Devil-ish

Chapter 2

"Sign on the line; make a deal with the devil. Make a deal with the devil in blood."

ψ Soul for Sale - Simon Curtis ψ

***

          It was hot. Unbearably hot.

          Angelisa groaned, blinking open her eyes as she slowly regained her senses. Yet even with open eyes, her brain couldn't wrap itself around her surroundings. It was ridiculously humid; she could feel sweat dripping down the back of her neck. Except it didn't seem like she was outside. It felt more like she was trapped inside a dark office, coming to with her head propped on a large desk.

          As she peeled her sweaty cheek from the cool, wooden desk, she couldn't help but feel as though she was still trapped in a fog. Her head pounded lightly, making her wince with every movement.

          "Good morning, sleeping beauty," a gentle voice cooed. She whipped her head around immediately, steadying herself on the chair's arms. Across from her, a strange, human-like creature sat with crossed arms and a smug smile. The creature looked almost human, but his features seemed slightly more grotesque. Besides, his skin appeared to be waxy and red-- as if the creature had been out in the sun for far too long. Atop his head sat two curved horns, reminiscent of the devil.

          She sat and stared, her tongue feeling heavy in her mouth. Even if she wanted to talk, it still felt like her tongue was asleep.

          Luckily for her, the creature seemed willing to do the talking. "I've been studying you." His arms uncrossed from his chest, moving towards his desk, where his fingers interlaced. "I'd like to propose a deal." The last word was smooth and drawn-out, giving Angelisa a bad feeling. There must have been some deeper meaning behind the creature's idea of a "deal" to warrant such emphasis.

           She almost opened her mouth to voice her concerns, but her tongue felt like lead, and she realized she was still forcibly mute.

           "Ah ah ah," the creature said, shaking a long, red finger in front of her face. "I'll let you speak soon enough." He reached toward a stack of papers to his right, peeling off the top one carefully and settling it in front of himself. "I hear you're not very satisfied with your life, my sweet Miss Angelisa. Let's see what we can do about that." He hummed as his finger traced under the printed words, meandering slowly down the page. They were too small for Angie to make out their meaning from her seat, and she nearly groaned in frustration.

           In a desperate attempt, she scooted forward in her seat, but immediately felt an invisible grip on her shoulders, suddenly pulling her backwards with a small yelp.

          The creature didn't bat an eye. "Patience is a virtue, my pet," he purred, continuing to scan the paper. "Though I don't often follow it myself." With that, he looked up and snapped his finger. "Aha! Perfect. A boyfriend deal."

          Angelisa watched curiously as he slid the paper over to her, seeming satisfied with himself.

          "As you'll see outlined in the contract in front of you, the bargain is simple." The creature pushed back his chair and stood, his shadow towering over Angie's small frame. "All I need is the promise of your soul and then you'll have easy access to the boyfriend of your dreams. And--" He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face upwards, meeting her eyes directly. "I'm certain you will then find that your life is significantly more exciting."

           The words coming out of his mouth were still baffling to her, but there was something about his gaze and smooth voice that made her feel... safe. It almost didn't seem to matter what he was promising her; she just wanted to sign his contract and earn his respect.