Burn Baby. Burn.
He took a puff of the cigarette the Devil offered. The one puff quickly turned into a coughing fit, the likes of which he had not had since the last time he tried smoking when he was fourteen, some eighteen years earlier. He knew it would happen but thought denying the offer of a cigarette from the Devil would be awfully bad form. That and he was curious to see if it affected him now on this far end of the time-line as it did then. It did.
"Sorry," said the Devil. "I should have known better. Once in awhile the little details escape me."
"No worries," he said. They stood on a rocky cliff giving way to a cavern far, far below. But from here they could see the city in all of it's glory. There were dark, stormy clouds overhead but the day had not given away to night as of yet. The city lights were already visible. They were in the In-Between time now.
"So we've come to an understanding I take it?" The Devil spoke like molasses on sandpaper, though not quite so pretty.
The young man closed his eyes tightly. The moment of truth. The Sum of All Fears. He opened them again. "Yes."
The Devil nodded and returned his dark gaze towards the city.
The young man took a deep breath. It was simple really, understandable to a fashion. The people he most cared about get to go on and lead extraordinary lives. The Devil in turn gets the young man's soul, to devour at his leisure.
"You know what?" asked the Devil. "I admire you little creatures. So frail and ugly and monkey like....yet once in awhile you can see the webs of creation stretch and shine just at the right times for you. Your souls are worth so much....capital in the hereafter. I may hate my father for letting you walking mud creatures take form and speak, but sometimes you even impress me, the greatest of all his creations."
The young man shrugged. "Thanks."
Over the last few years the young man saw a pattern in darkness descending on those he most cared for. His father, a great journalist, had slowly developed Alzheimer's. His mind becoming a cloud eating all that made him what he was. His sister had left one day to journey to Hollywood to be discovered and found herself selling her body at a high class escort service instead once she found achieving her dream too difficult a task to undergo. His best friend, who he had known since she was three and whom he had fallen in love with approximately one whole minute after that first meeting, a fact he kept to himself for twenty-nine years, was strung out at her junkie boyfriend's who sometimes used her as a form of currency.
During this dark time the young man kept having dreams about a old lady rocking in her rocking chair. This went on for years until he was visiting relatives in the next state and while walking down his family's street, saw that same old lady sitting on her porch, rocking away. He asked his extended family about the woman and they told him stories about old Ellie Mae Brown and the crazy life she had led. She had made the community prosperous over the last seventy years, pushing agendas that stretched from education improvement to Sunday picnics to building a new bridge over Talbert Creek. She served on every local board and personally helped raise funds for most of the projects.
The young man took it all in stride and the next day ventured out, in search of her. Curiosity got the better of him and he had to talk to her. As he approached the old woman he felt a nervous twitch and wondered exactly what he would say to her. This proved fruitless because when he got within earshot she broke the ice herself. "Well come on up. I ain't getting any younger and you're taking your sweet ass time."
The young man adopted a puzzled look. "You....you knew I was coming?"
Old Ellie Mae Brown's face scrunched up. "You ain't too bright are ya? Yes I knew. I've been dreaming about you for years young man. Hurry up. At my age every breath could be my last and we've got some words to have, me and you."
The young man took up residence on the porch and over the next hour they talked. Ellie Mae Brown shouted for a housekeeper who brought the young man some sweet tea, and this is what was said. Ellie Mae told the young man that he was what they called "touched." He would have to make a big decision that would affect the lives of more than one person. At first the words coming from Ellie Mae seemed strange but as she talked a quiet calmness came over the young man and somehow, down to his core, he knew she spoke truth. Three people in his life had fallen from the path and were now on collision courses with oblivion, yes? He nodded. Only the young man could save them now. The Dark One, the Beast, the Devil, whatever you wanted to call him had laid claim to those he loved. And he would only set them free if the young man, in turn, offered his soul in exchange.
"I don't understand why." He said simply.
