Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

Dale Carnegie

CHAPTER TWO

It's been one week since I've been accessing Hotline to Hell every midnight, and this is the same week I'm supposed to go touring Japan.

I don't know if my father was generous or if he's taking his revenge for my rebellious act some weeks ago because he loaded me with so much activities today that I was obliged to wake up early just so I could accomplish all of them that same day. But I didn't care much. I was too excited to do all of them.

My dog, Violet, which I forgot to mention earlier, came with us so she can have a walk. That morning, we went mostly to shrines and temples and Miss Lu, which I believed to be a tour guide before she went to work for my father, said everything she knew about the shrines and temples. Then we took a look at an enormous Buddha statue, admired the Sakura trees and walked to an ice cream parlor for a little break. I asked Miss Lu if I could walk alone outside the parlor when I finished my ice cream and she agreed. She also advised that I take Violet with me, and I obliged.

While walking, Violet suddenly got hyperactive and ran excitedly. I lost grasp of her and I desperately strained my ears to hear the bell on her collar. There were not a lot of people, but she was a fast runner, and in no time, she was out of my sight. I wanted to cry, to go back to Miss Lu and tell her I lost Violet, but I heard her bark, like she was urging me to follow her. I followed her bark, which, thankfully, she did every few seconds, to remind me that she was still there and not completely lost.

When I heard her bark the loudest, I was standing in front of an alley. There were several busy people in it, fixing their unkempt shops or sweeping the floor outside their small homes. The odd thing was that there were no people surrounding me. It was like I've traveled too far, and I can't see the ice cream parlor either. I was not a bit worried about me getting lost, because my dad has just about the greatest trackers in the world. I'm still her daughter, he would look for me. Or if not, then Miss Lu. Whoever. But my dog… They wouldn't bother looking for her if it wasn't for me. So I walked on, trying to hear Violet's barks. Then I saw her, running towards me like she's the happiest dog in the world.

"Bad dog, Violet!" But she didn't mind my scolding. She only nuzzled my ankle and barked affectionately. I scooped her up and turned to go back to the ice cream parlor. But the wall behind me already solidified.

"Uh-oh. This is not good," I muttered. I fished my cell out of my pocket but saw it was dead. How am I supposed to get out of here now?

I approached one of the ladies sweeping nearby.

"Uhm, excuse me, do you know how I can get out of this alley?" I asked politely, not even sure if she understood English.

She turned to me, her eyes flaring, then bellowed in Japanese which sounded like a long line of curse to me. I backed off, afraid that her head might blaze like a fire, because her eyes, with flaring flames really shocked the daylights out of me. I wanted to scream, but every time I tried, it felt like it was muted, just like how you mute a television.

"You crossed my territory," said a soft voice behind me.

"WOAH SHIT!" Then I stumbled butt first on the rock floor. My heart was attempting to jump out of my chest and it was pounding on my ears that I can't hear a thing. My heartbeat returned to its normal pace after a few seconds then I looked up to the girl who spoke.

She looked familiar, but I can't remember where I saw her. "Are you from here?"

"Yes. I am Enma Ai," she replied in a gentle voice, almost soothing. But her name sent a chill down my spine. I can't speak for a moment, but Violet barked happily, like they were good old friends. Enma Ai tossed a dog biscuit and Violet caught it then barked like she was asking for more biscuits.

I looked at Violet. "Hey, hey, you know her?"

"And you," I turned to Enma Ai, "You're real?"

"Yes," Enma Ai replied, and Violet barked simultaneously as if she was answering my question. I stared at the girl in front of me for a while, then asked, "Uhm, by any chance, do you know how to get me out of here? My attendant would be looking for me," I checked my watch. "Right about now."

"In this place, time is not in essence," she replied. I didn't understand her and I glanced at my watch anxiously one more time, then with shock, I realized what she was talking about. My watch was not working anymore. It stopped, broke, froze, I don't know what happened.

I looked at her incredulously, demanding for an explanation, but she was already walking, and since I was in a dead end, which was not how it was supposed to be, I followed her with Violet in my arms.

"Aren't you Hell Girl? The guardian of the Gates of Hell?" I asked.

"I am called that," she replied.

"Uhm…" I looked around me. "And this is Hell?"

"Only a part of it."

"Who are those people? They seriously freak me out." I shuddered, remembering the incident earlier.

"People who never found peace," she answered.

Okay, that is so not helping. I want to get out of here. Fast. But then, my companion here does not consider time is gold. And, add to that fact is my friendly dog in my arms started barking happily, like this walk is some kind of sight-seeing to her. The little traitor.

One second, I was walking between bricks, the next second; I was under a tree, with flowers, grass, and a flowing river that only seemed to be the life of the place. It was also the only thing that looked polluted. Its black waters flowed slowly, stretching to somewhere that I can't see I think it will flow forever and will go to nowhere. And then it was sunset. Holy shit, it was sunset!

Enma Ai was walking downhill and I followed her. She said time is not essential in this place but it was already sunset! Before I went into this mess it was 3:00 in the afternoon and then here, it's almost dark. I tried to relax, to remember that it was normal, because according to the book I read about Enma Ai her place was frozen in time, frozen in eternal twilight. Since I have confirmed that Enma Ai was real, I guess I can believe the other things he has mentioned in the book. I was so busy relaxing myself I bumped right into her.

"Oh, sorry," I muttered.

