Chapter 4: Date with doom

It was a long ride. Screwtape's office was on the top floor. Slugthorn had to change elevators at the 78th floor for the “express tube” -- Screwtape's elevator to the penthouse.

The elevator came to a smooth, rapid stop, with no bouncing or clanging. The doors slid silently back.

A gaudy world of flaming yellows and scarlets revealed itself to Slugthorn's recovering eyesight. Directly in front, across the hall from the elevator shaft was a high, broad arch, beyond which a cavernous antechamber seemed to stretch into eternity. The arch was ostentatiously decorated with heavy, swirling, gold Chinese dragons. Their tails started at the floor on each side. They clawed and scaled their way up the wall, meeting jaw to jaw, with bared fangs at the top center.

To the left and right, the rich red and yellow hallway extended into darkness. In the foreground of a mural, ancient Chinese warriors raised their swords in curving, menacing arcs. In the distance, huge armies approached each other. Prickly arrows filled the air. The screams of the dying sounded forever, forever sweetly, for Screwtape's entertainment.

Straight ahead, across the thick red plush carpeted hallway, the antechamber seemed to stretch into infinity. Slugthorn crossed the hallway and stepped under the golden dragons. He was in Screwtape's realm. Here, the carpet was even thicker and more gaudy. Swirls of red and yellow flowed in ever tightening, symmetrical spirals to meet in circle of gold at the center of the antechamber. Directly above the golden circle hung a huge, gaudy chandelier with lacy strings of crystal meeting heavier globs of glass in the center. To the left and right, not visible from the elevator, heavy red teak doors kept the secrets of the sealed side rooms. Far, far in the distance, beyond the gold circle and threatening chandelier, a broad, two-story-high wall marked the end of the antechamber. An enormous golden sunburst radiated out from the center of the wall toward the side rooms, dominating the entire realm of the antechamber.

At the foot of this massive wall, so tiny in comparison with the epic features of the antechamber that it was almost invisible, was a receptionist's desk, and now Slugthorn thought he could see someone behind the desk.

Slugthorn crossed the vast room, striding across the middle of the golden circle. Although he was the only other person in the huge, empty room, the receptionist did not look up. She seemed preoccupied with something she was reading. He tried to keep the trembling out of his voice when he said, “Mr. Slugthorn to see Mr. Screwtape.”

For several moments, Desiree Caliente did not look up. When she finally did, she cast a careless, unimpressed glance at the fallen demon. “Mr. Screwtape's busy. You can wait over there.” With a casual nod, she indicated a row of high-backed chairs that lined both sides of the antechamber.

The chairs were tall and straight, like the choir loft of a Gothic cathedral, with rich, dark, heavy wood and red leather. The backs of the chairs peaked in the middle with ornamental carvings, about four feet above the average man's head, while sitting.

Slugthorn walked over and sat down. He couldn't help looking at his watch. He was late already. What was keeping Screwtape? At least the delay gave him a chance to collect his thoughts, try to make sense out of what he had seen. He thought he had it almost worked out -- but how to present it to Screwtape, tell him enough to make him believe it, but leave out enough so that Screwtape still needed him? He waited. It was really late now. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Mr. Slugthorn,” Desiree Caliente said at last, “Mr. Screwtape will see you now.”

To the left of the receptionist's desk, a long dark corridor stretched away from the antechamber. Slugthorn followed. At the end of the corridor were huge, ornate double doors. He opened them and walked inside. The doors closed behind him. The room was decorated in the style of the antechamber, but only about a third as large. A scarlet carpet runner down the middle of the room led the way to Screwtape's lair. At the end of the scarlet runner was another large door.

Slugthorn took a deep breath, opened the door and walked in.