In the ancient history of the Sins of the Father series began long ago (15 billion years) after all-powerful beings called celestials fought each other in a great civil war, which resulted in the death of one universe and the birth of another. In the outcome only three had survived (Creator, Life, and Death). Together they founded a new paradise and crafted new lifeforms in their own image, to rebuild what was lost in their world. Two worlds were the most promising, yet one was given more attention than the other. It became a kingdom of light, a sanctuary for the pure. This world was known as Heaven and its first inhabitants were called angels. What these beings did not know was that they were not the only ones to have survived.

Yet there was one other celestial to have survived. This entity, known only as Corruption, made its way to Heaven to try and take control of it. The three ruling celestials fought back and beaten Corruption back. Beaten and broken, Corruption scoured the universe until coming across a second world, and within his last breath shaped its inhabitants in his own twisted image. The world died and forged from fire and brimstone. The inhabitants became violent and manic, preying on one another. This sickened world became known as the Inferno (or more commonly known as Hell) and its corrupted inhabitants demons.

Eventually after millions and millions of years of development in the known universe, a third would eventually be molded. Yet that is a story for another time...

#sinsofthefather #fantasy #fiction #mythology

Rosemary and Regan were busy in the kitchen, making breakfast for their parents. A tower of pancakes drenched in syrup, a side of crispy bacon strips, two big bowls of sugary of cereal, and two glasses of orange juice. All of these meals cluttered together on a single, wooden tray.

Every year they did it for their mother and father. Now they get to do it for their mother and stepfather, who were both still asleep upstairs in their bedroom. It was almost time to get the drop on them. But first, they needed one more family member to help them out. Rosemary opened the top of Slinky's fish tank and hauled the large python out. Slinky hung around the necks of both girls like they were sharing a feathered boa together.

Up the stairs they snuck quietly. Their bedroom was around the corner at the top of the stair flight. The door was closed, meaning that their parents, Carmen Gravely and Lu Lightbringer, were still asleep. It was the perfect opportunity for the Gravely sisters to make their entrance. They counted down together.

3... 2... 1...

The door popped wide open. "Surprise!" Both Rosemary and Regan screamed happily. Once they entered, it turned to an anniversary that no one in the house would forget.

"ROSIE!" Carmen screamed, covering herself with her bedsheets.

"REGAN!" Lu screamed next, jumping away from his wife's backside.

The sisters instantly turned their screams of joy to screams of terror. Immediately they both turned and ran away, still screaming to the top of their lungs. The breakfast tray slipped out of their hands, crashing on the bedroom floor. Chunks of poreclin plates and bowls, along with glass shattered into thousands of pieces. Slinky, who had previous been resting on the girls' shoulders, laid on top of a messing floor. He blinked his emotionless eyes and flickered his forked tongue at the naked pair.

Carmen's face blushed bright red. "They saw, didn't they?" she asked sheepishly.

Her husband nodded. "Yup," Lu answered. "I think it's a safe bet they did." he then noticed the food on their floor. A fork and piece of pancake levitated into the air and flew into his hand. Lu noticed his wife's disgusted look. "What? I'm not going to let it all go to waste." Lu bit into the soggy pancake and smiled. "Happy Anniversary, sweetie." he said sheepishly.

And Happy Anniversary to Sins of the Father!

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #devil #anniversary

99 years since the last solar eclipse passed over the earth, and now it has returned to pass over the town of Brimstone. The Gravely family and friends awaited outside in the backyard for one of the universe's most anticipated moments. 

"Oh this is gonna be exciting," Carmen giddily said. "Remember to be wearing your UV glasses when the eclipse arrives, kids."

"We will," Rosemary, Regan, and Dominic replied as they sat at the picnic bench together.

Mike maned the grill, flipping some juicy steaks over the sizzling fires. "Who wants some solar eclipse steaks?" he called out.

Everyone cheered and waved a paper plate for one of Mike's steaks. With Mike's telekinetic powers they flew across the yards like meaty saucers, touching down perfectly onto everyone's plates. 

Over by the shady tree the royal adviser Legion assembled an old telescope. Lilith waltzed to where the ancient demon stood. "Ello, Legion," she greeted, "Whatcha setting up here?"

"If one is to view an astronomical event such as this," the old arachnid explained, "then it is proper to do so with this telescope."

"Blimey, you must be ecstatic about this."

"Not really. This will be my 499th time I've witnessed this event, which will pass over the sun for the duration of about 2.36 seconds; yet I can understand why some would be invested in this once in a lifetime event."

"Places everyone!" their king, Lu, hollered to everyone. "The eclipse is coming!"

Everyone huddled around the picnic benches and watched the sky. The sunny day was dimming down around them. The wind blew wildly then settled to a calm breeze. With the assistance of a pair of ultraviolet sunglasses, Carmen, Rosemary, Regan, and Dominic saw the red sun be slowly consumed by the darker moon. Smiles spread across their faces.

Carmen glanced at her husband and his supernatural company. "Honey, don't you want some-" she paused. Her cheery smile dropped when she saw her husband, his brother, his secretary, his assistant Scrugs, and his adviser looking directly into the solar eclipse, with no eye protection on. She saw their pupils boil over red as if they were sunburned by the flares. Yet their smiles still remained fresh.

2.36 seconds later—just as the old demon predicted—and the moon completed its phase over the sun. The eyes of the demons and archangel were blackened like coal. They were blinded. Carmen continued watching as their eyes quickly healed back to their original, healthy forms. Their visions returned after their brief blindness like nothing happened during those 2.36 seconds.

Lu turned to his wife. "Sorry. You say something, dear?"

Part 1

Summer was coming to a close. In a week school will begin. It was a time where kids all over Brimstone would be partaking various activities to expel their youthful energy before having to sit quietly and patiently in their classes.

Not these children.

Rosemary Gravely and her friends—Krystal, Joshua, Dominic, Kayleigh, and Ashley—sat around a flickering television screen inside the darkened living room. Each kid laid at several different angles along the large, leather couch. They didn't care what was on at the moment, their only world was the 72 inch wide screen. All their eyes were zoned in. Their mouths gaped slightly open as saliva escaped out. They were all petrified like mindless zombies to the unrelenting power of the hypnotizing screen.

Mrs. Gravely barged into the living room. "I can't believe you children," she berated. "It's a beautiful day out, and you're all lounging around in here."

She marched over to the wind opened the blinds. The sunlight blinded and burned the children. "AH, NATURAL LIGHT!" they all screamed.

"School starts next Monday for all of you, and you're wasting a gorgeous weekend inside," Mrs. Gravely continued her gripe.

"We're not wasting a weekend," her eldest daughter retorted as she rubbed her eyes, "this is our weekend."

Mrs. Gravely didn't buy her daughter's excuse. She then glanced out the window. "Look at your sister and her friends. They're playing outside."

Outside in the yard was her youngest daughter Regan and her friends in their swimsuits, hopping around a sprinkler. They laughed and danced as they were blasted by water. Rosie and her friends rolled their eyes, continuing to stare at the television. Mrs. Gravely's face boiled red. She swiped the remote off the couch's arm and turned off the hypno-box. The kid's world was now paused by a blank, black screen.

