A/N: This is for a fictionfanatic's "Anything Goes" contest. I know it's long, it's not an entire novel but it's too long for a short story. Please critique, though. : )
Warning: A bit violent, and a swear word or two.
__________
Five years ago...
I stepped into this very room...
And found him lost. Found him gone. Found him dead, lying here in this very bath tub.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Let the memories flash across my mind, reliving them. I want to forget, but every year I remember. I stop my life and I remember everything: from my first memories of him, the happiest ones, the saddest, the most embarrassing, the final. The memory that I will never forget of finding him dead on that day:
September 1, 2001.
I take another breath; I finally open my eyes and stare at the red water that swirls around my feet.
Slowly I turn around, back-tracking the crimson river and I see feet.
But they're not mine.
I look up at the man's distorted and decaying face, and see Devin staring back at me. The skin on his body is peeling
away, revealing torn nerves, white bones, and ripped blood vessels. His hair is matted with dirt and blood, and his once sweet smile grimaces at me. In his right hand he holds a cleaver, which drips red and black blood.
The gash that runs adjacent to the veins in his arms, the very one that ended his life, has been stitched closed in an X style stitching. When he raises his hand above his head, they move, almost tearing the already decayed flesh. He lets out a loud cry and swings the cleaver down on me.
I scream and jump away, scrambling to get out of the bathtub. I slip on the wet tile and hit my head on the counter in my swiftness to get away from him and his blade.
Everything after that is pure blackness.
______________
My eyes feel melted shut. My bones feel like ice and my muscles like jelly. It's as if I was shoved through a key hole.
I sit up slowly, groaning and cradling my head in my hands.
"Hey! Piper, you okay?" the voice of my old neighbor, Steve, calls to me. "You tripped up the last step and fell. I guess you passed out." his voice hints at laughter.
I stare at him, confusion all over my face. "What are you doing here?" I know for a fact that he moved away some years ago. A fact!
He blinks, and gazes at me with concern, "Er…I just came to make sure you were all right," he pulls me to my feet and for a moment the hallway spins and I'm standing on the banisters that line the stairs.
"Yeah…I'm fine." I mutter.
"All right, well. I've got to go finish packing," He smiles, "I'll talk to you in the morning." He gives me a swift hug and walks back across the hallway to his flat. I sigh, confused, and pick up the mail that had fallen, and sift through it.
Nothing important. Bill, bill, another bill, Net-Flix movie, another bill.
When I look at the newspaper my heart nearly falls from my chest when I see the date:
September 1, 2001.
My hands tremble so badly that the mail slips through my fingers and flutter to the floor. I slam into the door and fling myself into the small living room of my apartment.
Everything is silent. All is normal. Or…as it used to be.
I still smell the brittle cigarettes he used to smoke. I know it's horrible, but I treasure that smell now.
I see the bathroom door, shut tightly. I know what's on the other side. The images still scar my mind…
So I turn away and walk into the kitchen, letting the front door fall shut behind me. I get myself a glass and pour water into it.
Sip it. Slowly. Deep breaths…trembling.
I feel my heart exploding. My breath is ragged, and I can't get a lung full. The water from my glass is shaking, as if an earthquake shook the house, which it splashes over onto my hand.
I lean on the counter, and listen. Only the drip, drip, dripping of the water in the sink and the screaming silence reach my ears.
Damn it! The silence is too loud. It's penetrating. I can't take this!
With a loud scream of rage, I fling the glass into the far wall. It shatters into a million tiny shards and litters the floor.
They gleam like a mini-rainbow in the final rays of sun that stream in through the small window.
The water is going to stain the wallpaper. I know it. I don't really care right now.
Carefully stepping over glass, I walk through the kitchen and to the bathroom door. I take a deep breath, and turn the knob.
Steam floats past my face, escaping into the cold apartment. The mirror is fogged, and the curtain to the shower is pulled closed. I sigh, and walk over to the mirror and wipe it off. Turn on the fan.
(I'm still shaking…)
Softly, I pull the curtain back, the tiny rattle of the metal rings echo in the bathroom.
