One day he will retire from this hell. One day he will be relaxing and smiling, happy somewhere. Somewhere other than where he is now. But, until that day ...He will keep fighting for himself and the poor innocent souls who are sent to this hell.
"Come on John" the demon mocked as he looked at him, his red skin, horns on his head and black eyes, ripped shorts and ripped shirt exposed skin while his feet were bare, he laughed as he looked at John "Make my day, buddy boy."
What a newcomer would do in this sort of situation is run, a expirienced person would have this demon killed in ainstant, He was mean and he was holding a OtherSider hostage in his big arm, but him? He likes to play around.
John smirked "Now, now" He said as thr demon looked at him "You better make it easy on me, I'm not used to pain" the demon scoffed and John lunged forward grabbing th3 demons arm and twisting it to get the woman out of his grip while jerking his arm and sending him straight into a wire fence.
John walked into his sight of view and held his arms out "I dont think a big man like you has the brains to figure out what just happened 'ere" He said with a cocky smile. The demon huffed and stood up, he charged John and he simply stepped out of the way, John grabbed the demon by the collar of his ripped shirt and swung him around making him crash into the side of a crumbled building.
He made a face "Your master should really be ashamed of you. I mean, you are getting your arse kicked by a old man" He told him with a chuckle, the demon stood up walking side to side as he blinked trying to look for Constantine, Constantine grabbed a chain that was attached to a hook and swung it around and around right in front of the demon.
He let it go and it hooked into his horns of his head, he reached up and felt for them trying to get the hook out of them. John looked up just in time to see a portal open in this sky, He smirked and sent the long chain flying it, it dissapeared up into the sky as he looked at the demon.
It was ready to charge him "I will destroy you!" he yelled and gave a shout, John flung himself out of the way and rolled onto his feet just in time to watch a portal open. The demon went charging in as he tried to stop.
The portal closed behind him and a smile came onto John Constantine's face as he crossed his arms "That was faster than usual" He said to hisself as the woman and her child walked towards him.
The only thing he still could not get used to was this: the way a person dies is how they look here in the OtherSide.
The woman and her child had bruises and cuts on their body and clothes that dripped water, he stood up straight as they approached him. The woman put her right hand to her heart while the other hand held the child's hand.
"Thank you. Thank you for helping us."
He gave a smile even though it was fake to hid a frown "No problem, Miss. Just keep a eye on the child for now on. Demons like to prey on children that are lost because they cannot defend themseoves here" He told her and felt someone calling his name in his head.
He gritted his teeth, he knows that voice ..and he thought he was through with it "Now, if you will excuse me. He have to deal with someone" He told her and walked away, He looked down at his wrist where a simple gold chain with a black orb on it rested, he had came up with for the OtherSide Emergency.
He pressed te button to silence Tobias, and John made a portal to the Otherside. A portal opened in front of him and he stepped through.
Right into a white room where Tobias Cranston sat at his desk looking over files and drinking tea. John gave him a look "May I help you, your highness?" He said sarcastically which caused Cranston to look up at him.
He shook his head and went back to the file "There is no need for sarcasm, John." He flipped the page over in the file as John walked down the steps and towards his desk, he took the shot glass off of Cranston's desk and downed it before putting it back.
"Still like brandy? I thought it would have been a daiquiri or vodka, you know since you have to put up with this place twenty four seven" He said running a hand over his mouth and making a face "Why call me? I told you years ago I want nothing to do with this place."
Cranston raised a eyebrow "You simply said to call you back if it is a emergency. It is a emergency" he said as he laid down the file and showed John the very first page which was blank.
"What's this?"
Tobias sat up in his chair "A girl named Sabella Stryper came to us today. She didn't know what happen, she could hardly remember her name, sound familiar John" he asked him, John looked away from him and resisted the urge to roll his eyes "You need to take this one."
"Why have I got to? You do not tell me what to do. You got fifty detectives out there" He told him and flung his hand out motioning to thr outside of the building "I have more important things to do."
