HellKeeper(2) Bonus Story

Missing Identity

Chap 1

"Hey! Wait up!" Mike’s voice echoed through the dark valley. Cole turned to face him. She gave him a smile while watching him hurrying towards her. "You…live here?" Mike panted. Cole looked surprised at first, and simply nodded. "Wow, I live here too by the way, can I walk you to your house then? My friends are not around and…eh…you know…" Mike stopped halfway, wondering what made him say that, while looking down at his feet to prevent Cole from noticing his blush.

Cole did not blush like Mike did; instead she simply nodded her head in an understanding manner. Mike cursed himself for saying those embarrassing words but gave her his charming grin upon her approval. Both of them walked causally along a small path leading to a private condominium with a luxury restaurant, fitness room and a huge swimming pool. "Which floor do you live on?" Mike was the one who started the conversation. Cole looked at the levels of the condominium hesitantly and replied, "22nd floor."

Mike scratched his messy brown hair. "I thought that floor was empty? I heard that a fire broke out and killed a whole family. How come you got to stay on that floor?" Cole’s eyes widened when she heard this. She kept quiet until they passed the security and went into the lift. Cole only muttered, " The manager sold it to my family because my family insisted it. They wanted to experience what it was like to be in a burning hell. My mom’s a writer, you see."

Mike thought aloud, "What does it feel like in a burning hell? I’m curious," "You want to know?" Cole’s usual downcast eyes lifted up. It was then Cole’s eyes met Mike’s. Only then did Mike notice that Cole’s eyes were purple, just like his, but it contained a shimmer of fire in the very end. Mike couldn’t help but stare into her eyes.

All of the sudden, the fire in Cole’s eyes seemed to become real. A gush of fire swallowed Cole and surrounded Mike within seconds. It was like a burning hell, with no escape out from this fiery place. Mike’s hand reached for the lift buttons. He pressed the ‘open’ button, but it seemed that the lift’s not functioning at all. "Help!" Mike yelled. He banged his fists on the lift's doors, but it did not give way at all. Mike panicked and watched the flames turn into a fiery monster. The smoke was starting to thicken, choking Mike like a snake surrounding a poor little mouse. (-to be continued)