"That's it," Carmen finally put her foot down. "No more TV. All of you should be outside and enjoying the day. Do something creative and fun together. Go to a carnival, or go to the pool. Or better yet, why not explore the woods. I used to do that a lot with my friends when I was your age you know. This should be a moment to build memories. Someday when you're all grown up, you're gonna regret not doing the things you could've done as kids."

"If we're gonna regret not doing the things we've done as kids, why should be bother doing anything now?" Rosemary groaned. Her friends unanimously nodded their heads in agreement.

Mrs. Gravely wasn't having it. She ordered Rosemary and her friends to march into the family van. She even made her husband, Lu the devil, place an anti-teleportation spell around the vehicle so Dominic couldn't poof right out. Rosemary and her friends sat and scowled during the hour long ride. Mrs. Gravely found the perfect place to drop them off: the woods outside Brimstone. Miles upon miles of free land and trees that stretched to the clear, blue sky. The van came to a halt and the kids were left on the edge of the vast woodlands.

"Have fun, you six," Mrs. Gravely smiled and waved. "I'll pick you up later."

She drove off, leaving the kids to have fun themselves. Rosemary felt each darting glare from her friends. "Don't blame me for this!" she snapped.

"We blame you!" her friends snapped back.

Part 2

Rosemary, Dominic, Joshua, Krystal, Kayleigh, and Ashley paced the outskirts of the woods. Krystal Lotsadeux held her smartphone up to the sky. "I can't get a stupid signal out here!" she whined.

"I bet there's some Portable Critters we can catch." Joshua suggested. He pulled out his phone and activated the app. On the screen Joshua could tell that there were no Portable Critters around. "There's nothing!?!"

Kayleigh approached Dominic the demon boy. "Dom, can't you teleport us back to Rosie's house or something?"

"Afraid not." he shook his head. "I haven't learned those kinds of spells yet."

"What are we suppose to do?" Krystal shouted.

Ashley only shrugged. She plucked some dandelions off the ground where she stood then proceeded to lay down. Her hands held the weeds to her chest and she close her eyes, imitating her own funeral. Krystal, Dominic, Kayleigh, and Joshua gathered around her to pay their respects of their inevitable fates the longer they stayed in these woods.

Rosie rolled her eyes, not buying any of this. She marched over to her resting friend, giving her a good nudge in the ribs with her foot.

"Get up, Ash," she insisted, "We're not gonna die. We're here, so I guess we'll find something to do."

Ashley finally got up and wiped the grass off her clothes. The six friends sighed before trekking deep into the woods.

"This totally sucks." the rich heiress pouted, which they all agreed.

                                                               ***

The group walked deeper and deeper into the woods. The woods were so thick the leaves blocked out the sun's rays, so they didn't have to worry about breaking any sweats. Nevertheless it had only been less than five minutes since they started hiking and they were already tired of spotting every tree and every bush and every stone they came across. The further they walked the more they got bored.

Rosemary led the group, as usual, while the others followed behind. The five humans marched along the dirt trail while Dominic hopped from tree to tree like a demonic squirrel child. The tiny claws in each of his three fingers gripped tightly into the bark.

"Hey Dominic." Kayleigh called out to the demon. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." he called back.

"Do you have a last name?" she asked him.

Dominic pounced onto the next branch and stopped. "Yeah, why?"

"Well what is it?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious."

"Yeah I'm curious too," Rosie joined in. She stopped and the group followed too. "What is your last name?"

"Yeah," Joshua exclaimed too. "What is it?"

Dominic hopped off the branch, landing perfectly on the ground with his friends. "I don't see the big deal about having a last name." the hesitant demon said. "Not everyone has a last name. I bet the devil doesn't have a last name."

"Actually I've seen Lu sign his full name as Lucifer Lightbringer." Rosemary corrected.

"But what about your uncle, the archangel? He doesn't have a last name."

"I asked him about that once. He said it's Sunday. He and his siblings are named after the days of the week."

"We all got last names," Ashley signed, "How else do we tell each other apart?"

"Ash's right," Kayleigh said, understanding her friend's sign language. "I even have two last names. Mostly because neither of my dads wanted to change their last name."

"So, what's your last name?" Krystal demanded along with her friends. "Just tell us what it is already!"

"Fine. I'll tell ya." Dominic sighed. He scratched the back of his head, still too nervous to admit it. "My last name is... Doomslayer."

Rosemary and the others blankly stared at the demon boy. "Dude," she finally spoke, "that is the best last name ever."

"No it's not," Dominic defensively spat,"It's so corny."

"That name's awesome." Krystal complemented.

"I would totally change my last name to that." Ashley signed, agreeing with the others.

"Aw shut up." Dominic muttered while his friends laughed. He was lucky they didn't ask him about his middle name, which was Bartholomew.

Part 3

The six children continued hiking down the trail, still bored after being abandoned by Rosie's mother. They walked and walked. That was all they could do. The only thing worth doing in these boring woods. Dominic the demon boy tried to break dull hike with a simple game. "I spy with my little eye-" he rhymed.

"A tree?" Joshua moaned, interrupting the demon.

"A rock?" Kayleigh groaned.

"A needed ass-whooping?" Ashley irately signed.

Dominic expressed a bitter sigh. "Nevermind."

"Ugh, this is so dumb!" Krystal cursed and stomped her feet. "What the hell are we suppose to do out here? It's just the woods."

Rosemary stopped. "Let's just take a break from walking now. My feet are killing me."

The group stopped, groaning and griping about their sore feet. "I'm gonna go pee over there." Joshua said, heading over to some bushes.

At least there were plenty of trees around to provide some shade from the blistering sun. Rosemary leaned against a tree and watched her friends. She and her friends were already bored, but knowing her mother she won't come back until the day is done. Which means they'll have to come up with some fun activities in a few hours before sunset.

She remembered that her father, Doug Gravely, would have made turned this expedition into something fun. It was like his super power. He could make anything fun. Learning, road trips, study hours, parties, anything. It was why he was voted 'Favorite Teacher' five years in a row when he taught at Rosemary's school. She must have inherited something else from her father other than his taste in music, especially rock and metal.

Rosie looked at each of her friends, hoping one of them could give her an idea. Krystal held a small mirror in her hand while she powdered her face. She could give Narcissus a run for his money. Kayleigh and Ashley were laying down, looking up at the clear sky. There were barely any clouds in the area for them to identify the different shapes they made. Joshua went into the bushes for some privacy. She then looked to her demon friend, who found himself a thin stick and swung it at some leaves off a tree branch.

Rosemary smiled. An idea had sprung. It was time for this Gravely to kick start some fun.

Dominic whacked off another leaf with his stick, treating it like a sword. Then his stick smack into another stick. He looked over and saw Rosie holding a stick too. Her eyes look wicked as her devious smile.

"Uh, Rosie," the demon boy said, "what are you doing?"

