AARON

In our area, Jared was the first to offer ecstasy mixed with Viagra until men experienced its power and developed a natural animosity toward their female partners.

Men were so horny and aroused, and their testosterone levels were so high that it seemed as though they had gained superpowers for the first time; as a result, women had little control over their men, and rape victims were obliged to keep their mouth shut. It became a significant issue in our community, and the police were having trouble catching the people selling those drugs.

Twice, I saw Jared in my sister's room with a different woman. My sister was attending school those evenings. I was sure he had been cheating. I turned on some Nirvana to block out the bed frame's continual groaning and pounding against the wall, which gave me a headache.

I never phoned Dad during those times since he despised it when we bothered him while he was out on one of his numerous dates.

I slunk along the hallway while clutching my phone as I approached the bedroom.

Jared was swinging back and forth as a small girl pleaded for mercy. Both heads swiveled toward the entrance, her eyes widening and her face flushing pale as a ghost. I chuckled as I got a better look at Jared's terrifying grin.

I smiled and waved at Jared, saying, "Say hi." Jared bellowed. He jumped out of bed and charged madly in my direction.

He grabbed the camera from my grasp and yelled, "Turn it off, Aaron," as I tightened my grip. He took one final pull with a hard hold, yanking the phone from my hands.

He muttered, "You're dead meat," and smashed the phone to the ground, splitting it in two. The terrified girl begged me to assist her as she watched me out of the corner of her eye, but she knew I could not. As I landed on the floor behind him, his hands pressed against my chest, the door slammed shut, and the walls trembled. Jared's afterlife held a significant surprise for him.

✽✽✽

LUCIFER

I jerked my chest out of the gray blankets I was lying on as I struggled for air, and my eyelids fluttered to the beat of a slow heartbeat.

The room of Aaron Taylor, with its creamy white walls and ash-black draperies, wasn't as large as I had initially assumed. The keyboard of his computer was covered with piles of papers and books, and it was located in the center of his room on top of a desk.

The front of his closet's rich maroon carpet was covered in his laundry, but it smelt like home.

"You've outdone yourself, you bastard," I muttered. My juicy fingers let go of the beer bottle. My hands drew toward the corners of the bed as I became aware of a persistent thumping sound coming from behind Aaron's wall. I got up, bit my lower lip as I balanced on my new feet, and stormed out of the room toward the commotion.

Cecily's covered chest moved against Jared's frail porcelain body. Their bare, entwined hips moved with their own for a brief instant as their lips briefly crashed.

I was standing in the doorway with my arms crossed when my mouth split, creating creases at the corners of my lips, and a pillow fell out.

Jared poked Cecily, "I thought you were dead," yanking her off. Her face went pale as Cecily snatched up the dark green jacket next to her.

Christ, Aaron. I also assumed you had passed away. She moaned, covering her naked body with what little she could as she said, "Get out of my room. I wasn't near Jesus.

"Am I welcome?" I asked, extending my hand to the door frame. Another pillow flew in my direction as Cecily and Jared's eyebrows sewed together in distaste.

Cecily said, "Get out," pulling Jared farther away. She changed the way her body was covered. Inside the doorway, I smiled. Jared sprung out of bed and came running for me.

"She said to go, dude." As he stood before me, Jared's flaming breath lingered against mine.

Cecily moaningly said, "Stop, Jared," as she sat on the bed. I raised an eyebrow and clung to my chest with my arms closer together.

"Dad's almost here; I'm sure he'd love to hear how the little ass got back into the liquor cabinet."

Jared grumbled while spitting at the ground and rolling his red-rimmed eyes. We scowled at one another as I furrowed my brows.

He growled, "Don't you have school or something." I let out a low groan and yanked myself out of the doorway.

"I don't like school." I scrunched my brows, pretended to yawn, and swept my fingers along the doorframe. Cecily rasped, racing out of bed. My lips started to pucker up in a smug simper.

Her left hand stroked my biceps as the jacket dropped from her grasp. Her deep hazel eyes locked into mine, which were dark brown. Before her door slammed shut, her right hand pressed against my chest.

That was good.

I ran my fingers through my shaggy, wavy, dark hair. I returned to my new dungeon and slouched over Aaron's pitch-black bed.

Did dear old daddy believe I was attending school?

I slumped down next to the closet and picked up a pair of black jeans off the ground. A couple of gray ones fell from my waist. I pulled the button around my front and clung to the clasp as the dark jeans squeezed my hips. I scowled at the image of myself on the computer screen.

Aaron's rich chocolate brown eyes blended with my deep red eyes. My auburn-tanned skin blended well with his porcelain pearl skin. However, his facial structure's carving and the curve and outline of his body bared no comparison to mine. We looked nothing alike, but I was his host now, which meant I had to act like him.

I combed through the clutter once more until I discovered the one black shirt I could find. I felt waves in my stomach as the hoodie and sweater slid down my torso. I clutched them with my skinny hands and put them on.

As Aaron's sister growled through the frail barrier, my eyes drifted toward the wall. I snorted, running my hands through my thick black hair, and grabbed the t-shirt with my right hand.

Cecily yelled from the other room, "Aaron, your stupid friend Kasey is here," as more consistent bangs slammed against Aaron's wall and my pounding head.

My eyes widened, but as my door slowly opened, I started to sweat from the corners of my lips.

I said, "Very sly, Aaron," as spit began to flow from my mouth. Kasey pushed herself into the desk chair and wrinkled her nose.

