Sid : the Devil's secretary

12. Undead Devil plodding

12. Undead Devil plodding

After work, Lucifer drove his red Porsche across town to the suburban district of Niflheim. It was here that Satan himself had laid down his roots for a much needed retirement. Beyond a hedgerow of roses was the estate, gated and majestic. Set over an acre of land was an opulent white house that looked very similar in design to Lucifer's own box palace in the city, as if a two story block had just been dropped in the countryside of Hell. 

Lucifer walked into the manicured gardens of the grounds, tended by the fair maiden of Satan's past, Beatrice. After defeating her wicked ex Dante on the field of battle and professing feelings of legitimate love to her, Beatrice had chosen to accompany Satan in his retirement, still remaining as radiant as the day he first saw her. Satan had never and continued to show no hard feelings towards Beatrice and she had done the same toward him.

"Lucifer, good to see you" Beatrice lifted up her trowel from the garden and looked to Lucifer in a purple tunic robe. She had managed to bring an element of purity and light to the underworld through her work inside and outside the house, adding a certain spark in Satan's life at the promise of an easy retirement.

"hi Beatrice. Is dad home?" Lucifer walked up the gravel path to the house beneath the cherry skies.

"of course. He's in the lounge" Beatrice directed him to the stepped porch leading into the house.

"by the way, great tulips" Lucifer walked past.

"you think so?. The place needed a little pizzazz" Beatrice mentioned. Inside Lucifer could see his father, tall and pale of face as he was, a white yet short beard and smoking on a pipe while reading a novel dressed in maroon. His lounge looked much more like a study or private chamber, with armchairs, a roaring fireplace, and walls of books around.

"my boy. how are things in the city?" Satan saw his son enter. The immortal demon's complexion had not changed since Blood Moon Day, just remaining his tall wiry self.

"going fine as usual" Lucifer leaned in for a hug.

"good man" Satan patted his son on the back.

"dad. Do you know of Stingy Jack?" Lucifer said words that made his father cough on his pipe and open his eyes very widely.

"my god no. has he returned?" Satan grabbed his son and brought him closer.

"he has, but it's not what you think" Lucifer tried.

"it is exactly what I thought. The end of the world again" Satan trembled.

"no, no. I just wanted to know why we hate him so much. He reached out to me, but I turned him down" Lucifer sat down in the opposite armchair.

"the right decision, son. That man is a trickster beyond the best. When I came to claim him for the underworld, he always found a way to reject my advances, so he was banished to roam the earth forever. Why did he come to you?" Satan explained.

"he wanted to come to Hell" Lucifer answered.

"either Heaven kicked him out again or he was very bored up in the land of the living" Satan bet.

"that's what he said" Lucifer continued.

"you know what I think of him. He is a deceitful manipulative piece of scum, and a nasty bastard when he wants to be, but it is your own decision of what you want to do with him" Satan asserted by the light of the fire.

"I'm thinking about it. If I don't do anything, he'll just keep pestering me until the end of time...unless" Lucifer puzzled for a second.

"I know what you are thinking, and it cannot be achieved by yourself. To break a curse that has lasted centuries requires an absolute power beyond all measure. Perhaps from your friend the Purgatorian in Heaven" Satan turned back to Lucifer.

"you may be right, but I won't let myself be fooled again by him. I have to do something" Lucifer stood up, bid farewell to his father and mother then drove back the way he came into the city. he went across town to the post office in Rampart, where he hastily assembled a letter and had it sent at the behest of a postal clerk to the heavenly embassy, from where it could be forwarded up to the man upstairs for a hopeful reply.

Dear Dan

I have an urgent matter I need to discuss with you on a man named Stingy Jack. Do your homework then pick a place. See you there.

Lucifer