"You!" Rosie spoke in a terrible Japanese accent like in those old Samurai movies she used to watch. "You have dishonored yourself by assaulting the sacred leaves. Now we shall fight to the death."

All her friends awkwardly stared at her. "Girl, are you trippin'?" Kayleigh asked.

Rosemary tapped at Dominic's stick, probing for a duel. Dominic's lips curved. He pieced together what was going on. "No," he smiled and said, with an accent just as ridiculous as Rosie's. His stick sword tapped back at Rosemary's. "It is you who has brought dishonor. You must pay with your life."

Their sticks met again. First Rosemary lunged, then followed by Dominic. The swings weren't coming fast. Just the right speed so they wouldn't have to injuring themselves with an accidental hit. They blocked, they parried, it felt like a real sword fight. And they were both laughing while they fought. They were having some real fun.

Joshua walked out of the bushes, confused at what was happening. "You!" Rosemary cried, pointing her stick at Joshua and still speaking in her bad accent. "You have brought dishonor by peeing in those bushes."

Joshua then understood. He found himself a stick and readied to duel. "Ha, no heathen can tell a holy knight of the crusades where he can and cannot pee. Have at you!"

His stick-sword smacked into Rosemary's. Dominic tried to defend her honor by attacking, but Joshua managed to block and the duel ensued. Three down, three to go.

Kayleigh and Ashley looked at each other and shrugged. It did look like fun and there was nothing else to do at the moment. The two found a pair of sticks and charged into battle like bloodthirsty warriors. The five friends engaged in an epic pretend fight with their imaginary swords. It was the girls versus the boys. Smiles and laughter were spreading like a virus. Yet the only one who seemed to be immune was Krystal, who stood on the outside.

"Come on, Krystal." Dominic called out, "Join in and make it an even fight."

"I am not having a pretend sword fight with you dweebs." the rich heiress scowled. "What are we, six-years old?"

The five kids stopping sparring and looked at Krystal. They knew her to be pretentious and stuck-up at times, but it didn't mean that she had to ruin their attempt at fun. But Krystal was different from all the other rich kids she interacted with in her life. She had her own way of adding more fun.

The heiress smirked and pulled out a busted branch that broke off from some tree. She hauled it over her shoulder like a club. "I don't have a sword." she said, imitating a disgruntled voice. "I have a tactical plasma shotgun."

Everyone's smiles returned. "Oh no!" they screamed, "It's Major Rager!"

"You suckas woke me from my nap. Now it's time for me to bring the rage."

Krystal pointed the branch like a gun and made laser noises, firing imaginary plasma shells at her companions like in their favorite video game. Instead of swords they traded their stick-swords into stick-guns.

The pretend medieval battleground turned into an intergalactic firefight. They made lasers sounds with their lips and tossed pine cones like hand grenades. It was silly and childish, but it was fun. Perhaps they could find something to do in these woods after all.

Part 4

"Well that was actually fun for a while." Rosie said as she and her group continued hiking through the woods. Their fake warfare ended over half an hour ago.

They carried onward into the woods. Among the group Ashley surveyed the surrounding area. She saw the leaves shutter under the breeze and birds chirping in their nests. Even though she cannot hear them she imagined the pleasant sounds they made. She looked over at Rosie, admiring her as a strong leader when she led the group in the front. Then she looked back to friends and noticed something was off. Quietly she counted each of them in her head. Up front was Rosie, then there was Krystal, Kayleigh, and Joshua. One friend was missing. Ashley tapped Rosie's shoulder, which signaled her to stop. The others followed too. "Hey, where's Dom?" Ashley signed.

Everyone understood what that meant. The demon was gone. Each one checked up in the trees, wondering if he was crawling along the bark and branches as he would. There was no sign of him. That was until...

POOF!

A small cloud of ash and smoke popped in the middle of the group. The five human children coughed, waving away the smoke out of their faces. Once the ash cloud faded Dominic appeared in its place.

"Check it out. Look what I found." their demonic friend excitedly said. He held his odd hand out and showed his friends a small, pointed stone in his hand. "How cool is this? I found it under a pine tree back over there." The stone looked unusual. So flat and smooth. The edges looked they were crafted to be jagged with the long, narrow end made into a triangle.

"Wow, that's an arrowhead." Kayleigh exclaimed, admiring its craftsman. "Probably from a Native American tribe long ago."

"Sweet!" Dominic said in awe. "My siblings and I would find stuff like this and other trinkets in the canyons of the Inferno. They go back to the times of the Heaven-Hell War."

"There was a war between Heaven and Hell?" Krystal questioned.

"Yeah," Rosemary answered for her friend, "apparently demons and angels fought an ancient war for a long time. I think it was around that time Lu became the devil."

"That's right," Dominic said. "My dad also fought in it, but he doesn't really like to talk about it."

An idea then sprang in Joshua's head, "Hey, maybe there's more stuff we can find."

"Yeah," Kayleigh agreed, "Maybe we can find some more arrowheads!"

"Or gold." Ash signed giddy.

"Or diamonds." Krystal mentioned.

"Or dinosaur bones." Dominic said. "I always wanted to see one of those."

"We can have a scavenger hunt." Joshua proposed.

"Sounds good... except for the scavenger part." Dominic brought up. The mere mention of those nightmarish horrors that inhabited the darker corners of Hell sent shivers through his small body. There were many unnerving stories told about the infected creatures. The first time he ever encountered one of these creatures was a moment he would never forget. It was when he felt fear for the first time. "We can just call it a 'trinkets' hunt."

"Fair enough," Rosie agreed. The term scavenger never had the same meaning after her first encounter from those anorexic monsters. "Everyone split off into pairs," her orders came, "Meet back in half an hour with whatever you find. It's gotta be something cool, or at least something you find cool. Ready? Go!"

The six young friends ran off. Rosemary and Dominic paired up and ran to one direction, down a nearby ravine for any trinkets they could find. Dominic was definitely okay with it just being the two of them. It meant that he and Rosemary had a little alone time together. In a way it seemed romantic, not that he would openly admit to the others, especially in front of Rosemary.

Krystal and Joshua ran off in another direction. The heiress and the Christian boy ventured a while until they came across a river. They walked along together but neither really wanted to cross over it. For Joshua he feared that his over-protective mother would freak and ban him from all outdoor activities. Krystal, on the other hand, didn't want to track mud and water on her new, expensive shoes she bought.

The last pairing was Kayleigh and Ashley, which worked out perfectly since Kayleigh was the only other person among them, other than Rosemary, that fully understood her friend's sign language. Together they explored over a large hill deep in the woods, hoping to find some interesting stuff laying around.

After much searching the three teams returned to the same spot they started. It wasn't much they found, just some objects they thought were cool. Among there collection were a spiral-shaped rock, a couple agates, another arrowhead, a rusty bottle cap, a silver dollar, an old lunch box dated back to the 1960s, a long quartz shard, and a clam shell fossil. Now all that was left was to figure out what to do with their findings.

