The fallen

chapter 1

© 2011 by Daniel Callow

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Lying on the concrete floor, two thoughts crossed my mind. One was why do I not have any shoes on, the second was a strong desire to pull the knife, that proceeded from my chest, out.

Fear started to bubble up inside me. Why is there a knife in my chest? The answer to that seemed to manifest in the back of my mind. While I lay there thinking about how normal the day had been, well Jack had thrown a chair at the teacher, but that's normal enough. Then I had stupidly agreed to meet with some friends, that haven't even bothered to show up on time, where they were supposed to meet with me. Which, of course now I think about it, if they had it wouldn’t have ended with me, being mugged and stabbed by three 'gangsters' that wanted, of all things, my shoes. Of all the pathetic things that anyone has ever killed over, that has got to be the worst. I mean, they didn't even wait for me to give them the shoes, they're not even a famous brand name, but instead they just started stabbing and grabbing.

My hands started to move towards the handle.

'Stop!' screeched a voice in the back of my head. 'you should not be able to move, or be alive'

'Great I'm becoming a schizophrenic and the voice wants to see me dead I answered.

'If you are alive, then this should be interesting' the voice whispered into the back of my mind

Now I'm lying here with a knife in my chest and an imaginary voice in my head that, for some reason, I feel like talking to.

'So voice how is dying interesting?'

'You’re not dying, you were dead.'

'Funny, shouldn't there have been a tunnel with a light at the end.'

'No that is a rather foolish version of what happens when someone dies.'

'Then what does happen?' I quizzed

'The dead walk across the path of judgement towards the destination where they will be sentenced for their sins'

Annoyance started to fill my mind 'I can't believe I'm having a discussion with an imaginary voice.'

'I am not imaginary. I am Azael. And I am one of the greatest demons ever!'

'Heh you say you’re a demon and I'm supposed to believe it?'

'Pull the knife out now then! I have decided to enter a contract with you and that will signify that you agree to it'

'what's this contract and prove to me that you are real.'