Sid : the Devil's secretary

7. Roses

7. Roses

Another day on the busy streets of Hell, with clustered pedestrian walkways and tramways slithering through bouts of traffic below the reddish mists above. Sporting his regular attire, Sid was standing upright on a crowded tram car on his way to work at the citadel. It seemed much easier for him when compared to the usual weekday rush hours and thank god that there was no rain today. He was surrounded by a menagerie of people from all known sizes and backgrounds, but Sid was not the demon for small talk. He liked to keep to himself mostly. The carriage stopped with a small screech outside the dark colossus of the citadel, the doors opening for Sid to pop out. 

On his way up the stony steps toward the main entrance, Sid stopped briefly in his tracks. What he saw made him feel something that he had never felt before. It appeared to be a shorter man with an olive tan and a handsome face in jeans and a long trench coat. He was sitting on one of the lower steps a short distance from Sid, unnerved by the swarms of others passing around him. The man was gently adding the finishing touches to a recent sketch of a small yet well-kept apple tree, just one of many that formed a ring of green around the outer rim of the entrance plaza. Sid had no clue of what to do, staying frozen in place with a blank expression and a small rose blush on his face. Shaking his head to come to his senses, Sid looked back up to the revolving doored entrance and hopped up before the man could see him.

 As he made his way to the nearest elevator on the top floor for the safety of his office, Sid wiped his forehead and lay his briefcase on the ground. He had no idea what came over him while numerous thoughts clouded his mind. What was so special about this man?, and why had he not felt like this before?. Sid decided to take his mind off his close encounter to focus as much as he could on his new job at Lucifer's side. His new boss was directly in front, staring at a watercolor portrait of himself on the wall.

"Sid, welcome back" Lucifer looked over from the closing elevator.

"oh, yeah. Hi sir" Sid nervously uttered.

"is something wrong?" Lucifer bent down.

"no, why?" Sid replied, looking up.

"you seem flustered. I know new jobs can be tough, but you'll get the hang of it" Lucifer twiddled his chin.

"it's not really about the job" Sid responded.

"let me guess, it's a girl, isn't it?" Lucifer smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"well..." Sid slurred.

"oh. I see. playing for the other team. Good for you" Lucifer's eyes widened slightly before patting Sid on the shoulder.

"no, it's not that. I just saw this guy on my way in here" Sid cradled his briefcase close to his chest.

"did he see you?" Lucifer continued.

"no. there was just something about him. I don't know what or why, but there was something there, like a feeling. I admit back on Earth, there were some fine looking southern gals, but this felt different" Sid was put on the spot.

"who knows. You might have had high standards in the past. This whole thing could be a fluke, but if it isn't, see where it takes you" Lucifer lifted his hands up and shrugged.

"thanks" Sid chirped.

"anytime. By the way, I have something I need you to do for me. see this sack?. I need you to go to Grim and Grimmer's, that bank over the river in Sibyl. Deposit that for me, wouldn't you?" Lucifer pointed up a finger and summoned a purple sack of gold pieces into one of his large slender hands before bowing down and handing it to his secretary.

"sure thing" Sid walked past Lucifer to his own office to the side of the hallway, resting his briefcase on the chequered floor next to his desk and walking back out to the elevator with the sack on his way to the bank.