Please note this is a guest entry.

With teary eyes, Ann looked up at April. “You don’t understand,” she said. “They’re all like that.”

“No they’re not.” April shook her head.

“Where do you think we are?” Ann shouted. “The moment I show weakness, it will all collapse.”

The door sprung open.

Ann shoved April away, putting on a tough face. “Sam. What is it?”

He eyed Kite and April. “I guess i won't have to ask how you ended in this circle of hell.” he sighed. “Humans are so disgusting creatures.”

“Humans?” April asked.

“Ah shut your filthy mouth. You enjoy other humans bodily fluids like the rest of your kind around here,” Sam said.

Ann took a step closer. ”We're not attacking the castle.”

He shook his head. “No, that was a lie.”

“You manipulated me.” She took a step closer.

“Who better to lead an army from the circle of lust, than she who came to enjoy being treated like a dog?”

“I didn't.” she took a step back.”I never enjoyed even a second.”

Sam opened a closet, pulling out a nine tailed whip.

“Bet you're getting wet, just thinking about these leather knots. The crack they make as they hit your naked skin.”

“No.” Ann went pale as she took a step back. “That's not true.”

A pair of hands came to rest on her shoulders, as her back collided with something soft behind her.

“Leave.” April said, glaring at Sam.

“I would have,” Sam said. “I don't want to watch when you disgusting humans succumb to your desires and commit violence against god.” He smirked. “But I won’t have to. You will join the army, like it or not.”

The wooden caravan door slammed open behind him. Oliver, holding a crossbow darted into the caravan. “We gotta go. Now. There's demons everywhere.”

Sam turned around, grasping the crossbow. “And we will get you too.”

“Ann!” April's voice range out, as Ann leapt, ramming into Sam. He staggered and swung the whip. A loud crack echoed as nine leather knots connected with Ann's back. She let out a short groan.

Oliver kicked the leg away from under the staggering Sam, and he fell to the floor, landing on top of the crossbow. A mechanical clank echoed, as blood splattered onto Oliver's pants.

Oliver’s eyes swept over Sam several times before he finally looked up at Ann. “You OK?”

Ann shook her head. “But we don't have time to for that. Status?”

“People are dragged away by,” Oliver was momentarily distracted by the corpse in front of him again. “horned leaping demons. Lots of them. We’re pretty screwed.”

Ann grasped the whip and darted for a small pack in the other end of the room.“We’re leaving.”

“Kite, a hand?” April said, barely balancing on a single fresh leg and a limp one with a splint.

Kite nodded. “I can't run with you. I'll be over encumbered.”

“I'll help. Crossbow guy, carry this will ya?” Ann dropped the small brown pack with the top of a nine tailed whip sticking out, grasping April's shoulder.

“Ow Ann! that's where the bolt went.”

Ann leaned over whispering something to April whose face flushed. ”Why are you telling me that?”

Ann winked back. “Let's go.”

Oliver put the crossbow over his shoulder. “As soon as I open, we run.”

“Ready?” he pulled the door open. “Go!”

The four of them sprinted towards the woods, April’s feet tapping across the ground as she was lifted from it.

Yet the moment they turned for the forest, a horned demon noticed them.

Like a giant bunny on crack, it leapt towards them at blinding speed.

“Crap, faster!” Oliver said.

“I'm trying,” Kite replied.

“I'll try to shoot it.” Oliver said.

“If you miss we won’t get another chance.” Ann said.

the horned demon leapt closer, only a few jumps behind.

April held herself up in their shoulders, spinning around. “Hold me. I'll shoot.”

“You’re a terrible shot with a bow. And wounded.” Oliver protested.

The demon leapt again, only two leaps away now. “Pass me the fucking crossbow. I'm a sniper, not an archer.”

Oliver threw the crossbow to her. With two hands under her butt, as a sort of seat and a crossbow in hand, she took aim.

The demon leapt again. The crossbow bumped and danced, making it impossible to aim. The beast prepared the final leap. She slowly exhaled and pressed the trigger.

The demon leapt. Clank. The bolt spun in the air, drilling a hole in the middle of the demons head.

April sighed In relief as the corpse slid across the ground, landing right behind her.

For a moment they merely ran, until the encampment was out of sight.

“April,” Ann said, before holding her tongue.

“Am I too heavy?”

“No it's about what you said before.” She pondered for a second before sighing. “Never mind, let’s talk about that later. You're killing Kite.”

“Huh?” April looked at him.

Kite was as red as a tomato.

“What?” April asked.

