Two People Walk Into a Hotel Bar

"Interesting. You sound like Mama, or Maman," he laughed, shaking his head. "Both mambo--Mama took after Maman, and claimed she could talk to Gods. You sound just like that."

He put the cards away, humming softly.

"You're Catholic as well? Or were those crosses just for show?"

"I'm not religious, I only believe in what I've seen," he said simply, watching Charlot's movements. "What I've seen is the devil, and what I know is that once I kill the demons I'm after, I'll go to hell."

"Don't you know? Men who don't read the bible are never moral. Doesn't it worry you? Perhaps you should pray for salvation."

He scooted next to Everly on the bed, grinning.

"Or maybe you should've never sold you soul in the first place--isn't that the choice of a smart man? Ha!"

"I have nothing left to stay alive for after I've killed the demons," he replied honestly. "Once it's over, it's over. I don't care what happens after they're all dead."

"Get a girlfriend," he suggested. "Have some kids. Settle down, find a purpose. That's what weaker men do."

"I had a wife. Now, all I have is revenge, and that's all I want."

Everly closed his eyes.

"I'm done talking about myself."

"Fair enough," he said, leaning against Everly's shoulder. "You may ask me a question, then--I'm in a good mood."

"Don't touch me," he pushed him away and stood up. "I don't care about you. But, if it amuses me, then I'd like to know exactly what your rank is in the mafia, and what mafia you work for in the first place."

Everly watched him carefully, waiting for a reaction that would cement whether or not he would truly be able to travel with him.

He shrugged, still smiling.

"Well, let's see. I can't just go around name dropping, but...we'll say I'm rather high up. I control quite a few people. I also have a brother in power. Is that good enough for you?"

"Hm," he grumbled, completely unsatisfied with the answer. "Until I see you commit a grave crime, we can still travel together."

He stretched idly, before he heard someone knock on the door.

"That better the food."

"It's open," called Charlot, and a bellboy wheeled in a table with their food. He patted the bellboy on the back and shoed him out, smiling broadly.

"Thanks, kid--have a tip." He pulled a hundred dollar bill out of his robe and tucked it into the bellboy's pocket, then shut the door in his face.

"Well, I'm certainly famished after all that sharing." He grabbed a plat with a burger and fries on it and sat down on the bed, munching happily. "I don't normally eat food like this, but it's a nice change. Sometimes simple is more satisfying--do you agree?"

Everly was already busy shoving food in his face, hungrily devouring fries and barely leaving time to swallow. He ignored Charlot until he was done, and he took barely any time to do so. When the burger was gone, he grinned. Real food had never tasted so delicious.

"Thanks," he replied simply.

Charlot delicately wiped his mouth with a napkin and started his second burger.

"It's common hospitality to feed your guests," he said nonchalantly. "Besides, you intrigue me--I think it was worth the price of the meal to lure you here. I'll keep in mind that you like cheeseburgers." He winked at Everly.

"Do you want any of this? I'm sure I will finish, but it seems polite to ask."

"I want to sleep, I'm not hungry," he said, shrugging. "I'm going to bed, now."

"No dessert, even?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "My, you are a simple man. It's refreshing, but rather unexpected." He stretched, rolling his shoulders, then took another bite of his burger.

"We can sleep in a minute, just let me finish eating. Use the time to do something to aid your digestion--read a bible, perhaps."

Everly stretched out again, before he checked the state of his hair. Still properly braided. He hated having to comb tangles out of it in the morning.

"Hurry, I'm tired."

He took a long, slow bite of his burger, chewing for what seemed like an eternity.

"I wouldn't want to keep you from doing some Biblical learning," he said, unable to hide his grin. "Why, the Catholic in me simply won't allow it. I'm a good Christian man, Everly."

He ground his teeth together, before he took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"What do you care?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Are you trying to prove I'm not possessed, or that I'm not demonic? Trust me. I'm not."

"I don't believe in those things," he said, waving an arm. "Mama was just crazy, in the end. Whether angels or demons exist, they don't bother me.

"But everyone can learn from the Bible. It's not this life you need to worry about, right?" He finished his burger and started on the creme brulee, delicately eating a raspberry off the dish.

"You look young enough, but you should still keep it in mind. I'm sure poor Jean-Paul from earlier thought he had much more time left, and look at the slob now."

"It's not the afterlife I need to be concerned about, either. I'm going to hell. That's all I know, that's all I care to know. When I get there, I'll know," he replied, shrugging. "I am damned, from before I made the deal for my soul."

"You're so melodramatic," he scoffed, wolfing down his dessert. "Do you ever just take a step back, smell the roses, perhaps? It might make you less annoying. hen you'll make actual friends."

"I don't need friends," he replied simply. "I had friends. Now I don't, and I'm fine with that.

"Now hurry up, I'm tired."

He wheeled the cart with the empty plates outside the door. Once that was settled and door was closed and locked, he climbed into the king-size bed.

"I'm sorry there's only one bed," he said with a shrug, "I wasn't expecting company. We can make use of it, if you like."

He laughed, unable to resist. He didn't laugh because it was funny, but because it wasn't.

"You only wish," he replied, getting into the bed. "If you touch me, I'll kill you."

Charlot scooted closer, bumping into Everly on purpose.

"Good to know."