[Don't Play With Fire: Chapter Nine]

"God sent you?"

"Yup, He sure did," Kibo replied, nodding proudly. The grin on his face remained. "Actually, it was Jesus who picked me out from all the rest. He said I should be given the chance' to do these kind of things. So I was given that chance, and God sent me here to help you fight Satan!"

They looked at each other, not knowing what to believe in. True, they believed in God, and in Jesus Christ, but the situation seemed too much. Too far-fetched, in fact. Sayo, who regained her composure first, asked, "What's really going on? And why are we going to fight Satan?"

Kibo scratched his head. "This is going to be hard to explain," he mumbled. "But you gotta believe every word I say, or else we won't get anywhere." He then focused his gaze on Sayo. "The images you saw? They really happened. Sanosuke really existed, and you really died. When Sanosuke went to visit your grave, he went all emotional that you were gone. He cried, screamed, and went as far as wishing things. He wished that you didn't have your disease so you didn't have to die, and said that he'll do anything to bring you back. He even said that he'll sell his soul to the devil if it would be the way to bring you back to life. Unfortunately, Satan heard him and took him seriously. He then went up from his fiery realm --- as a woman, as he can take any form he wishes --- to grant Sanosuke's wish then drag him to hell, where he'll be a slave forever."

The adults were too overwhelmed to say anything.

"So now you're alive, in good health, but Sanosuke no longer exists. He's down there, and he'll stay down there if we won't do anything," the boy blurted out. "Oh, and you're not supposed to remember anything that happened before --- Satan's rules --- but we chose to interfere, nonetheless. You know God doesn't leave His people alone. So are we going down there to rescue your Prince Charming or what?"

"Hey kiddo, how's the heat getting to you?"

Sanosuke squinted his eyes open, then blinked a few more times before his vision cleared. He sat up, and found himself inside a room with nasty-looking iron bars. Great, he thought bitterly, biting his lip. He suddenly remembered that someone asked him a question, so he turned to see who it was. Sitting across him, back against the wall, was an old man who looked unusually healthy.

He asked, "Were you talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?" the hermit asked, peering intently at the young man with his faded black eyes. "Don't feel too hot now, do you? Now, what brought you here, my boy? You don't look dead to me---"

"Because I'm not!" Sanosuke snapped, suddenly burning inside. "Look, gramps, I don't know what you wish to find out from me, or what you wish to accomplish with your questions, but I suggest you leave me alone if you don't want me to leave a dent on your wrinkled face!"

"Ah, I get it now. You were brought here in exchange for a wish you were made!" the other said, his eyes brightening. "Am I right, young man? Your soul in exchange for something you wished for?"

Those words made Sanosuke freeze in his spot. His irritation towards the old man was immediately gone, for some reason. He stared at the solitarian for a few moments, and then, he hung his head, closing his chocolate-colored eyes. "Her name was Sayo," he began in a whimper. "Sayo. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever known in my entire life. She was very sweet, kind and compassionate. But she she was dying of tuberculosis. I thought I would be able to save her, but just as we came upon a doctor, she was shot, and that killed her. I loved her. I loved her very much."

The other nodded. "And you wished she was alive, in exchange for your soul." When Sanosuke did not reply, the man asked, "Young man do you believe in God?"

"God?" he clarified, and as his companion nodded, he shook his head furiously. "Oh, no. I don't believe in God.' I don't believe in that divine entity Sayo and her fellow Christians put their faith in. I mean, if that oh-so-holy person was really helping them survive in this world, then did he allow Sayo to die?!"

"Things happen for a reason."

"THEN WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND HER DEATH?!" Sanosuke yelled, staring at the old man fiercely, staring at the old man with eyes that burned like the scorching flames of the underworld. The old man, on the other hand, met his gaze with a calm, collected one, and they looked into each other's eyes for a few moments. Then, the younger of the two looked away. "I just don't understand how things work anymore."

Leaning against the wall, the man said with closed eyes, "You will, in due time. Just open up your heart, and believe. Have faith." At that, he did not say anything more, leaving Sanosuke to ponder on his words.

The silence did not last long, however. It had only been a few minutes since the other prisoner drifted off, when he snapped out of his peaceful slumber and with a smile, he told his companion, "They're here."