friends on the other side

chapter six

In the quiet of his backroom, Oscar sat at his desk, tapping a finger against the polished wood, his gaze lost in thought. The silver door loomed over him from the far wall, a constant reminder of his unfinished business with the McAlisters—and of his own bargain with the beings beyond it. Eighteen souls already bound to him, yet he needed 72 more, and one of them had to be a McAlister. And Evelyn, with her infatuation and newfound connection to Lucy, might just be the key.

"Evelyn's soul is already in my hand," he muttered to himself. "But how to turn her into a bridge to the McAlisters?" He leaned back, considering the possibilities, mind dancing through every potential outcome. Evelyn's deal could open doors if he played it right—if only he could draw Lucy or, better yet, her father, to his shop.

Just then, the gentle chime of the bell interrupted his thoughts. He quickly schooled his face into a warm, welcoming smile as he moved to the front room. There stood a woman, her clothes slightly worn, her face pale and drawn, carrying a frail, sickly child in her arms. The boy's skin was a shade too gray, his eyes hollow, his breathing shallow and strained.

"Please, sir," she began, her voice barely a whisper, her desperation radiating from her like waves of cold. "They say... they say you have powers. Magic." Her words shook, as if she hardly believed what she was saying. "They say you can... cure people."

Oscar clasped his hands and tilted his head, his voice soothing. "Magic is a powerful word, my dear. But yes, I can help people—people who are willing to make a little trade, you see." He let his gaze fall to the child, letting his expression soften with false sympathy. "And it looks like your boy here... well, he certainly could use the help, couldn't he?"

The woman clutched her son a little tighter, her voice trembling. "The doctors told me... they told me there's nothing else they can do. Please... if you can save him, I'll do anything."

Oscar nodded slowly, reaching for a scroll of parchment and a quill pen, his every movement smooth and calculated. "All it takes is a signature," he said, laying the paper out before her. "A simple contract, binding only you and me, promising that your son will be well again. All I ask is something small in return. A token, really."

The woman's eyes filled with fear and uncertainty as she looked at the contract. Her hand hovered, trembling. "You... you'll really make him well again?"

With a theatrical flair, Oscar stepped back, the familiar colorful smoke swirling around him, filling the room with a radiant, hypnotic display. As the smoke danced, he began to hum a haunting melody, his voice soft and enticing, slipping into a song that wove through her doubts and fears like silk.

*"All you have to do is sign on the line, 
And your boy will be just fine. 
A future full of life, no shadow of pain, 
Just a simple trade, a fair exchange."*

The colorful smoke curled around her and the boy, shimmering with the promise of healing, wrapping her in its magical allure. The woman's face softened as she looked at her son's pale face, and with trembling resolve, she took the quill and signed her name.

The moment the ink dried, the colorful smoke gathered around the boy, pulsing as it took on a life of its own. The boy's face turned flushed, his eyes widening, a cough rattling in his chest. With a violent hack, he coughed up something dark and twisted—a small, pulpy lump that splattered on the ground with a sickly sound. The child's eyes, previously hollow, brightened, his skin warming to a healthier hue.

"Mama," he whispered, his voice filled with wonder, "I... I feel better!"

The woman's eyes filled with tears, her face breaking into an ecstatic smile as she clutched her son, crying in relief and gratitude. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you... thank you!"

Oscar gave them a warm smile, as if genuinely pleased to see them happy. "Go on now," he said, gently ushering them to the door. "Enjoy your time together. And remember—nothing is too precious for those we love."

As the woman and her son left, Oscar watched them go, his smile transforming into something more sinister the moment the door shut behind them. The success of his spell had sparked a new idea—one as devious as it was brilliant. *Lucy.*

If he could find the right way to dangle such power before the McAlisters, he could lead Lucy or her father straight into his trap. After all, people with wealth and status had weaknesses too, especially if he could play on their desires.

"Yes," he whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming. "This romance, the bond it will create... it's the perfect opening. All I need is for Lucy to see exactly what she stands to gain. And if Evelyn is the means, so be it. But first I might have to go deeper into my dept with my friends on the other side since I've already proven so far I'm more than good for it they might let me."

Oscar turned back toward the silver door, feeling the weight of his impending success settling over him like a mantle. The voices behind the door remained silent, but he could feel their anticipation, like shadows waiting just beyond the threshold, ready to pounce.