha, very funny sir," Val laughed. "You had me going there."

"I don't know what is funny about it," Belias stated. "Your numbers in psychiatric torture are phenomenal. It is not an easy area to test into. It would be a disservice to send you anywhere else."

"I don't understand sir," Val said in shock. "How is watching some kids supposed to help me learn how to torture souls?"

"Trust me on this Val, you'll understand in quick order," Belias assured. "Megargdue is eagerly anticipating your arrival, she has your assignment ready to go. Best of luck."

"But..." Val tried to protest.

Belias was done with their conversation and with a snap of his fingers Val found herself standing in the middle of a brightly lit office. The windowed wall looked across a cityscape of high rises and a cloudy sky. The glass had beads of water that raced downward in streaks.