Lucifer watched joyfully as Giles lifted his hands to his face, attempting to cover the tears that flowed freely.

The demons followed their leader's hands as the devil slowly turned to a new page, clearing his throat before beginning again.

Journal entry - Day 1 of 20

Per our agreement, here is the written list of rules I must follow, or I will automatically transport back to the nether regions:

I may not kill a human.

I may not return to any town I lived in during my human life.

I may not seek revenge for anything from my human life.

I must write everything I do and feel daily in this journal before the next sunrise.

It baffles me that the rules are so little.

What about alcohol or sex?

What about rape or torture?

Now I understand why so many lose their way and indulge over these twenty days.

You won't see that from me. Letting me go on this journey may be the mistake I've waited so long for you to make.

Now for my daily entry:

After taking the staircase to the intake platform, someone directed me to the reincarnation halls (which made no sense to me) and told me to take the left one. Upon entry, I found myself no longer in the afterlife but in an alleyway. After the initial rush to my senses, it took a moment for me to realize the doorway was gone.

I took a deep breath and registered every putrid smell-urine, vomit, and moldy food. As much as those smells generated disgust in me, they were a sight better than the constant fire and blood bombardment on my senses with my previous residence.

As my eyes drank in the brick walls and trash cans, my feet took a few steps forward, and my hand shot out to touch the jagged rock. The sight of the sleeved shirt buttoned at my wrist had me looking at my attire. The monk's robes I wore at my time of death were gone, replaced with an elegant suit, similar to what Lucifer wears when he makes his presence known.

While those robes were a buffer to the whips and chains used in my torture, I would no longer miss them.

Sounds I was not familiar with penetrated my haze, and it hit me all at once.

I was truly back in the mortal realm-

Or was I?

It occurred to me that this could be a trick, like a television show I was told about. I wasn't entirely sure why the demons would create a world for the sole purpose of confusing some lost souls, but according to the demons, it could happen.

I headed to the street entrance, my haste not hidden from those who could see me. As I reached it, my eyes went wide as my brain interpreted what I was seeing. When I was mortal, it was the mid-15th century. The small views I'd had through the memories of others, as well as forced documentaries during therapy, did not prepare my mind for all of what presently greeted me.

Much had changed.

Once I caught my breath, I checked myself over. Inside my jacket pocket was a wallet with cash and a black card that I knew was a constant source of funding. In the other pocket was this journal.

Since I would be in this realm for at least twenty days, I needed to find an inn of good standing and more clothing.

My head cleared suddenly when something else occurred to my feeble brain.

I could eat!

My stomach growled with the thought, and my feet moved naturally towards the nearest eatery. There were tables and chairs set up in front, with fabric draped over them, held in place by what may have been metal bars. As I sat myself, a female approached and handed me a menu. I spoke as little as possible, as my accent bordered between European English and Greek, the languages I had no choice but to learn in the punishment realm, which takes on the prominent mortal language of the time.

The server seemed wanton to me, and I ignored her in favor of the food. While sex had been something I had indulged myself in during my mortal life, I knew it would probably send me straight back to the gates of hell if I tried it here.

And I had more important work to do.

Once I had eaten my fill of what little was served to me, I continued to walk down through this futuristic marketplace, stopping to pick up only the necessities I would need. Clothing was a must, and I decided to stay in the style given to me by whatever power sent me to this place.

After using the card several times, I was relieved to see it worked each time.

While bogged down with my many purchases, I saw a rising tower of glass in the distance. That was the inn recommended to me by most of the shopkeepers I had seen.

Once inside, I used the shiny, black thing again to secure my lodging. A porter took my bags and showed me how a different card would open the door to my room. I guessed they no longer use iron or brass keys.

The bed was lovely, but I was wonderfully surprised by the indoor plumbing. The showers given in the punishment realm are either ice cold or hot enough to remove skin. Once I found a comfortable temperature, I could not strip fast enough and enter this wonderful place and just breathe through the lack of sweltering heat and pain. After about an hour or so, I knew it was time to explore the rest of the room.

When I lay on the bed, the softness and comfort astounded me. It wasn't long before I was asleep, wrapped in the softest sheets my body had ever touched.

This was paradise.

The burning sensation in my hands awoke me with a start. They were partially glowing and felt as though they were being burned with a hot iron. Sadly, I had become accustomed to this feeling during the centuries in hell.

I immediately rose and found this little journal. As soon as I put pen to paper, the sensation alleviated--a reminder to write before sunrise. A glance at the window informed me that the sky's darkness was lightening, letting me know I was running out of time.

Now that you are all caught up, I will take another shower before setting out for the day.

The sudden silence was deafening to Giles. He removed his hands and looked up at the figure in front of him.

"Well," Lucifer said while he reveled in the soul's pain, "at least you dressed in style. Who would have thought the holy man would mimic the devil?"

(WP 1124 / Total - 2090)