Part 1

Alone Rosemary sat in her living room with only the glare of the staticky TV to give her light— unaware of the encroaching shadow that drew itself from the dark depths of the hallway. The shadow crept along the ceiling like a spider after its fly. Burning, soulless eyes pierced through the darkness, locked onto Rosie.

Through the television's beaming light the shadow morphed into the form of a red-skinned demonic child with pointy ears, a messy patch of spiky, black hair, and a long, pointy serpentine tail. He also wore clothing that were every human from his blue jeans to his red-orange hoodie.

Dropping down from the ceiling he pounced on the couch behind the girl. Rosemary turned and locked eyes with the ominous, smiling creature. She did not flinch nor jump, but she smiled and greeted. "Hey Dominic. You bring your stuff?"

"Yup," the little demon boy responded. He pulled out a couple items out of his pockets, "Wireless controller and headset right here."

"Awesome. Let's get started."

The kids plopped on the couch and activated Rosie's Play-Box game system. A text then appeared on the screen.

Warning: This game contains graphic violence, blood and gore, adult language, gratuitous nudity, sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use, inappropriate references, mayhem, explosions, genocide, blasphemy, kitten kicking, and t-bagging!

The television then spoke in a gravelly voice, "In the future, scientists tried to speed travel times up by inventing teleportation devices. But then things go to hell when they opened a portal to nightmarish realm, home to the most volatile monsters imaginable. Everyone is killed, except one. Lock and load as the ultimate killing machine..."

The game's title flashed on screen in a colorful aura of blood and explosions. Rosie and Dominic ecstatically joined the announcer, screaming out loud, "MAJOR RAGER!"

Part 2

Their gamer tags—DarkDawter11 and HLboy966—appeared inside the hub screen. Two other tags—BigBillionz and Eziekel2517—were already waiting for the duo.

"Hey bestie!" BigBillionz's voice called from her mic. "I see you brought Dominic with you. So cool!"

"Sup Krystal," Rosie answered. "How goes it, Josh?"

"Hey guys!" Eziekel2517 (Joshua) called out. "Just to clarify, my mom thinks I'm at Krystal's doing homework. So don't tell her about this."

The imp Dominic replied, "Secret's safe with us."

Then a fifth gamer tag appeared onscreen. This one was named MLPwny1123. Another girl's voice echoed over, "Hey everyone."

"Hey Kayleigh. You made it." Dominic said.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" Her voice cheered.

Finally a sixth tag popped into the party. Recognizing the gamer's tag Boomstick92, Rosemary gleefully said. "Hey, Ashley's here too. Hold on a sec!"

Rosemary attached a small keyboard to her controller and typed out a message to her friend. "Hey Ash!" she typed, "Ready?"

After waiting a few seconds, a message popped in the chat room. "Red-E 2 GO!"

"Alright everyone," Rosemary announced, "This is it. We are about to enter the Major Rager Shoot 'Em Up Tournament. If we win, we're gonna receive the best armor, the best weapons, and the best loot that will carry on into the next Major Rager game. We are gonna kick both inter-dimensional monster and noob ass."

"YEAH!" Her friends all cheered. Without hesitation the pressed start on their controllers. The next screen that appeared was the class selection, where the players could choose and customize their avatars that best represents them.

To start out, Rosemary selected the Combat Commando, a soldier class specializing in machine guns, shotguns, and dual wielding weapons.

Kayleigh chose the Boom Blaster. This tank class was an expert in heavy weapons and explosives, a feat that Kayleigh always enjoyed in these games.

Joshua chose the Engin-Fear, which specialized in hacking computer consoles and enemy robotic units.

Ashley picked the class everyone agree suited her the most, the Silencer. Feats in stealth, sniper, and swordsman made this one of the deadliest of the classes.

Dominic selected the Psycko, a spellbinder class, as his avatar. Dominic liked this one because of how much he and the game character had in common with dark magic and spells.

And for Krystal, the Chem Fatale, specializing in chemical weapons such as acid bombs, poison gas, and napalm mines.

Now the tournament began!

Part 3

Level 1.

