Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Be Afraid of What's in It.

Souless (Part One)

Listen. I'm not a evil woman. I'm really not. I'm not even scary. I like kittens, bands, TV shows and food just like anyone else. I just have one problem - I sold my soul to the devil last year. Now don't get me wrong - I didn't sell it to become famous or rich or have anything I wanted. I did it for my little brother. He was dying of leukemia. So I made sure he didn't. But of course, like all stories, there's another complication.

It all started, well, yesterday. It was normal at first, I went to my classes at the university, picked up my brother and watched him until my mom came and picked him up. Later I was eating mac 'n cheese, watching Netflix.

And then a portal to the underworld opened in my living room floor.

I'm being totally serious. It was all fiery and circular and scary. Then, of all things, I dropped my mac 'n cheese into the portal. Yes, you read that right. I'd like to think some demon or hell hound is enjoying it, because I sure wasn't.

A man jumped out of the portal and it closed. Still in shock that I just lost my mac 'n cheese to a portal of the underworld, I didn't recognize him at first. But then I did. It was the devil. You know, the one I sold my soul to.

He was exactly like I remembered him: tall, in a black suit with a black dress shirt and tie, black hair that fell to his shoulders and gleaming silver eyes. I know, you were expecting a scary monster with horns and wings or something. But he was so much worse. He gave off the feeling of complete evil, and just his presence would make you want to commit a horrible crime. The worst part was that he could've been anyone. You wouldn't know that he was the devil if you just saw him on the street.

After a second of looking around my apartment, he walked over to a chair and sat down in front of me. He smiled. "So," he said, his voice soft, like you would expect a snake's to be. "I have something to ask of you, dear Lila," he continued, "Something has been stolen from me. I need you to get it back."

I stared at him. He couldn't be serious. He opens a portal in my living room that caused me to loose my beloved mac 'n cheese and he expected me to help him? I answered, "Why do you need my help of all people?"

His gaze felt like it was going to burn a hole into my head. "Because everyone else died trying," he replied calmly, "But there would be something in it for you, that is if you succeed."

"Like what?" I inquired, slightly intrigued now.

"Like your soul," he stated.