Ellie Mae said, "It's because God puts certain people on Earth to offer great sacrifices. Sacrifices of love for the greater good. Those are the ones that are touched, child. And when they are offered the choice to save their loved ones they either agree and save them for an eternity in Hell-Fire, or they take the selfish way out and let their loved ones burn."
"Jesus," said the young man. "That's sick."
"Mmm," she mused. "And don't blaspheme."
"Why would God do this?"
She stared straight at him. "Who knows? God's got his or her own reasons, I'm sure. I can tell you this though, when it all ends and the final fight is fought and he casts all of Hell into the great Abyss, the only ones he will pull out of Hell and save are those that were "touched" and made their sacrifices."
The young man paused before asking, "So you eventually get saved."
"Eventually."
"But you said they burned for all eternity."
"Yes," she agreed, "but God's time is not our time."
"Why me?" asked the young man.
"I think," she said, "because few souls can stand an eternity of torment before rescue and only those will do."
The young man stared down at the chipped, wooden porch.
She then added, "Or it could just be the luck of the draw."
"How do you know so much?"
Ellie Mae laughed. "I'm old. But I've always been a little 'touched' myself in a different kind of a way. You see young man, once upon a time, I was not the wonderful lady you see before you. I was a child at the time but I was also possessed by a foul demon whose name cannot be spoken in human tongue."
The young man could not believe his ears.
"I was marked and doomed until someone close to me, someone 'touched', made a sacrifice to save me."
"Someone close to you?" asked the young man.
"Yes," she said. "My father."
They were quiet again leaving room only for a gentle breeze the springtime loves to give up when it can. Then she added, "When he went I got better and went on to do remarkable things, see remarkable things, and see a little behind the curtain to the great mysteries. But it wasn't just me, no sir. My brother went on to be the most decorated soldier from around these parts during the Korean War. He died there but saved the lives of no less than twenty other soldiers during his time there. Soldiers who went on to have wonderful lives of their own. And my pastor, who had given up his faith? Who had picked up the bottle again? After my father left he poured out every drink he had and spent thirty more years saving the people here."
The young man frowned. "So all I have to do is give it up and my loved ones will be saved?"
"Yes child," she said. "An eternity of torment to save them. Then one day you'll be reunited again."
"At the end."
"Yes, at the end."
"So when do I have to make the choice?"
Her face grew shadows. "Don't you worry none. The Devil, he find you soon enough."
It had taken a year but yes, that was indeed the case. He did not have to sell it hard. The young man had already made up his mind by that time. His father did not recognize him. His sister called him crying most days but refused his offers to fly her home. His best friend had lost a tremendous amount of weight and finally told him her boyfriend didn't want her talking to him anymore. The love of his life, who would never look at him in that way, chose cold emptiness over him. It was this last one that pushed him over the edge. This last one that had broken his heart. So yes, he had already made his decision.
"You know," the Devil said, "you only get a reprieve in the end if God wins."
The young man hadn't thought about that. He supposed it did not matter much. "Will you forever be unable to touch them?"
The Devil nodded. "Yes, they'll be free of me forever. It's part of the rules."
"Then I guess it just doesn't matter. I'll try to have a little Faith."
The Devil winced. "Gah. Such profanity in your voice. Makes my ears bleed."
The wind picked up now and it was obvious there was a storm coming through.
"Time to go." The Devil turned away from the city.
"Yeah," said the young man.
And off they went. Soon the young man's father would have a miraculous recovery. He'd go back to journalism and his investigation will bring down a corrupt politician who might have eventually become Commander-In-Chief otherwise. It will be a crowning achievement. His sister will leave her escort job and take one as a waitress at a small diner. There she will most surprisingly be discovered. She will have a wide and varied film career and she will champion women's rights and will attack those that pray on women down on their luck in all ways. She will win much acclaim and help many people as a result. The young man's death will shock his best friend into leaving her boyfriend and she will clean herself up. She'll go to community college and become a nurse. She'll meet a man one day that reminds her of her long lost friend and they will marry. They'll have one son. One day that boy will grow up and cure cancer.
The young man burns somewhere you never ever want to find yourself. He burns and waits. And hopes. And has Faith.
