Game of Life

Short 1

Cold, hard steel beneath my back, the jangle of handcuffs at every move. The scent of piss was prominent in the air but that wasn't the worst part. No, the worst part was the voices. A constant nagging, pounding in my head.

You shouldn't be here.

Come back to us.

You belong with us.

One of us.

He claimed you.

Just stop! I clutched my head and muttered the words over and over again. Wishing they would stop and knowing they never would. Severin's world still had me in its grasp. 

"Hey!" The shouting voice startled me out of my seat and I heard the clang as my head bashed into the tiny metal sink.

"Ow." I groaned as fire lashed across my skull. "What?"

"Be quiet over there!"

Get him.

Kill him.

How dare he speak to us like that!

"Just shut up!" I snapped.

"What did you say?" The police officer stormed over to me, baton in hand as he snarled, "What the fuck did you just say to me, you murdering scumbag?"

Realising my mistake, I cowered away. "I wasn't talking to you! The voices just won't go away."

He scoffed and clapped the baton in his hand. "Aw sweetheart, is the guilt of murdering thousands eating away at you?"

"I didn't kill anyone! I'm innocent!" I insisted.

"Save it for the judge. And keep it down," he spat over his shoulder as he returned to his post. Leaving me alone in this hellhole of a holding cell. They hadn't even let me have a shower before throwing me in here. Dried blood still caked my body; I'd tried to wash it off in the sink, to little effect. 

Finally the voices ceased, but I knew what that meant. Severin plopped his butt on the bench and reached over so he held my chin in his grasp. "My sweet, sweet Calla, look at you."

I jerked away. His claws leaving thin scratches down my face. "Why is this happening?" It was a question I'd asked a hundred times since I'd been here and he always gave me the same answer.

A smirk spread across his face and he shook his head slowly. "Calla, Calla, Calla, we've been over this. You failed the game."

"Why won't they leave me alone?" I whispered, fearful of the guard coming back to investigate.

He reached over and grabbed my wrists. I didn't bother fighting this time. "You died in my world little one. It bridged a connection with the demons and when I brought you back to life....well, let's just say you're a Conduit now." He gave a lopsided grin. "They won't be disappearing anytime soon."

"Can't you make it stop?" I pleaded. Surprise encompassed his face at my request.

"Well of course I can," he purred, releasing my wrists to cup my face in his hands. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Please, just make it stop," I murmured, curling up against the wall.  "I can't take this anymore."

Severin leaned in close, his warm breath brushing my ear as he spoke, "I can make it stop, but you'd have to come with me."

I raised my head slowly, meeting his gaze, come with me. Did I really have a choice? The voices. The demons. They would never leave me alone and they were driving me insane. I swallowed thickly, shooting a sideways glance at the guards. With the amount of evidence Severin had set up around me...I would spend the rest of my life rotting in a cell. 

At least with Severin I had a chance.

I couldn't bring myself to say it so I nodded once. Selling my soul to the devil with that single motion. 

He squealed with delight, scooping me up in his arms like a child. Black mist swirled around his feet, leaving dark stains on the cement floor. A scorched picture of Death engraved on the ground. He paused suddenly, turning around to face the guard that was staring at us in shock. His hands trembled as he reached for his gun and Severin laughed, lightning crackling from his fingers.

Severin glanced between me and the guard before slowly lowering his hand. "Would you like to do the honors?" he mumbled.

I felt the elements return to me in a rush and realised how much I'd missed the feeling of power they brought. I turned around in his arms, feeling the familiar surge of energy pulse through my hand until it left nothing behind but a pile of ash.

The last thing I heard before the world faded from sight was Severin's cackle of laughter.

Maybe, selling your soul to the devil isn't too bad.