Page 10 of Demonic Cage
“Is that all?” He raises his eyebrows at my silence. “Is that all you wanted to know?”
“I just… I didn’t expect such a straightforward answer,” I confess. “I thought you would say it’s some kind of joke, for a prank video or something, and you hope I didn’t buy it…”
“Is that what you want to hear from me, Lotte?”
I fall silent. He knows my name. I slowly slide my hand to the fork. Better than nothing if I need to defend myself. The man’s eyes casually drift to my hand.
“Don’t you think I would’ve killed you if I wanted to?”
I find this statement anything but reassuring. “Does that mean you know this is my favorite place? Do you also know where I live? What I like, what I do?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Next question?”
“What is aherebia?”
The man bites his lip, and a momentary anger ripples in his cloud-gray eyes. “People call them angels. They live in Herebu, in the Second World. You met two of them. Lavian is one of their leaders.”
“Ah…”Second World, what is that? “And where exactly is this country?”
“It’s on Earth. And yet, not here.”
I’m hoping me staring silently is enough to have him continue.
“How well do you know the Bible?”
“Not very well,” I confess sheepishly, prompting him to flash his bright teeth.
“That face,” he says. The spine-chilling calmness returns to his eyes. “It will be a joy when you leave that behind.”
I’m not sure how to react.
“And do you believe in it?” the man asks.
“Well… sort of. Actually, yes. What should I know about the Bible? Which story?”
“The basics are enough. Creation, Garden of Eden, Hell.”
“So, you want—” I begin, then pick up my plate again, poking at the remaining muffin with my fork. “You want to say… what, exactly?”
“Although you call it the Garden of Eden, we in the Second World call it Herebu.”
“And you wouldn’t be human.”
“Not even close.”
“I see.”
“Didn’t the syneffo convince you? The black smoke that brought you here.”
It’s interesting how I knew the meaning of the word before he explained it to me.
“You could have knocked me out or poisoned me, considering how easily I can hallucinate today…”
Suddenly, I fall silent. I don’t want to tell him about my visions. The figure leans closer, scrutinizing me.
