Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing Sora, Brandon! I'm glad you liked it!

"Hell Is For Children"

Chapter 2: "The Secret of Me"

Location Unknown. 2003, December 21st.

"Hey." I blinked my vision blurry eyelids open. Warm hazel eyes greeted me in return. Instantly there was a smile on my face, a warmth in my stomach. I tossed the covers off of my body and sat up. I threw on the clothes that lay on the Motel floor next to the tan flower covered bed and jumped over to the man waiting for me. There was a very light smile on his face, you could barely see it threw his peppered facial hair though. His hazel eyes were usually dark, full of anger or sadness, but sometimes they lighted up. I was lucky to be by him during those times.

I saluted him, my height barely to his shoulders, my hair short and in an extremely curly bob. I wore a pair of worn jeans and an old Led Zeppelin T-shirt. "Reporting for duty, sir." I smiled at him and he ruffled my hair gently.

"Come on, we gotta grab breakfast then catch that demon." He stated before leaving my side, his body already dressed and cleaned. He always got up long before I did, I would sometimes wonder why he didn't wake me up sooner. He grabbed his keys and bag, that sat by the door, and opened the door for me. I followed along behind him like a lost puppy.

But thats what I was, I was a lost puppy, and I only felt found around him. My mentor; John. He'd always refused to tell me his last name, but it was our last days together that I pried it out of him. Yet, his last name meant nothing to me, he'd always just be John to me.

It was snowing outside when we left the motel. I stood in the middle of the parking lot as John went and unlocked his truck. I looked up at the dark skies, my eyes wide with awe. I let snowflakes fall on my face, the snow the only thing I saw as I concentrated on it. The cold ice landing on my nose and in my lashes, it melted quickly and sent a shiver down my spine.

Then a large hand landed on my shoulder, it was warm and covered in a brown leather glove. John's wispy breath, white and casting in the cold, caught my attention. I blinked rapidly as I watched the breath and snow, my breath casted the same white wispy smoke as I watched it.

"This is the first time you've seen snow since you lost your memory." It wasn't a question, it was merely a statement shared between the two of us, to explain why I felt so awestruck by the sight. I nodded, a bit shame ridden by that fact.

Ever since I woke up, I've found I have kid like curiosity and wonder towards things that I've never seen before personally. My lack of memories has had odd side effects on my emotions and personality, but I think maybe...for the better. If it wasn't for John I'd be dead, dying cold and hungry in an alley some where. I was very grateful to the older man.

John patted my shoulder then. I blinked again and looked up at him. I took a deep breath and nodded. We walked to John's truck and got in. I remember later that day, after a successful demon catch, John let me play in the snow. I made a snowman as tall as him. It took me forever but, I was able to convince him to come out and make snow angels with me. I prayed that day would never end...but eventually it did. Unfortunately, everything went down hill from that day on.

-X-

The Harvelle Road House. 2006, March, 28th.

I felt like my head was about to explode, everything was too loud, my vision was blurry, and my stomach kept dropping like I was on a roller coaster. I had an ice pack to my head, aspirin in my hand, and alka-selzer in my cup. I regretted putting that first shot glass to my lips now.

"Serves you right." Jo hummed as she sat down in front of me. She put a glass full of red goop on the table and pushed it toward me. I gave her a hurt puppy dog look and she folded her arms and looked away, in a huff. "It's my mom's hang over special. She said it'd help." Jo explained.

Two other Hunters came into the Rode House then. Jo had to get up and serve them as Ellen was in the back. It was already mid-day, I had slept in, then been forced to clean up my own mess upstairs. Harvelle had always been stern, made sure Jo grew up to be a good kid. So I should have expected her to be the same with me, I'd known her for the past three years and she'd never once coddled me.

I eyed the red goop suspiciously. I thought it had moved. But if there was one thing Ellen was really good at it was making hang over remedies. So, I grabbed the glass and put it to my lips.

"Bottoms up." I stated then drank the sludge as quickly as possible. It tasted like vomit, tomatoes, and oddly; strawberries. I slammed the glass back down, alerting the two older hunters in the room. One wore a ball-cap and vest, the other a long leather jacket and sunglasses.

"Late night?" The one in the ball-cap called, a grin on his face as he watched me. The Hunter couldn't have been much older than me, the other in a leather jacket was probably my age.

I sighed, nodding. "Yep, and boy do I regret it."

