He grimaces slightly.
“Why did it have to be a difficult one? This would have been far easier, with someone else.”
“You don’t have anyone else; I am your only option.”
“I won’t agree to a term like, do no evil.”
“Then help me here. What terms would you agree to, that could lead to my ends?”
He cracks a smile.
“If I wasn’t weakened and I had infinite time, I’d be able to twist you around my finger with ease. All while you were thinking, you had got one over on me.”
The smile leaves and his eyes seem to lose their life.
“Though, I am left with no time and no power, we are on completely equal footing. Minutes to decide a contract, that will decide our destinies. Fine, let’s talk details.”
“You won’t cause me or anyone I care about any harm.”
“Fine. You’ll give me your soul, to fill this whole in me.”
“Okay. You’ll make it possible to become a better person as time goes on.”
“Assuming I couldn’t normally?”
“Do you?”
“Not really. Though, it was not impossible, just something I avoided.”
“Then if in this time, while your recovering, I can convince you of doing better, even just marginally, you must follow through with it.”
He seems to be running low on energy.
“Fine, whatever, not that it would matter. While I am weakened, I will be able to use your body to host my essence. After healing, I shall leave it.”
“That’s fine. Once your fully recovered, I want my soul back.”
“Wait, are you looking for a way to not pay any price? If you have your soul and I can’t interfere with you, then you get out of this scot free.”
“That’s the idea. Again, I’m not doing this for myself. I’m doing this, to keep a fate I would wish upon no one, from happening. While also disarming the devil.”
“…Fine if you want your soul back, you can have it back.”
“Aren’t you going to ask for something else.”
“No.”
“Then I’ll keep going. I want it so you cannot lie to me.”
“Once more I wouldn’t lie to a human anyway.”
“You said I wouldn’t have been considered human.”
“Oh, that’s right, I did say that. Fine, but I will still withhold information at my transgression.”
I think over it. “It doesn’t feel like I can get better than that. Though, what can I ask for, to actually guarantee that he won’t cause more harm?”
“If you can avoid causing undo harm, you will.”
Struggling to keep his head up, he leans his thin face against the wall side. Giving an agitated look, he pounders the condition.
“Fine, but nothing more, not for nothing in return.”
Hearing that my heart drops. “Is this good enough? I got it to the point where if I get him to agree to something later, that he will be forced to do it. That leaves it all up on convincing him, to agree to something, later down the line.”
“How long will it take for you to get to full strength?”
“It’s not a time frame, it’s the overcoming of an obstacle.”
“That is?”
“Not a concern for you.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. A couple months, maybe a couple years? I’m not certain.”
“Fine. Then if there is nothing left, I accept the terms of the contract.”
“Finally, then tell me your name.”
“My name is Quinn.”
“Then Quinn, I accept the terms of the contract and your soul.”
He raises his right hand up, I kneel down and hesitantly give it a shake. As my hand makes contact, I can feel my senses leave my body, as if I was just flung through time and space. A sense of souring power, binds my hand to his, or perhaps it binds our beings together. As power sours through us, my minds thoughts think of it the feeling clearly. “As if my skeleton had just been ripped out of my body. I can feel my very essence disperse. As consciousness fades, my shadows weight crashes down atop me.”
The boy wakes up from his stupor. Looking around, he thinks about what had just transpired. “He’s not here. Was that- was any of that real?”
“Hm?”
He notices that his glasses had fallen off of his face. Picking them up, he realizes something. Examining them, he slowly puts them on. As he does, the area that was seen clearly, blurs. Unable to see with them on, he pockets them. The boy’s ears twitch. “That sounds like feet, rushing towards me. An almost familiar, buoyant rhythm.”
“Hhheeyyyy! You alright in there?”
Hearing this, he thinks to himself. “No, couldn’t be. Although…”
Slowly turning around, he looks towards the girl, who has entered the cave.
“Oh. Quinn, what are you doing in here?”
A shorter girl with plum hair, stands with her hands on her hips. She’s wearing a dark pink athletic hoodie, black leggings with white, side stripes, along with orange, running shoes. Her violet eyes examine the area, darting from place to place. Having seen what she needs to, she gives off a jovial look. The boy, seemingly more surprised by this situation then the last, quickly tries to answer the question.
“I feel like I could ask you the same thing, Neri.”
Quinn tries to calm down; but it seems he has already hit his limit for the day. Still having a bit of jumpiness, especially with this girl in front of him. “Evaluate the question, answer it well. Luckily, we practiced just for this.”
“I was out on a walk, when this area caught my attention.”
“Yep, that’s pretty much what happened to me, except replace walk with run. I take it, you’re not the one who lost a large amount of blood, at the entrance?”
“Ah, that isn’t blood. I poked it before I came in here, it doesn’t have the right consistency at all.”
“Ahhh. That’s good to hear. Maybe I should have done the same? Rushing in here immediately, seems to have caused a misunderstanding, of the situation.”