Six armored avatars appeared at the center of a small empty room. They cocked their weapons as the metal door opened wide. The fireteam rushed inside to find themselves against a horde of horrendous, pixelated monsters awaiting them. The game's graphics detailed these beasts with green scaly skin, piercing red eyes, rotten yellow teeth, and large spikes protruding from their heads, spines, and arms.

The monsters shot fireballs from their mouths. The six players moved their avatars all around the room, dodging their attacks while shooting back. A hailstorm of bullets riddled the monsters, decorating the walls with animated blood and organs. Sometimes the glorious graphics generated the monster deaths to have their blood splatter over the television screens in divine detail.

Rosie and Dominic twitched their fingers on the game controllers as their video game characters assaulted the creatures. Their eyes focused on the T.V. set. They didn't blink or flinch when some monsters popped out of hidden corridors only to be gunned down without mercy. Their scores on the upper right corner multiplied with every kill they rallied.

The last monster was then executed by the young gamers. The stage was cleared and then the six friends moved onto Level 2. A similar firefight ensued in their progression, only with more hording monsters than before. The kids gunned them down when suddenly Rosemary and Dominic heard Mrs. Gravely call out, "Rosie, I need you to empty out the trash."

"Mom!" Rosemary complained, "My friends and I are playing Major Rager. It's the big tournament."

"It'll take less than five minutes." Her mother hollered back, "Then you can play your afterward."

"I can do it later."

"No, not later. Now!"

"But mom-"

"ROSEMARY LEE GRAVELY!"

Rosie flinched at the sound of her full name. She knew if she didn't comply she would be in for it. Dominic swiped her controller with his long, pointed tail and began operating it.

"Go ahead." the demon smiled and said, "I got you covered."

Rosemary thanked him and hurried off to her chores so the tournament can continue.

Part 4

Level 5.

The six gamers made their way down a long corridor, where giant cyclopian glob guarded the entrance to Level 6. The animated monstrosity puked a pool of acid at them, but they managed to dodge out of the way. Their weapons fired rapidly with little affect against the horrid blob.

Dominic's Psycko casted a spell, which emitted a screeching sonic sound. The powerful vibrations were too much for the blob as it died in a grotesque explosion of goo all around the corridor. His friends cheered his accomplishment.

"Awesome!" Rosemary said, high-fiving the imp.

"Nice one!" Joshua's voice called over the microphone.

A message from Ashley appeared in the text box depicting a thumbs up and a smiley face. The team then ventured to the next level, continuously gunning down more monsters that were in their path.

"You know, Dominic," Kayleigh spoke over her headset, "I'm surprised you play this game. I mean we're basically killing demons."

"Technically whether they are demons or other nefarious creatures is up for debate," the young demon corrected, "Besides this game is like a national sport down below. Everyone plays it."

Then Krystal's voice cried, "Incoming!" A rocket fired in their direction. They dodged in time but the impact knocked their avatars off their feet. Another player loaded his weapon up and readied to fire.

With quick thinking, Ashley commanded her Silencer to pull out her giant sniper rifle, aiming it at the opposing opponent. Taking a deep breath, she fired. The 50 caliber bullet hit directly between the eyes.

Deep in the depths of the Inferno, Ghuul's controller and jaw hit the floor at the same time.

"How did I die?" he whined, taunted by the "Game Over" text on screen.

"You suck, dude," his friend Balthazar commented.

Part 5

After much progression, after battling reptilian monsters, killer robots, mutated experiments, and other online players, they made it to the final round of the tournament, Level 10.

It was going to be their greatest challenge yet, but the grand prize that at the end was going to be worth all the hours spent sitting around a television set during the daylight over the weekend.

"This is it, everyone," Rosemary radioed all her friends, "This is what we've been building up to." Her avatar guided the others toward the doorway. "We've won many battles together, and now that grand prize is ours."

Her friends all agreed as their armored avatars raced down the dark hallway to the locked door. They listened to the mechanized whirly sounds as the gears started unlocking. The door opened its metallic maw and the six entered inside.