It will be a good sacrifice. Sometimes when he's being punished he even smiles.
It's not everyday one man gets to save everyone he loves.
Right on.
(c) Shawn J. Douglas 2009
"Sorry," said the Devil. "I should have known better. Once in awhile the little details escape me."
"No worries," he said. They stood on a rocky cliff giving way to a cavern far, far below. But from here they could see the city in all of it's glory. There were dark, stormy clouds overhead but the day had not given away to night as of yet. The city lights were already visible. They were in the In-Between time now.
"So we've come to an understanding I take it?" The Devil spoke like molasses on sandpaper, though not quite so pretty.
The young man closed his eyes tightly. The moment of truth. The Sum of All Fears. He opened them again. "Yes."
The Devil nodded and returned his dark gaze towards the city.
The young man took a deep breath. It was simple really, understandable to a fashion. The people he most cared about get to go on and lead extraordinary lives. The Devil in turn gets the young man's soul, to devour at his leisure.
"You know what?" asked the Devil. "I admire you little creatures. So frail and ugly and monkey like....yet once in awhile you can see the webs of creation stretch and shine just at the right times for you. Your souls are worth so much....capital in the hereafter. I may hate my father for letting you walking mud creatures take form and speak, but sometimes you even impress me, the greatest of all his creations."
The young man shrugged. "Thanks."
Over the last few years the young man saw a pattern in darkness descending on those he most cared for. His father, a great journalist, had slowly developed Alzheimer's. His mind becoming a cloud eating all that made him what he was. His sister had left one day to journey to Hollywood to be discovered and found herself selling her body at a high class escort service instead once she found achieving her dream too difficult a task to undergo. His best friend, who he had known since she was three and whom he had fallen in love with approximately one whole minute after that first meeting, a fact he kept to himself for twenty-nine years, was strung out at her junkie boyfriend's who sometimes used her as a form of currency.
During this dark time the young man kept having dreams about a old lady rocking in her rocking chair. This went on for years until he was visiting relatives in the next state and while walking down his family's street, saw that same old lady sitting on her porch, rocking away. He asked his extended family about the woman and they told him stories about old Ellie Mae Brown and the crazy life she had led. She had made the community prosperous over the last seventy years, pushing agendas that stretched from education improvement to Sunday picnics to building a new bridge over Talbert Creek. She served on every local board and personally helped raise funds for most of the projects.
The young man took it all in stride and the next day ventured out, in search of her. Curiosity got the better of him and he had to talk to her. As he approached the old woman he felt a nervous twitch and wondered exactly what he would say to her. This proved fruitless because when he got within earshot she broke the ice herself. "Well come on up. I ain't getting any younger and you're taking your sweet ass time."
The young man adopted a puzzled look. "You....you knew I was coming?"
Old Ellie Mae Brown's face scrunched up. "You ain't too bright are ya? Yes I knew. I've been dreaming about you for years young man. Hurry up. At my age every breath could be my last and we've got some words to have, me and you."
The young man took up residence on the porch and over the next hour they talked. Ellie Mae Brown shouted for a housekeeper who brought the young man some sweet tea, and this is what was said. Ellie Mae told the young man that he was what they called "touched." He would have to make a big decision that would affect the lives of more than one person. At first the words coming from Ellie Mae seemed strange but as she talked a quiet calmness came over the young man and somehow, down to his core, he knew she spoke truth. Three people in his life had fallen from the path and were now on collision courses with oblivion, yes? He nodded. Only the young man could save them now. The Dark One, the Beast, the Devil, whatever you wanted to call him had laid claim to those he loved. And he would only set them free if the young man, in turn, offered his soul in exchange.
"I don't understand why." He said simply.
Ellie Mae said, "It's because God puts certain people on Earth to offer great sacrifices. Sacrifices of love for the greater good. Those are the ones that are touched, child. And when they are offered the choice to save their loved ones they either agree and save them for an eternity in Hell-Fire, or they take the selfish way out and let their loved ones burn."
"Jesus," said the young man. "That's sick."
