Sympathy For the Devil [Keith Richards]

Anastasia Screamed In Vain

"Hello, Keith."

He jumped at the sudden sound of a voice. Keith hadn't expected anyone to be in the lift with him, or at least he had hoped he would be on his own for once. He was really tired of these random appearances and obviously this whole trip in general. Not that he had expected it too be fun, but it could have been a bit less bothersome in his opinion. Being constantly thrown around different places only to be told what a jerk he was, definitely didn't make his list of favourite vacations. Well at least, if he had counted correctly it was soon over. Keith didn't know what Bill had represented, but it seemed like his running off had no consequences to the passing of his tests at least he thought so or Persy probably would have appeared or somebody else and told him about it. On the other hand he could be totally wrong, he had no idea how these things took place and it drove him crazy. Especially being back at the hotel unnerved him. Could it really be that everything had just been one really messed up hallucination? Charlie as the reason, Micky who didn't get the credit he might have deserved, himself as a greedy bastard, Bill as cool and laid back and a beautiful girl who tempted him with her body and alcohol definitely sounded like a real life scenario. Just one thing Keith had been missing, even if missing probably wasn't the right word for it. Where was Mick? The singer had been strangely absent during this whole affair. At first Keith hadn't really questioned it, because he expected him to be the grand final or something similar dramatic, but there was no Mick, instead he met up with Ian Stewart. 

"Jesus, do you guys always have to appear out of thin air? I think I aged 30 years on this trip, seriously," Keith mumbled and turned towards Stu, who just stood there like Keith hadn't just barged into the elevator like a total madmen. He nearly wanted to go back out again, but a little ping told him that his only way to escape had closed behind him and he was now stuck with his former band mate in the elevator until it stopped its ride. 

"If one of us could complain, it's rather me than you. I have to do all the work, when you and the others have the time of your lives. Girls, Money Success and I have no idea what more... So don't talk to me about stress," Stu retorted rolling his eyes at Keith.

"So you are finally the envy test! That's so typical, of course it's the last one!" Keith exclaimed to no one in particular. "And I have to admit you do fit the part. I mean you were in the band only to be thrown out, because you don't look the part, that must be hard. I totally get your feeling. I would probably be angry too in your place, but if it's a comfort Mick didn't make it into the deadly sins, so you're at least one ahead of him, even if I don't know if that is a good thing. I mean who would want to be the representation of a sin? Mick is really a lucky bastard or maybe not even Hell wants to deal with him," Keith rambled and Stu's face became slowly more and more confused and worried during his monologue. Surely not what Keith had expected, but it wasn't like he was expecting anything concrete to happen anyway. Hell was a seriously messed up place and everything was possible, so why waste a thought on it. 

"Are you alright? Did you hit your head or is this some strange drug escapade again? You guys really will be the end of me... "Stu said sighing.

Keith frowned. This didn't really sound like envy, but it could be a trap or something similar again. He needed to watch out until well until he finally had found the big devil boss, who would send him back home, but first he needed to pass this test. "Sorry, we're probably really a bunch of idiots, well mostly me and it was stupid to throw you out, because you didn't look the part, but it wasn't really our choice and well we kept you still around as road manager. It wasn't like we totally threw you out and this life definitely has its downsides. Anyway I'm glad we kept you around, man,"Keith just finished as the bell from the elevator rung again indicating it had reached its destination and the doors opened.

"Sure, Keith, whatever you say," Stu said dumbfounded. "Well this is my floor, see you later." And with that the road manager was gone, leaving Keith all alone in the lift. He wondered where he was supposed to get off, until now Hell had directed him and he hadn't had to worry about this at least, but now he nearly wished for the horrible sensation of being teleported if in return he ended up where he was supposed to be and could finally finish this. 

Without any action of Keith the lift started to move again and Keith waited, what other choices did he have? Just running helplessly around was the last thing he could use now and if he trusted Hell in one thing, was it to direct him where he needed to be. They surely couldn't want him to wander around there place either, who knew what he might discover? Keith trembled. He surely didn't want to think about that, especially not when he felt like a lamb on his way to the slaughterhouse. 

There was another ping and the door opened anew, but nobody got in, so Keith stepped out. He was in the Lobby and as far as he could remember it looked the exact same it did when they had checked in, beside that it was now empty except for the receptionist at the counter. He made his way over to her, because again that was his best option, even if he doubted some receptionist would be the big evil devil boss and his assumption grew even stronger when he got a better look at the girl. 

She was still young, at the most twenty and looked like she was seriously bored. She was leaning on the counter and trying to juggle a pencil on her nose or something similar ridiculous. Keith didn't know if he should laugh about it or get frustrated. He had passed all these stupid tests and for what? To be greeted by an immature girl? Hell was definitely trying to wear out his patience, so he took a deep breath, because he surely wouldn't give them the satisfaction of getting annoyed more than he already was. 

"Hello?" he called out to her.

"Oh..." she said looking at him with her big dark eyes in shook. She probably hadn't expected a visitor and the little moment of inattention made her lose her balance and she fell down to the floor with a thud taking the vase from the table down with her. Keith tried not to laugh, but he could hardly hold it in. After walking through Hell for what felt like an eternity, passing all these stupid tests and everything else, this moment of simple humour couldn't have been more relieving for him. He probably laughed for 5 minute straight until he remembered that there was a girl on the floor who might have been hurt in the process. He calmed himself down and stepped to the desk to look behind it, only to find the girl and the now broken vase on the floor trying not to laugh as well. 

"Why do these things always have to happen to me?" She mumbled as she got up." "Well... Seems like Anastasia screamed in vain at me, but why does she even put these stupid things everything? She should know by now that I break everything... or maybe she's trying to kill me somehow with all these tricky traps" the girl rambled on as she straightened her uniform. "Well I'll simply buy her a new one, I would if I had some money... Hmm... or I tell it was Mr. D. who broke it. No she would never believe me, maybe I could-"

Keith cleared his throat loudly to finally catch the attention of the rambling girl or he feared she would go until he had died of old age and indeed she stopped her mumbling to look at him in high expectation. "Who are you?" he wondered and immediately regretted asking, when he saw a wide grin spread across her face. 

Thank you for reading, voting and commenting! 

P.S. Ian Stewart is so rarely present in a Stones story, even though the guy definitely deserves some credit. So here you go~

P.P.S Only two chapters left :D