As I sat drinking my evening scotch. I heard someone knocking on my door. I went to see who was bothering at such a late hour but when I opened the door there was no one there. I shut the door in anger thinking I had been played a fool by local children looking for a laugh. I headed back to my den where a warm fire and my single malt scotch. But when I got to my den there was a figure standing in the shadows. I could barely make out a shape. It was as if my eyes quit working if I tried to stare directly at it but if I looked away, I could see the shape clearly in my peripheral vision. I walked to my chair and grabbed the scotch of the little table next to it. Standing in front of the fire, sort of diagonal from the shape. I took a drink and said "I know your there you might as well step into the light." When it did, I was not prepared for what I saw. As he stepped near the fire, he became clear. It was as if his skin was made of bone. His head had two rams’ horns protruding from it. He walked with leaning forward over skeletal legs that had hooves for feet. It was like all those devil paintings but without the red skin and fur. I was terrified. He looked me up and down as if I was a meal that was spread before him. Trembling I asked "w-w-what do you want?"
"The question is what do you want?" He said in a smooth voice. The creature had an accent but I could not place from where, it was like a Spanish accent mixed with English and French. Whatever this thing was I could tell it was ancient. "So, what do you want?" It asked again.
"I d-d-don't know what you mean." I said terror running up and down my body, freezing me where i stood.
"I mean what do you want. Whatever it is no matter what just ask and I will grant it to you. Money, power, love whatever your heart desires shall be yours, just name it."
I stood there in silence for a long time before I asked the obvious “At what cost will this thing I desire be?"
He laughed a wicked evil laugh that went through me like an icy wind on a cold winter’s day.
"Why your soul of course." He said with a sickening grin.
"My soul?" I asked.
"Why yes, that part of you that lives on in eternity after the flesh rots away." He snarled seemingly disgusted with the thought of my body.
"When would you take it and what would you do with it?" I asked growing more curious than scared at this point.
"I will collect it upon your mortal death and as far as what I will do with it, well that is my business. Now name your price?" He spoke.
“Since it is my soul, I think it may be my business as well and I refuse to sell it until I know what you plan for it." I said sternly trying to sound brave.
It screamed in frustration. "Fine! I shall devour it slowly over a thousand years using to nourish me and keep me alive for an eternity. Now, name it. Name what you think your pitiful soul is worth."
Shocked I was at this I said "and if I don't sell it to you?"
"You will go to Hell where you shall be tortured mentally and physically for all time. I have seen your past and Hell waits for you unless you sell it to me. You will feel no pain, you will feel nothing, know nothing. It will be as if you just quit existing but in Hell you will feel every second of that eternal damnation." He spoke.
Years later I lay here upon my death bed waiting for the creature that visited me all those many years ago. Waiting for him to collect his prize. I did not know what to ask for initially as I cared not about love, I had money, and power however there is one thing I did want. I wanted to get away with any crimes that I committed. I wanted to remain free while I lived on this earth and I did. I committed heinous crimes of murder, theft and so much worse and known in the hour of my death I await to pay for that freedom.
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