I choke back tears again. It's still the same, this horrifying image. I brush my fingers through his damp hair.
(His looks almost black when it's wet)
Sitting on the edge of the bathtub, I reach in and pull the plug, allowing the searing crimson water to drain. I pluck the knife from the water, and set it on the floor beside the tub. As I gaze back at him, my chest heaves and my body trembles. I collapse next to the tub and pull his naked body in to my arms; the tears finally spill out like a tidal wave.
My fingers glide across his arms, and I feel the sticky blood. I kiss his hand.
(I wish he would come back…)
"My dear, why so sad?" a deep, soothing voice says from behind me.
I whirl around, my heart races yet again. A man stands there, dressed in what seemed to be the finest clothes ever woven: a shimmering black tux with bright red tie and a white undershirt. He holds a sapphire flower in his hand. He had beautiful blonde hair, and glistening glacier eyes. My words do him no justice, he is simply darkly exquisite.
(...and dangerous...)
"Who the hell are you!?" I jump up, snatch the knife from the floor and hold it up.
The man laughs, "Calm down, Piper." he smiles at me.
"How do you know my name?" I ask, confused.
He smirks at me, the motion pulling up the corners of his mouth ever so slightly, "I know," he paused, "lots about you, little one."
"…How?"
"Do not worry." he waves the yellow rose dismissively. "Just don't." His golden eyes glance at the bath tub and a small pout appears on his lips. "Aw. That's sad.” His voice does not sound sad at all.
I snatch the curtain shut, "Screw you. Get out of my house!" I wave the knife toward him.
"Oh, hush. You would not dare try and wound Lucifer himself, would you?" he walks toward me, an air of arrogance obvious in his steps.
"Lucifer?" I snort.
(You've got to be kidding me.)
"Yes, dear. I have many names, though. Would you like a list? Satan, the Devil, Bringer of Light,--"
"Shut up!" I glare.
(Should I really be shouting at Lucifer?)
He waves his hand, and shakes his head. "All right, all right. I know you are upset right now. Just think before you act." He chuckles. His eyes shimmer as he stares at me.
"What do you want? Why did you come here?" I ask.
"Ah!" his face suddenly lights up, and he walks to stand directly in front of me. "Straight to business now!" he smirk. "I like a woman like that,” he winks before turning serious, “I am here to offer you a deal, Piper Stanley."
"…Deal?" I eyed him suspiciously.
(Anyone who claims to be Satan and is offering something is
(a)insane)
(b) really insane)
(or c)
someone not to be messed with.)
"Yes, young one, a deal." he grins. He nods to Devin, dead in the bathtub. "For him."
I stare at Devin. "…Him? What do you mean?" my voice falters, and I regret that it does.
Lucifer laughs and shakes his head, "Must I repeat myself?"
"No," I glare at him, "I mean, what do you want to do?" I roll my eyes, "He's dead!" My voice cracks on the last word.
He pokes my nose with the flower in his hand, which was now a golden color, "I will bring him back!" he said it as if it was blatantly obvious.
(I guess it was.)
"I will bring him back to you with one simple snap of my fingers!" his grin widens, revealing beautiful white teeth.
I step back, and away into the kitchen without a word. Wrapping the bloody knife carefully in a towel, I toss it into the trash can. I look back, and he hadn't followed me, so I just shrug. I didn't like him. Something about him was off. Strange.
I expect Satan to be mean and cruel, menacing and deceitful, but…no. Not this man. He was
(seemingly)
polite and seemed honest enough. But he was arrogant. Mischievous.
I reach up to get myself a glass and when I turn to the refrigerator almost drop the glass too.
He was standing right there, leaning on my fridge and pouring himself some water. He looks at me, smirks, and says, "You should not throw things. It is a pretty glass." He holds it up in a toast of sorts, and then sips the water from it, never taking his golden yellow eyes off me. I look around the kitchen floor, and lo-and-behold, the shattered glass was gone. Only the water remained. Now the glass was fully repaired in his hand.
