Content Warning: Mention and attempt of suicide and molestation

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Lea and Noara stepped outside of the store after having bought all the necessary stuff. Lea’s hands had two bags full to the brim with food and she could feel her arms complaining a bit. Before they both could start moving, Noara started waving at a person with long brown braided hair. They had greenish skin and a slender figure. They had some casual clothes, a pair of short ragged jeans and a white t-shirt with the words “give in” written on it. They had an angular face with thin lips and sharp eyes. Lea saw this person open their eyes wide and smile, waving back. They ran towards Noara and gave her a quick hug that grabbed her by surprise.

- Noa! – The stranger said loudly – It’s been so long!

- It’s been three days, Lys – Noara laughed

- And whose fault is that? I asked to sleep with you and keep you company in the bed but, as you always, the door to your bedroom was closed – This answer made Lea perplexed, as she started to question herself what kind of relationship these two had. Meanwhile, Noara was smirking.

- Maybe one day – She looked towards Lea – Oh, I haven’t presented you. Lys, this is Lea, a human from outside. Lea, this is Lysethia, they’re my friend.

- Call me Lys – Lysethia smiled at Lea and winked at her – Are you living at Noara’s place?

- Well, yeah, you could say that. I am a guest – Lea gave them a shy smile. Lys started pouting towards Noara.

- Not fair! I ask you so many times to hang out in your house and you say no, but a human comes and you just let her! I mean, I get it, she’s quite cute, but come on! – Lea blushed and moved her head down. She wasn’t used to getting compliments.

- That’s not what’s happening and you know it. Why are you up so early anyways? Knowing you, you should already be having a hangover on someone’s bed by now.

- And I was, but this girl’s neighbors decided to start hammering at a wall and I couldn’t sleep. It was staying at her house with loud and, not the fun kind of, banging or just getting up and maybe grabbing some things from the store on my way home.

- Wait, which girl? – Noara asked, curious

- One from the bar we went last week after work, remember? Sylenea?

- Ehm – Noara paused for a second – No, I do not remember.

- God damn you and your memory.

Lea started to lose interest in the conversation they were having as it started to go deeper about stuff they did last week and talking about people with strange names that Lea couldn’t care less about. She yawned and looked right, towards the fiery hole in the middle of the plaza. She started to feel uncomfortable, both because of the awkward social situation that she was in and because her arms were getting tired of carrying the bags of food. She put the bags down carefully and turned towards Noara and interrupted her when she was about to talk.

- Hey, I’m going to check out that fiery hole over there while you two finish talking, ok?

- Ok, I’m sorry; Lys just has a way of making me curious about her stories.

- Oh, so it’s my fault then? And yeah, we’ll talk at some other point… Lea, was it? – She nodded and they smiled back – Also, be careful about the rails. They’re hecking old, I wouldn’t put my weight against them.

- I’ll keep that in mind.

Lea left the two demons talking about Lys’s last partner while she started walking towards that fiery pit. Up close, it was more intimidating than she had thought. It was like a gigantic campfire, but there was no bottom. None that she could see, anyways. The flames weren’t as wild and powerful as the Pyre, though; her eyes didn’t burn while looking at it. It was hypnotizing. While looking at it, her mind started to wander, and she paused to actually process what happened to her. She just bought food, in a store, in hell, with a demoness that kidnapped her. And she kidnapped her for money that her father owes her. She wouldn’t believe how bizarre the whole situation was if it wasn’t because she had seen demons working for her father. It was not the first time she saw people like Lysethia or Noara. Although, the ones in her house were so much different from them. Noara seemed nice. She seemed caring, even. But she couldn’t forget the fact that she kidnapped her for her own gain. And at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to hate her. She was angry, though, and she would confront her kidnapper at some point. This made her think about what would happen once she went back home. Back to her father and his gang. The fire was sparkling in front of her eyes. The images of the demons that her father used were drawn on the flames. She couldn’t keep her eyes away. She was so scared of them. She could hear their voices screaming and their drunk ramblings. She could feel their hands on her body. And she had to either go back to them or live here, where they come from. Where there could be others like them. She felt anxiety building up inside of her. The dread that there was no escape. Not even killing herself outside would free her from this nightmare. She remembered the bottle of pills on her desk besides her bed; how it was open, but she couldn’t take any. How scared she was. Scared it might not work. Scared her dad would be angry at her for doing something so stupid. She started to feel paralyzed, fright and panic building inside of her. Her anxiety was eating her inside out. Her breathing was getting faster. She felt as if she was frozen, as if she was already dead inside. Then she remembered what Noara talked about. The Pyre, the fire of the damned. Maybe this fire, like that one, could burn her very soul. Then, she wouldn’t have to live here or anywhere else. She could be free and be away from all of this. She was afraid, so afraid she couldn’t make complex thoughts. And anxious, so anxious that anything that she could think would be twisted into a nightmare. Her breathing got faster. Her eyes still locked with the fire. She got over the rail, her hands gripping it as she bent forward. The hole was deep. So deep that the fall itself would probably kill her. She was in a trance. She felt like her grip on the metal bar was disappearing. She closed her eyes and let go.

Noara grabbed Lea’s fainting body before it could fall into the flames.