All the Gates of Hell by Richard Parks Read Free Book Online Page B

US?
    Jin blinked. Client ?
    The creature nodded at Joyce. YOU HAVE ANOTHER WORD FOR IT?
    She's my friend! What do you think you're doing ?!
    MY JOB, OF COURSE. MY LORD DID WARN US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT CONFUSED STATE, BUT FRANKLY I DIDN'T QUITE BELIEVE IT UNTIL NOW.
    Your 'Lord'?
    EMMA-O, YAMA...I THINK YOU KNOW HIM AS DAI SHI JOHNSON.
    Teacher ...
    THAT, TOO. HE'S GOT ALMOST AS MANY NAMES AS YOU DO. LISTEN, I REALLY SHOULD BE GETTING BACK TO WORK NOW. IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE IT UP WITH HIM.
    You think I'm going to just watch while you do...whatever ?
    THEN DON'T WATCH. CLOSE YOUR EYE.
    Jin closed her eyes, but she still saw the demon. "Why..."
    BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SEEING ME WITH YOUR PHYSICAL EYES, OF COURSE. YOU'RE WATCHING ME WITH YOUR SPIRIT EYE, THE THIRD EYE. CLOSE THAT.
    I don't know how !
    The imp shrugged. WHAT'S TO KNOW? DO IT.
    Jin opened her eyes. There was Joyce staring at her paper, there was the small demon looking disgusted. Jin took a deep breath and then just imagined an eye closing. She imagined the lid coming down, the view fading to black. In another moment the demon had disappeared. Joyce looked up and noticed Jin staring at her.
    "Is something wrong, Jin?"
    "Ah, no. Just worried about you, I guess."
    Joyce grunted. "Nice for someone to worry about me for a change. Though I still think that Teacher guy needs watching."
    Jin didn't disagree. Though she thought that, up till now, she could be forgiven for thinking more about here own role in this mess rather than the scope of Teacher's duties. Which, apparently, included "Boss of Working Stiff Demons." There was something clearly blue-collar and no-nonsense about the imp on Joyce's shoulder. She could no longer see it, but she knew it could hear her.
    What are you saying to Joyce ?
    I'M TELLING HER THAT SHE'S UNWORTHY OF THE JERK SHE'S LIVING WITH AND DESERVES TO BE TREATED LIKE SHIT.
    That's a lie! She's the strongest, most together person I know !
    SO WHY DOES SHE BELIEVE ME?
    That stopped Jin cold for several seconds. But ...
    FOR PETE'S SAKE -- DO I TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB, IMMANENT ONE? IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, TAKE IT UP WITH MANAGEMENT.
    After a moment or two Jin remembered who "Management" was. I believe I'll do that .
    Joyce closed the office early that afternoon, pleading a migraine. Jin just took a right into the alley by the flower shop. For a full minute as she walked there was nothing in the alley but trash, broken asphalt, and dirt. Jin was beginning to think that Teacher was trying keep her out again when the air seemed to shimmer around her and she was walking down the long corridor between double rows of grinning effigies on her way to the entrance to All the Hells. She found Teacher there by the dais as if he'd been waiting for her.
    "Teacher -- " she began, but he didn't even let her finish. He glanced at his strange watch and sighed.
    "Jin, didn't I tell you: 'no more questions'?"
    "Teacher, did you think for one sodding moment I'd agree to that?"
    In the distance the two guardians were in their usual poses, trying to pretend they weren't listening. Teacher leaned back against the dais and glanced up into the smiling, beatific golden face of Guan Yin as if seeking help. "Fuss all you want, I can't tell you how to be Guan Yin. Isn't that what you really want to know?"
    "What I want to know is why you sent that imp to torment poor Joyce!"
    "She's in Hell, Jin. Is there some part of the concept that you still don't understand?"
    "Maybe all of it. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that!"
    Teacher shrugged. "So why is she letting it happen? And when is she going to stop?"
    "You're blaming the victim, Teacher."
    He shook his head. "You're casting Joyce in that role, not me. For that matter, so is she. If you're so distressed by her suffering, why don't you free her?"
    Jin seriously considered punching him again. "I don't know how," she said finally.
    He nodded as if the matter were self-evident. "If you don't