The one in the vest laughed, a deep chuckle. "I've had nights like those myself, comes with the job." He crossed his arms and walked over, his silent straight faced companion followed. It was obvious to all those that came to the Rode House that each and every other person there was a Hunter, or ex-Hunter. From my roughed up exterior it was even more evident that I was.

"Yeah well, I wish I had drunk less and got more ass." I admitted, that had originally been my plan but the bar fight kinda of set it off kilter. Then I got a black eye and no decent guy or girl would look my way. I hated a cold lonely bed.

The other Hunter laughed, loudly. After words he choked down the laughter and wiped away light water from his eyes. Leaning in the seat he had taken earlier, he leaned forward now. "You sound exactly like another young Hunter I met once. Tough guy, he'd jump into any bed with any chick. He got wasted real easy too." The guy's brows then tightened, thinking deeply know. He tapped the table lightly. "Oh, damnit!" He turned to his companion then. "What was the guy's name? Brown hair, green eyes, had that Impala he loved so much?"

"Dean." Was the straight forward answer received from the other hunter's sunglasses clad partner. The man's arms folded, looking at the table, concentrated. He looked like he was a barrel of laughs.

"Yeah! That's it!" The older hunter snapped his fingers then turned back to me. "Dean, the guys a classic! If 'ya ever need some, he'd probably be happy to lend his services." The Hunter's eyebrows wiggled in the innuendo of the comment. I gave him a weird look, but he didn't catch it as he got up. "Sorry to leave so soon but me and my...uh...partner have a case to get back to. I'm sure I'll see around Sweet Cheeks." He winked at me and walked away, shoulder to shoulder with the other man.

I grimaced at the nickname, feeling as if I was going to throw up again. The only person that ever got away with giving me nicknames was Crowls, and he did that to everyone.

That's when I heard my cellphone ring in my pocket. Heart's 'Barracuda' was going off, that meant it could only be one certain person calling me. I sighed, done with dealing with bull crap for the day, but really I had no choice. If it was her then I was certain to get more.

I took the cellphone from my pocket and opened it, answering the call. "Hello Bela, need something?" I asked sarcastically knowing Bela would never call me for a chat.

"Yes, indeed I do." I could hear the engine of a car on the other side. She was most likely on the road, doing her thing.

From time to time I get commissions to steal stuff, supernatural stuff, and hand it off to Bela. Some time after working together, without ever seeing each other's faces and just working through contacts, Bela started contracting me herself. She knew what I could pull off and what I couldn't. I wasn't a professional thief, more like a pilferer of things in dangerous, infested, places. If she ever called me to rob a mansion, well, I'd be screwed. You don't double time Bela Talbot without having something important stolen from you, or so the story goes. She paid me good money, so I didn't try.

"There's a painting, a very haunted painting, and a certain very rich man wants it." She explained. I could imagine Bela driving her expensive sports car, hood down, wind whipping through her hair. The thought kinda made me jealous, her out on the rode and me here throwing my guts up.

"But?" I asked. There was always a but with her sentence. Because if she couldn't get it then it was dangerous. If it was dangerous then it was slightly suicidal. If it was slightly suicidal then she called me. One day this woman would be the death of me, if Crowley didn't beat her to it that is. Sometimes I questioned my employing choices. If John was still around he'd scold me to no end.

"I'll text you the location, but, FYI, it's an old mansion that has the same thing going for it as the Bermuda Triangle." She stated plainly, as if that information didn't bother her in even the slightest. Of course it didn't though, I was the one doing her dirty work.

I sighed. 'Yay me.' I shook my head then, I couldn't believe the mess I was about to get myself into. "So, weird shit?" I asked, dead pan and dread in my tone.

"Yes." She paused, most likely thinking of a snarky come back. "You know proper ladies don't curse." I could hear the cat like grin on her face. I nearly gagged myself.

My eyes rolled. I stuck my tongue out at her while she couldn't see it. Really, I was sticking my tongue out at a phone though. 'Who's not mature now?' "Yeah well, I guess I'm not a proper lady. But at least I don't have a stick up my ass." I snarked right back.

"I'll have you know, this stick up my ass is diamond encrusted." I wasn't sure how to remark on that statement. One of my brows raised in confusion. The woman on the other side sighed, she mumbled something about me being an idiot before stating; "It means I'm rich you moron."

" 'It means I'm rich you moron.' " I copied in a high squeaky voice, trying to mock her. However I whispered it without thinking and she didn't hear me mocking her. I sighed, rubbing my face in frustration. "Fine, I'll get the stupid painting!" I pouted as I got up from my chair and grabbed my wallet from my back pocket.