"I have an idea," Joshua said, and the others followed his lead. Taking the old lunchbox the six friends placed their items inside its empty contents. They all scraped and dug at the dirt with their bare hands and a few sticks, just to dig a hole deep enough for their box to fit inside. It was like planting their own treasure trove.

The six then buried up their treasure and left to wander some more. They wondered if they would find it again some day. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't remember. It didn't seem to matter to them. It seemed like good fun at the time.

Part 5

Dominic exited out of a patch of bushes, zipping up his pants along the way. He felt relieved that he didn't have to hold in his urine any longer. Now all that was left was to rejoin his human friends, wherever they were. He went to the spot where they were last resting but they were gone.

"Hey guys," he called out. "Where're you-"

He then heard his friends all hush him. The hushing seemed to come inside a large bush. "Quiet." Kayleigh's voice whispered. "You don't want to scare it."

Dominic was confused. He wondered why they would be hiding inside a bush, and why they were keen on keeping quiet. The small imp crept his way over to where he heard the voices like a cat after a mouse. He crawled through the green leaves that masked his body until he was shoulder to shoulder between Rosemary and Krystal and the others. Rosemary pointed a finger out to an open field where a doe stood, grazing in the grass.

Dominic's toothy jaw gaped open and his dark eyes lit up in astonishment. "What is it?" The imp whispered.

"You've never seen a deer before?" Krystal said.

Dominic had in fact never seen a deer before. Hell did not house any sort of fauna such as a innocent looking creature. The demons were more familiar with the demonic goats—not to be mistaken for demons that looked like goats or had goat-like features. And then there were the sand eels and worms that slithered around the rocks, the many tentacled carnivorous fungi that waited for prey, the plains-roaming wrethkars, the hellfire bats and birds that soared the hazy skies, and the famous hellhounds whose howls were a wary call for death. Of course one would never forget the infamous scavengers that stalked the shadows, but all demons treat them like a plague rather than an animal.

This creature was something else. No fangs, horns, or scales. No head with multiple eyes, or a secondary head, or a tail with a poisonous stinger at the end. It was just normal, at least normal enough in the human's world. To the human kids it was just cool to see a deer wandering around, minding its own business. To a young demon like Dominic it was like witnessing a rarity, like seeing a living dinosaur for the first time.

Then came a second surprise to the group. A small deer, a fawn, walked its way to the larger animal. It rubbed its little head against the larger's shoulder, to which the adult responded by cleaning off the fawn's face with her tongue. The group figured that small fawn belonged to the doe, each showing amazement with a small smile on their faces.

When they thought their day couldn't have enough surprises, the sound of thunder made them jump. The ears of the two deer perked up and the pair leaped off to the opposite side of the woodlands. The children looked up through the trees and saw dark clouds rushing in. Rain followed shortly, dropping down from the heavens and landing everywhere.

The six friends booked it, running as far as they could from the increasing rain. Dominic spotted a cave deep inside a rocky outcrop and the rest followed. They all entered into the mouth of the cave, feeling a little cold from the rain; but at least the cave was dry.

"Geez, wish your mom could have warned us it was gonna rain." Krystal complained. "Now what do we do?"

There wasn't really much they could do now but wait. The six friends sat around inside the mouth and watched the miserable showers. It seemed to come down faster and faster. They listened to the water drip off the stalactites above, but Rosemary listened to something more. If there was anything her father taught her was that music can come from anything. As she listened closely the water was making a rhythm of its own.

Drip, drip, drop. Drip, drip, drop.

"Hey! I think I know what we can do now." Rosemary said and stood up in front of the group. "Alright, stomp your feet like this."

Rosemary stomped both her feet on the ground. It was only a repeated two stomp rhythm. Right foot first, then left foot followed.

Stomp, stomp!

Stomp, stomp!

The others stood up and mimicked her motions.

Stomp, stomp!

Stomp, stomp!

"Now clap your hands like this." she commanded. Her rhythm then became a beat.

Stomp, stomp, clap!

Stomp, stomp, clap!

Her friends repeated her pattern. Suddenly the pattern started to run a little faster to a familiar beat. It wasn't until Rosie started singing that they realized what they were doing.

"Buddy you're a boy make a big noise

 Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day

 You got mud on yo' face

 You big disgrace

 Kickin' your can all over the place

 Singin'..."

"WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!" Everyone started singing Queen's timeless classic. The song seemed to echo deep into the cave as they continued their play concert. Then Ashley started breaking out into an imaginary guitar solo. Her hands held the fingerboard and wildly strummed the strings. She flailed her head around and her tongue wriggled like a worm on a hook. Her eyes were closed shut as she kept imagining that she was performing the most radical rock solo on the planet.

Her friends cheered her on. "Whoo! Rock it, Ash!" "You go girl!" "Go, Ashley, go!"

Ashley then started walking on top of some large rocks inside the cave. To her it left like her stage was growing higher and higher, oblivious to the reality she was actually stuck in. Yet she still kept her epic solo going. Then she took her imaginary guitar and smashed it onstage until it was into imaginary pieces.

Her friends still cheered her on. Even though Ashley couldn't hear them, they still cheered for her. "Yeah, smash that guitar!" "Rock on!" "Go, Ashley, go!"

Ashley's eyes were still closed. She still imagined the rocking crowd call for her, chanting her name. She made devil horns with her fingers and audience insider her mind went wild. They all dared her for a dramatic stage dive, which all her friends immediately recognized as they were standing directly below her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Ash! I know what you're think, but don't do it."

"Don't jump! Don't jump!"

"We're right below you, Ash. Open your eyes!"

"No, Ashley, no!"

"She's deaf! Why are we still yelling at her?"

Too late. Ashley dived for the crowd. Her friends screamed and then there was a sudden crash. Ashley finally opened her eyes and discovered that the roaring crowds were no more. Instead of cheers there were a series of painful groans from each of her friends, whom she laid on top off after her epic concert had ended.

Part 6

After their fun rocking choir ended the six friends decided to explore the cave. Walking around somewhere in the woods started to feel redundant; but what other activity was for them to do in the meantime?

The cave was much larger than they previously thought. It seemed to go deeper and deeper to somewhere, plenty of room for exploring. Neither Rosemary, Joshua, Krystal, Kayleigh, or Ashley knew about this cave. Brimstone definitely had its fair share of secrets. But wherever this cave was located it was their new, temporary hangout while the rain continued, and they might as well explore it. Down the narrow corridors the group journeyed onward in their little spelunking expedition, feeling like they were walking in the gullet of a sleeping giant. It was dark so Dominic held a small magic flame in his hand. The walls were moist with water and mold they dare not touch them, in fear that their hands would get greased from cave gunk. They then came across a large open space filled with pointy stalagmites and stalactites. A breeze of air brushed through as if the living cave was still breathing. Deep down they wanted to leave but the sense of adventure and curiosity drove the six companions further and further down the cave.