She closes her eyes, raising her pointer and index fingers through the air, taping them against her forehead.
“My bad.”
Quinn stands there unsure of what to do. “What am I supposed to say here. I’m not in the right frame of mind for a conversation, at all. Of all the people, why her, why now?”
“So, do you got any clues as to what happened here?”
“…It would be hard to figure out what specifically happened.”
“Hmm, true. However, it feels odd having a crater near your home, with no understanding of how it got there.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like something to worry about.”
“Really? That’s not what I would have thought, at all.”
She crosses her arms and nods her head, a couple times.
“Alright, I’ll refer to that concept for now. Best to get out of this place, it’s hard to tell what its structural stability is.”
Walking out, Quinn thinks about this odd encounter. “Her appearance here felt almost like thunder striking, completely unexpected. What are the odds that someone I know, shows up right after what happened? This is right after, right?”
Quinn checks his phone. “Yep. Less time passed then I would have thought, as well.”
As the two leave, the girl turns to Quinn, her bushier eyebrows squirm around.
“You look different. Are you perhaps wearing contacts?”
Surprised by this question, Quinn swipes the camera on his phone, glancing at it, he sees what she is talking about. “The small amount of turquoise that my eyes have, it’s gone, their completely grey.”
“No contacts, right now. Maybe they just look different, without glasses on.”
“Hm.”
Her eyes narrow slightly.
“Alright then.”
Getting back onto the sidewalk, the girl asks one more question.
“Since I ran into you here, why don’t you join me on my run?”
“Please, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you.”
“I’d hold back. Well, a bit.”
Quinn lets out a small smirk. “This would have basically been perfect; but it seems life had imposed other plans for today.”
“Sorry, but I’ve got something I have to do.”
“Some other time then.”
“Sure.”
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“You know if something happens, you can tell me, right? I’d be there to help in an instant.”
“…Yeah.”
He looks to the side. “I know that very well, already.”
“See ya!”
She gives a two-finger salute, while jogging in place. She heads off, as she leaves, Quinn’s smile gradually fades. He turns around and begins heading home. Spending the rest of the day and beyond, thinking about the events of this afternoon. Replaying the scenario over and over, picking at every detail. Soon the sun had risen. Quinn, who had been sitting on his bed, with one leg tucked under the other, staring out to nothing, gets up.
“You’re here, aren’t you?”
Quinn looks around the room.
“Come on out.”
Everything stays quiet.
“Fine, I guess I’ll just jump out the window.”
“Woah there, you don’t get a response and you resort to suicide. What are you a teen in love?”
The devil is sitting on top of Quinn’s desk.
“Yes.”
“It was a rhetorical question.”
“It was a rhetorical response.”
“I don’t think that remark works.”
“Awfully rude, now aren’t you?”
“My you’re right, where are my manners? My generous savior, how could I possibly make up for the great deed you have done?”
He continues holding a completely monotone voice.
“You have done such a charitable thing. Even though you are only a fragment of my age, you were willing to enter into a deal with me. All to save your conscience, from feeling bad. While also not sacrificing anything, in the long run. Truly, what an unparalleled sacrifice, you have made.”
“…I want to know what you want?”
“What I want? Why should I discuss such things with you?”
“Aren’t our existences tied together? Earlier I said I was going to jump out the window. It was just a veiled attempt to get you out; but you actually came out to it. That means something, right? It wasn’t just my soul you took; you also wanted my body.”
“That is true.”
“So, does that mean without my body to rest in, you’d be in trouble?”
“Yes. If you die now, I would eventually be back to square one, again.”
“Then we need each other. If I die, your done for and If something happens to you, I don’t get my soul back. So, I’ll ask again. What do you need to do, to get back to full strength and what is your current goal?”
“My power, my goal, that should be obvious. I want to destroy the person who left me in that state, in the first place. Though, first things first, I need to get into a more advantages situation, in order to do that.”
“How?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll see firsthand in due time.”
“That means you’re going to need me to do more then, right?”
“Yes, you could say that.”
“Then our goals aren’t that different.”
“Huh? What, you’re looking for revenge yourself?”
“No. We both need each other, to further our own goals. And assumingly, we both need to overcome someone stronger than us.”
The devil grimaces.
“As I said, I’m going to find a way to make sure that you turn good.”
“Maybe when hell freezes over?”
“I mean if you’re not there, how can you be sure it won’t?”
“Fine, take your best shot. You aren’t the first person to try to cross wits with me and you won’t be the last. You most certainly are not the smartest either.”
“I know; but I have to do this now. Every life you end up ruining, will be my fault for helping you.”
“Then, I wish you luck in your quest. Change the devils mind, if you can.”
Chapter 2: Looming Shadow
As the sun is going down, we can find our main character Quinn, out for a stroll. I couldn’t hazard a guess as to why. Though, he seems to be in thought, about one thing or another. “With the recent changes to my life, along with the breadth of new information, thrust upon me. I’ve found going for walks, helps work through things.”