"Good, send it to me when you've got it."

"Ay, ay Captain Bitch."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

-X-

I left a tip on the table at the Rode House before heading out. I didn't even see Ash the whole time I was there, so I imagined he was busy in his Bat Cave. When I stopped for lunch later I called the Hunter Manor.

It was late in the day, my stomach growled. The sickness had dissipated almost immediately after I drank Ellen's red goop. But now I'm hungry, in the mood for a steak, I stand outside a Steak House in...some small town somewhere. I stood my bike in a parking spot outside and dialed Hunter Manor on my phone.

It rang for a while before the answering machine picked up. "Hey this is Hunter Manor!" That was WolfAngel's voice, happy as the message was recorded the day after Easter and...yeah, it was really good day. "If your trying to reach us please leave a message after the beep." That was Sora's voice, serious but not dead pan. I remember she was mixing cake bater when I called her over. "If you're interested in our Hunter services you can contact X at...-" That was Monarch, not really paying attention to the message as he stared at Sora's finished cake in the kitchen. "At the Harvelle Rode House, my cellphone, or the house phone." My own voice finished the message machine's recorded message before the beep came.

It was most likely that they were out spending their earnings from the last commission on food and stuff for the generator. Otherwise they should have been home yesterday. But I wasn't too worried, they could handle themselves. That didn't mean I wasn't a little worried though. I did have some pretty bad enemies I'd pissed off lately.

"Uh, hey guys. I'm just calling to tell you that I won't be home for another few days. I just got another commission, weird right? Three in a row. But when I do get back I'll have a case full of money and some more money. We could finally splurge for the first time in a year." I smiled at the thought of last years splurge, a TV for the living room, a DVD player, and a hundred different movies. "So you guys be thinking about what you want, I'll be back in a little bit. Bye."

-X-

The mansion wasn't any where near where I was. It was on the other side of the West Coast! So a plane ride was the only option. The last time I rode a plane it was just me and Sora, coming to check out Hunter Manor for the first time. I hated planes though, absolutely hated them! But I needed to get there and get back, I'd take the slow way on the rode home though.

Since I didn't want to have to buy a ticket, had weapons on my person, and wanted to keep Midnight by my side...I hitched a ride. This, however, was not how me and Sora did it last time. She would have been sorely against the idea. But this wasn't the first time I hitched an illegal ride on a small town plane. It was way easier then in big airports, large airports always had so much security, but small airports would take off from a small town and land in a small town. While that was not my destination it was much closer then I was now.

The plane ride was at least five hours of sitting in the cargo bay, messing around with my new sword. I'd named it Silver Lily, and yes I name all lifeless objects that are close to my heart. I hoped to put the sword to good use on my next case, instead I'd probably have to use it to save and protect my life during this commission. I mean; a mansion like the Bermuda Triangle? Really? If it was really that bad I might end up getting pulled through a black hole or something. Yet, I was okay with that.

The more difficult the job the more of a kick I get out of it. Sometimes it felt like I was still trying to make him proud, prove to the man looking over my shoulder that I was capable. But now that he was gone I was still trying to impress him, just a bit more suicidal at it.

I get off on adrenaline pumping action, situations that people told me I wouldn't survive, doing the impossible. I just did it far to much for my own health.

A red light went off in the cargo bay then, lighting up the darkness with red glowing shadows. Meaning I'd been caught. I grimaced at the implications of the situation. I had to bail. 'Crap.' What did I say earlier about suicidal situations? My luck was horrible.

The next thing I know I'm on Midnight, revving her engines, everything stowed away extra tight. The bay doors are opening, the plane starting to descend. Wind hits my face at the speed of a sports car, nearly blowing me off my bike. The plane was at least still twenty feet away from the ground, and I prayed then my baby's tires wouldn't pop on impact.

As the door was fully lowered I revved the engines once more before stomping down on the gas. The tires spun then;'Take Off'!

"Geronimo!" I gripped the handle bars tight as I found myself falling. My heart leapt into my lungs, my lungs leapt into my throat, then my stomach pushed them all into my mouth. I had to swallow them all back down, a knot in my esophagus. I thanked my helmet for saving my eyes from bugs as I descended the last ten feet.

My hair stood up through said helmet, my necklace hitting the side of my face, and my cheeks got pulled back by the force. It seemed like forever to me, my blood straining in my veins, but really it was only seconds. I pushed down on the gas pedal hard as the ground came into view.