There, at the end, they all saw a light. Not Dominic's little light, he had already extinguished that when he saw it too. It was light from the sun that shined an exit for the group. Rosemary led on as they walked into a new discovery; they found it, deep in what would be the heart of the cave. Everyone's eyes grew wide and their mouths dropped open from the magnificent wonder they discovered. Inside the heart was a rocky ledge, and below them was a large pool of water so crystal clear they can see the bottom floor. It didn't look too deep but not too shallow as well. Up above was another cave mouth that was opened to the sky where the sun shined through. It must have been a quick downpour for it to be sunny now. The rays above glistened off the stalactites and the water everywhere.

Everyone awed at the wondrous new location, but their focus was more on the refreshing water below. It looked nice enough to swim in. "Wow. I bet that water feels nice." Joshua commented.

"Too bad we didn't bring any swimsuits." Kayleigh said, desperately wanting to jump in.

A wicked grin rolled on Rosemary's face, the same grin that was there before when she came up with that idea for a pretend sword fight with sticks. "You know, screw it." she laughed. As the old saying goes, when in Rome.

The first thing Rosemary did was take off and drop her signature beanie. Then she pulled off the scrunchy that held together her ponytail on the back of her head. Her raven hair felt free as a flower yet a good clump of hair still covered one of her eyes. Her hoodie and her t-shirt were then hauled off next. The group of friends gasped when she started popping off her shoes and socks.

"Whoa, what're doing?" Krystal asked confusedly.

They then really freaked when she started unbuckling her belt and pants. "You cannot be serious!" Krystal cried, realizing what her bestie was doing. The only two boys blushed and covered their eyes, making sure they didn't get a glimpse of Rosemary pulling down her pants. Everyone shouldn't have been too surprised by Rosemary's actions. She was somewhat of a tomboy at heart. And when a Gravely had a crazy idea there was no stopping them. Rosemary tossed her good clothes aside, now dressed half-naked in her tank top and panties. Everyone around her stared shocked that she would do this but Rosemary's focus was directly off the point. All she needed was a running start, full speed.

She launched. "CANNONBALL!" her ecstatic screams echoed through the whole cave. Like jumping off the tallest diving board at her local pool, she leaped off the ledge and wrapped her arms around her legs until she was shaped like a human ball. It didn't take long for her to hit the water. It felt cool and fresh against her skin and hair, the perfect water temperature. After absorbing the pool's coolness she emerged like a mermaid breathing air for the first time.

"Come on it, guys. The water's great." Rosie called for her friends, who continued to stare uncomfortably at her from above the ledge. She submerged herself again and popped right back up immediately. "Come on! Don't be chicken."

"Yeah, nice try, girlfriend," Krystal snobbishly remarked. "but there is, like, no way in hell we're jumping in too, in our underwear for that matter."

Perhaps not all of them. Dominic started to smile. It seemed crazy but that water did look nice. And he can't leave a girl swimming alone. There had to be a swimming buddy after all. He then slunk back behind the group, which did not escape the eyes of his concerned friends. They then stared awkwardly at him when he clawed off his shirt and undershirt. Then off came his shoes and socks, and then his pants followed too until he was only dressed in his boxer shorts. His little tail slipped through the hole in the back of his pants like a thread through a needle's eye but remained to balance out inside the hole in his shorts.

He ran towards the ledge and screamed, "Yeehaw!" He plummeted head first into the pool below. His tail coiled around his waist so his shorts didn't slip out when he hit the water. The young demon emerged next to Rosemary, spitting out a stream out of his mouth. While the pool felt nice, it probably wasn't safe to drink.

His dark eyes finally opened. The first thing he saw was the girl he secretly crushed on staring back at him with a plain smile on her adorable face. Dominic couldn't help but blush again since it was just the two of them swimming around in their underwear. Rosemary splashed at him to get him stop gawking and laughed. The demon splashed back and laughed too.

Krystal, Ashley, Kayleigh, and Joshua remained above them, watching them splash each other back and forth. Krystal then commented, "Well you two loons can swim all you want. We're not-"

"Look out below!" she heard Kayleigh's cries. Then she saw her zip by and jump in. Ashley followed behind her. What surprised the rich heiress the most was as they ran by, she noticed that they too had already undressed themselves, wearing only their tank tops and underwear too, as they both jumped into the cool water below together. The four friends laughed and swam around the large pool with only Krystal and Joshua still watching above.

"Good thing our parents raised us to be a little more sophisticated, right Josh?" She didn't hear an answer from him. "Josh?" Krystal turned and found her friend Joshua was no longer next to her. She looked back and gasped in disgust when she caught Joshua struggling to get his pants off his foot, hobbling around in his tighty-whities. Finally free he tossed them aside in a pile along with the others and ran off the ledge.

"Woohoo!" he screamed, feeling free from all restrictions in his life and splashing into that cool water below. Unlike the others Joshua kept swimming until he reached the bottom. He grazed his hand along the limestone floor and sands, which felt a mixture of coarseness and smooth like a lizard's belly. He finally swam back up and joined the others in their splashing contest.

They paused once realizing that Krystal was all that's left. "Come on, Krystal." her best friend Rosemary dared her. "Just strip and jump in with us."

Soon everyone in the pool chanted, "Strip and jump! Strip and jump! Strip and jump!"

Krystal tried to block out their chants but it was getting too much on her nerves. She didn't want to be swimming in some possibly bacteria-filled cave pond, but her crazy group of friends kept insisting she'd join them. "Fine I'll do it!" she barked and her friends cheered. After slowly undressing herself Krystal looked over the edge, shivering since she was in her training bra and panties. She still tried to cover herself, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed that everyone was staring at her. The water looked nice but it was so uncivilized. She was raised in a mansion with a built in swimming area and water park. She shouldn't have to succumb to something like this, especially in her underwear with her half-naked friends.

Well it was time to suck it up. She just needed a running start like all the rest. She was disgusted every time her bare feet touched the slimy surface of the rock ledge. Once she was backed far enough she sprinted. Everybody in the pool heard her angry cries. "YOU GUYS SUUUUCCK!"

Krystal jumped and plunged into the water. To this pretentious princess the water was as cold as the Arctic. She had a built in spa inside her family mansion that was warmer than this cave water. She popped up to the surface, shivering evermore from the pool's temperature but at least the sun far above felt warm. Things didn't help when Dominic's tail whipped a stream of water toward her, splashing right in her face. The self-titled princess growled and tried splash at the others in retaliation, but they all splashed around as a game.

The six friends continued swimming, splashing, and laughing for what seemed like an eternity. They did a whole range of activities that any kid would do in a pool like holding their breath underwater to see who could hold it the longest, which Dominic became the champion of with six minutes and fifty-one seconds. Afterward they tried settling for a chicken fight with Krystal and Ashley on top of Joshua's and Dominic's shoulders. Then they raced around and around along the walls of the cave's pool to creating a small whirlpool.

Eventually they grew tired and their hands wrinkly like prunes, which meant it was time to get out. They rested together on some boulders as the sun's rays helped dry them off. They still didn't know if anyone knew about this cave but they didn't seem to care either. To them it belonged to them and no one else, and they definitely wouldn't mind coming back here again, with proper swimwear next time.

