Issue 1 Downtime

(After the talk with Calvin)

In the center of the hedge maze, Regan was hiding. Her hoodie was pulled around her face and she was alternating between crying and hating herself.

Calvin was a dick, but he was right. She was worthless. A useless, pathetic parasite that had destroyed her only friendship because she was jealous.

The worst part was that she wasn't even sure she liked Kay. Maybe she was just attracted to her because she had been nice to her and lacked the backbone to stand up to her.

That was even more depressing.

Steve stepped into the center area and whooped.

"Finally. That damn maze is evil," he said, "...now to get out..."

He hadn't noticed Regan yet.

"God damn it," Regan muttered, wiping her face with her sleeves.

Steve looked over, about to comment on running into Regan of all people when he registered her obvious distress.

"Are you... okay?"

Well that's a dumb question jackass.

"Just fucking peachy," Regan says, her voice cracking a bit. Apparently she has trouble controlling her emotions. Who knew?

"Good. Because if you were crying then this might get awkward," he attempted to joke.

Regan sniffs, manages to hold it in for a moment, before doubling over and trying to hide awkward sobbing behind her knees.

For an uncomfortable moment, Steve had no idea what to do or say. He then stepped closer.

"Sorry... bad joke," he said guiltily, "Really bad joke. I just ... didn't expect to see you so... you know... vulnerable."

"'Course not," Regan says between sobs and sniffles, "I'm such a happy well-adjusted person."

"For what it's worth? I don't think any of us are that."

Regan wipes her nose, "You don't have to handle me, Steve, I'm not a nice person and you know it."

"I don't get a 'oh hey everyone's fucked up' excuse after everything I've done."

"What you've done?"

"You want a list?" Regan asks, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Not if you don't want to give it."

"Everything, okay?" Regan says, "Everything I've ever done is because I was mean, stupid, and jealous. I run off everyone by making fun of them or just generally being a bitch. And that was okay, as long as I had someone who thought I was worth sticking up for."

"And now I don't even have that. Because I'm a fucking idiot."

Steve didn't like Regan. She had been right about that much, but now it didn't seem right to enjoy her misery even if she kind of had it coming.

"Have you... tried to apologize to Kay for whatever you said to her?"

"No, because if I'm just gonna be a bitch I shouldn't be her friend," Regan says, "It's pointless. I'll just do something else mean to her."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want her to get hurt, dumbass," Regan says, "I thought that was obvious."

"I mean why do something else mean to her? You obviously don't want to."

"If I could control my emotions, do you think I'd be bawling in front of you?" Regan asks, sniffling pathetically.

"No, probably not," he admitted, "But you're nowhere near the worst person I've ever met, so there's hope for you yet."

"...Who the hell do you hang out with?" Regan asks, "Jesus. I almost got you shot by mobsters. How does that not even rank?"

He hesitated, not sure sharing it was a good idea. Least of all with Regan... but he had already opened the door.

"Oh it ranks, but as far as I know you've never actively tried to kill anyone."

There's an awkward moment of silence as Regan just stares down at the ground.

"Really?" he sighed.

"It's a long story," Regan mumbles.

"Believe it or or not, I'm a good listener."

"I don't know if I want to talk about it," Regan says, "I mean, it wasn't a person, but I'm not really sure that makes a difference, y'know?"

"Depends on what it was."

"Well, she was sort of a demon," Regan says.

"Well then I'm sure she deserved it," he said, obviously not entirely believing her.

"Yeah, this is exactly why I'm not super interested in talking about this."

"Okay, since you're a ghost I guess if follows that demons might be real too," he conceded.

Regan rubs her eyes, floating in a cross legged position.

"Fine. So, I was basically in hell for a year before I came here. Because I was killed by demons."

For a long and awkward moment Steve couldn't think of anything to say. He wasn't particularly religious, but the idea that demons could drag anyone they pleased to hell disturbed him greatly. Regan was a bitch, but she couldn't have earned a ticket to hell so young.

"They just... showed up and dragged your soul to hell? Why?"

"I have no idea," Regan says, "I didn't have time to interview them or anything."

Then the obvious hit him.

"And they just... let you go?"

"I was dead, Steve," Regan says, "I know they're demons, but I don't think they sit around freshly killed corpses waiting for a respawn."

"What? I mean you're not in hell anymore."