Even as the sun goes down completely, it seems as if he doesn’t intend on returning home, yet. When he reaches the next off road, he notices something. Looking down the path, an elongated shadow can be seen. Not on the ground mind you, rather it’s standing up as if it where a person, standing on the street. Curios, I must say. “What the-”
Before being able to properly examine the creature, it rushes forward. Quinn feeling a surge of fear, darts back to where he was walking from. Running away from the shadow, with all he has. Turning back, desperation sinks into the boy’s face. For the thing chasing him, is catching up readily. Without thinking, he twists around taking his backpack off and tossing it at the assailant, which passes right through it. Having lost his momentum, the shadowy figure is on top of him. Striking him in the ribs and sending him sliding back across the ground, scraping up Quinn’s side.
“Ahhh.”
Lifting his head up, Quinn sees the figure begin to enlarge and tower over him, inching closer. His eyes grow from fear, when they do, he finds himself squinting for a second, from the light pole above him turning on. When it does, the figure stops. Both sides remain still, for a moment. Soon, the shadowy figure is slowly forcing itself into the light; as if it was pushing through a wall of elastic. Quinn though, isn’t focused on the speed of the creature’s entry, rather he’s paying close attention, to what it looks like. More specifically, the consistency of it.
“Gh.”
Quickly, he pulls his phone from his pocket. Still shaking, he fumbles the light on, as the figure gets closer. Pointing it at the hand, that is getting ready to strike him. Causing said hand, to lose some of its consistency. The creature pulls back from this. The phone light moves towards its face, which makes it wince back, proceeding to slink further away from the light post. Quinn gets to his feet, looking out at the creature, that is still watching him. He then turns and looks down the street. “A series of light posts. I don’t like this idea, but.”
Quinn ducks down, into a sprinter position.
“AAaaHHHhhH!”
Letting out a yell, he sprints to the next light post. When he does, the figure stays right on him, but is unable to close the distance, before Quinn gets to the next post. “Theory confirmed. But I can’t let him get ahead of me, so.”
Quinn gets ready to run to the next light post, but before he does, he remembers his backpack. “Ehhh, I guess I’ll get that later.”
Proceeding to jump from light post to light post and house light to house light, Quinn eventually make his way home. While covered by his own house light and tremblingly, he unlocks the door, rushing to the nearest light switch. Making his way to his room, he looks out the window, down at the figure standing outside. Which is simply looking up at Quinn, staring at him. This causes Quinn to start to freak out, to the point of near hyperventilation. “Calm down.”
Centering himself, he begins to calm down. Once he has gotten completely calm, he continues to watch the shadow. Within a couple minutes, it turns away and walks off. Quinn walks over to his bed and lets his legs give out beneath him.
“So, can you tell me what just happened?”
The boy doesn’t get a response.
“Maybe, I should go back outside and investigate that thing further.”
“Woah, woah, no need to put
yourself in bodily harm every time.”
The devil walks in, from outside of Quinn’s peripheral vision.
“If you just answer the first time, I start talking to you, I wouldn’t have to.”
“How am I supposed to know, you’re not simply talking to yourself?”
“Then I’ll be more specific. Lucifer, do you know what that was, all about?”
“Hm, Lucifer? Why did you settle on that one?”
“That’s what you introduced yourself as.”
“That is true. Ah well, names don’t matter between us anyways.”
“But you won’t answer, unless I call your name.”
“They don’t matter, but still a useful tool in conversation.”
The two stare at each other for a bit, until Lucifer speaks up again.
“Ahhh, right, you had asked a question. Now then, how to answer it. Hm, my oh my. What were those things called again?”
He raises his pointer fingers, aiming them into the air. He sways his two hands back and forth, in front of his chest. Going in and out, in rhythmic manner.
“That’s right, that shadow oddity. It’s a creature of the night, feeds off shadow and if I recall, is rather territorial. The type that would kill its own parents, for stepping into its space. You know, that type.”
Quinn blinks twice. “I don’t know that type at all.”
“It’s too unintelligent, to have an understanding of gratitude. So, it attacked us without a hint of reservation; like an animal.”
“What do you mean? Why would it owe us anything?”
“Hmmm, what, we have to start there? It seems you really don’t know, much of anything. Tell me, what do you know of oddities?”
“I’m not sure I fully understand the question. What do you mean by an oddity?”
“Huuuuhhh. Really, really? Starting there of all places. Listen closely, because I won’t waste my time on this twice. They can go by many different names, the paranormal, supernatural, magical, occult, weird, other worldly, the mysterious and generally unexplainable.”
Still maintaining a monotone voice, he slowly raises the speed and emphasis with each word. Before going back to his normal speech pattern, with his next sentence.
“Though, the so-called experts decided upon calling them oddities, as the catch all.”
“And would you fall into that camp, the oddity one?”
Oddity Specialist: World Of The Occult Page 2