There inside was their greatest challenge. There it stood at the center of a lava chamber: a monster, half demon and half machine. Its muscles fused with tubes and wires, flames blazed from its maddening eyes like ritualistic torches. The lower half of its legs were not normal but a centaurian appearance complete with eight robotic legs that resembled spider limbs. Its hands were replaced by a pair of gatling guns that fired rapidly at the players.

The avatars ducked behind cover from the barrage of animated lasers. They fired their weapons back that the behemoth but it laughed as their feeble attacks took small pieces of its health. A carnage of rockets shot from its guns that hit around the players, dealing some damage to their avatar's health. All six friends frantically tapped the buttons on their controllers, trying desperately to stay alive and damage the final boss. Their eyes locked heavily on their screens. Their teeth ground tightly with each counterattack and quick dodging.

"Any ideas, anyone?" Joseph called out.

Ashley had her avatar scan the battlefield. There on the rafters was a glowing orb with an image of a mushroom cloud inside. Her avatar pointed at the distant object and her friends took notice.

"Ash found an F-Bomb!" Rosemary said. "Cover me! I'm making a break for it."

Her friends continued their assault on the final boss as Rosemary's avatar ran for the orb. The beast's guns were now aimed at Rosemary. Dominic's avatar protected Rosemary with a absorbent shield while the other focused on its head.

Their hearts pounded sporadically as they moved closer to the orb. Rosemary made her avatar dive at the shining object. A single touch then made it evaporate into thin air. Suddenly her avatar pulled out a gigantic bazooka and shot a single pellet, no bigger than a golf ball at the mechanized brute. It gulped when it felt the small object poke its sternum.

The T.V. screens gave a blinding flash. When the light ended a massive mushroom cloud formed where the final boss stood. The sole sound it made was an offensive term the kids dared not repeat.

Part 6

The smoke cleared and the flash faded. All that remained of the final boss was a pile of ash, scrap metal, and bloody organs. But hovering above the remains was a golden chest that shined brighter than the gates of Paradise.

All six friends gazed at the object with great awe. The vast prizes was just in their reach. Rosemary and Dominic smiled the largest. But they both felt something odd. Looking down they noticed that their hands were gently clinging together. They flinched away, embarrassed by the compassionate act. Both the human girl and the demon boy tried to keep their eyes on the television, neither one noticing their faces blushing red and small smiles curve their lips after they touched.

The six players slowly approached the chest. Their minds raced with all the treasures they would earn. The new armor and armor upgrades, the best weapons, unlimited ammo, and thousands of credits—the game's currency—was about to belong to them.

Suddenly, they heard a gunshot. Blood and brain bits splattered out of Rosemary's avatar and it dropped dead. Soon Dominic's followed beyond with a similar fashion. And then Joshua, then Krystal, then Kayleigh, then Ashley. All avatars were dead. Their prize just short from their reach.

Rosie and Dominic dropped their controllers. Their jaws followed too.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?" Rosie angrily screamed.

"THAT'S BULLCRAP!" Dominic also ranted.

Rosie shouted again, "WHO KILLED US?!?"

A single armored avatar, with the gamer tag MOTHERMERCY, stepped onscreen, claiming their prize. Inside the privacy of her office at Brimestone Elementary, Mrs. Wordworth laughed as the in-game riches now belonged to her.

"Oh, bless you, Lord," she gave a fiendish cackle, "Bless you for giving me the strength to pwn these noob suckers! Ahahahaha!"

The smoke cleared and the flash faded. All that remained of the final boss was a pile of ash, scrap metal, and bloody organs. But hovering above the remains was a golden chest that shined brighter than the gates of Paradise.

All six friends gazed at the object with great awe. The vast prizes was just in their reach. Rosemary and Dominic smiled the largest. But they both felt something odd. Looking down they noticed that their hands were gently clinging together. They flinched away, embarrassed by the compassionate act. Both the human girl and the demon boy tried to keep their eyes on the television, neither one noticing their faces blushing red and small smiles curve their lips after they touched. 

The six players slowly approached the chest. Their minds raced with all the treasures they would earn. The new armor and armor upgrades, the best weapons, unlimited ammo, and thousands of credits—the game's currency—was about to belong to them.

