Human Hope.

Trigger warning: Mentions of depression and suicide. I will have a bold * where it begins and ends if you wish to skip that part. You have been warned.

***Karl's POV***

It has taken about a day and a half to get home. I almost cant believe it took so long. But with that slutty bitch stabbing my tail and taking the extra long way home to avoid being spotted by the radio demon. I almost expected him to come after me, but it would seem he didn't.

Finally, I made it home. I open the door and slither inside. Normally I would change back into my normal demon form and walk, but the stab wound is deep. Deep enough that if I changed back it would hurt worse. Then I might still not be home.

"Well, look who finally came home." A voice chuckles in the darkness.

I know this voice. I turn to see two glowing golden eyes in the dark room. Then a pearly white sharp toothed grin chuckles at me.

I'm not afraid or amused. I just flick on the light and my sister shrinks back. She acts like a vampire being exposed to sunlight.

"Ah. The light. It burns."

She falls to the ground acting like she's dying again. I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh.

"Oh, get up sister. You're fine. Besides you're not a vampire. Light can't hurt you." I say clearly annoyed.

She sits up looking slightly upset.

"Oh, boo." She blew a raspberry. "You're no fun brother."

She moves a bit of green hair behind her pointed ears before standing. She looks at my tail and notices the wound. She giggles at me.

"What happened to you? Some slut get the better of you?" She asks through the giggling.

As annoyed as I was with her, I did need her healing magic. Fast healing was not one of the powers I was gifted with. My sister can be a pain, but she is useful.

"You could say that."

"Oooh. Now you have to tell me who." She as she walks over to heal my tail.

I sigh hating to admit that weakling had gotten the better of me for a moment.

"It was Hope." I say as June has just finished healing me.

She froze at the mention of that name. I change back into my normal demon form.

I hear my sister mutter something under her breath.

"What?"

"I was just saying how ironic that is. Hope always acted like a saint and here she is. In Hell. She must be just as rotten as anyone else down here."

"Think we should tell mother about her being down here?" I ask even though I pretty much already know the answer.

"Of course. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until she gets back. She left to try and gain some territory in another city. She might be gone all week."

I would rather tell her right away. Mother hates being kept in the dark with these kinds of things. Mother can also get pretty scary when she gets mad.

"Well, if that's all you needed brother, I gotta go. Got men and woman to scam and fuck. Later brother." She says in a cheerful tone while she walks out the door.

Hope better pray we never see each other again. Because if I ever see that slut again, I will make her pay.

***Hope's POV***

I am very worried. Shades asleep and when Shade sleeps, they come out. They being the constant voices of doubt that like to make me feel like trash.

The last time this happened I was on antipsychotics that my therapist prescribed to me. Emily had strongly insisted I take them. I never really wanted to though. I always had a bad feeling about them.

Shade didn't want me taking them. But I trusted my sister's judgement and that went poorly. Shade fell asleep and I was just constantly hearing those voices.

 *The voices eventually made me very depressed, and I was very easily irritated. Every day I was snapping and yelling at someone. I hated that.

I tried to talk to others about it. I really did. Every time I was brushed off or ignored. I tried to talk to Emily about it, but she was always too busy to care.

So, one night I got tired of trying and stole my brother in laws sleeping medication. I just wanted it to stop so I took a bunch of the pills and waited.

Not long after my sister found me. She and her husband got me to the hospital. They pumped my stomach and kept me for a few days. Right after Emily told I was going to be ok she hugged me and said she was sorry many times. *

The doctor strongly suggested I stopped taking the antipsychotics. Emily immediately threw them out right away. Once Shade woke up again, I haven't had thoughts like that again.

No. I won't let that happen again. I will just have to ignore them.

Come on Hope. Focus on something else. Do not focus on the growing whispers.

I look over at the small box that had the broken glass shards. I could examine the glass and clean the glass if they need it.

As I open the box I notice a note. I take out the note and begin to read it.

Thanks again for the help. If you ever need a favor feel free to give me a call.

Peter.

Below his signature was a phone number. Oh! That's nice of him. He didn't need to offer that.

Right after I finished reading the note my phone alarm went off. Oh. It's time for me to go down and make dinner. Guess I clean off the glass later.

As I cook, I feel someone tug on my sleeve to get my attention. I look down and see Nifty.

"Hey Nift. What's up?" I say smiling.

"Are you ok Hope? You look a bit pale." She says looking concerned.

"I'm fine, but if you do want to help me with something, you can set the table while I finish up."

"Sure. I can do that."

Dinner was nice. Well except for the fact that that Scott kept looking at me and writing things down in a notebook. It was a bit annoying and creepy.

"What are you-"

I was cut off by the feeling of my lung burning like they are on fire. I begin coughing and gasping to catch my breath.

Just before anyone could ask if I am ok, the burning faded, and I was immediately hit with a huge wave of nausea. Oh God.

I immediately stand and run to the restroom. I barely make it there before I start throwing up. I was in throwing up for at least an hour. After a while though I had nothing in my stomach and was throwing up stomach acid for a while.

After I was finally done throwing up everyone was asking if I was ok. At this point I'm starting to feel like I was hit by a truck. I tell everyone I am going back to my room for the night.

Scott's not around anymore because that asshole had drugged my tea while I was putting things away. After I took off for the bathroom Vaggie had kicked him out after she made him confess to what he did.

The damage he caused though was finally setting in and I know already I am in for a rough ride.