“AHHHHH!! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!”

Lucy screamed all of a sudden. It got even hotter as the days passed by. I couldn’t properly function as a human being in this heat. And I am already a lazy dysfunctioning human being. I lay down on the floor while I was trying to stay completely still to keep myself cool. On the other hand, Lucy was just running around in a tantrum.

“Stop moving around.” I said slowly.

My mind was already boiling. It was hard for any attempt to put words together. My eyes moved without shifting my head. Lucy was whining as she jumped around. If she stopped being a brat and just sit still, maybe she’d cool down a bit.

It’s so hot that even I’m hallucinating a bit. Both of us were sweating like we’re sitting in a sauna. I was depending on the breeze from my window to cool down while Lucy had been using my old beaten up fan.

“It’s so hot.” Lucy said sluggishly.

She crashed on the floor across the room. For the first time today, there was complete silence.

With a quiet room, it becomes easier to think to myself. As I close my eyes, I let a train of thought run to distract myself from the heat.

The only thing that comes to mind is Lucy.

She’s been here for quite a while now. I’ve been avoiding it but I have a lot of questions about her.

Just what kind of person the devil is. How has Lucy lived her life before she met me. Does she have any friends or family?

I wonder if stories about Lucifer were really true. It could have some truth to it or it could be made up. What I know now is that she acts like a child and she knows how to take advantage of others.

There is another thing that bothers me the most. It always popped up in the back of my mind.

Why did she save my life?

I’m just some shut-in. I could just be some random guy she saved by chance. Or some reason. I don’t think I could ever figure it out.

I can’t deny that it bothered me a bit. But I can’t help but just hold that question back. You know the saying ignorance is bliss? Maybe it’s not an answer I should be looking for.

“Ugh…”

Lucy expressed her discomfort.

“Get used to it.”

“David, why don’t you get an air conditioner.”

“That costs money. My allowance only covers food.”

If I ever buy an air conditioner, I would need to get a part time job. Just the thought of that gives me goosebumps.

I don’t want to deal with the heat just as much as I don’t want to get a job.

Lucy was quiet for a while. As if it were a sudden craving, she yelled out.

“ICE CREAM!”

I tilt my head slightly to see Lucy from the corner of my eye.

“What?”

“I need ice creaaam.” She cried out like a little kid.

“That involves going outside. I won’t do it”

“Then get Colin to get some.”

“He’s at work right now. I’ll tell him to bring some when he gets home.”

“But I want some now~!”

I shifted over turning my back to Lucy. At first I thought, ‘Out of sight, out of mind.’

But then I heard a noise. There was whimpering from the other person in the room.

I’m going to hate myself for this.

“Fine…”

“You better go now. Make sure you get chocolate. Don’t get any cheap brands. And make sure you get two of them.”

With no hesitation she jumped up and commanded me without skipping a word. A devilish smile formed on her face. She was filled with energy and walked about as if she was perfectly fine.

“Oh and make sure you run back. The ice cream might melt on the way. If it is too soft then it wouldn’t be any good.”

The whole time she had that look. From when I got up from the floor until I had my hand on my doorknob. She had that devilish smile.

Damn. She’s good.

—

This is it.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

I never thought we’d get to this point already.

You’ll finally see a shut-in out of his comfort zone. The outside.

As I walk outside of my apartment, I saw a bunch of people walking around the street. There was a woman with a stroller on the other side of the street, an old man and another woman walking a dog.

I avoided walking by any of them and went towards a convenient store a few blocks down.  

The sun is shining bright without a cloud in the sky. There was a light breeze perfect enough to keep the temperature nice enough for the outside to be bearable.

The stop light turned red when I reached the intersection. I stood there as I handled the heat. I wipe my forehead, wiping the lines of sweat that flowed down to my neck. Whenever I would wipe my sweat, more would take it’s place.

Sounds of playing children and running dogs can still be heard from the nearby park. I don’t understand how they can just enjoy themselves in this heat.

If you had half a brain, you would just stay inside and cool down. It doesn’t matter if how sunny or cloudy it is. Staying inside is obviously the best.

When I get to the convenient store, I’ll be getting extra ice cream and an ice cold soda. It’s only two blocks away so it won’t be long.

The stoplight turned green while my mouth was watering. I wiped my drool and my sweat once again as the image of a walking person lighted up.

It was so hot that I could even see the heat haze in the distance. A big blur distorted the horizon. Looking at it reminded me of the song of the same name. I forgot how the song went so I was humming it to myself. I failed to remember the lyrics so I started it from the beginning. I then crossed the street with the tune stuck in my head.

Then everything went blank.

It was so sudden. I look to the side to see a truck before my vision faded.

My last breath was hard to take in. Damn it, I’m dying again. What a pathetic way to die. That sounded familiar. Don’t you think so?

Even in the pitch black, my whole life flashed before my eyes.

The last thought I had was about Lucy. I don’t know if she can save me again. If there was that chance then I would take it.

