Page 17 of Devil Inside

“What year is it?” she asks, and I laugh. Didn’t expect that. There’s no pithy follow-up from her, so I feel compelled to tell her that it’s the year of our lord 2003.

“Don’t tell me you’re a time traveler.”

“Hardly,” she says. “Just drifting.”

Is she toying with me? A cat playing with its meal? I can’t quite get a lock on her. There’s something so—sofluidabout her. She won’t take shape in my mind.

“I saw you up front,” I say. “Doesn’t seem like you have a problem hitching a ride.”

“Is that what you believe, Jordan?”

“I mean, we just met, so maybe I’m wrong, but... you seem like you’re doing okay.”

“Life is too short.”

“Cheers to that.” It’s the strangest thing. Talking to her, simply shooting the shit with a stranger—it feels calming. Theanxiety seems to be dissipating. Or maybe it’s easier to distract myself with someone like Lilith. I can lose myself, even for just a moment. A breath.

“We’re not drinking,” she says. “That’s no good.”

That leads to our third round. I can’t keep up with her. She’s putting them back so fast, I feel like there’s a test here. A marathon I haven’t properly trained for.

“You live here?” I ask. Jesus, what an idiotic question.

“Not really.”

“Out of town?”

“Way out.”

“Where?”

“Nowhere you’ve been.”

So she’s coy. Playing up the mystery. Okay, I’m fine with that. Two can play at that game. “Who’s to say where I’ve been?”

She seems to like this. “Where have you been, Jordan?”

“Hell and back.”

“Oh,really?” This grabs her attention. Seizes it, as a matter of fact. “Do tell.”

“You’re not going to believe me.”

“I have faith,” she says.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Okay.” I hesitate, making sure I’ve got her undivided attention.

Lilith is all ears. Bated breath.

“I died.”

Now she’s listening. Truly listening. Her eyes still, that energy trapped within channeling itself to a laser-like focus on me. I have her. All of her. Even the air in her lungs.

“How?”