Tobias crossed his arms "Oh really? Last thing I heard was you were chasing down demons, tried to save a young girls soul from hell and are seen sitting at bars" he said, John looked away from him "You know revenge in this un-life is not good. Take it from someone who faced it, John. I'm stuck in this hell because I looked for revenge."
John stared at him for a second and Cranston finally shrugged "Besides ...everyone else is assigned to another case" he said at last.
John gave a shake of his head "Then wait until a space clears up. I told you, I want nothing to do with any of this" He said and started walking towards the portal walkway.
"John, please. She is lost and needs help. Just like you did" he told him, John looked back at him to see him begging with his eyes.
From his first day here, He always knew Tobias wanted what was best for every OtherSider here. Its why he let his go off on his own, so he could protect the people.
But, He has no idea how to guide someone. Not in this place.
He watched Cranston for a minute lost in thought before jumping down from the portal walkway and walking towards him "I will give it one shot. If I see it is leading me in a route I do not wish to take, I will let someone else deal with her" He snapped as he grabbed the file to see very little information.
Tobias smacked him on the back "Good. Come along and see your charge" he said with a chuckle causing John to roll his eyes at him and follow.
As soon as the door closed behind him, he stopped in his tracks, it felt weird to be back here after all these years. He felt something he did not feel while out in the other places he had been.
Regret and Hesitation.
He followed Tobias however as they walked towards a elevator, He seen two women and a man staring at him. He sent them a nod as he walked with Tobias, old friends, old memories. He would have no time for those, he thought as he got in the elevator.
Cranaton pushed the button for floor four and they zoomed up passed the many floors of the old building, it stopped and John almost lost his balance from the speed. Tobias put a arm out to keep him from falling, for a short man he really did have some muscles.
"You alright?"
John nodded his head at him as they walked out into the hall and seen a station where OtherSide workers were talking, He passed by and gave a uneasy smile to them as they appraoched the eighth door. Tobias turned to him with a serious look "Try to be nice. She is scared and a little bit of a fighter, when Lorraine came to carry her up her she panicked and tried to hit her."
John smirked "Please tell me she got a punch in" He said with a raised eyebrow, Tobias just grunted at him as they walked into the room so he could talk to the girl.
But, they walked in to see her trying to bust open a window with the chair in the room, He smiled amusingly as he watched her, Tobias on the otherhand did not.
"Whoa, whoa!" he yelled and went forward taking the chair from her hands "Ms. Stryper, please. Sit down" he put down the chair in its right spot as she stood there with crossed arms in the usual white shirt, black sweat pants combo, black hair framed her face while blue eyes stared at him.
"Who is he?" she asked Tobias as she looked at him.
Tobias gave her a smile "That is John Comstantine. He is going to be your, uh, caseworker" he told her and looked back at him "He promises to be nice."
It was more of a warning.
John looked her over, she was short and scared. She wouldn't last five minutes out there against a demon yet Tobias wanted him to help her figure out who she is? And how she died?
This was not going to work.
John gave her a nod "Hi" he said simply to which she gave a small wave, he looked to Tobias "Can we talk privately?" He nodded and they went back out the door shutting it behind them.
"What is it, John? I have other cases to work on you know."
He just looked at Cranston before crossing his arms "Tobias, she is a little girl. I do have a reputation, I like to work alone, so please give Ms. Stryper some kind of apology for me, will ya?" He asked as he started to turn around.
Tobias grabbed his arm "John, you are the only person who can handle this" he told him. John stared down at his hand where it was on his arm.
"I couldn't back out even if I wanted to, could I?"
A smile came on Cranston's face "I signed your signature already. You have no other choice, give a few weeks if you still wish to be left alone, I will assign her to someone else" he told him and gave him a look "Deal?"
John stared at him for a moment and finally nodded "Alright, fine. I certainly hope you cross over soon so you won't be a pain in the arse anymore" He told him as he looked at the file in his hands, Tobias laughed.
"Well, you certainly are a pain in mine, John. Come on before she tries to break out again."
He walked towards the door and opened it, John looked back down the hall towards the elevator and his freedom before stepping inside the room and looking at the girl.
This will be a hell of a ride...
{Don't forget to support the writer darlings-A.C.}
