Chapter 2: Inseparable
"What the fuck..." What was I supposed to do now? Why did everyone look different in hell? If this place looks like a city, then I have to assume it works like a city as well. It has stores, which means working people, which means some form of currency or exchange.
Great.
No question why I'm here. I know why, and I deserve it. But how do I survive it?
Suddenly something caught my eye, another confused soul, pink and white looking around for answers. The lightening bolt of familiarity that struck me couldn't be ignored. Turning to face this stranger, I looked at them properly; it hit me in an instant.
"Anthony?!"
"Hmm?" The soul turned around and looked at me. He was tall, fluffy and honestly adorable for whatever he was. He had extra arms, floofy hair, a puffy chest and long legs. "Do I – do I know you?" He sounded as confused and scared as I felt.
"Anthony?" I repeated more gently, trying to gauge if he had turned because I shouted or because it was his name. He gave a small hesitant nod. "It's Alexia, Lexi – Foxx."
"Holy shit." He brushed a hand through his hair. "Fuck. Lexi? No way. What the hell is going on? That guy said this was hell, how are you here? What happened to us?"
"You don't remember what happened to you?"
He shook his head. "No. It's like everything has been fuzzy and dark for days. I – I think I remember..." He faded away and looked down. It was probably coming back to him. He'd had a problem for a long time, it had gotten a lot worse recently and He'd overdosed. It had happened before, never this bad though... clearly. "I fucked up." He whispered as he slowly raised his head and met my eyes. "But – what about you?" He took a step closer to me, reaching out a hand.
" A car crash." I replied as I took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "No, a bullet. I was shot. My brakes wouldn't work and I crashed, I made it out of the car and I was shot. I was murdered." My voice sounded shaky, and far away, like it wasn't even mine.
"Sounds more like assassinated." He pulled me close and put his head to mine. "What do we do now?"
I pulled back from him and let go of his hand, trying to think. "I guess we should find somewhere to stay?"
We found somewhere. Both of us had relatives in hell, there was no way we wouldn't. Anthony was from a mob family and I was from ancient line of witches that had been acting as the shadowy underbelly of society for centuries.
I wanted nothing to do with my family so we decided to try and find some of his family. At the very least they might help us get our bearings. He wasn't keen on the idea, I couldn't blame him.
Once we had more of an idea how to survive by ourselves, we soon left Anthony's family. He had no desire for mob life. He got a job as a sex worker and I found one in a bar.
We managed to a small place together and both of us started using alternate names. Anthony became Angel Dust, much more appropriate for the work he was engaging in and for the lifestyle he was looking to lead in hell. I decided to go by Vixen. Not overly creative, I know, but it is what I now am. How better to try and embrace my new form then to get called it all the time.
For a while life in hell, surprisingly, wasn't terrible. I had my best friend with me. In life and in death, it seemed we were inseparable. And as long as we were together, I believed we could get through anything he'll had to offer.
Even the exterminations.
But I was wrong, something did come along to test the endurance of our friendship. Or rather...someone.
Valentino.