NEW LETTERS FROM THE BAD PLACE
Disclaimer: I have no business connection with GOOD PLACE, SCREWTAPE LETTERS, or NO EXIT. My only purpose in writing this story is to have fun and maybe share it)
Chapter 1
From: "SMerde at hell org"
To: "DDreckhaufen at hell org"
Sent: HellDate 66/66/66
Subject: Gossip
Dear Stinky:
The Janet in our department tells us that there's a big experiment afoot. You might call it post-mortem temptation. It sounds a little like that project 70 Earthyears ago where they locked three French people in a No-Exit room to see if they would make each other miserable for all eternity. This time it's 4 people, and they'll be given an entire neighborhood.
Uncle Screwtape doesn't think much of the new plan. Once a sinner is dead, he says, you might as well eat it while it's fresh. Why tempt a soul we've already got? But the lower-downs seem to think it's important. Besides, Uncle is always so old-fashioned. Depends on his own records rather than using a Janet; keeps writing excruciatingly long letters rather than make use of H-Mail.
Anyway, the pilot project seems to involve taking 4 sinners and make them think that they're in the Enemy's place. MudCell is in charge; he's going to adopt the name Michael, because that's an Enemy-type name.
Part of the experiment is apparently to test different personality types. One of them – I think her name is Hellanor - is a rather juicy soul already, with a lot of sins on her docket, mostly get-rich-quick schemes, and a general lack of empathy .
The second female is a more classical type. She's rich already, but she is dominated by the sin of Envy, directed at her sister. She's from the British Commonwealth, while Hellanor is American, so maybe they're comparing the effects of culture as well.
There are two males, who make an interesting contrast. One is an expert on ethics - actually a professor on the subject – but he's not protected by the Enemy. Why? Because he's so full of information that when he has an ethical choice, he considers all sides of the question, which can take a long time. Frequently he fails to reach a decision at all. It's not Sloth, but the results are the same – no ethical action. The other male doesn't consider ethical questions at all. Lots of energy, but all directed to the wrong ends. Directed toward us.
Should be fun.
P.S. Now Janet says that they're advertising for demons to play other characters in the test, pretending to be devotees of the Enemy. I may throw my horns in the ring. At least I'd be able to get away from Uncle Screwtape for a while.