Part 7

The sun was setting over the horizon, almost blanketing the woods with the coming night. Waiting on the outskirts were Rosemary Gravely, Joshua Wordsworth, Kayleigh Marlow-Goto, Ashley DeMarco, Krystal Lotsadeux, and Dominic Doomslayer, all exhausted from their adventure in the woods. They all found their way back to where they started thanks to a locator spell that Dominic cast earlier. It was sort of like a spellbinder's GPS. Comes in handy when one is trying to find their car in a crowded parking lot.

Speaking of cars and other vehicles, a small mini-van drove along the road and gradually slowed to a halt in front of the children. It was none other than the Gravely family's van, driven by none other than Mrs. Gravely herself. She smiled and waved as van doors automatically slid open. The kids slowly crawled inside and buckled themselves in the squishy seats.

"So, did you all have fun today?" Rosie's mother asked eagerly. Yet the reactions she was hoping for was dulled down.

"I guess." Rosemary mumbled.

"The woods was fine." Dominic yawned.

"Saw a bunch of trees and leaves and stuff." Krystal moaned.

"Nothing too exciting." Kayleigh shrugged.

"It was pretty something." Joshua muttered.

Ashley, the most quiet of the bunch, said not a word but gestured a tiredly thumbs up.

"Well excuse me for trying so hard to introduce something new and exciting to your youthful lives." Mrs. Gravely ranted. She set the gear from park to drive and drove them home. "Summer is almost over and you're too busy thinking about what's on T.V., or the next video game tournament, or just lounging around like couch potatoes. You know at least I can say I tried. I tried to change things up a bit so you can come up with fun on your own. I bet you didn't even know about a cave out in those woods somewhere, and inside that cave was a large pool of water. Oh no, I bet you didn't go looking for it at all. I bet you just..."

Her raving finally stopped when she looked back in the rear view mirror. She caught a glimpse of her eldest daughter and all her friends tuckered off to sleep after their productive day. What really made Mrs. Gravely smile was when she caught her daughter's head resting on Dominic's shoulder as his head rested on her head like two unknowing love birds.

"Carmen Gravely, you are right about everything." she proudly whispered to herself. Although those kids won't be sleeping for too long. It was only an hour until they arrived back at their house on 999 Milton Avenue. Soon they'll wake up, stay over for dinner, then Rosie's friends will say goodbye and head back to their homes while Mrs. Gravely tucks her daughter into bed. Shortly after the weekend it'll be Monday, which means it was back to school for everyone. While those six friends may never admit it to Rosemary's mother, but she was right. Summer was a time to be making memories, and this memory will never be forgotten by any of them.

Autumn morning glowed dimly over Brimstone as Rosemary and Regan walked together to their school. Their house wasn't too far. Only several blocks down the road of Milton Avenue. So it was safe for them to walk by themselves without the escort or supervisions of their parents. The day was good so far. Partly cloudy but still warm for the sun to shine on. Dressed in their light, wind jackets the Gravely sisters crossed the many streets hand in hand, carrying their backpacks along the way.

While they walked Rosemary stopped her little sister. Something moved by their feet. Another shadow. It didn't appear to belong to either of them. The sisters looked behind them yet nothing was there. Was that a friend that ran by, they wondered. Was that a neighbor? A biker or runner? A stranger, perhaps?

There was a sudden chill in the air. Their small bodies trembled from the cold; or perhaps fear swept through them. Cautiously the Gravely sisters continued walking at a much faster pace.

The girls noticed it again. It wriggled through the grass like a giant, flat worm. The shadow was following them. They hurried as fast as they could to get away from the stalking shadow, but it zipped by without them noticing. The girls haulted when the shadow moved in front of them.

Out popped a figure from the shadow's spot. The girls jumped and fell on their bottoms from at the sight of the ambusing figure. They fearfully shook and huddled together when they recognized the figure. Black hair, red suit, black suede shoes, pale skin, poiny goatee, and gleaming red eyes. It was their stepfather. It was the Devil, Lu.

Cornered and trapped, the Devil pulled out two lunchboxes behind his back and told them, "You girls forgot your lunches in the kitchen."

#sinsofthefather #fiction #comedy #fantasy #horror #devil

"He's not under the couch."

"He's not inside the piano."

"And he's not in the kitchen anywhere. Just keep looking, girls. I swear, I'm gonna nail the top of his tank shut. Hey Scrugs, Lilith! Any luck in the backyard?"

"Sorry Carmen, he's not under the deck."

"And he's not in your swimming pool."

"Check the garage next. Mike! Anything?"

"I checked the rain gutters. He's not there either."

"He's gotta be around here somewhere. Where could one big snake possibly go?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! SOMEBODY GET THIS SNAKE OUTTA MY BATHWATER!"

"Hurray! Lu found Slinky!"

"Correction, Regan. I think Slinky found Lu."

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #snake

Rain poured continous as Rosemary and Regan walked together to school. Their shoes and raincoats were soaked to their skins. Their day was starting off miserably as the dark, grey clouds that coated over Brimstone. Suddenly a bright light shined over them, drying the pair completely. It wasn't the sun that made the Gravely sisters smile but the presence of their uncle Michael, who safely escorted them to their school under the warm comforts of his majestic wings.

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #horror #comedy #family #flashfiction #short #paragraph

Yet another Halloween night arrived on the unusual town of Brimstone, which meant costumes and treats door to door. Among the many trick-or-treaters were members of the Gravely family: Lu, Rosemary, and Regan. Mrs. Gravely remained home for the evening, handing out goodies to all the young visitors. Rosemary and Regan skipped along the sidewalk. Their devilish stepfather strayed behind, hands in his pocket and a cigarette puffing from his mouth. The pair of sisters were definitely happy that he wasn't upwind of them. It was bad enough that their garage and his car often smelled of cancerous smoke.

Regan dressed up as a pretty princess with a long pink dress and a sparkling, plastic, jewel crown. Rosemary on the other hand dressed up as one of the band members of KISS, complete with crazy hair, face paint, and equipped with her rocking guitar named Sammie. As they walked the eldest daughter would strum a few beats from Sammie's ecustic strings. Lu dressed as his regular attire. All the girls in the family joked that he was scary enough without a costume, to which the Devil agreed.

The trio stopped off at each household, collecting as much candy as they could get. "Trick or treat!" they sang to each homeowner that opened their doors. Like every kid they too were treated with delicious sweets. The Marlow-Goto house always offered the best treats. Large, sugar-coated lollipops and pixie sticks place on top of their candy piles. Down the street the local dentist dropped sugar-free gum and toothbrushes into their bags, not what they wanted but a kind offering. They stopped off at Mrs. Wordsworth's house, who never celebrated Halloween or decorate her household like the rest of the festive neighborhood. Instead of giving away treats she dropped small Christian comics into their bags in hopes of converting as many trick-or-treaters to the pathway towards God. The girls were more than happy to let Lu burn them in his bare hands once they were far enough from Mrs. Wordsworth's house.