Or else I will never be able to bring home some ice cream for Lucy.

Just kidding.

I was in the middle of one of my fantasies. Sorry you had to see that. Getting hit by a truck is too cliche anyways. The heat was just getting to me again. Other than the heat, I’m just bored. Long walks are not something shut-ins love.

Being in this heat with boredom was a bad combination. I almost hallucinated the whole truck too. I could imagine the truck driver’s face too. That man would have to deal with the sight of my dead body. I almost feel bad for an imaginary person.

I don’t mind thinking of random stuff like that. Sometimes I need to occupy my mind. Although I should try to avoid it while I’m out like this. If I’m in deep thought while I’m walking then that would end up really badly for me.

Haha. Stupid heat. Making me imagine stuff like this.

In the middle of the street.

With that fake horn.

And that fake look on that drivers face.

Yelling at me to get away.

…

That truck was real.

…

My back was pulled as the truck passed by. I felt the hard ground as I fell down.

“Wha-”

I could not control my widened eyes nor my gaping mouth.

It almost happened again.

It could be the heat boiling up my brain or being in deep thought this whole time took me a moment to get back into reality. I’m pretty sure the truck that I thought was a hallucination was about to hit me.

I look down at my body to confirm that I’m still in one piece.

The truck was long gone from the intersection. The hot street was burning on my back as I stayed down on the floor.

I wonder who saved me. It could be Lucy. It could even be the grim reaper this time. To my surprise it was neither. I looked up from the feet of my savior. It was a woman. The sun was shining behind that person so it was hard to see her face but I could tell from her long hair. When she bent over to lend me a hand as the sun hid behind her, making it easier to see her face. The light surrounded her in a divine manner.

‘Jesus is that you?!’

“What was that?” She asked.

I was speechless since the truck passed by. But a few words leaked out.

“Uh, nothing.” I properly spoke up once I got my head together. “Thank you. Miss…

“I’m Raphie, your neighbor. I was right behind you when we left the apartment.”

I tried ending our talk before a one sided conversation begins.

“Thanks for saving me. I’ll talk to you later.” Not.

I got up before I started a commotion. There were other people looking at me from the side. To avoid their gazes I started walking. I turned away from Raphie and this time I properly looked both ways as I went for the convenient store.

I looked behind me as I crossed street. Raphie followed right behind me.

“Ain’t this awkward? When you say goodbye to a friend and you end up going in the same direction?”

Uh… friend?

“Yeah.”

“You know it is a lot hotter than I thought.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to the store.”

“How did you know?” Raphie acted surprised.

“Everybody else would want to go in and get something to cool down with.”

“Oh that makes sense. We don’t want to let the heat get to us and I don’t know… get hit by a truck.”

“…”

“I’m kidding.” She teased with a smile. “It’s not everyday that I see people walk around like a zombie. You are okay right?”

“I will be once I get inside.”

“You don’t look okay.”

“I’m just tired… I woke up like an hour ago.”

“An hour ago?” Raphie looked at her watch. “It’s only two in the afternoon.”

“Exactly.”

“What kept you up?”

I sighed. I can’t believe I’m having a genuine conversation with a stranger. Then again it’s my neighbor.

“It’s just my uh… roommate. Constantly making noise, uses all of my belongings and bothering people all the time. It’s pretty exhausting.”

“Why are you roommates with a person like that?”

“My roommate is an old friend of mine. Sh- he’s done a lot of favors for me. That is why I didn’t have any reason to object since he’s moved in with me.”

“That’s nice.”

“It’s not that bad once you get used to people like that.”

Even if it’s Lucy.

I was at my limit for being outside as long as I did. Luckily both of us just arrived at the store. The cold air hits me hard as I entered. I could feel the sweat stick to me like ice.

The convenient store barely had any people.

There were some kids in the back looking around for snacks. Then they ran to their parents as they waited in line. A few others were standing there for the air conditioning as they looked around.

I make my way to find ice cream. I looked through the glass door looking for vanila ice cream.

And like before, Raphie followed right behind me.

“Ah! It’s so nice and cold here. Hm…”

She held a bag of pretzels and some chocolate syrup. Then she stood right next to me.

“Hmm…” She searched along side with me.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“Vanila ice cream.”

“Ah same here.”

“Requested by your roommate?”

“More like a demand.”

“Your roommate reminds me of my sister.”

“Oh really.”

“Yeah. She’s a very demanding person.”

“Not as bad as my roommate.”

“I would think so. She makes a lot of noise. It’s like she’s in her own world. She has no sense of personal belongings. I feel bad how she bothers other people all the time.”

“Oh that reminds me of someone.”

“Yeah. Some people can be a handful. Oh I found it!”

Raphie opened the glass door and grabbed the ice cream. Before she left to the counter she looked back at me.

Her smile was warm at first.

“They may be exhausting to deal with. But my sister is really a pure angel.”

She paused.

My heart sank on her following words.

“But some say that she is the devil.”