"Oh, shut up," I scoff, "and give me that!" I snatch the glass away, dump the water out and set it to dry. I fold my arms and lean on the counter, "How do you expect payment?"
He grins, "Ah. So you know the stories."
"Yes, of course; a deal with the devil. He'll give you whatever you want, but only for payment."
"Do you know what that payment is, Piper?" his eyes search my face.
I take a deep breath, "My soul."
He laughs. "Well, usually, yes." he walks across the kitchen, stepping in a waltz like fashion, waving the yellow flower around like it was his dance partner. "But you," he said as he walked, "Are a nice little exception." He turns to face me, holding up his arms in the way a salsa dancer might.
"Exception? What do you mean? You don't want my soul?"
"Exacta-mundo!" he claps his hand loudly.
"What do you want then?" I eyed him carefully, trying to pick out his lies.
"You,” he pauses. A small grin crawls onto his face, “simply come to me when I call you." he smirks. "Deal?"
I stare at him, considering. I walk around the kitchen slowly, picking at things. Moving a rag, a magnet, wiping a dish.
Thinking this over...should I?
Finally I turn and stare at him, "Deal."
(I want my husband back!)
He laughs, "Amazing!" he walks over to me, his eyes the color of the green water in the ocean. "When you hear my voice, you come to me."
I nod, "Deal."
He raises his emerald flower, "You might feel a little dizzy." And touchs it to my forehead.
The last thing I remember is his grinning devil smirk.
______________
Early morning sunshine burns my eyes, and soft sheets surround my body. I sit up, look around. My head spins and the colors all run together. I'm in a strange bedroom, with sweat pants and a tank top covering my body. Most certainly not what I was wearing before.
I get up and walk to the bathroom, and I'm appalled. My hair has been chopped off. I run my fingers through it, and almost cry. It's so short. I look around again, and realize that it's my bathroom. My bedroom; they've been rearranged and refurnished. When did I have time to do this?
When I walk back in the bedroom, there's a man standing at the dresser.
"Hello?" I ask.
The man turns, and Devin smiles back at me. "Mornin' Pip--"
"Devin!!" I run at him, throw my arms around him and tackle him to the ground in a huge hug. I kiss his cheeks, his nose, his lips. Wherever I can reach.
He laughs, his hands around my waist, "Wow. Good morning, I mean." he smiles.
(Oh, how I miss your smile)
I laugh, tears fall down my cheeks.
"Hey…what's wrong?" he sits up, and wraps his arms around me. He pulls me close and tucks my head under his chin.
"N-nothing…" I murmur against his chest, "Just…a bad dream." And I do hope to God that it really was just a long, horrifying dream.
He stares at me, worry and concern crease his forehead. "Well…don't worry about it, okay?" he kisses me lightly and pulls me to my feet. "Right now you've got breakfast and a daughter waiting," he smiles.
(Daughter? When…did I get a daughter?)
He walks out, and I follow him to the kitchen. Immediately I am attacked by a small brown headed girl. She throws her arms around my leg and holds on tightly. "Mommy!" she squeals with excitement.
I had to smile at her, she’s so beautiful. She smiles up at me, her big green eyes show absolute trust in a woman that she doesn’t even know. I don’t know her, at least.
"Hey," I pick her up, just so they wouldn't think I'm going crazy.
"So, Alyssa-girl, what 'cha want for breakfast? We've got eggs, bacon, sausage, and--!!" he grins at her, she threw her arms in the air and screams,
"Butt-ter toast!" she laughs.
I don’t get the joke.
Devin laughs as he puts food onto Alyssa's plate and sets it on the table. She scrambles from my arms and into the chair.
I look around the kitchen, trying to take this all in. Devin's back from the dead, I've got a daughter, we've refurnished the entire apartment. I've missed so much. I walk through the apartment, trying to catch up
(Inconspicuously, of course).
I could probably easily convince them I've got amnesia,
(but then they'd wonder why. Oh, yeah, I can see that conversation. "Why can't you remember?'