Before I could blink my baby's tires were spinning on ground, jumping a few inches in the air, if I didn't have a death grip on the handles I'd get bucked off.

Then I was on the road, landing on black top! That was nothing but chance, hundred to one odds. So I'd been having a lucky unlucky type of week, thats just how my life was. Almost as if someone up there didn't want me to die. But if they didn't want me to die they could at least protect me from the situation to begin with.

As I made my way down the road, not a scratch on me, I grinned from ear to ear. I had just bailed from a plane at twenty feet in the air, rode my bike through the air stream down, and survived! "Hells yeah!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking a bit.

After the hang over, I'd been having a really good day. I hoped my luck would travel with me to the Bermuda Triangle Mansion. Otherwise I was royally screwed.

-X-

Galena, Illinois. 2004, July 3rd. 12:34 PM

I blinked, trying to keep my eyes open and to stay awake. The computer screen in front of me was so bright, it seemed like it was screaming at me. I glared at the laptop, the clunky thing. I hated doing research, I was ready to run head into the situation. But I knew if I did that, especially without John, he'd be upset with me. Upsetting John was the last thing I wanted to do.

I blinked again and yawned, leaning back in the wooden chair. "Hmmm." I mumbled as I crossed my arms and scooted around on the surface of the uncomfortable red plastic-leather seat.

Then the door to the motel room opened and I jumped up. My hand, by reflex, went to my knife on the side of my thigh. When I blinked again, the door now closed, it was John setting food and coffee down on the table.

"Anything yet?" John sounded as tired as I was, the research getting us no where. He unpacked fruits, restaurant made hash browns and scrambled eggs, then a bottle of liquor onto the table. I frowned at the alcohol but bit my tongue before saying anything.

I sighed and slumped into the chair, throwing my arm over my face. John watched me, the brown sack left alone. "That bad?" He asked, understanding the motions.

"I'm sorry John." I sat back up in the chair and looked at him, disappointed at myself. "I can't find anything and I can't...I don't...-I'm sorry." That's when John's hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"You can only see what it is if you see it, it's not your fault that it hasn't shown it's face." John stated, his warm hazel eyes staring into mine. The man may have made a horrible father, with his alcoholism and all, but he was still a good man. He still made me feel safe, cared for, and he gave me the company that kept me sane after the nightmares.

"I'll keep looking." I nodded and started typing on the laptop again. A few minutes later John had some hash brows, sausage, fruit, and scrambled eggs situated on two plates. He slid one over to me and I thanked him and kept looking. He sat across from me at the table. I put my elbow on the table and leaned against it, no longer looking at the computer but thinking. "So this thing creates massive arguments, right?" I looked at John, waiting for confirmation.

The older man nodded his head. "And competition, creating jealousy and rage. Like, the one woman I was talking to says that she wished for her garden to be better then her neighbors. The next day some guy shows up and gives her magic seeds, then does the same thing but better when her neighbor wishes the same thing." John explained, finally taking the suit jacket off and laying it behind him.

While I had been researching John had been off asking questions, talking to people who had seen the thing doing this. This quaint little town that was at the top of the charts as best small town in America was steadily falling as neighbor after neighbor started having argument after argument and the town was turned on it's head. But even after both I and John put our heads together, we couldn't figure out what would be powerful enough to pull these 'tricks'.

"Wait! Hold on!" I shouted, a thought hitting me. I stood up and John's head turned quickly to me as the chair behind me fell over. I typed something up on the computer as I began to talk. "John," I grabbed the man's attention further. "Would you classify the things this thing is doing as tricks?"

"Yeah, pretty much." John nodded.

"There! Found it!" My voice filled with excitement as I turned the computer around, so John could see it. I felt proud of myself, that after all this time, and breakfast, I'd found out what it was! I guess I just needed some food to kick start my brain. From that day forward I never did research on an empty stomach again.

"We got ourselves...a Trickster John!" I grinned broadly and after reading what a Trickster was John was very worried about my excited behavior. A Trickster was a demi-god that played very mischievous and dangerous tricks on people. Why would I be excited about that?

Because this was my chance to prove to John that I was a real Hunter!

-X-

The Trickster's name was Eshu.