Suddenly, they heard a gunshot. Blood and brain bits splattered out of Rosemary's avatar and it dropped dead. Soon Dominic's followed beyond with a similar fashion. And then Joshua, then Krystal, then Kayleigh, then Ashley. All avatars were dead. Their prize just short from their reach.

Rosie and Dominic dropped their controllers. Their jaws followed too.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?" Rosie angrily screamed.

"THAT'S BULLCRAP!" Dominic also ranted.

Rosie shouted again, "WHO KILLED US?!?"

A single armored avatar, with the gamer tag MOTHERMERCY, stepped onscreen, claiming their prize. Inside the privacy of her office at Brimestone Elementary, Mrs. Wordworth laughed as the in-game riches now belonged to her.

"Oh, bless you, Lord," she gave a fiendish cackle, "Bless you for giving me the strength to pwn these noob suckers! Ahahahaha!"

After much progression, after battling reptilian monsters, killer robots, mutated experiments, and other online players, they made it to the final round of the tournament, Level 10. 

It was going to be their greatest challenge yet, but the grand prize that at the end was going to be worth all the hours spent sitting around a television set during the daylight over the weekend.

"This is it, everyone," Rosemary radioed all her friends, "This is what we've been building up to." Her avatar guided the others toward the doorway. "We've won many battles together, and now that grand prize is ours."

Her friends all agreed as their armored avatars raced down the dark hallway to the locked door. They listened to the mechanized whirly sounds as the gears started unlocking. The door opened its metallic maw and the six entered inside. 

There inside was their greatest challenge. There it stood at the center of a lava chamber: a monster, half demon and half machine. Its muscles fused with tubes and wires, flames blazed from its maddening eyes like ritualistic torches. The lower half of its legs were not normal but a centaurian appearance complete with eight robotic legs that resembled spider limbs. Its hands were replaced by a pair of gatling guns that fired rapidly at the players.

The avatars ducked behind cover from the barrage of animated lasers. They fired their weapons back that the behemoth but it laughed as their feeble attacks took small pieces of its health. A carnage of rockets shot from its guns that hit around the players, dealing some damage to their avatar's health. All six friends frantically tapped the buttons on their controllers, trying desperately to stay alive and damage the final boss. Their eyes locked heavily on their screens. Their teeth ground tightly with each counterattack and quick dodging. 

"Any ideas, anyone?" Joseph called out.

Ashley had her avatar scan the battlefield. There on the rafters was a glowing orb with an image of a mushroom cloud inside. Her avatar pointed at the distant object and her friends took notice.

"Ash found an F-Bomb!" Rosemary said. "Cover me! I'm making a break for it."

Her friends continued their assault on the final boss as Rosemary's avatar ran for the orb. The beast's guns were now aimed at Rosemary. Dominic's avatar protected Rosemary with a absorbent shield while the other focused on its head. 

Their hearts pounded sporadically as they moved closer to the orb. Rosemary made her avatar dive at the shining object. A single touch then made it evaporate into thin air. Suddenly her avatar pulled out a gigantic bazooka and shot a single pellet, no bigger than a golf ball at the mechanized brute. It gulped when it felt the small object poke its sternum. 

The T.V. screens gave a blinding flash. When the light ended a massive mushroom cloud formed where the final boss stood. The sole sound it made was an offensive term the kids dared not repeat.

Level 5.

The six gamers made their way down a long corridor, where giant cyclopian glob guarded the entrance to Level 6. The animated monstrosity puked a pool of acid at them, but they managed to dodge out of the way. Their weapons fired rapidly with little affect against the horrid blob. 

Dominic's Psycko casted a spell, which emitted a screeching sonic sound. The powerful vibrations were too much for the blob as it died in a grotesque explosion of goo all around the corridor. His friends cheered his accomplishment.

"Awesome!" Rosemary said, high-fiving the imp.

"Nice one!" Joshua's voice called over the microphone.

A message from Ashley appeared in the text box depicting a thumbs up and a smiley face. The team then ventured to the next level, continuously gunning down more monsters that were in their path.

