Chapter Six

“Loki, Alberto and I were in a meeting and we evaluated that there’s a good possibility that you might go to hell when you die,” said Tomas. He stood in front of me and looked at me closely. He put a hand on his chin and his brow wrinkled. “Hmm…” he said. “But don’t worry. We can solve this. Being a businessman has taught me many things. For one, it taught me to be a problem-solver.”

“I don’t have a problem,” I say, “And you’re not a businessman.”

“Don’t be scared. We’re here for you,” Alberto hugs me and it feels very awkward.

“Scared of what? I’m not scared,” I tell them.

“Aren’t you scared of S-a-i… t-h-a-n?” Tomas spells.

“Who’s Saithan?” asks Alberto.

“I think he meant Satan, Alberto,” I say.

“Don’t say it! If you say it enough times, the devil will possess you!” says Tomas.

“Really?” I ask. “Satan, Satan, Sa…” Alberto jams his fingers into my mouth and it still tastes like the burger he had for lunch.

“Stop! It’s true! My cousin said that they had a neighbor who was possessed because he said S-a-t-a-n for the six hundredth and sixty-sixth time,” adds Alberto.

“Where do you guys hear these things?” I ask.

“My dad told me that the devil had red skin, horns, and he looked a little like grandpa,” says Tomas.

“My mother told me that the devil was made of fire,” says Alberto.

“Yeah, and Aaqil said that Satan looked like Sauron from Lord of the Rings – like he’s one big burning eye; do grown-ups really believe that?” I ask.

“You parents don’t?” asks Tomas.

“I don’t think so. My parents don’t believe many things. They don’t believe in faeries, or vampires, or ghosts, or myths. Whenever I ask mom why they don’t believe in myths, they say, because we believe in science, Loki, and according to science, most myths’ version of how human beings came to be is wrong.”