not a green thing to be seen. From horizon to horizon there was nothing but red and black rocks, mountains and canyons. The sky was red and black as well. It was hot. She grimaced. The harpy nodded.
“You are doing this,” she said. “Hell always looks like what you imagine. I am surprised yours is unpopulated. Usually that means the person doesn’t believe in an eternity of punishment. When I bring Christians down here they imagine one crowded with people, like a Hieronymus Bosch painting.”
Victoria looked sat the harpy demon. “You mean I can cool it off in here? With a thought?”
“I wish you would.”
Victoria concentrated on ice and snow and it appeared. The harpy shivered. “Maybe not that cold.”
She closed her eyes and imagined a spring day. Not too hot, not too cold, with a light breeze. She opened her eyes and the red and black were not so harsh. She even saw a tree in the distance now, and the ground was soil instead of rock.
The harpy nodded. “Good. Much better.”
“How do I find…Jack?”
The harpy raised its eyebrows. “I negotiated a trip, not to be a guide. What? Do I look like Virgil? You will have to find Jack yourself.” The harpy’s wings spread and with two heavy flaps she flew off across the canyon, the red trainers visible dangling beneath her as she disappeared.
Victoria spread her hands in disbelief. “Fuck.”
“OK.”
She startled. Down by her knees was a tiny demon, more like a monkey than anything else. It had big round eyes and long spidery fingers. Its skin was black and shiny and it had hair where monkeys have it and nowhere else. Between its legs was an erect penis, way too big for its body. It smiled at her. “You offered,” it said.
“A figure of speech,” Victoria countered. “It was not a suggestion.”
The penis wilted. “I saw the harpy. She has new shoes.”
“Yes. She does.” Victoria began to walk toward the tree in the distance. The demon trotted beside her.
“I can show you around. Did you bring more shoes with you?” it asked hopefully.
“No.” The tree was as good a place to start as any. She wondered if it was any relation to the one that grabbed her through the window.
“Oh.” The demon was silent for a moment then added, “I work for other things.”
“I am not going to fuck you.”
“Oh.” He trotted silently beside her until they reached the lone tree.
Victoria looked up into its branches. There were no leaves. It appeared to be an oak based on the bark and the way the branches spread. She saw no face on the trunk, or any sign that it might be alive…alive in a demon sort of way, not a tree sort of way. The little demon beside her looked up at it as well. The stood there in silence for a long time then the little demon spoke.
“My name is Jasper.”
Victoria looked down with surprise. “You are just going to tell me your name?”
He nodded.
“Why?”
“I saw the silver pumps in your closet.”
Victoria turned from the tree and looked closer at Jasper. “And?”
“Give them to me and I will help you.”
“I don’t have them with me.”
“Give them to me when you return.”
“Done.” She held out her hand to seal the deal, but Jasper frowned. She said, “You shake it to agree.”
“Oh.” Jasper looked at his own tiny hand with the spidery fingers. “We usually use blood.”
“Oh.” Victoria looked at her hand. “How?”
Jasper took her hand and bit her pinkie finger with his needle teeth. It hurt. He bit his own finger and smeared the two fingers together. Victoria felt his demon blood mix with hers and it burned like lemon juice in a paper cut. She winced.
“There,” he said. “I get the silver shoes.”
“I find Jack, or Marcus, or Thor. Whatever his name is.”
“Right.”
“Now,” Victoria looked around Hell. “Do we walk?”
“Never.” Jasper squeezed her hand. “Tell me what Jack looks like.”
“He is tall. His hair is dark brown…he is strong with broad shoulders and arms like…” Victoria stopped. Her demon changed form constantly. “He is also a Roman soldier. Shorter and sturdy. His thighs are thick and corded from marching and climbing and running. His arms are strong from fighting and rowing and digging. He is dark, tanned from the sun, has dark hair and dark stubble that never seems to be shaved smooth.” She sighed, “And sometimes he has lighter skin and blond hair and icy blue eyes looks like he lives in Valhalla. That one