Lucifer's Deal

Past Part 1: The Mysterious Stranger

I laid there that night, like any other night, thinking about my mother and wishing she was here. At this moment, she's probably looking down on my little sister, Elsabeth, and I, wishing we were with her. Unfortunately, that won't ever happen.

My name is Madeline Williams, and I'm 381 years old. My sister and I have stayed alive this long because of someone we met in 1652, when she was sixteen and I was eighteen years of age.

Our mother died giving birth to Elsabeth in 1636, and our father wasn't exactly "Dad of the Year". He was very strict, and forceful, and sometimes violent. So when he died of an illness that is known today as the common cold just a month after Elsabeth's 16th birthday, at first I was relieved that he was gone. But then, when no one wanted us, Elsabeth and I were exiled. We had been in the woods outside of Maryland for weeks before we saw anyone willing to help us.

I woke up one night when I heard a noise and went looking to see what it was. I looked in a meadow to see a man dressed in regal clothes and thought he must be a noble. Knowing this, I got down on my knees and stared at the ground. He walked to me and held out his hand and offered to help me up. As I grabbed his hand and stood up, I couldn't help but notice that his hand was unusually warm.

I dusted off my dress and looked at him. He had the skin of one of the Natives, but he spoke as if he came to America on one of the earliest ships. "It has come to my attention that you and your sister require some assistance, my dear; or perhaps simply a place to stay." I was somewhat stunned to see someone so willing to help two teenage girls like Elsabeth and I, especially one as handsome as the man standing before me with an unshaven chin and a deep voice and a tall laborer's body.

However, I quickly looked past his appearance and decided to speak to the mysterious stranger. "My sister and I just lost our family and our village exiled us. I don't have any money to pay you for your kindness, but if you wish us off of your property, I shall wake her and we will go." I started to walk away but then he began to speak again. "Don't be ridiculous child, I would never ask for payment for something as simple as... kindness." He paused before saying kindness and I remember thinking how odd that was. "Please, fetch your sister and come inside my home. It is awfully cold out here, I'd think you'd much rather be indoors."

I fought back a smile and turned to get Elsabeth. I woke her and told her about the man who was going to give us a place to stay for the night. We both walked across the meadow to the large house and opened the door. When we opened the door we immediately felt hot. There was a giant fireplace that the man had lit which was roaring with flames. I couldn't see the man anywhere so we just walked up the stairs and chose a room to sleep in. We were both exhausted, so we fell asleep the second our heads hit the pillows.