"Do you have Captain Morgan? Preferably spiced peach flavor?"

"Sure do."

"Thank God."

"Want a glass?"

"Yes."

Husk turns away to grab a small clear glass and a large bottle of Captain Morgan spiced peach flavored rum. His long, red wings droop gloomily over his lean, furry body as he pours some rum into the glass and slides it over to me from across the counter. I stop it with my palm and pick it up to take a long sip.

"I have an interview in 5 minutes. What should I expect?"

Husk frowns irritably at me. "I don't know, why are you asking me?"

"Because you work here," I say, my voice lowering. Everyone here is either too nice or too mean.

"Well, I don't know. Try asking someone who cares."

I don't answer. Instead, I take another sip of my drink. It is already nearly finished. I tip my head back and gulp the rest down, then slam the empty glass down on the counter. At first, I wonder how I am going to pay for the drink, but then I remember over-hearing someone say that employee's drinks are on the house. I think.

"Thanks anyway," I mutter before sliding off of the stool and walking away. The alcohol does not affect me much, but I start to feel a little lighter in the head, in a good way. It will help me loosen up for my interview.

Walking across the lobby, I realize that I have no idea where I'm going. I see Niffty heading for two main French doors and run over to stop her. I'm sure that she can tell me where to go.

"Niffty! Wait, stop," I call. She hears me and turns around, her pink dress twirling up with ease. Her yellow eye flashes like a miniature sun, giving the effect that something is cooking up in her head. This makes me wonder what she could be thinking about and why it's giving her that appearance. I's sure I would talk to her more if she wasn't so damn intimidating.

She glances down at my clothes and then grins, her peachy red lips parting to show her sharp teeth. "Oh, good, you changed out of those awful clothes!"

"Yes, I did, thanks for noticing!" Don't get sidetracked, Danielle. Interview. "Listen, I'm supposed to meet Charlie in, like, two minutes and I have no idea where I'm supposed to go."

"For your interview?" she asks perkily. I nod, faintly questioning how and why she knows about the interview. "Turn down the hallway just behind the elevators. There will be a big door at the end. That is Charlie's office. Just go in there, but remember to knock, or else," she directs. Her words are rushed; each sentence has a different tone, and the last one sounded hostile. It still unsettles me, but I'm starting to get used to the intimidation in everyone's voices.

"Thanks," I say before turning to go. I follow her directions and, sure enough, I find a big door at the end of the hallway behind the elevators. I can only assume that it is Charlie's office.

I rap on the door three times, but only after hearing a soft "Come in!" from the other side do I enter.

In the center of the small room is a clean dark wooden desk with a few sheets of paper spread about. A pink desk lamp illuminates Charlie, who is sitting behind the desk, legs crossed and smile kind, as usual. Angel Dust is there too, leaning against the cool gray walls with an air of impatience. One pair of his arms are crossed and the other pair is sitting on his hips. "Sit," Charlie welcomes, motioning to the chair in front of her desk.

"How long will this take?" Angel Dust groans.

"It hasn't even been one second, Angel! Will you calm down? It won't take long."

"Fiiiiine," he says. "After you and Vaggie have your mooch sesh, can we go out to dinner or something? I'm bored out of my mind and I need a drink ASAP."

"Hm, that sounds okay. Let's do it!"

Charlie looks back at me as if she just remembered that I was there. "Right, sorry. Would you like to come to dinner with Angel, Vaggie and I later?"

"Um." I glance at Angel, unsure of what to say. He looks at me curiously, waiting for my answer. This could be a good thing, right? I'll get to know some of the demons that I will be surrounded with for what could possibly be the rest of eternity. I've never thought this before in my life, but now I'm thinking it... I need more friends. So I scoop up this opportunity like a spoon full of mint chocolate-chip ice cream. "Sure. Sounds fun."

"Fantastic! Now, let's get on with this interview. First question: what is your full name?"

"Danielle Nicole Johnson," I say swiftly. This isn't so bad.

"Such a pretty name," Charlie chirps softly. From my right side, I hear Angel scoff. "Do you have a nickname you go by, or is it just Danielle?"

I used to go by Dani back in school, so I may as well go by that now. "Dani works."

"Okay! Moving on, what was your age when you died?"

At this, I pause. How old was I? It feels like I crashed off of that cliff years ago...

"Um, 18," I tell her. I was about to graduate from my senior year of high school. Now that I am dead and in Hell, I will never graduate, at least not in a normal, real world high school. Do they even have schools down here?

I also will never get married to a normal, non-demon man, birth and raise normal, non-demon children, and I will never go to the University of California, which has been my dream college since I was 10.

"Okay, and what job do you want to apply for here?" Charlie continues, interrupting my train of thought.

Oh. I haven't thought about this.

"I don't know. Do you have any open positions?"

"Well, yes. You could help in the counseling department if that sounds interesting." I must look confused, because she continues to explain, "If you didn't know already, this hotel is here to rehabilitate my people so that, eventually, they will check out into Heaven. I want my population to decrease in a peaceful way, and for that, my people need help becoming better. That's what councilors are for, right? Anyway, I think you're right for the job."

"That sounds fun, actually."

"Perfect! Angel and I will talk it over, and we'll let you know what we decide. Thanks for your time!" Charlie says with another smile. I return her smile and begin to stand when Angel scoffs... again.

"Don't worry Barbie doll, you'll get the job alright," he says impudently. "Nooo need to worry. Charlie must like the way you swing those hips or something because that was the easiest interview I have ever witnessed her host in my entire demonic life." Charlie glares up at him as I laugh nervously, trying to brush his comment off as a joke.

"Ignore him," Charlie snaps. "I'll stop by your hotel room to get you before we head out for dinner, if you'd still like to come. And, by the way, I totally love that dress? Where did you get it?"

Her last question catches me off guard. I stutter for a moment before answering, "Some strip club thing down the street. Vaggie gave it to me."

Angel's eyebrows shoot for the sky as an amused smirk spreads across his mouth like peanut butter on a slice of toast. "Oh."

"Oh," Charlie repeats. Her voice has lowered. "It's very cute."

"Thanks," I say, waving goodbye before leaving the room. After I close the door, I try to listen for voices coming from inside, but I cannot hear anything. There is nothing but an uncomfortable silence floating through the stale air. My gut churns inside of me; why am I so nervous? Maybe Charlie won't give me the job just to spite Angel. Or maybe she will, because Angel was right.

With a sigh, I walk away from the large oak door and head back to my room to take a long, relaxing nap.

Author's note:

hey readers! sorry for dissappearing for a little bit. with summer starting and my recent vacation, i've been pretty busy, but i'm still writing!

thanks for being patient and reading my work

love u all <3