My Meeting With The Devil

Chapter Two

  ♡ Chapter Two - No Turning Back Now    ♡

She walked up the old wooden stairs leading to the roof. Her heart pounded. I can't believe I am doing this, she thought as she rubbed her hands together. She tried to build as much courage as she could. Facing the sleek grey metal door, taking the deepest breath she possibly could she closed her eyes in hopes of calming her mind.

"You can do this Addie." She stared at the door. "He only wants to talk, right?" She started pacing back and forth in front of the door. "Only wants to talk, on a roof." She laughed quietly to herself. "I have seriously lost my mind." She leaned against the cool brick wall that separated her from the night outside. She closed her eyes once more hopping for a sign of what to do.

She thought back to that day. The day it all changed. The flashes of horror arose in her mind and she opened her eyes quicking wanting oh so dearly to escape her past.

"Fuck it." She said gaining a rush of confidence, the hope of forgetting her past fueling her. She reached her arms out and pushed the steel door open; unleashing a wave of cool air onto her face. It was dark and foggy. The man was nowhere in sight. You're such an idiot Adelaide, she thought to herself, her confidence now flying away with the wind, the hope now replaced with regret and fear of the unknown before her.

She thought back to that day again. The regret she felt in that moment, standing there, her heart pounding. She could still feel his arm around her neck. The sounds of the screams, and the gunshots that sounded like thunder overtop of the rain.

"I didn't think you were coming," The man's voice arose from the fog. Adelaide jumped slightly and turned to look around frantically, she couldn't see where the voice was coming from. It was as if she was in a room of two-way glass, he knew where she was, but she didn't know where he was. The fog was thick she couldn't even see the edge of the building.

"I was expecting you to leave again, with that entire monologue of 'should I stay or should I go' you just had."His voice changing pitch throughout the sentence. But why? What was the point? The sound of footsteps began to grow closer. Adelaide stood still, she was too scared to even breathe let alone move. The man appeared slowly from the fog in front of her. Hands in his suit pockets. He was well dressed, the same as earlier. She examined him as best she could through the fog. He had dark short hair, obviously pulled back with some hair product. After what happened she got used to examining everyone she ever met down to the last crumb left on their clothes from lunch. Just in case, everything she did was always just in case.

"Then again you are just like me." He finally came to a stop, right in front of her. Their faces inches apart. She was at a loss for words.

"Oh so changeable." He paused, his eyes looking at every inch of her face, examining it. "Willing to do whatever it takes." He started to move around her, still close until he was behind her. He leaned into her ear, preparing to speak. "To feed that hunger, but hunger for what?"

Her heart racing more than ever. The man lifted his hand, gently pushing her hair to the side. Her instincts took over, she spun around on her heels while simultaneously raising her hand.

It went all so fast that she could barely think. Reaching out his hand he grabbed her wrist. Her hand was just inches away from making contact with the side of his face. She looked at him, her lips parting in surprise and he looked at her with a charming smile. He seemed pleased, but why?

"Why did you have me come here?" She said in what she wanted to be a tough voice but came out more like a squeak. She tried to come across as confident, not wanting to let him read the fear that was so clearly plastered over her by this point.

The man dropped her arm. He turned to walk towards the edge of the building. She followed slowly behind. After the events of this day she wasn't about to let him leave her sight again.

"I can help you with your PTSD." He said, her heart dropped.

"How do you know about that?" She asked curiously.

"What a tragic day that must have been for you." He let out a sigh. "Being held hostage and all, watching your friends get shot. All right in front of your very own eyes. You were helpless."

She could feel the tears form in her eyes. The memories of that day haunting her every move.

"But how do you know of that?" She questioned. She thought no one here would ever hear of her past, she moved closer towards him but stopped before she got to close. "I moved to an entirely different country trying to escape that day." Her voice cracking.

"See that's the thing. You keep running." He jumped up onto the edge of the building looking out over the edge. "But you don't need to anymore, I can show you a better way." He turned back to look at her. He gestured for her to join him. She moved slowly towards him before cautiously stopping in front of the wall. He reached out a hand. She slowly set her hand into his; his fingers closing over hers, and swiftly lifting her onto the edge alongside him.

"What better way to overcome that fear inside of you, that instinct to hurt before being hurt, other than to embrace it." He looked towards the ground. "To use it." She turned quickly to look at the man. He wasn't serious, was he?

"You have something special Adelaide. You aren't like ordinary people. Oh no." He let out a breath. "You aren't boring like them." He smiled. "I can help you embrace what's truly inside of you, all you have to do is trust me."

He turned to face her. Fear started to fill her, the fear of her past catching up with her. He was right. She couldn't run from it forever. She wanted to leave it all behind her, to escape the terrors, the memories of the faces she watched die.

He reached out to her. Slowly turning her until she faced the roof. What she assumed was the empty space between the buildings behind her. She started to shake. He moved until he stood in front of her. The two close together on the edge. He could feel her heavy breaths on him. He reached out taking her hand in his.

"Don't worry, you can trust me." This time a smile that shows a small bit of sympathy came across his face. It was surprisingly calm to her. She sighed, looking into his dark brown eyes.

"Many people get it mixed up." He paused. "Falling is a lot like flying, and it's not the fall that kills you but the destination." She squeezed his hand. She was a prisoner in her own body, unable to find enough power to act.

"Trust me." He said, his gaze locked onto her eyes. She didn't speak, she just slightly nodded.

"Do you trust me?" He asked again. Thoughts rushed her mind. She didn't know what to think.

"You want those memories to fade away don't you?" He asked she nodded. Tears flooding her eyes.

"Do you trust me then?" Her heart raced and she broke her gaze. She looked towards the door.

"Look at me." He raised his voice and she returned her gaze to his eyes. He took a deep breath.

"Do you trust me?" He said softly.

"Yes." She said, the word cracking between her tears. "Yes, I trust you." She closed her eyes, the images of that day coming back again, all the pain.

"Good." He said, his hand slipping from her grip. He raises his hand up placing it on her shoulders and pushed. She fell back, eyes closed as she fell. Suddenly she was flying to fast for the memories to catch up to her. A sense of calmness came over her as she felt the air curve around her limp body.

"See you down there." He turned and jumped off of the wall walking towards the door.