Ann wiggled her fingers under April's butt. “You forgot to bring panties.”

April flushed red. “Hey, stop that!”

The rest of the way she was helped by the shoulders, but even without her panties, April had brought a thick atmosphere to the air. Nobody said a word until they arrived at a familiar Gray stone building.

“We just escaped this place.” Oliver said.

Ann pointed at the building. “This is the wall. Beyond lies the third circle of inferno. Inside, the forces of the second circle, lust.”

“So why’re we here?” Oliver asked.

“Because we ran like hell?” Ann said, brushing her golden hair aside. “I heard the escape from hell is past the last circle. We can go back to earth. That’s what I’ll do.”

Kite stared at April, who nodded to him.

“But,” Kite said. “Do we have to go with her?”

“Do you know the way to the last circle?” Oliver asked.

“Does she?” Kite said.

“Who said I even want to go with you?” Ann said, finger pointing at Kite.

“We will all go together.” April said. “Unless anyone wish to go alone.”

Kite and Ann stared at each other, as if holding a staring contest where the loser would be alone.

Kite glanced towards April, letting his gaze fall back on Ann. “Look, just because we’re companions now, doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten what you did.”

Ann rolled her eyes. “Oh don’t give me that. You liked it you pig.”

Faint red cheeks. “That’s not the part I’m talking about.”

“You mean the panties? Humph you’re welcome, pervert.”

Kite’s face grew redder. Whether with embarrassment or anger, nobody could tell. He did start to yell, however. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend otherwise.”

“Will you stop arguing like I’m not right between you?” April said. “We’re getting out of here before anyone finds us. Ann, how do we get past?”

“I don’t know,” Ann said.

“Man, you're as useful as the luck stat,” Kite said.

“We could try climbing it,” Oliver suggested.

April tapped her broken leg. “You’d have to leave me behind.”

“Under?” Oliver said.

“Too slow the demons would track us first.” Kite replied.

Oliver sighed. “Through it is.”

Kite pointed over his shoulder at the forest behind. “Don't worry, we didn't cross a flower field. It's not where we came from.”

Ann put her fingers on Aprils wounded shoulder.

April pulled back. “Ow! Hey what was-”

“Let me see it.”

“Here? Now?” April asked.

“Infection.”

April pulled her shirt to the side.

“Take it off.” Ann demanded.

“If you had given me a bra.” April said.

Kites face grew red once more.

With a shrug, Ann pulled the bandage to the side. April's skin was deep red with a lump of dried blood in the middle, where the bolt had entered.

“Tsch. looks pretty bad. We need to treat that.”

“how did you…” April said.

“You were sore earlier. More than before.” She eyed the wall. “We’ve got no time. I'll get you over.”

Ann grabbed a small familiar sphere from the pack Oliver carried. She passed it to April. “Hold this.”

April looked at the gray sphere that had once sat in the mouth of a nephilim. “What’re you going to–”

Ann picked April up in a princess carry. “ugh. Heavy heavy.”

“I'm not that-” April said.

“Just hurry and put it in my mouth.” Ann said.

“Like so?” April’s fingers pressed the gray sphere in between Ann’s lips.

Immediately Ann straightened up, setting into a sprint towards the wall. She ran straight up the wall, landing on top of it, ten human heights above Kite and Oliver.

Ann spat the sphere out, which rolled off of April and bounced on the bricks with a metallic clank.

She heaved for air, sitting in her knees, looking down at April. She was pale and her eyes were wide, pupils narrow, as though she had seen the memories of a thousand lost souls.

She slipped her hands from under April and darted to the other edge of the wall, emptying the contents of her stomach into the depths of the other side.

Ann wiped her mouth.

“Did you know that would happen?”

Ann nodded.

For a while, April just stared at her in an awkward silence. “You okay?”

Ann took a deep breath. “I-i think so.”

“Thanks.”

Ann looked in April’s direction with a puzzled look.

The side of April’s lips curved upwards.. “For helping me.”

“No, Shh. You hear that too?” Ann said.

A faint voice echoed deep in the halls below.

April nodded. “Let’s go check it out.”

“Are you mad?” Ann said. “It’s probably guards. We should get outta here.”

“What if it’s not?” April said.

Ann grabbed her blonde hair, pulling it. “Don’t you get it? Better safe than super dead.”

April shook her head. “Sounds like a scream. Why would guards scream? I’ll go check it out.”

“What, you gonna limp there?”

“Yes,” April said, as she stood up.

Ann sighed. “Crap. Wait up.”