Salamangka: 12SS 2020

The Pact

"You call that a magic circle?" Richard Montano Jr. said. "That looks more like a magic oblong to me."

Phil Hidalgo screwed the cap back on the large half-empty plastic jar of rock salt as he looked at the 20-foot wide magic circle he'd just drawn with it in the middle of the empty warehouse.

The magic circle did look like a half-circle, half-oblong.

"Close enough," Phil shrugged as he put down the jar.

Montano Jr. rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Next I'll need the name of the demon that you made a pact with, sir," Phil addressed the old man in his late 60's, retired General Richard Montano Sr., standing in the middle of the magic circle along with his thirty-year-old son and his pregnant daughter-in-law.

"The demon's name is...," Montano Sr. started to say. "is... NNGGGHHH!"

"I'm sorry," he said, "the demon cast a spell that prevents me from revealing his name to other people."

"Honey?" the pregnant woman clutched at her husband's arm. "I'm scared."

"It's alright, Hon," Montano Jr., said. "None of this is real. It's all in Dad's head, that's all."

"So, what now, then?" Montano Sr. asked, ignoring Junior.

"I'm going to have to read your mind, sir," he said as he stepped into the circle towards the Montanos.

"Pfft," Junior muttered.

"Shut up, Jun," Montano Sr. glanced over his shoulder.

"Go on," he turned back to Phil.

"You'll need to think back to the moment you made that pact with the demon," Phil continued. "I'll read your mind then and try to pick up the demon's name from there."

"Alright," the old man nodded.

"I have to warn you, though. The demon's spell will try to block me."

"And?"

"The process will be painful for you, sir."

"How painful?"

"Excruciating, if the spell is really strong."

"Fine. Whatever it takes to save my grandson's life."

"Oh, come on, Dad!" Montano Jr objected. "You can't believe this NBI psychic consultant scam!"

The old man turned around and slapped his son, hard, the clapping sound filling the entire abandoned warehouse as the son's head whipped sideways from the impact.

"I'm trying to save your son's life, you whiny little brat," Montano Sr. pointed a finger at his son.

"Beat me all you want, Dad," Montano Jr. straightened up, a single tear rolling down his cheek, "I'm still not the coward who couldn't sell his own soul, and instead sold his future unborn grandson's soul to the devil for his own wealth and power!"

The old man raised his hand towards his son again. He took a deep breath, however, and relented, lowering his hand and turning away, back towards Phil.

"Come on then," he nodded to Phil. "Find a way to break my pact, and I'll triple your original pay."

Phil raised an eyebrow. More money was always good!

"Alright," Phil nodded. "Close your eyes and think back to when you made the pact with the demon."

The old man nodded and closed his eyes.