'Well, husband dear, five years ago, I found you dead, but as they say, the show must go on. So, I lived five years of my life. Then I saw your ghost attack me, passed out, went back in time to find you dead again and spoke to Satan and had you brought back. Now it's five years after your supposed death and you're still alive.'
He'd be on the phone to the nearest mental institution before I even finished talking.)
I stop in front of the fireplace. On the mantle are pictures of the five years that I’ve missed: family gatherings, days at the park, a trip to Disney Land. My life that I kept living without my knowledge.
Upon closer inspection I see that on Devin's arm is a scar. Very pale, but it’s there. It runs along the veins in his left forearm, exactly where he killed himself. Even the stitch markings are visible…but only just.
______________
"Mommy, mommy!" Alyssa runs into the bedroom, and bounces on the bed, grinning. "Wake up, wake up!!" she shakes me, rather violently.
"W-what?" I mumble, sitting up quickly and looking around with groggy eyes. "What's wrong?" I’ve been here a week, and I’ve begun to learn to ask questions before anything else.
She giggles, "Nothing, Mommy. But guess what!"
"What?" I look at her. Her face falls slightly, and she stares at me.
"Don't you know what today is?"
I shake my head, "Nope, baby girl, I don't."
She touches my cheek. "Mommy," she speaks slowly, as if I'm really stupid, "Today. Is my birthday." she smiles.
I quickly put on a smile and laugh. "Of course, I knew!!" I pull her into my arms and hug her tight, "I was just making sure you knew!"
She laughs, and I release a sigh of relief. Incident avoided.
______________
I. Am. About. To go insane! Today Devin and I are throwing a party for her birthday,
(after a bit of detective work, I found out she's turning eight)
and there are children everywhere! Smart us, we let them bug us into letting them have the cake and candy before the
party games. Dang, dang!
(I need an aspirin…)
______________
(Darkness…all around me. I can't see an inch in front of my face. My hands graze walls on either side of me, and I just keep walking forward. There must be an end to this darkness…)
I wake, sitting bolt upright. My breath is ragged and I'm shivering. I look beside me to see Devin sleeping soundly. I take a few deep breaths, lie back down, and curl up under the blankets.
"Only a dream…" a voice whispers from the darkness.
That's right, I agree mentally. Only a dream…
______________
I'm royally screwed now. I have to take Alyssa to school today and I don't know where that is. Obviously I can't ask or Devin will think something is wrong.
(It is. But I'm not going to tell him that.)
Alyssa piles into the car and off we go to school.
I start driving hoping some instincts that I don’t have will magically appear and will kick in and I’ll remember where to go. Now would be a great time to start hearing voices.
Alyssa makes us listen, loudly, to the Disney CD that Devin gave her for her birthday and while she is singing along, I'm over here freaking out. Where do I go?
"Turn left here." a voice tells me. I turn automatically, not questioning the male voice. Alyssa didn't say anything, and we don't have TomTom or Magellan or any sort of GPS. "Now take a right."
It takes me a moment to realize this, but the voice is coming from inside my head. I keep my cool in front of Alyssa, and do as it tells me.
(Is it usually safe to do what a voice tells you?)
Eventually we make it to the school and I drop Alyssa off. She jumps out and waves good bye as she walks into the crowd.
I watch her as she walks away, and I can't help but think how much like Devin she is. So independent. Someone honks their horn behind me and I shoot a glare into my rearview mirror at them. I'll go when I dang well please, merci beaucoup. I look back at Alyssa's pink backpack floating away in the crowd and it dissolves. Gone.
(Did I just see that?
No. Of course not.)
She just got caught in the crowd of kids. Another honk.
"All right already!" I scream at the person, obviously they can't hear me, though. I pull out of the drop-off circle and get back on the highway.
Now how do I get back home? Voice? Help!
I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
No voice.
What do I do now?
______________
After driving around and panicking for about an hour, I finally walk in the front door.
"Piper?" Devin's voice calls to me, he’s angry. He storms into the front hallway and grabs my shoulders. Once again I catch a glimpse of the scars. "Where the hell have you been?" he shakes me.