"You have been visiting me," she said softly. "Why?"

"You know?" I asked, surprised. "Of course you know, you just asked me. Psh."

Silence.

"Well, I think maybe because I wanted to ferry someone to hell," I said, matter-of-factly. And even I was surprised by my truthfulness.

"You could have done that." Her back was still on me. "But you didn't."

"Yeah, well…"

"Because of greed," she finished.

She got it right. Remember what I said that the selfish side of me loves my father? I thought that when he dies, who would sustain my needs? The board of officials would take over all of his business, forget that he has a lone daughter, and I would go poor. Then what? I don't know what'll happen to me. But how can she possibly know? I thought better than to ask.

"Many people went to hell and will still go because of greed," she whispered. It was like she was rubbing in on me my fatal flaw. I get it. My ego will be further wounded if she keeps on doing that.

At the distance, I could see clouds forming. I'm not sure if they were clouds, mist or fog, but they started to make up blurred images, then they started to clear, to have defined images. It was all different. But mostly, they were fiery images, with souls wailing and crying. Others looked like a place where snow was abundant and it looked like it would not stop any sooner. Still, others looked like long roads, never ending roads. The images were so many I couldn't look at all of them at once. But one thing was common among those pictures. There was suffering.

"That is hell? I thought hell was supposed to be fiery and hot and, you know, things like that," I said, but my eyes were still glued to the moving images in front of me.

"Hell is only what you perceive it to be," she said wistfully.

"But the Bible stated it that way," I said but she did not respond. I got the feeling she really isn't into religion.

"The hell you know was planted to so many minds it appeared that way when they died."

"But still others made up their own hell." I noticed. "What if I thought of hell as a happy place, with God in it?"

"Then that's not hell at all," she said.

"But why? I thought hell is only the perception of someone."

"There's a difference."

"What's the difference?"

Enma Ai started walking again, and the mist dissipated. This time, we walked near the river, which didn't look like a river at all. Instead of water, the river was filled with things. Broken things. Before I could ask, Enma Ai spoke.

"The river is named the River of Dreams," she paused. "The only problem is: they are broken dreams, Isabel."

I looked at her. I'm out of words to say. I can't find the right words to ask her something. I just hope she would understand me and continue to speak.

"The heart is like Pandora's box, Isabel," she continued. "It's full of different things: wicked things, virtuous things, love," she paused. "But the most fragile thing a human heart can possess is hope. And once it's freed from the heart like all the other things a man can give, all is broken – his life, his dreams and his soul. That's why they end up here with me."

"But what about the people you ferry to hell?" I asked.

"That's a different story, but all the same. They are all hopeless."

"I don't understand," I said truthfully.

"They give up hope that they can change themselves, that they can become better people. Those who seek my help are the same. They give up hope that there is something better for them and get blinded by revenge."

"Why are you telling me all these? I was only asking for your help because I wanted to get out of here."

"Your mother, she also visited me like you did. Back then, when she was alive," she said. I was shocked. My mother?

"I suppose both of you wanted to ferry to hell the same man," she continued.

"How? What – ?" I stammered. She must have figured out my mind was confused, puzzled, bewildered and any synonymous word to that.

"Once in a while, my companion, Ren, would take interest in mortals who visited Hotline to Hell but never really type any name," she started. I heard the name. Yeah, must be the book. "And one of those mortals was your mother."

I looked at her expectantly. She glanced at me then continued to narrate while she stared in the horizon. "He investigated, and knew of your mother's pain."

I know much of that part, and I don't need to be told. Enma Ai must have felt it and there was a moment of silence.

"She didn't give up hope, you know," she said at last.

She looked at me with an I-know-you-will-not-give-up-hope expression. Her face told me that much.

"And Ren was there when your father visited her grave," she added.

I stared at her. I wanted her to say something, anything that might give me a good reason to love my dad. Nothing. I heard nothing. She just walked around me and hit me at the back of my head.

"What was that for?" I asked angrily.

"You should know by now why he's sending you things. Or why he let you have a vacation out of your country. If you don't figure it out, you're a complete idiot. Your father still has hope in his heart, you know."

I turned to look at her, but she began dissolving, turning into a mist that would disappear any moment. But before she finally faded away, I saw her mouth the words "You know what to do." I guess I was supposed to hear it, but she was already vanishing.

I checked my watch. The second hand was already moving, but the time was still the same before I followed Violet into the alley. My cell was also fully charged right now, and I was beginning to type a text message to Miss Lu explaining why I had gone out so long when I realized I was just in front of the ice cream parlor and Miss Lu was looking at me, eating her ice cream just like how I'd left her earlier. I walked inside and she looked at me, puzzled.

"Why'd you go inside? I thought you'll walk with Violet for a while?" she asked.

I was stunned. So Enma Ai was really honest with the time thing.

"Uh…" I thought for an excuse. "Hey Miss Lu, do you know the schedule of my dad?"

She looked at me skeptically, but then brought out her organizer to check. She began saying different times and places where my dad would be and I listened intently, hoping to find a vacant time for him to take a break or something.

Then I thought of Enma Ai. Yes, I know what to do.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed my two-chapter fic! I'll leave it up to you what Isabel will do, but it's kind of obvious. When Hell Girl is supposed to be tragic, I'll make it something hopeful. Just to break tradition, you know. ;-)

Reviews are highly appreciated. :-)

Vectress