Eshu, a West African trickster also known as Legba, is associated with travel, commerce, and communication—or miscommunication. He creates quarrels among people or between people and gods. In one myth, he causes conflict between a man and his two wives. Disguised as a merchant, Eshu sells one of the wives a fine hat, which pleases the husband but makes the other wife jealous. Eshu then sells a more splendid hat to the second wife. The competition continues, making the husband and both wives miserable. According to another myth, the High God became so disgusted with Eshu's trickery that he left the world, ordering Eshu to remain as his link with it.

Eshu may not be violent but what he was doing to this town, sooner or later things would get out of control. While I was never much for nameless slaughter, this is what John thought was best.

Now that we knew it's name, or his name, we decided to summon it-...him. The branch from some certain tree covered in a certain type of blood, depending upon which demi-god it was, was the only way to kill him. Finding that was left to John, finding a place to summon him was left to me. The ingredients to summon anything was left in a bag in John's truck, the bowl included.

It was an abandon church on a hill that I decided to use. John dropped me off there and left me to get everything ready, then he went to get the other things we needed to kill the trickster. What I didn't expect was for Eshu to appear long before we summoned him.

"Well, well, well-" I turned around quickly from where I sat at the altair, preparing the summoning. But when I turned around I wasn't in a church anymore. We were in a seventeen hundreds built ballroom. Eshu was wearing a black feathered mask and a suit from the seventeen hundreds, made up of black and whites, the suit seemed to be made of silk or satin. The ballroom was surrounded in mirrors, no other people in sight, a crystal chandelier above us. "If it isn't the thing with the gift of sight! Or as I like to call you," The dark skinned Trickster took a breath, the grin he was wearing gone. "The freak." His voice deadpanned in sudden rage, a snarl coming from his up turned lips.

I went to grab my knife but it was gone, so were my normal clothes. Now I wore rags, brown and green, with a tunic and torn pants. There was a mask on my face too, made up of red and orange feathers. I gasped and tried to pull it off but it wouldn't budge.

"Now, now!" A cane appeared in Eshu's hand suddenly and he snapped his fingers. Chains were put around my wrists and my arms were cuffed behind my back. I struggled to get them off but the chains were to tight, to strong. The heaviness of the restraints nearly knocked me off my feet. "No reason to ruin the game." His excitement was back now, a white toothed smile on his face. His long black hair was tossed back in a pony tail and his brown eyes twinkled mischievously.

"What are you doing?" I asked urgently, hysteria started to pump into my veins. My heart was going a mile a minute, I was panicking. Without John here I felt weak, defenseless. I needed John, ever since I woke up, new life started, I'd become dependent on him. He was the only consistent in my life, the first and only person I can remember thats taken care of me. Without him I was lost.

"Playing a game!" Eshu yelled out in a rage. "Haven't you been listening!" His nostrils flared and his facial muscles scrunched up in anger. Then he took a deep breath, gripping his cane tightly. He calmed himself and grinned at me again. "You're not human, so don't act like your deaf like them. My patience will run thin quickly if you do. I suggest you keep me entertained, otherwise, well...," Eshu shrugged, a very dark smirk on his face now. "You may not survive for long."

My eyes narrowed at the demi-god. A snarl rumbled in the back of my throat. I jerked on the chains again and tried to run forward. Instead I found I was jerked back, stopped by a force. Eshu smiled as he pointed behind me, to where now the chains were hooked to the floor. I growled low in my throat again, fear replaced by annoyance and anger.

"Some game, I can't even move!" I snapped back at the man in the mask, his red-ish brown eyes twinkling. He was taking pleasure from my misery.

"Well, it's a good thing you don't need to move for this game to work." Eshu then threw his cane high up in the air. While I was watching it, an unknown forced suddenly pushed against my stomach, leaving me breathless as it pulled back. The cane fell back down around Eshu but was now a white skinned snake. I glared at the grinning god that loved tricks so much. "How is it then?" He asked, petting the snake on his shoulders.

I bit my tongue, knowing answering any of his questions was beyond a bad idea, even if I didn't know what he was talking about. But as he waited he just continued to pet his snake. I blinked, taking deep breaths to stay calm. Sweat poured down my brow as my eyes were closed, I concentrated really hard on Eshu, then opened my eyes again.

John at one time told me my eyes glowed a bright flaming green when I used my gift. When he told me that I became paranoid about using it, and about myself. I became afraid of the truth and hid myself away to the rest of the world, except for John.

Was it true though? That I wasn't human? It would explain my ability, but other then that the rest of me had always been human. I had emotions and I needed to eat and sleep. Holy water didn't hurt me, nor did silver. I still got scared, I still cried, and I still had nightmares. What could I be if not human?

