Chapter 2
Emily had really messed up this time. Siding with the princess of Hell, in front of the court of Heaven? She was sure she deserved worse than probation. It was a wonder that she hadn’t ended up falling after an outburst like that. “If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie”? Oh goodness, what had she been thinking?
Emily had finally begun to get used to the peace that came with her punishment. She was alone, as always. Sure, the lack of people to talk to would take some getting used to, but the freedom that came from her solitude made up for it, and then some. Emily could dance, she could sing, she could cry and yell and scream and laugh. Sera wasn’t there to scold her. No one could say that her behavior was unbecoming of a Head Seraphim. She could do things her way.
This was a nice place to serve the time, too. The dense trees of the forest acted like a thick, comfortable blanket. Whenever Emily left the hut, she always felt protected, but thankfully never smothered.
The first few weeks, as always, had been the worst. Building the entire hut with her own hands after discovering that her powers were now severely restricted wasn’t easy, but she had figured it out. The stone walls and simple thatched roof protected her nicely from the occasional rainy days that had come her way. Later, Emily had even added an oak floor to make the space even nicer, after having established a basic but sturdy shelter.
As she explored more and more of her surroundings, Emily quickly realized that the forest provided her with just about everything that she could need or want. The types of plants and herbs growing here were surprisingly diverse. Though they did take a few miles of walking to get to, lakes and rivers offered water to bathe in, as well as a pleasant change of scenery.
Today, Emily didn’t want to stray too far from the hut, in case the exorcist finally woke up. She needed some fresh air, though, so she let her feet move as her mind wandered, making sure the hut was always in sight. Emily wondered what Sera was up to right now. Were she and Adam still going to continue with the Exterminations? She chewed her lip. By Saint Peter, she hoped not.
A sudden, muffled scream broke through the stillness of the morning and the racing of her thoughts, and Emily dashed back towards the hut.