"You know, Dominic," Kayleigh spoke over her headset, "I'm surprised you play this game. I mean we're basically killing demons."

"Technically whether they are demons or other nefarious creatures is up for debate," the young demon corrected, "Besides this game is like a national sport down below. Everyone plays it."

Then Krystal's voice cried, "Incoming!" A rocket fired in their direction. They dodged in time but the impact knocked their avatars off their feet. Another player loaded his weapon up and readied to fire. 

With quick thinking, Ashley commanded her Silencer to pull out her giant sniper rifle, aiming it at the opposing opponent. Taking a deep breath, she fired. The 50 caliber bullet hit directly between the eyes.

Deep in the depths of the Inferno, Ghuul's controller and jaw hit the floor at the same time.

"How did I die?" he whined, taunted by the "Game Over" text on screen.

"You suck, dude," his friend Balthazar commented.

I’ve lost it and I can’t go on. I forgot what I, you know, I thought about it, and it was a beautiful vision, my personal masterpiece, like sex, you even balanced iambic pentameter and everything, you know, the works, now it is gone, I forgot it…the topic… It was the best it coulda ever been…I don’t wanna ever write again, if it’s not included, no more you know, the bestest, it’s lost, hook, line, now I’m the Sunker!

But I shant let it be, nowhere but up, someone wiser wrote, show me a sane guy and he’ll be insanely cured…drink me up mates, bartenders keep it comin another, to be or not I be…while I rest my head on this wooden bar top, soft. Coulda shaped it like clay into a French quatrain or pantoum,

and it woulda been big like:

Ask not, what you, so I can do you for!

Hey do you guys have onion soup?

Copyright © 1986-2017

Al Salehi

All Rights Reserved

Level 1.

Six armored avatars appeared at the center of a small empty room. They cocked their weapons as the metal door opened wide. The fireteam rushed inside to find themselves against a horde of horrendous, pixelated monsters awaiting them. The game's graphics detailed these beasts with green scaly skin, piercing red eyes, rotten yellow teeth, and large spikes protruding from their heads, spines, and arms. 

The monsters shot fireballs from their mouths. The six players moved their avatars all around the room, dodging their attacks while shooting back. A hailstorm of bullets riddled the monsters, decorating the walls with animated blood and organs. Sometimes the glorious graphics generated the monster deaths to have their blood splatter over the television screens in divine detail. 

Rosie and Dominic twitched their fingers on the game controllers as their video game characters assaulted the creatures. Their eyes focused on the T.V. set. They didn't blink or flinch when some monsters popped out of hidden corridors only to be gunned down without mercy. Their scores on the upper right corner multiplied with every kill they rallied.

The last monster was then executed by the young gamers. The stage was cleared and then the six friends moved onto Level 2. A similar firefight ensued in their progression, only with more hording monsters than before. The kids gunned them down when suddenly Rosemary and Dominic heard Mrs. Gravely call out, "Rosie, I need you to empty out the trash."

"Mom!" Rosemary complained, "My friends and I are playing Major Rager. It's the big tournament."

"It'll take less than five minutes." Her mother hollered back, "Then you can play your afterward."

"I can do it later."

"No, not later. Now!"

"But mom-"

"ROSEMARY LEE GRAVELY!"

Rosie flinched at the sound of her full name. She knew if she didn't comply she would be in for it. Dominic swiped her controller with his long, pointed tail and began operating it.

"Go ahead." the demon smiled and said, "I got you covered."

Rosemary thanked him and hurried off to her chores so the tournament can continue.

Young self...try to take care of the Earth

That you feed off

And recycle…

For one day very soon

The Earth shall feed off of

And recycle...you!

Copyright © 1986-2017

Al Salehi

All Rights Reserved

Their gamer tags—DarkDawter11 and HLboy966—appeared inside the hub screen. Two other tags—BigBillionz and Eziekel2517—were already waiting for the duo. 

"Hey bestie!" BigBillionz's voice called from her mic. "I see you brought Dominic with you. So cool!"

"Sup Krystal," Rosie answered. "How goes it, Josh?"