After collect another handful of goodies from another house, Rosemary and Regan raced each other to the other side of the street to reach the next household. Lu slowly paced himself afar as he kept a watchful eye on them. Seeing his stepdaughters having fun molded a small smile around his lips. When the pair reached the other corner of the street they stopped when the spotted a dastardly trick played in their neighborhood. Two older kids tossed eggs at the garage doors and threw toilet paper into the trees. One was a troublemaking boy in his teens with a blue football jersey on him. The other was a girl about the same age as her accomplice with a orange-colored mohawk for hair. Neither of the sisters recognized the older kids but the definitely could tell that they were bigger, taller, and dumber. They were middle schoolers.

"Hey, what're you doing?" the oldest Gravely sister called out. "That's not cool, dude."

"Yeah!" Regan agreed. "That's not nice!"

"Oooh," one of the bullies mocked. "What're you gonna do about it?"

The troublesome duo halted their activities and walked up to the Gravely sisters. Their heights overshadowed them. A small jolt of fear numbed both Rosie and Regan, but they dared not revealed their fear in front of the bullies. The teens then swiped their bags of treats out of the sisters' hands. "Hey! Give that back!" Rosemary snapped.

"Alright. Free treats for us." the older girl mocked.

"We're gonna tell!" Regan warned them.

The two bullies laughed aloud. "Who ya gonna tell?" the older boy teased, digging through their goodie bags. "Your mommy?"

"Worse. Our stepfather." Rosemary's then warned.

The bullies laughed even harder. "Now I'm really scared," the older female sarcastically said.

"What's he gonna do about it?" the older male asked. "Sue us?" They laughed some more unbeknownst that the street lights above them flickered off. The darkness of the Halloween night engulfed around them while they continued laughing. Rosemary and Regan then saw a shadowy outline of Lu emerge behind the two bullies, but kept quiet as the allowed their stepfather to deal with them.

The female bully then cried. "Your stepfather's probably a wimp and a loser. I bet I can take him." They never noticed that the shadow figure's eyes lit bright red through the coming darkness.

The Gravely sisters watched as their stepfather's shadow dissolved into a black mist. The mist soundlessly grew larger and larger, much to the ignorance of the two teasing teens. The mist took a form. A large body shaped itself inside the darkness. Then those pair of red eyes shined again, only they were much bigger than before.

One of the bullies stopped laughing and nudged her friend. "Why's everyone staring at us?" she asked. Both bullies noticed that not only were the two sisters stared back at them but everyone in the area as well. They saw how the mouths of each bystander dropped open upon a horrible sight. The pair of troublemakers were confused until they felt a warm puff of wind brush against their bodies.

They flinched still. Somebody, or something, was right behind them. The sound of a low, carnivorous growl jumpstarted their hearts. Goosebumps popped around their skins that now turned pale as ghosts. They both zipped around to see a large, pointed head of some sort of dragon-dinosaur-Godzilla hybrid beast leaning in on them. Large horns over its brows, a 60-foot length from snout to tail, bony spikes atop its head and most of the body, scales red as blood, and a pair of toothy, smaller mouths breathing on each side of its cheeks. The creature stared at them with the most hungry, predatory, red eyes.

A loud roar erupted from the Beast's toothy maw that almost knocked the bullies off their feet. They instead swayed like trees inside a hurricane. They both got a whiff of the Beast's foul breath that smelled of death and decay. Fear swept through their adolescent bodies. Some of it even leaked out and stained the inside of their pants.

"Is that your stepfather?" the bullies nervously stammered.

"Yup," both the Gravely sisters said. Neither of them were afraid of the beast before them.

The bullies handed back their goodie bags. "We're really sorry!" the boy cried.

The girl shook where she stood. "Yeah, never gonna do something like this again! Please don't eat us!"

Those predator eyes still glared brightly. The Beast quickly snapped its larger jaws at the two bullies, causing them to scream as they ran to the opposite side of the street. They were never going to be a nuisance on another Halloween night ever again. But the bullies, however, weren't the only ones to run away from the monstrous sight of the Beast. Other bystanders and trick-or-treaters ran to various corners of the street, away from the Beast. Only Rosemary and Regan remained close to their stepfather's alternate form.

"You're still in there, right Lu?" Rosemary called up to him.

The Beast's eyes now glared at them. The Gravely sisters saw there was no savagery in those reptilian pupils. They were soft and gentle. Lu was definitely in control of the Beast this time.

A large, scaly hand held out before the two girls, offering them a ride to their next stops. They both happily obliged and stepped into its large palms. The Beast rose straight up with his stepdaughters holding onto his fingers. His clawed feet left smoldering imprints in the asphalt streets as he lumbered towards the next houses for treats.

"Let's stop over to Sweeny Street," Rosemary suggested. "They always giveaway tasty caramel apples for treats."

#sinsofthefather #fiction #comedy #fantasy #horror #devil #family #halloween #happyhalloween

"LU? LU!" Regan's voice cried out from the darkness.

Her stepfather Lu, the devil himself, burst open the door and approached her bedside and calmly asked. "Yes Regan. What is it?"

"Lu, I think there's another monster under the bed." the frightened five-year old peeped as she shuttered under her covers. "Can you go check it, please?"

"Another monster, you say, eh?" the devil playfully chimed. "You know, kiddo, there comes a time where we-"

The musical melody of Lu's phone paused his words. "Hello?" the devil answered.

It was Lilith's voice on the other line. "Pardon for disturbing you at this hour, boss. But Legion wanted me to inform you that one of his experiments has broken loose, and seems to have scattered off. Could you be on the look out for it?"

Lu's face froze. His black heart tapped against his breast faster. Then he heard a soft shuffle underneath his young stepdaughter's bed. Mustering enough courage to take a peak under the bed, Lu locked eyes with a shadowy mass that scurried into the back corner. 

It was too dark underneath to get a good glimpse, but he saw that the mass was rounded like a basketball, covered in slimy fur, wiggly tentacles that squirmed around, and eight set of eyes staring back fearfully at the king of the Inferno.

                                                             ***

Carmen Gravely heard the pattering of feet enter her bedroom. She woke to find her husband cradling her youngest daughter safely in his arms. The pair then plopped themselves in the comforts of the king's sized bed.

"Huh-wah?" Mrs. Gravely mumbled, too tired and exhausted to open her eyes or grab her glasses off the nightstand. "What's going on?"

"She's just gonna sleep with us for tonight, okay?" Lu frantically jabbered as he tucked himself and Regan under the covers. "Night, night."

Carmen shrugged and laid back down next to her daughter, who slept quietly. Lu stayed awake and aware, hoping that no monsters doesn't crawl under their bed tonight.

It was a frosted Valentine's Day in Brimstone. The sun had set upon the winter city and its people were out on their date nights. One particular couple, Carmen Gravely and Lu Lightbringer, strolled along in the snow-covered Virgil Park.

This Valentine's Day was particularly a cold one. Carmen was all bundled up with her thick winter coat, large mittens, and cotton earmuffs. Lu on the other hand wore only his signature red suit with an even redder scarf around his neck. He never shook whenever a cold breeze brushed through their pathway. However the two kept each other warm walking through the park together, with arms wrapped around the other.