So when Eshu began to play this game I knew where things would end for me. I'd end up in a heap of piled on and pushed away emotions. Pretending to be something I wasn't wouldn't work anymore. I'd have to stop being afraid and ashamed of what I was. But that was easier said then done.

Eshu waited but after a while of me refusing to say anything, the chains around my wrist got tighter. Almost to the point of breaking bones. The pain pushed me down to my knees as I trembled. I clenched my teeth and glared up at the cruel god. I pushed aside what I really wanted to say, so I could say what I should have.

"Wha-...What do you mean?" I forced the words out of my clenched mouth, still gasping at the pain as the chains stopped. They did not loosen however and were still painful around my wrists, I could even feel warm blood dripping from my skin.

Eshu came closer, kneeling in front of me. His eyes were as dark and cruel as his smile as he cupped my chin in his hand. "What's it like being a freak of nature? Not knowing what you are? That that Hunter you look up to could just decide to lop your head off one day?" He tried to make me doubt John as much as myself, but that was his down fall. If there was anyone I trusted it was John.

I spat blood from my bleeding tongue in his face. "John would never betray me! And if he did then clearly I deserved to die." My words were clear, no reluctance at all. I believed in him, the man that saved me. He may have his faults, but he was still human, and beneath his die hard Hunter exterior he cared deeply for others. That's why he decided to help save people, kill monsters. He was a hero in my book, just a hero with emotional problems and a one track mind.

Eshu sneered deeply at me, wiping the blood from his face. He stood up then, taking the snake from his shoulders, he put it around me. The snake twirled around my neck like a scarf, but did not try to strangle me. It hissed in my face with it's long forked tongue. But this snake's eyes were not red, nor that like a snake. This snake had blue eyes, a deep deep blue. It's gaze was not that of a dangerous reptile, but of a cursed creature.

I was mesmerized by the blue of the snake's eyes. It stood out boldly against the snake's white snow like skin. It's head danced around as it watched me. I was no longer concerned about Eshu but about this snake. Was it my gift that allowed me to see it's true eyes? Earlier it was just a snake, now it was a creature filled with sorrow about it's imprisonment.

To see a supernatural creature's true visage I have to concentrate, hard, I can not be thinking about anything else other then that creature. But the more I used my ability the more it began to kick in on it's own, soon I wouldn't even have to think about it.

'Who are you?' I thought as I stared at the creature. The snake stopped then. While the thought had not been directed at the snake I certainly did not think it would answer the question, or even could.

'My name is Legba, trickster of the African West.' The voice was inside my head, it had a Swahili accent, and sounded kind yet afraid. 'I am very sorry.' It stated, the blue eyes looking into mine.

I blinked rapidly, confused. 'If you are Legba, then who is Eshu?' I asked the snake, it got closer to my face as it spoke.

'Eshu is the darkness of my trickery. He is the one who disgusted the High God so. I am Legba, the light of my punishment. Eshu was once caged inside myself, but his hatred for all things light has brought him to possess my form.' Legba explained, still strung around my neck. 'You must reverse the curse soon, or you will never be able to end Eshu, and he will kill you, Mwenge.' The snake insisted as he hissed again.

I did not know what Legba had called me, I did not know what Mwenge meant, but that was not my main problem. I was more concerned about helping Legba before John got back and was drug in the middle of this. I wished now that I had asked Legba more about what he knew about me, but it was not the time nor the place.

'What do I do?' I asked, fear in my thoughts.

'Beat him at his own game, Mwenge.'

-X-

2006, March, 29th.

The day I killed Legba and Eshu came to my mind often. The trickster, or at least half of him, knew what I was. I was so close to knowing the truth that day, but it slipped through my fingers like it had so many times before.

'Mwenge?' The word had plagued me until the day I found it's translation. It had been Swahili for torch. But what did that mean? Why did Legba call me torch?

I sighed into the inside of my helmet. I was almost to the nearest town from where I bailed from the plane. I was still a little ways away from the mansion I was supposed to be going to. So, against my better judgment, I decided to stop at a motel. I hated motels thanks to bad memories and paranoia. I hated waking up from nightmares in a strange place on my own. It did me little good.

So that night I stopped at a motel in a small town, grabbed a bite to eat, a map, and a bag of salt. I salted down my room and went to sleep as soon as my body hit the bed.

"I have raised you from Damnation."

I screamed at the top of my lungs when I woke up.

-X-

End note: So reviews? Please!