"Hey guys!" Eziekel2517 (Joshua) called out. "Just to clarify, my mom thinks I'm at Krystal's doing homework. So don't tell her about this."

The imp Dominic replied, "Secret's safe with us." 

Then a fifth gamer tag appeared onscreen. This one was named MLPwny1123. Another girl's voice echoed over, "Hey everyone."

"Hey Kayleigh. You made it." Dominic said.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" Her voice cheered.

Finally a sixth tag popped into the party. Recognizing the gamer's tag Boomstick92, Rosemary gleefully said. "Hey, Ashley's here too. Hold on a sec!"

Rosemary attached a small keyboard to her controller and typed out a message to her friend. "Hey Ash!" she typed, "Ready?"

After waiting a few seconds, a message popped in the chat room. "Red-E 2 GO!"

"Alright everyone," Rosemary announced, "This is it. We are about to enter the Major Rager Shoot 'Em Up Tournament. If we win, we're gonna receive the best armor, the best weapons, and the best loot that will carry on into the next Major Rager game. We are gonna kick both inter-dimensional monster and noob ass."

"YEAH!" Her friends all cheered. Without hesitation the pressed start on their controllers. The next screen that appeared was the class selection, where the players could choose and customize their avatars that best represents them.

To start out, Rosemary selected the Combat Commando, a soldier class specializing in machine guns, shotguns, and dual wielding weapons. 

Kayleigh chose the Boom Blaster. This tank class was an expert in heavy weapons and explosives, a feat that Kayleigh always enjoyed in these games.

Joshua chose the Engin-Fear, which specialized in hacking computer consoles and enemy robotic units.

Ashley picked the class everyone agree suited her the most, the Silencer. Feats in stealth, sniper, and swordsman made this one of the deadliest of the classes.

Dominic selected the Psycko, a spellbinder class, as his avatar. Dominic liked this one because of how much he and the game character had in common with dark magic and spells.

And for Krystal, the Chem Fatale, specializing in chemical weapons such as acid bombs, poison gas, and napalm mines.

Now the tournament began!

Alone Rosemary sat in her living room with only the glare of the staticky TV to give her light— unaware of the encroaching shadow that drew itself from the dark depths of the hallway. The shadow crept along the ceiling like a spider after its fly. Burning, soulless eyes pierced through the darkness, locked onto Rosie. 

Through the television's beaming light the shadow morphed into the form of a red-skinned demonic child with pointy ears, a messy patch of spiky, black hair, and a long, pointy serpentine tail. He also wore clothing that were every human from his blue jeans to his red-orange hoodie. 

Dropping down from the ceiling he pounced on the couch behind the girl. Rosemary turned and locked eyes with the ominous, smiling creature. She did not flinch nor jump, but she smiled and greeted. "Hey Dominic. You bring your stuff?"

"Yup," the little demon boy responded. He pulled out a couple items out of his pockets, "Wireless controller and headset right here."

"Awesome. Let's get started."

The kids plopped on the couch and activated Rosie's Play-Box game system. A text then appeared on the screen.

Warning: This game contains graphic violence, blood and gore, adult language, gratuitous nudity, sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use, inappropriate references, mayhem, explosions, genocide, blasphemy, kitten kicking, and t-bagging!

The television then spoke in a gravelly voice, "In the future, scientists tried to speed travel times up by inventing teleportation devices. But then things go to hell when they opened a portal to nightmarish realm, home to the most volatile monsters imaginable. Everyone is killed, except one. Lock and load as the ultimate killing machine..."

The game's title flashed on screen in a colorful aura of blood and explosions. Rosie and Dominic ecstatically joined the announcer, screaming out loud, "MAJOR RAGER!"

Lu helped tuck his young stepdaughter, Regan, into bed. 

"But Lu," the youngest Gravely muttered, "I'm so nervous. What if my test doesn't go well? What if I forget how to spell?"

"Nonsense," Lu reassured her, "You've been practicing. You'll do just fine. And if you need to cheat, let me know."

