Sympathy For the Devil [Keith Richards]

I've Been Around For A Long, Long Year

Keith snorted. "For real? Do you think I'm stupid? I am really not in the mood for this shit, but nice try."

The woman's smile only grew. "Oh what a pity, but I am in the mood and I always get what I want."

"Stop it and just get lost," Keith grumbled. She might be seriously tempting, but they had enough fans for him to sleep with, he didn't need the barmiest he had ever met. "Or go to Mick's room. I'm sure he would be really pleased to meet you."

"I am not here for your friend," she said still smiling as she got out of the chair. "I am just here for you, Mr. Richards."

She took a step in his direction and Keith nearly wanted to follow her example, but in the opposite direction. He didn't, not only because behind him was just the wall of his room, but he was Keith Richards and he surely wasn't afraid of some bird, no matter how insane she seemed. "Sorry to crush your dreams, darling. I am not interested. Seriously try Mick, he'll sleep with you without wasting a second thought."

She had nearly reached him. Her smile was still in place and Keith seriously felt trapped. Her presence has something menacing about it and it unnerved him, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. The bird was dangerous.

"I am not interested in that," she said chuckling as she sat down again on the bed right next to him. Again Keith had a huge urge to move away from her, but again he didn't. He was now more curious as scared.

"So what do you want?"

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him as he had asked he really dumb question. "Your soul of course, sweetheart. What else? Who do you think I am? Some silly fan?"

Keith snorted from laughter. "Seriously? I thought the devil looked more like some sort of hideous creature with horns and not like something that stepped out of a painting."

The smile was back. "Oh you know how that is. It's only bad publicity, you send out a few wars, famines, illnesses and the like and immediately you're the bad guy. I'm just trying to keep the world balanced, but is somebody thanking me? No." She sighed. "But I am sure you can relate to that, your band doesn't get the best headlines either... Anyway if you want me with horns I can fulfill your wish." She snapped her fingers and two horns appeared out of nowhere on her forehead, making Keith suddenly feel very sick. "Is that more to your appealing?"

"I'm just high..." Keith mumbled. It was the only explanation that made sense or at least more than the one that he had the Devil sitting in his hotel room looking like a fucking goodness with horns. "You're not real."

She rolled her eyes. "Why do you humans never believe me? You pray and believe in God, but as soon as you meet me I must be unreal. I have feelings too and I'm just doing my job. You really could try being nicer to me."

"Eh... Sorry?" Keith mumbled. He had no idea how to act in such a situation. Having the Devil in his hotel room and having her complain to him about her job wasn't something he expected to happen. Meeting the Devil hadn't even made his to do list, even if that at least seemed more probable. He knew that he hadn't really led the most virtuous life, but somehow he hadn't really thought much about it until now. Brian's death had evoked certain thoughts, however he had sent them promptly away trying to ignore them, which he hardly could do now considering he had the Devil sitting next to him.

She laughed and it made Keith's stomach even sicker. Why did she have to look like an Angel and even sound like one? She should have been a hideous monster and not this... But hadn't the Devil been originally an Angel? Keith wasn't sure nor did he really care in this moment. He just wanted her gone.

"It's not your fault. You didn't condemn me to this job, but thank you. I think I start to like you," she said and leaned a bit closer to him. Intuitively he put some distance between them again. Keith surely didn't want to be so close to her. No matter how she looked... On the other hand it probably made it easier to collect souls. She looked so tempting that probably most men would indeed follow her to Hell without a second thought. Blimey he would probably too, if she hadn't appeared in the middle of the night.

"Eh... why are you here then?"

She chuckled. "I told you for your soul of course, sweetie. I might like your music, but I am surely not here for a signature."

Keith eyes widened in panic. Of course it had been rather obvious why she was paying him a visit, still hearing her voice his suspicions made it so much more real. "No! I haven't done anything that bad! I-"

"Promise to change my life around and be a role model for everyone or do you want to offer me a different soul in exchange for yours? Or make a deal?" She interrupted him. "Do you seriously think you could tell me something I haven't heard before? I've been around for a long, long year, darling. Believe me it gets boring really fast and I still have other things to do."

Keith sighed resigned. "There's no way out. Is there?"

"Sorry you can't cheat death. We all have to die someday."

"Even you?"

"I wasn't always a devil."

Keith frowned. "There are more?"

"Of course. This is hardly a one person job." She sighed, sounding very tired. "You'll met the others, when you'll come with me."

"And what if I don't want to?" Keith asked again. There just had to be a way for him to get out of this, even if he couldn't see one... The only hope he had at this point was that he was sleeping or really high and just imaging this, but something told him this was very real and this would be the end.

"I'll have to force you and you surely wouldn't want that. Believe me it's very painful and it won't be worth it in the end... The result will be the same if you come with me or I'll drag you there. You'll be gone." Again she sounded rather tired as if she had told this a million times already and Keith supposed she probably had.

"But I can't just... I have a family, friends and what about the band?" He tried a last time, even if he already knew what her reply was going to be.

"Sorry about that, but they'll manage. They have to... Death can't make exceptions." She said shaking her head and she did indeed look sorry, even if Keith had no idea why. Shouldn't she be a cold-hearted, evil being?

He sighed. "Can I have at least one last drink and a smoke?"

"Of course, you can. I might be the Devil, but I'm not a monster."

Thank you for reading, voting and commenting!