deviltown

"Not you again"

Patrick could tell what was happening before it even started. Everything seemed decently normal, all he wanted was a cup of coffee and walking down the semi-populated streets of his suburbs to get one is one of the most mundane things he could do.

That's when he likes to arrive, when you're least expecting it.

He posed nonchalantly, compressed and composed in his tight leather pants and strikingly small red graphic t-shirt, that exposed his midriff. He appeared out of thin air, and Patrick hardly noticed the world come to a surprising halt. Everything was impossibly quiet, birds weren't chirping, cars weren't emitting fossil fuels and tense men in suits weren't shouting into their head-pieces. It was as if he had paused a movie. The first time this happened, he wasn't sure if he had died. Having some random guy with bangs and eyeliner walk up to you claiming to be Death after you've seen the entire world stop before your own eyes wasn't something that he believed capable and probable, it was beyond comprehension. But here he is, Death himself practically skipping towards him, smirking.

"Morning, Pat, hmmm, let me see... an cappuccino with 1 sugar and skim milk?" In the millisecond it took for Patrick to blink, Death had produced a cup of coffee, red in appearance and the logo saying "Hell's Kitchen", funny. Reluctantly, Patrick took the coffee from his hands, the steam fogging up his glasses.

"I really don't know how many times I need to tell you. Why the hell would I want to be with you? Can't you just choose some other random white guy with glasses who plays the guitar? I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for." Patrick huffed as he cleared up his glasses, all the while trying not to spill the magical coffee, whatever the hell it was.

"Whaddya mean, Lunchbox? I thought you loved me, I'm showering you in gifts, what did I give you last time I saw you? Your dream guitar, you know, the Gretsch Round Up? I did see the look on your face when I gave it to you!" he seemed satisfied with his argument, because he couldn't possibly be wrong, right?

"You mean after you practically forced me to take it? You realize how insufferable you sound now? Giving me materialistic possessions isn't going to make me fall in love with you, your egotistical attitude doesn't help either! Seriously, I'm asking you, begging you to just leave me alone! I'm not special nor am I important and of all the people you could date in this world. Why choose me?"

Patrick took a deep breath and continued "You know, if you were the last person on this earth, maybe I'd give you a chance." Patrick laughed, waiting for a response from the now silent Being in front of him.

The Being strolled around, holding his fingers to his chin, seemingly in deep thought. His eyebrows furrowed and deep brown eyes uninterested in his surroundings. After what seemed forever, the Being broke his concentration and stared directly into the man's blue, yellow speckled eyes.

"Challenge accepted." He gave a devilish grin and brought his arm up to his torso and in one swift motion clicked his fingers, the sound echoed for only a moment before the sudden amount of sound almost deafened Patrick's ears, the world quite clearly oblivious to the scene that unfolded before him.

Patrick swallowed thickly, challenge accepted? He couldn't have taken that seriously, he wasn't going to?-

Before Patrick could finish asking his question, a high-pitched shriek pierced through his thoughts.

"Quick, someone's fallen to the ground! Call 911, I think he's having a heart attack!" People gasped as they crowded around a spot in the pavement. He ran along to the crowd, peeking over a young woman with her hand over her mouth, watching a frantic student give a middle-aged man CPR.

What the devil had he done?