Chapter 6 - end

A month later...

I woke up today feeling great, the life we have now is great compared to what we had before. We have spent almost a year here and we're getting decent pay. I remembered the poor conditions we were in before and sighed. This was way too different, if we kept on living there, we would probably be dead by now.

I looked towards the boy and thought to myself: "He really has come a long way from that shy boy he was before."

Now he was like a naughty and intelligent kid every father would wish for.

I looked around the comfortable cabin. This was definitely different from our old one. It was relaxing whilst pour old one was just painful for anyone's mental health.

I looked out of the window towards the staircase to heaven that the boy and I climbed, the river. On the other side of the river is the nightmare we escaped from.

I looked at the early risers working around the farm; the late risers who slept in the same bunkhouse as me (This, of course, included the boy) and the normal people just climbing out of their bed. What a peaceful life that we were granted after hell. I woke the boy and the rest up, just like I used to with the three other workers down at hell.

"Is it time to wake up already?" I heard the kid complain.

"Of course, how long do you plan to sleep for?" I argued back.

"Fine," He said and climbed out of his bead. This reminded me of the way we kept the lighter person on the top of the bunk when we were back in the old farm. Seems like we still haven't escaped from that habit despite the beds being as stable as a building with reinforced foundation.

We walked towards breakfast, this reminded me of the desert I had to walk through back at hell.

We sat down at the table and ate a breakfast of soft bread and clean water, this reminded me of the soggy bread and disgusting looking water we had to drink back at the old farm.

"Hey, James!" I heard the boy shout.

"W-what?" I asked back.

"You were spacing out, you are back now right?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm back,"

"That's great, don't forget your breakfast!"

I started eating the food we received. Yeah, stop thinking about the past, think about the present and the future. We shouldn't cry over our painful past anymore.

I finished my breakfast and walked out towards the sunshine. Heading towards the farm where I worked when the stoves aren't broken. I tried to start on my work, but before I managed to do anything, someone called me.

"Hey, James!" A farmer called.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We need you to fix the broken stove again!" He replied.

"Sure, I'll head there right now!" I answered back.

I guess somethings just never change. These things - including fixing stoves - are probably kept to keep me from escaping my past, I guess. They aren't really things I can change anyway, guess I'll just live with it.

I made my way towards the stove (AGAIN) and started thinking: "If we were to head back, what would happen?" Well obviously we would be brutally murdered by that boss, and who would head back to that graveyard anyway?

Before I noticed, my hands pretty much already did the fixing job for me. As I decided to head back to the farm, I realised a large gathering around our bunkhouse, of course, no matter what this was, anyone would get interested.

I started walking towards the large group. That was when I realised they weren't holding a pleasant smile they held before, there was a tinge of guilt and sadness in the faces of those who never seen misery. This made me more curious. I decided to push through the people and take a look at what all the commotion is about. Once I saw what was the subject of the uproar. I myself dropped in tears.

...

...

...

It was the boy, but not that annoying yet funny boy he was before. It had a look of shock and fear, along with a bullet in his chest. Next to him, written in his blood, in a handwriting style I wouldn't mistake, were the words: I'm coming for you next, James.

It was the handwriting style of our old boss back down at hell.

Tonight, I couldn't sleep.

My mind is buried in the picture of the boy's face and the boss's words. They both burned into me like acid burning into metal. A repeating nightmare that won't leave me alone.

The devil has come to visit a heaven of naive angels and bringing hell up along with him.

I thought about the way the kid died - shot, like an owner shooting his old, useless dog - it's almost as if he's marking us as his property, as his slaves.

The air around the originally joyful town has dropped to an air of despair.

The despair filled air floated around me as if they were chains designed to pull me down. It fills me with the tears I was holding back with each breath.

I thought about the times I had with the boy. He was like the son I never had. I remembered all those times I scolded him for being childish, careless or selfish. I remembered the way he was when we first met: a scared boy who constantly stutters when he speaks. I remembered the way he is just before he died: a carefree boy who is both mischievous and smart. It only filled the air with more despair.

I remembered the hell we thought we escaped from, an endless pit with walls painted in hopelessness. The air is currently filled with more despair than it had there. The devil has brought hell into the town of angels.

I remembered the journey the boy and I went on to reach here. It was like a staircase to heaven, with each step, we walk further away from hell and closer to heaven, with air that was filled with less despair each step. Now, that road is probably stained with the devil's scent. Another wonderful location has been infected by the air of despair.

I remembered the heaven we were living in. It is no longer the haven it once was. It is now another piece of land conquered by the devil. No longer cries of joy, just air bathed in despair.

As I remembered all those many, many things, I thought to myself: "The boss has gone too far...

I will fix this with my own hands."

I was fully aware that what I am planning would put me on the same level as the boss. It doesn't matter.

The devil needs to die.

I knew he was waiting to kill me, I will be waiting for him.

It doesn't matter if the boy would hate me for what I am about to do.

I waited in front of the bunkhouse for the devil to arrive.

"Looks like you accepted your fate, James," the boss... no, the devil said.

"I've been waiting for you," I answered back to the inhuman beast standing in the moonlight.

"If this is about the kid's worthless life then don't bother! The kid was a disappointment and so are you, you ran from your own boss to look for a new life. Do you know how much cash I've lost because of you two?"

"I don't know and I don't care, all you care in the end is money. You've already paid the devil for his throne,"

"That's a nice way to describe it you worthless brat. I will now show you what happens to a dog who refuses to take orders,"

He pulled out his rifle and aimed at my face. To his surprise, I knocked it out of his hand with a broom. I knocked him down and kicked him until he spat out blood. I pulled his head closer towards mine and said:

"If you want to be the devil so much, why don't you go down to hell?"

I stabbed his stomach with a broom so many times until he fainted.

There would be no point if he didn't feel pain...

I poured a bucket of water on him to wake him back up.

He murdered a young child I cared about after all...

I picked him up and dumped his head into the river.

He deserves to die in the most painful way...

I pulled his head out just before he started drowning and dumper his head back in once he caught enough breath.

I didn't even get to find out the kid's real name...

I repeated that action over and over again.

And he robbed me of my final chances...

I pulled him back up the hill like a hunted animal.

He pulled all that I cared about away from me...

I walked towards the kitchen where the stove is located.

HE DESERVES TO BURN IN HELL!

I threw him into the stove and watched as he burned to death.

...

...

...

If I have one wish, I wish I could see the kid one more time...

I picked up the boss's rifle and pointed it to my head...

Maybe I can meet him on the other side and find out his name...

I pulled the trigger.