He patted her little head and planted a small kiss on her cheek. Afterward he exited Regan's bedroom, just before he flicked off the light. Regan sat there with her stuff toys and a nightlight keeping her company. The worries of tomorrow's test refrained her from falling asleep.

"What am I going to do?" Regan asked herself, "I just know the test is going to be super hard. I just know it. If only there was someway that can help me."

She thought for a minute, then an idea sprung, "Maybe there is someone who can help me," the child proposed, "God could help me. They say God can do anything. I bet if I pray really hard, He'll help me."

And so Regan closed her eyes and grasped her hands together. "Dear God." she prayed, "Or can I call you Grandpa? It's me Regan. I've been very good, and I was wondering if you could help me with tomorrow's spelling test. I've been practicing very hard and I just want to be able to pass. Please and thank you. Ahem."

Feeling a sense of confidence, the youngest Gravely slipped back into her pillows and fell asleep. A smile rolled on her face as she dreamed about earning a perfect score on her spelling test. 

                                                              ***

The next day Regan and Rosemary rode the chaotic, enchanted elevator down the depths of Hell. The elevator crashed to a halt inside the lobby area of Inferno Tower, where they exited out and walked towards their stepfather's office. While on their way, Regan carried the largest smile on her face. It was so infectious that every demon and tormented soul they passed couldn't help but smile too. 

In her hand she held the results of her spelling test. Marked at the very top was the number 100, bold and circled in flashing red ink. Next to the number was a big, yellow star sticker to emphasize her achievement. 

"You've been staring at that all day," Rosemary said, smiling at her sister's accomplishment too, "Aren't you going to give it a rest already?"

"No way!" Regan proudly retorted, "I did this all by myself. And I got a little help too."

"Yeah I know. Lu and I have been helping you practice for a while now."

"Not just that, but God also helped me."

Rosemary then asked dumbfounded, "What do you mean?"

"I prayed to God last night and He was able to give me the strength to pass the test. Do you think it would be weird to called God grandpa?"

"One: I think it's very weird. Two: It's cool that you prayed to God, but I don't think you should mention that around Lu. You know how he feels about Him."

Just as they mentioned him, Lu walked by his stepdaughters. "Hello girls," The devil greeted before sipping down some fresh coffee.

"Hey Lu," The oldest Gravely spoke, "Can I ask you something about God?"

Lu paused in his tracks at the mention of His name. His porcelain mug shattered into pieces as the coffee evaporated into thin air. Rosie and Regan fearfully watched as the devil's head contorted towards them. Red, beastly eyes blazed like violent volcanoes erupting.

"WHAT?!?" The devil roared at them. His voice had a more powerful, monstrous tone, as if his darker half was clawing its way to the surface. 

Both the Gravely girls were left speechless. They couldn't find the right words to protect them from their stepfather's wrath. Suddenly they both felt a pair of hands clamp over their mouths, and it certainly wasn't their own. 

By their sides was Lilith and Scrugs, Lu's most loyal employees. Both demons had awkward smiles on their faces as they faced confronted their furious boss.

"What? No, no, no." Lilith nervously chuckled, "I think you may have misheard, boss. She didn't say God, she said, eh..."

"Dog! Dog. I heard her say dog." Scrugs frantically cried, "She said dog. That reminds me, are you a dog or cat person. I've always wondered about that. Ehehehe."

The fiery eyes returned back to his sinister scarlet pupils. Lu took a deep breath then ordered, "Scrugs, get me some more coffee! Lilith, get those new contracts on my desk in five minutes! MOVE!"

Scrugs obediently ran off, releasing Regan's mouth from his clutches. Lilith gave a smile and released Rosemary's mouth. Just as she was about to leave, she whispered a warning to the two Gravely sisters. "Best not to mention your old man's old man around him, loves. He gets rather testy about it."

The succubus secretary scurried off, leaving the devil alone with his stepdaughters. "Was there anything else you two had to say?" Lu asked, this time in a calmer manner.

Regan heeded her sister and Lilith's warnings. Perhaps it was best if Lu didn't know about her evening prayer, she thought. But she did offer something that would make him happy.

"I got a one-hundred percent on my spelling test." Regan said.

"You did? Awesome!"