The drug is wearing off. I feel a tingle in my fingertips as I fight back the urge to scratch at my skin. The goal is to retrieve Ophelia from Light. For that, I need to gather some research. Blinking, the scent of must and the sound of cackling laughter fill my senses.

So this is what the underworld is like.

It's definitely darker. Almost like limbo; except the creatures here resemble humans more than anything. I fix my eyes on the road ahead, scanning the crowds on either side of me. Fights are breaking out in every direction, and I struggle to keep a safe distance.

The plan I have is nonexistent. But I figure that something will pop out at me.

As I wade through the crowds, the tingling in my fingers travels through my body. I can feel my lungs tightening with every breath I take.

"You alright lady?" Someone calls. He's a tall, rugged looking man with dark skin. One eye is a soft golden brown while the other is a hypnotic blue.

"You got the twitches or what?" He asks, smirking.

I shrug and attempt to push past him, although my shaking limbs make it difficult.

"I asked you a question!" He says harshly. "You got the twitches?"

"I don't know what that is…."

"Step off her case, Scorn!" Another voice says. Behind him, a muscular bulky man with a stubbly beard pushes his way to us. "He's asking if you're going through withdrawal," he clarifies.

"Oh… well sort of."

The muscle man scoffs, "I've got you covered, follow me."

He leads me to an abandoned street. The buzzing flicker of street lamps make my spine tingle, and send chills up my spine that I cannot accompany to withdrawal symptoms.

"She travels a lot," he says as we advance towards a brick wall. Gently placing his hand on random bricks, he then whispers something under his breath. The wall crumbles to the ground in an array of ash and stone.

"Step lively!" he calls. I try to keep up without injuring my feet. However on my first step, my foot sinks into the rubble, making me wince.

"Now as I was saying," he continues, "she travels a lot, but if anyone can get you what you need, she can."

I nod and follow. Up ahead, I see a rundown barn. As we reach it, I help him heave the heavy, wooden door so it swings open. Inside, a flickering light bulb is held by a weak string, dimly illuminating the room. I feel as though I've been sucked into a horror movie, and Jason will pop out and try to kill me.

It doesn't help when muscle man begins to scream, "Rage!" His voice echo off the walls and I'm beginning to get more and more nervous. I'm not sure this 'rage' person is someone I want to be associated with. "Show your undead ass!"

A loud banging alerts us to Rage's presence. Being the chicken I am; I stand behind the man's muscular frame. "I brought a street rat looking for some cheddar," he says.

Peeking out from behind him, I steel a glance at Rage. She's petite, wearing a black hoodie. The shadows make it hard for me to make out her features, but I notice some fiery red locks of hair escaping from underneath.

"I'll leave you two to it then." In the blink of an eye, the guy disappears, into thin air, leaving me and Rage alone.

"Rebel?" She lifts back her hood and steps into the light.

"Kaige? What the hell?"

"Why are you here?" She asks in disbelief.

"Why are you here?" I question back.

"I asked you first," she says crossing her arms.

I frown, "I asked you second, and two's a bigger number."

"Well one gets bigger trophies!"

I sigh, not ready to spill the beans. She notices me scratching at my arms, "Oh no, Rebel, you aren't addicted to Layers are you?"

"Layers?"

"Did you get injected with green crap?" she asks bluntly.

I nod, causing her to sigh deeply. "Come here."

I step closer to her and she reaches for something in her pocket. Grabbing my arm, she takes a knife and slices it open, blood seeping out.

"Ouch! What are you—"

"Shhh I'm concentrating. Hold your horses."

She takes out a syringe filled with blue liquid, stabbing me in the arm with it.

My tingles subside and a cooling sensation fills my body.

Pulling away, she moves some stray hair from her eyes. "Layers, are a drug given to you intermittently. The more you have the more addicted you become. The thing is, it's impossible to cure. You will crave it forever and have withdrawal forever," she says.

"Is there a bright side to this story?"I ask.

"Well I just injected you with the antidote. That should keep you steady for a while."

"Antidotes cure diseases."

"Well that's as good a cure as you're going to get. Most who go without it go insane and kill themselves."

"Well you're just a ball of sunshine aren't you?"

Kaige smiles, "When was I not a ball of sunshine?"

I scoff, "I always knew you were the devil in disguise. So why are you here? I mean I heard about you getting demoted to demon, but I didn't understand why you didn't stay."

Her smile drops and her complexion pales. "I don't want to talk about it. Why are you here?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

We both stare at each other for a while. "Well…." I say, "Do you want to talk about what happened to your hair? I mean it's nice and all, but I liked your black hair…. Rage."

She shrugs, "Rage rhymed with Kaige, and you aren't the only one capable of changing their appearance. By the way, you need to change yours…."

"What's wrong with the way I look?" I ask.

"You look like you came out of the human world. We're in the underworld now….you need to look ratchet."

Closing my eyes, I picture myself in a black leather outfit, with black choppy hair, and tanner skin.

"That's more like it!" Kaige encourages. "Now you need a new name."

"River," I say.

Kaige gives me a confound expression, "Um, ok, River it is."

"There seems to be many R names going around…."

Kaige and I jump and turn around, "Beyond!"

"Yes, Rage, I believe I should tell you the next ship is in… literally."

"You two work together?" I ask in surprise.

"Yes! Now we're late, we need to go, let's move this goose!" Kaige rushes.

Beyond walks behind us and I try to keep up.

"Why are you walking like that?" Kaige asks, barely turning around.

"Walking like what?"

"Like you have something stuck up your ass."

I huff, "these pants are not easy to walk in!"

"Well hurry up!"
We turn right from the barn and head out into a small forest.

Up ahead, I can see some figure. They look almost as if they're glowing.

As we get closer, I can see that it's black where their eyes should be. Their outfits are tattered and covered in droopy seaweed.

"Shipwreck victims, check," I hear Kaige mutter under her breath.

"Care to explain?" I ask.

"Kaige monitors Halloween," Beyond replies.

"It's a holiday, you can't monitor it…"

"Then how is she doing it?" he asks quizzically.

I roll my eyes, "Aren't all those stories fake?"

"No," they reply in unison.

I watch as Kagie inspects all of the figures, before taking out a pen and writing on her arm.

"Shrimp," Beyond whispers, "have you told her the reason for your being here?"

I shake my head, "not until necessary. You won't say anything right?"

Beyond shrugs, "I don't know, trust is such a rare form to come by."

"Beyond!"

"I make no promises, Shrimp." He says before fading off.

That worries me.

I hope that Beyond can keep a secret.

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