"Mmm," she mused. "And don't blaspheme."
"Why would God do this?"
She stared straight at him. "Who knows? God's got his or her own reasons, I'm sure. I can tell you this though, when it all ends and the final fight is fought and he casts all of Hell into the great Abyss, the only ones he will pull out of Hell and save are those that were "touched" and made their sacrifices."
The young man paused before asking, "So you eventually get saved."
"Eventually."
"But you said they burned for all eternity."
"Yes," she agreed, "but God's time is not our time."
"Why me?" asked the young man.
"I think," she said, "because few souls can stand an eternity of torment before rescue and only those will do."
The young man stared down at the chipped, wooden porch.
She then added, "Or it could just be the luck of the draw."
"How do you know so much?"
Ellie Mae laughed. "I'm old. But I've always been a little 'touched' myself in a different kind of a way. You see young man, once upon a time, I was not the wonderful lady you see before you. I was a child at the time but I was also possessed by a foul demon whose name cannot be spoken in human tongue."
The young man could not believe his ears.
"I was marked and doomed until someone close to me, someone 'touched', made a sacrifice to save me."
"Someone close to you?" asked the young man.
"Yes," she said. "My father."
They were quiet again leaving room only for a gentle breeze the springtime loves to give up when it can. Then she added, "When he went I got better and went on to do remarkable things, see remarkable things, and see a little behind the curtain to the great mysteries. But it wasn't just me, no sir. My brother went on to be the most decorated soldier from around these parts during the Korean War. He died there but saved the lives of no less than twenty other soldiers during his time there. Soldiers who went on to have wonderful lives of their own. And my pastor, who had given up his faith? Who had picked up the bottle again? After my father left he poured out every drink he had and spent thirty more years saving the people here."
The young man frowned. "So all I have to do is give it up and my loved ones will be saved?"
"Yes child," she said. "An eternity of torment to save them. Then one day you'll be reunited again."
"At the end."
"Yes, at the end."
"So when do I have to make the choice?"
Her face grew shadows. "Don't you worry none. The Devil, he find you soon enough."
It had taken a year but yes, that was indeed the case. He did not have to sell it hard. The young man had already made up his mind by that time. His father did not recognize him. His sister called him crying most days but refused his offers to fly her home. His best friend had lost a tremendous amount of weight and finally told him her boyfriend didn't want her talking to him anymore. The love of his life, who would never look at him in that way, chose cold emptiness over him. It was this last one that pushed him over the edge. This last one that had broken his heart. So yes, he had already made his decision.
"You know," the Devil said, "you only get a reprieve in the end if God wins."
The young man hadn't thought about that. He supposed it did not matter much. "Will you forever be unable to touch them?"
The Devil nodded. "Yes, they'll be free of me forever. It's part of the rules."
"Then I guess it just doesn't matter. I'll try to have a little Faith."
The Devil winced. "Gah. Such profanity in your voice. Makes my ears bleed."
The wind picked up now and it was obvious there was a storm coming through.
"Time to go." The Devil turned away from the city.
"Yeah," said the young man.
And off they went. Soon the young man's father would have a miraculous recovery. He'd go back to journalism and his investigation will bring down a corrupt politician who might have eventually become Commander-In-Chief otherwise. It will be a crowning achievement. His sister will leave her escort job and take one as a waitress at a small diner. There she will most surprisingly be discovered. She will have a wide and varied film career and she will champion women's rights and will attack those that pray on women down on their luck in all ways. She will win much acclaim and help many people as a result. The young man's death will shock his best friend into leaving her boyfriend and she will clean herself up. She'll go to community college and become a nurse. She'll meet a man one day that reminds her of her long lost friend and they will marry. They'll have one son. One day that boy will grow up and cure cancer.
The young man burns somewhere you never ever want to find yourself. He burns and waits. And hopes. And has Faith.
It will be a good sacrifice. Sometimes when he's being punished he even smiles.
It's not everyday one man gets to save everyone he loves.
Right on.
(c) Shawn J. Douglas 2009