The Book of Souls

A New Friend

          Lucifer walked inside the local hospital.  He could smell her; her blood was thick in the sterile air.  The hospital room she had been assigned in ICU was dark when he walked inside.  There was the normal sounds of her IV machines and heart monitors.  How she had survived he wasn’t sure.  His dark brown eyes searched the dark and spotted her figure lying on the hospital bed.  Approaching quietly he took her wrist into his hand.  Her pulse was weak; her skin was clammy and cold to his touch.

          He whispered a few words and her lungs stopped moving as her pulse quit under his touch.  He let go and his eyes, adjusted now to the dark, watched as a symbol began to form on the inside of her wrist.  Her lungs started moving once again and her pulse began, stronger than before.  She didn’t know it, but Lucifer had big plans for the witch and they started now.

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         Julie opened her brown eyes as the sound of the machines next to her bed penetrated the peacefulness that had been an anesthesia black out.  She tried to adjust in the bed and sucked in a painful breath.  Her lower abdomen felt like it was on fire.  Julie lifted the blankets and pulled up her hospital smock.  There was a bandage that covered where her pain was coming from.  When she peeled them back, she grimaced at the sight of the staples that came from the left side of her hip to the right.  She replaced the bandage and readjusted her sheets when she noticed the symbol on her wrist.  She recognized it as the mark of the Devil.  Brook had taught her a lot of things before she had died.  Julies mind flashed to Michael and she felt a deep hurt come over her.  She focused back on the symbol on her wrist.  When the door opened and a nurse walked in, Julie jumped.  She grunted in pain as the movement tore at her abdomen.

          “Oh dear, I was just coming to check on you. You’re doing much better than last night.” The nurse looked confused but came to the bed side to check her vitals, “How’s the pain?”

          “Intense.” Julie’s voice was hoarse as she spoke.

          The nurse nodded her head, “I’ll get you something to make you comfortable.”

          Julie watched her fidget with a few things before she quickly left the room, only to come back minutes later with a male doctor and a syringe full of clear liquid.

          “Julie, I’m Doctor Sullivan, I’m your surgeon.  How are you feeling?”

          Julie gave an attempt at a shrug, “I’m in pain but I feel great otherwise.”

          The surgeon approached the bed and looked into Julies eyes.

          Confused, Julie looked from him to the nurse standing back in awe, “What the hell is going on?”

          The surgeon stepped back, “Well, you came into the ER almost dead from blood loss and your guts almost hanging out.  I did what I could but I was positive you wouldn’t make it through the night.”

          Julie shook her head, “I should be dead?”

          Doctor Sullivan nodded, “It’s truly a miracle you’re awake right now.” He gave the nurse a quick glance and she quickly moved to push the contents of the syringe into Julies IV, “We’re going to let you rest for now. I’ll be back in a couple hours.”  He quickly left the room.

          “Did I have any visitors?” Julie asked as the nurse disposed the needle.

          The nurse smiled, “None yet, except a guardian angel, and even I can’t believe you’re alive right now dear.”  She walked to the door and out of the room as the pain killer kicked in and Julies eyes grew heavy.