January 8, 2011 by Mark Lidstone

Georgia

“So you came to me” he adjusted the way he sat. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know if this was worth my time”. My stomach sank. I stared into his glasses trying to find his eyes. “Judging by your story, I shouldn’t have to bargain at all. If I’m patient your soul will come to me anyway. I own your soul by default. Nobody else would want it.”

“But I’ve changed”, I pleaded. He took his cigarette out of his mouth. Instantly the flame went out. The smoke stopped billowing out of the end but the air didn’t clear.  He placed it behind his ear.

“You met a beautiful, wonderful girl and destroyed her life. You stole from her, lied to her, and introduced her to a horrifying world that has led to her death and now, after years of selfish acts that could be described as nothing less than evil – acts that you have avoided talking about tonight – you find your conscience. Now that you see the consequences of your actions you want me to make it all better”.

I tried to protest, to explain that it wasn’t like that. My throat wouldn’t let me speak. I broke into a fit of coughing which resulted in blood dripping from my lips to the table. I quickly reached for my glass. As I picked it up, I stumbled, dropping it. The mouth of the glass landed on the edge of the table spilling all of its contents onto the floor.

“I’m not a picky man” he said with a look of amusement on his face. “Though, I’ll admit, there has been no shortage of souls coming my way as of late. No matter. I’ll make the deal. Consider this your last chance to back out.”

I didn’t even need to think it over. After reminiscing on the past, all of the memories came flooding back – even the parts I left out. The night we met. At the end of the night we went back to her place. I discovered how well off she was, what she could do for me. We fooled around. She was drunk, I went too far. She was too afraid to say no.

I remembered when she told me she was pregnant. I forced her to get an abortion. She put up a bit of a fight. I remember arguing about it while a needle hung from my arm. I wouldn’t let her say no.

I remembered the time period after the abortion. She was so upset. She cried all the time so one night I stuck a needle into her arm just to shut her up. I told her if she said no I would leave her. She would be completely alone. She couldn’t bear to say no. Now, I had to say yes. For her.

“Make the deal” I forced it out. I could taste the blood.