"Now this is what I call date night," the devil grinned. "No children to intrude us, no business to take care of..."

"No demon cronies popping in to ask what the proper torture method should be?" his mortal queen added.

"That too."

"It's been a wonderful date night so far," Carmen said. She craddle under her husband's arm. "Dinner, a movie, and now walking in the midst of a winter night; and all of it on Valentine's Day. It's just so... romantic."

"Do I know how to plan it or what?" Lu boasted proudly.

"I'll give you credit, you do have your moments. I especially love this time of year. Everything looks so beautiful with all the frost and snow. Although I could do without the cold temperatures. Speaking of which, you sure you didn't want to grab a coat or something warm? It's very cold right now."

"Really? This feels more like tanning weather to me. Of course I—being a demon—can adapt to any environment I'm in. But we're not done yet. Check out this gorgeous view."

The pair then walked to a nearby bandstand that overviewed the frozen lake. They stared out to the beautiful scenery of the full moon's glistening reflection off the crystal clear surface of the large lake. Sighs of admiration expelled out both Lu and Carmen as they observed the peaceful winter around them. Lu then looked to his wife and noticed something amist. While her flawless face expressed tranquility and joy, her eyes looked sorrowful the more she looked onto the lake. For a moment he thought he caught her wiping off a tear under her right eye.

"What's wrong?" the troubled devil asked.

Carmen kept her smile strong and shook her head. "It's nothing. Doug used to take me here a lot too. I'm sorry. I don't mean to make this awkward."

"I didn't mean upset you by taking you here," the devil sighed. "I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention-"

"No, no, no. You didn't do anything wrong." Carmen grasped her second husband by his hands and looked deep into his scarlett eyes. "My first husband... he'll always hold a place in my heart. But I've made plenty room in my heart for you too. And besides, you'd be surprise how much you two have in common."

"Yeah? How so?"

"Well you're both good looking. Charming. Sometimes you both can be egotistical and stubborn. More you than him, honestly." the devil chuckled from her words, knowing that it was all true. "But, you both are real good with the girls and to me, and you both have a very good heart."

Her statement was enough to help bring a sweet smile on Lu's sinister lips. "So, what exactly did you two do here?"

"Well we would just dance at the center here," Mrs. Gravely explained. "Sometimes with music playing in the background. Other times we would dance without music, but we would always hear it inside our heads."

Lu then got an idea. He knew exactly how to make this night better. He stepped back and directed his wife to the center of the bandstand. "You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" he cheesily said.

Carmen chuckled but accepted his invitation. Together they centered themselves in the small structure. Step by step their feet moved in graceful rhythm. Slowly and softly they danced. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his hands placed gently above her waist as they guided each other in the silent, winter night. No music was playing anywhere but they heard the music that was played on their wedding day in their heads. The moonlight beamed perfectly above them through the skylight frame above.

During the entire dance routine their eyes remained locked. Their love unlike any other kept them warm from the cold air. When their dance slowed down, Carmen rested her head on Lu's shoulder. "Can this night get any better?" she whispered gratefully.

Any better, she said. Lu hatched another idea. "I might know a way. Follow me."

The Ruler of Hell took his wife by the hand and they fled down towards the frozen lake. Carmen asked what her husband's intentions were but he never answered. They ran through the snow until the reached the lake's edge. Lu coached her to step onto the ice with him, yet Carmen was nervous. She worried about stepping through thin ice to wherever her husband wanted to lead them towards. Though the ice did appear to be solid—and Lu didn't fall through when he stepped on it alone. Worse case he can get them out hastely, which gave Carmen some assurance.

Careful with each step they walked on the thick icebed. Lu balanced out Carmen so she wouldn't slip on the surface until they reached their destination. Several feet away from the shore and they stopped.

"This looks like it's perfect." Lucifer exclaimed. Carmen scratched her head at what he was doing. Lu aimed his hand down at the spot in front of him and blasted it with his magic fire. The flames roared as it melted a hole on the surface. After twenty seconds Lu's fire stopped burning and there was now a good sized hole in the frozen lake.

The next step the devil played was stick his finger into the freezing water. To anyone else the water would have turned bare skin into popsicules, yet Lu was unfazed. Once his finger was dipped into the icy water it boiled and bubbled like it was cooked. The cold temperatures gave way to hotter ones and now they had an instant, natural hot tub.

Carmen applauded his trick but still questioned his true motives. She watched as he removed his scarf around his neck and dropped it near the small, hot pool's edge. Then she blushed when she saw that he started removing each of his cloths one by one. The bashful queen worried someone was going to walk by the park as he continued to undress.

Finally Lu stood on the ice, stark naked before his queen. Carmen figured he must be freezing by now. He would always squeal like a girl whenever he was blasted by cold water in the shower. Nevertheless he was fine, despite a cold breeze that ran through his underworld.

Lu settled inside the boiling waterhole he made and sighed in relief. The waters touched around his shoulders and the temperature was set perfectly.

"Wow, I can touch the bottom," Lu joked. He then stretched out his hand to his wife. "Room for two, my queen."

Mrs. Gravely giggled again. She thought he was crazy, another quality that he shared with her first husband. She remembered how in the past Doug would participate in annual winter splashes with other community members in Brimstone, refusing every time. But perhaps this was a time for a change, she thought. And the temptation was intriguing. Once more Carmen made a quick survey of the area, just to double check no one walked by again. A quick check to the left and then to the right, and it looked as though the coast was clear. Slowly it was her turn to remove each ounce of her clothing. One by one a layer of clothing came off until she stood as naked as he was. The only thing she kept on were her glasses. She was blind as a bat without them.

Cold air touching her bare body made her shiver. Her teeth chattered along with her shaking body. Her right arm strapped around her breasts as she quickly took Lucifer's and and jumped right in feet first. Carmen gasped with overjoy. That cold air that coated her bare skin melted away from the perfect, warm pool that her husband provided. Her feet touched the muddy bottom too, which was just as warm as the bubbling water.

Carmen drew herself closer to her second husband and he held her close. Their loving eyes glued dazed to each other once more. Suddenly the two found themselves dancing all over again inside the warm waterhole under the enchanting moonlight. Lu stroked his hand through his wife's short hair and asked. "You ever skinny dipped with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

"Oh come on," Carmen laughed and rolled her eyes from her husband's corny line. "you gotta have something better than that."

"How about this..." Lu smiled and came up with something better. "You've given me life when I've spent most of my days lifeless."

She smiled. It was one of the most sweetest things she had ever heard the devil say. Lu then leaned his head in for a kiss. Carmen responded the same and kissed him on his lips. Their kiss together felt like it could last an eternity. Skinny dipping in an improvised hot tub, dancing in each other's arms, and kissing under the bright moon; this was definitely a Valentine's Day to remember forever.

"You know it's gonna suck coming out of this, right?"

"Not for me."

Happy Valentine's Day!

#sinsofthefather #fiction #comedy #fantasy #horror #devil #romance