Irene's Deal (SHORT STORY) (COMPLETED)

Irene's Deal With...

There was once a young lady, about 17, named Irene who others, in her little town, would say was perplexed, wily, and beautiful. She'd cause mischief and regularly get caught, her parents didn't like this much, of course, and favor her sister more. With this being the case, she would rebel more and more till her parents decided to use their wrath to kick her out. That rainy night, Irene's parents claimed, "If you do not fix your act and be proper like your sister, do not think to return," as they threw her out of their home callously. Irene then gathered herself and somberly carried herself to a little alley for cover from the rain.

She sat down and started to cry in silence, as she cried for what felt like hours, a man interrupted, "Are you okay? Why are you out this late, let alone crying in the streets?" She looked up to find a beautiful man, a little bit older, maybe in his late 20s, it seemed, looking at her. "It's nothing," she replied, "Don't worry about me, you should go on your merry way." Irene puts her head down and wipes her tears away.

"Here," He said in return, "Rise, little one, I'll help you." She looks back up at him and then asked how. He answered, "anything you want, I'll give," he continues, "but, you have to give me something in return." Irene took his hand and got back up to her feet. "What is the price, I may ask?"

The man smiled, "Don't worry about that for now, what would you like," He said in a perky tone, "fortune, youth for eternity, great skill, a painless life? Or maybe something so simple, like a poppet?" He then smiles. "Most of those are impossible to give, it's daft!" Irene claimed, "How would you give me any of those things?" she questioned with her voice raised. "Trust me and I will give you everything- only at a small cost! Come on, name something you desire."

Irene hesitates for a moment, "You are not gulling me, are you?" He immediately responded, "Oh, no, no! I'd never trick someone, I simply am helping a girl in need," he continues, calmer now, "May we take this inside somewhere? May I interest you in a drink at my bar?" She cautiously agrees and follows the man to a bar a little ways away.

Once there, he signaled her to sit down on a stool while he went to the back of the bar table and started to make her a drink. "So, what would you like?" he said while preparing a cup. "Anything," She said undecidedly. He starts to mix various things and starts to shake the drink mixer.

"Anything else?" he said after a moment of awkward silence, "What else would you like, maybe fame?" She scoffs in return, "Fine I'll play along," she goes on, "how about... A lover? Someone loyal and sweet to dote." He gives her the drink and nods in agreement.

Irene started to feel dizzy but it shortly passed after taking one or two sips of her drink. An older gorgeous woman then entered and stood there, like she was waiting for someone. "Ah, the old crone is back, I'll be a minute," the man says before leaving to talk to her. "Hello," an unfamiliar voice said. In confusion, Irene turns to meet a boy a little older, handsome, a little pallor, and tall.

She greets him back and he sits with her. He looked like the person she had always dreamed of being with oddly. They talked more and more and the boy describes perfectly what Irene's ideal lover is. She fell in love with him quickly and was soon invited to stay with him till she was back up on her feet. Everything was perfect, they have gotten together, married, and had two kids afterward.

She forgot about the man that had helped her and the wish she said to him, as well as the price for it. Everything started to go downhill four years into their marriage. The boy she once knew turned out to be a drunk and used her callously for money and to have her clean as well as take care of their kids. She was miserable.

Every night when Irene puts the kids to sleep and her husband passes out on the couch, she'd go out and sell herself to lechery at bars. One night she decided to take a shortcut to a new bar for new customers and saw a familiar face on the streets, looking at her. She squinted and realized it was the mysterious man she'd met years ago. "Hey!" she yelled to him and started to run to catch up to him. "Sir, please, can you help me again?" She said when she reached him, he turned to face her and said Callously, "It's time to pay your price, little one."

He started to morph into a disgusting skinless creature and to her horror, she ran. "Pay! Pay! Pay the price," he screamed over and over as she ran away from him. Irene screamed for help but no one could hear, she looked in places and no one was in them. She was alone with that thing. "Your soul," it said as if he were right next to her.

She turned to see it close as can be to her face, put its skinless claws on her neck, tight, so she couldn't run. The ground started shaking, and fire and lava started to come out of the ground when cracks formed. Below her were the pits of hell. The thing then dropped her into the pit, never to be seen again.

Thanks for reading, this was a story I had to write in school, so I thought I might as well post this. Let me know any criticism you have so I can make my works better for you and others in my future works! 

Again, thank you for reading and happy reading <3