NBR Prompt: "I have to deactivate you. I'm sorry."

NBR Instructions: Let your imagination take you on a journey. Use the above quote any way you wish but be sure to include it somewhere within your short story. Max word count 950.

Hi everyone! I'm very excited to present this co-written piece for you. If you haven't checked out Chayton's book, Demon Hunters, you should! Writing this short story together was tons of fun. We hope you enjoy it. (This story can also be found on Chayton's profile.)

Word count for Forevermore: 949

FOREVERMORE 

by ChayAvalerias and the3dreamers

"You have arrived at your destination," Siri announced.

"Like hell I have." I looked up from my phone, staring at a brick wall. Where's thirteen? The door to the left read eleven, while the next one showed fifteen.

"Crap—now I'm lost." I tapped the screen. "I have to deactivate you. I'm sorry." Not!

I shoved the phone back into my pocket. An evening chill descended over me, when I noticed a small coffee shop next door, The Wicked Brew. Hmm, maybe they know where The In-Between is.

Inside the barista looked like a bouncer at a nightclub with a myriad of snake-like tattoos wrapping around each of his muscular arms.

I pulled the crumpled note from my pocket and walked up to the counter.

"What do you want?" the barista asked, folding his arms over his chest.

I flinched and then held up the wrinkled paper. "Uh, I'm looking for somewhere called The In-Between?"

He pointed. "Through the wall."

"The wall? You're kidding, right?"

"Is there an echo in here? That's what I said, lady." He sighed. "It's holographic."

I tested the wall with my fingers, and they went right through. Pretty freaking amazing. How the hell do they do that? I stepped forward and slowly slipped across the barrier.

I blinked letting my eyes adjust to the black lights, which glowed off the iridescent graffiti plastered over the walls. A dark mirror hung behind the bar, distorting the room's reflection like a carnival fun house from a horror movie. That's creepy. 

"Holy, Jesus," I murmured when a young woman cut in front of me wearing nothing but a bikini top and a huge boa constrictor draped over her. Her eyes trailed over me as the serpent slithered around her neck.

"Nothin' holy about this place." She grinned. "Here for business or—pleasure?" She circled me like a prowling cat, washing her hand over my shoulders.

I almost forgot to breath let alone speak. "Uh—business." I cringed from her touch, feeling violated.

"Pity." She pouted. "The innocent are always the most fun."

I held up the note.

"Oh—you're here to see Dreven." She looped her arm through mine and dragged me to a man's table. "If you get bored sweetie, just come find me." She disappeared into the chaos of the room.

Dreven took a drag from his cigarette and blew smoke rings that hung over his bald head like disappearing halos.

"So—you got my note?" He motioned for me to sit. A serpent tattoo etched across his forearm.

What's with the creepy snakes around here?

With as much courage as I could muster I asked, "Where's Gabe?"

He chuckled. "Direct, aren't you? I like that." He looked at the black mirror behind me, shaking his glass at the bartender. "Safe, for the time being..."

"He better be." I crossed my arms trying to hide my nervousness. "So—what do you want?"

"Tsk, tsk... Patience is a virtue." He took another drag, this time blowing the tainted smoke in my direction. "I'm looking for something if you must know."

I held my breath letting the smoke pass. "It must be damn important if you're willing to go to jail for kidnapping."

He took the last swig of his drink. "Aarin, I've done far more heinous things with much more damning consequences than jail time." He placed his glass on the table between us. "But to answer your question, I'm looking for a very special key—a relic if you will. One that I have reason to believe you know the whereabouts of."

"Me—?"

He nodded.

My sweaty palms stuck to the table, and I swallowed. Yeah, I know where the key is. Gabe made me swear to guard it with my life.

"Why do you want it?"

He butted out his cigarette on the underside of the table. "No demon on Earth would miss the chance to open the gates of hell."

Okay, this guy is delusional. I'm outta here. I ditched the booth. He grabbed my arm from behind, his nails digging into my flesh. I screamed, "Let go, freak!"

I snatched the glass off the table and smashed it against his face. He wiped away the blood and let out a guttural noise. He shoved me to the ground, knocking my necklace free from my shirt.

He eyed the key dangling from my chain. "Stupid girl, you brought it with you?"

I clasped my hand around the tiny charm and tore the chain from my neck. "Is this what you want?"

"Give it here, bitch."

"I don't think so." I opened my mouth, tossed the key in and swallowed.

Charcoal feather wings unfurled from his back, and the smell of sulfur filled the air. Dreven's eyes narrowed and lunged for my throat. "I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart."

Then every cell in my body convulsed. Searing heat bubbled up from my stomach. Bright light radiated from every pore, my open mouth, my nostrils, and even the rim of my eyes. The room exploded with brightness and glass everywhere shattered.

I didn't dare open my eyes until the ringing in my ears subsided. The room resembled the aftermath of a bombing, rubble and glass everywhere.

"Aarin," someone called in a raspy voice.

Gabe lay across the bar, with ebony glass from the mirror covering his white wings.

"Gabe! Wait—wings?"

He yanked a shard of glass from his arm. "I wanted to tell you."

"I wouldn't have believed you." I scanned the room. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Gone." A black feather drifted on the air and landed on the bar next to us.

"Demons can't harm the key, only use it."

"I don't get it. I only swallowed the stupid thing."

"When you protected it, it protected you by binding you together." He cupped my face and looked into my eyes. "Forevermore—you are the key."

Looking forward to hearing your comments! VOTES are always appreciated too. :)