"Aaron, are you okay? Your sister told me about your scare this morning."

I murmured, "I'm semi-exceptional," and bit on the corners of my cheeks while clenching my teeth.

She cleared her throat and exclaimed, "Wow." "That's pretty out of character for you,"

I licked my flushed lips and gazed at her chest while glaring at something else. She blushed, rolled her ocean-blue eyes in her head, swung her knee out from beneath her, and smacked me on the shin.

She said, "You dork," leaping out of the chair and slapping my chest.

"What," I barked. Kasey was the target of my ire as I bit the tip of my tongue. As her eyes followed the contour of my chest, she bit her bottom lip to hide a timid scowl. I sighed and slid the t-shirt over my head as my eyes widened.

I muttered under my breath, "Just leave. Kasey left the room without objecting, and I did the same.

✽✽✽

AARON

My time in high school was never satisfying, and being imprisoned in Hell as Lucifer paraded about in my flesh suit like I was a giant puppet was hell.

I groaned as Abaddon's long, dark whip repeatedly crashed against the muscles in my back. I bit my lip as I felt the knot in my skull and the point of his scourge entwined. My knees finally gave way, and I fell to the ground with my chest bowed.

My hand reached out and pulled back against the dark bludgeon knout as Abaddon swung his whip once more as it was barreling towards my chest.

I fell forward against the chair made of dark metallic material. Abaddon smirked as my hands were severed from the weapon, covered in blood, and pulled back. I collapsed forward against the dark metallic chair. Abaddon grinned as my hands broke from the gun, doused in my blood, and yanked back. He didn't pull forward this time, however. Instead, the cudgel weapon smacked against his back with force and left teeth marks on his dark maroon skin, and as he dragged the metal up his ribs, black liquid poured from his wounds.

✽✽✽

LUCIFER

Catholic education... Although I never took Aaron as a devoted man to the practice, with Kasey around, I didn't blame him.

I sat in the bus's back corner, resting against the glass and gazing into the pitch-black pavement. Two seats before me, Kasey sat with her head parallel to mine. Kasey's mini-me, a younger girl with little dimples, had been sitting next to her, but I was unaware that Kasey had a sibling. I didn't spend all those agonizing years training for this.

Evelyn's lips pulled into a smile as she turned to face me and looked around. She leaped to her feet and clung to the edge of her seat as she charged for the back. Evelyn's hand slipped from Kasey's grasp as she tried to grasp it.

The bus is moving, Evelyn. As she moved between Evelyn and me, Kasey shrieked. Please don't be able to stand up. You'll fall to the ground. Kasey's cheeks were starting to fluster flush naturally naturally naturally. Without realizing who was looking back at her, she fixed her gaze on my icy eyes. The sweaty palm of Kasey touched mine. When the bus braked, Kasey and I struggled to catch Evelyn as she fell.

The tiny pipsqueak yelled, "Aaron," while encircling Kasey and me with her hands and managing a toothless grin.

As I encircled the young blonde girls next to me, I scowled. The corners of Evelyn's blue eyes tore, and her brows wrinkled.

"Kasey, is he alright?" The little girl made a high-pitched whine.

"Who's this?" I queried. My throat cramped as I spoke in a smooth, raspy voice. As my hands moved toward Aaron's rucksack, Kacey swatted me while staring at me with startled eyes.

"Evelyn, my sister. The girl you babysit? She only recently entered the second grade this year." Kasey muttered as she observed the furrowing of my brows in bewilderment. She made a lower shirt adjustment. I groaned, pressing my back up against the bus's back.

"Do we ever share private information?"

"Aaron, you need help," Kasey groaned, weaving her arm with mine as she pulled me close to her. But I yanked harder, and we were nose to nose. My tongue snuck between my teeth, brushing the tips of her lips, and I pulled back as her eyes widened.

"I guarantee one hundred percent, Kasey. I'm fine." I tugged my arm away from hers. Kasey groaned as her hands grasped my biceps.

"We're going to be late for mass, Aaron." Kasey looked down at Evelyn as her face flushed. "Evelyn, you're going to be late for mass, too. Once we get to the church, I want you to rush. I'll see you when I get there, OK, Evie?"

Evelyn grinned, and her eyes glowed as she hugged her sister's torso tightly. "See you later, big sis," she smiled a toothless grin again as she pulled off her sister.

"See yah, Aaron," Evelyn smiled. I grinned, pulling on Aaron's bag straps.

Her eyes widened as I leaned across Kasey's lap towards Evelyn's tiny ear, pulling her closer. "Aaron went on a permanent vacation," I whispered.

The girl's Cheshire grin dropped from her lips as she anchored my ear lobe towards her mouth. However, Kasey pulled her back before the girl could speak.

"Aaron, stop! She's only seven." Kasey laughed. I raised my hands towards the sky as a cocky smirk bubbled across my lips.

"OK, you got me," I mumbled. I tugged towards Kasey as my hand rolled down her left sleeve. My head tilted towards the roof as the tires screeched, and as my eardrums danced, I gripped the poor, delicate things.

"What the hell is that?" I screamed through the noise, catching myself in a fetal position on the floor of the bus moments later. My eyelashes bobbed open and closed while Kasey's blue eyes peered at me.

Her soft complexion glowed in the bus lights, and as the lights dimmed, a boy no younger than Aaron replaced her. Finally, I could make out his facial features. His deep blue eyes glowed in the shimmering lights, and as his face came into view, my eyes widened, and his grin dropped. Son of a bitch. Michael's here.