"I-...Devin, stop. That hurts." I try to pull away, but his hands hold on tighter and he pulls me into a tight hug.
"I didn't know where you were. You wouldn't answer your phone," he trembles.
I wrap my arms around him, trying to calm him down.
"What's wrong? What happened?" I've never seen him cry like this. He sounds so desperately sad and happy at the same time.
Instead of answering, he simply walks into the living room and shows me the news. On screen is a horrible car wreck. The same car that I own crushed under an eighteen-wheeler delivery truck. He thought it was me.
I wrap my arms around Devin and hug him, "I'm sorry…" I whisper.
"You didn't answer your phone…" he collapses on me, and holds me tightly, "And you were late…I was so scared that I'd lost you…"
"You won't, love…I'll always be here for you."
______________
That night as we were going to bed, Devin practically refused to go to sleep. He kept telling me over and over how much he loves me and that we were all going to get ice cream before we drop Alyssa off at school.
I guess Alyssa got him into the ice cream thing because five years ago, he didn't like it.
But I don’t care, I love it. I fall asleep a few minutes later with a smile on my face.
______________
Infinite darkness. The silence screams. The walls are gone, I am simply walking forward into emptiness. It's cold. Not externally, there was no wind, but this place
(or lack of) still gave me chills. My bones feel like they’re frozen.
Oh! A pinprick of light. I start running, though I don't know if I'm actually going anywhere. Hands and claws grasp at me, "Come with us," they screech. I push them away, trying not to retch at their ugly faces. Broken and mangled, tattered and torn…
The pinprick has now become brighter, I'm almost there! Freedom at last!
"You…" they whisper, "Can never escape. We will get you."
With that, the hands dissolve and I'm at a door. A dark, wooden, French type double door with light shining from behind it. Lucifer stands beside it, his glowing white flower in his hand. His eyes shine, pale as the flower, as they watch me.
"You finally made it." he says calmly, touching the flower to his lips.
I stare at him, "Yes. But…where am I?"
He looks at the door, contemplating. "The first gate after death." he says after a moment. I am in shock.
"I…thought they were supposed to be all big and golden? On clouds and whatnot?"
He chuckles, "Well, sure. If you want. I expect those are the 'Pearly Gates' you refer to?" he shakes his head. "You humans. Adorable, really. Anyway, no. These doors will take you to death. I expect you to be past them soon." he begins to walk into the darkness, but I caught his arm. "What are you talking about?"
He looks back at me, death in his eyes, burning with the souls of the dead.
"Release me," his voice has a dark tone to it.
Reluctantly, I do. He turns to face me. "You will know soon. Do not worry. It will come to pass soon."
"When?" for some reason, I'm not scared. I can't feel anything other than the cold. I know this is bad. He's telling me that I'm going to die soon.
"You will know when to enter the doors." he smirks, waves his glowing flower in an arc in front of him, and dissolves into darkness.
I look back at the doors, and wonder: When will I die?
______________
All morning as I got ready, I was paranoid. When I tried to steal his toast Devin threatened to throw me into the oven (jokingly, of course) and I blew up on him. I screamed and told him to not joke like that.
He asked me if he needed to call the doctors.
(Jerk.)
Now we're on our way to Baskin Robbins to get ice cream. Alyssa and Devin are singing Disney songs while I stare out the window. Devin is driving; I can’t bear to get behind the wheel.
"Hakuna Mattata! What a wonderful phrase!" they sing, I look at Devin and laugh. He smiles at me and shrugs.
"This is the third time we've listened to this." he whispers.
"I know." I whisper back, laughing. A red light makes us stop at an intersection.
"Oh! There it is! There it is!!" Alyssa chimes as she leans up between the front seats and points frantically to our left. We both laugh.
"Yeah, we know. We've got to wait for all these cars to go before we do." Devin calmly tells her.
She pouts. "Fine. Hurry cars! Hurry cars!"
Devin laughs. Finally we get the green and he pulls out cautiously at first. When he gets to the middle of the four way intersection, he looks back at me and smiles.
Then his face falls. He screams at me, his eyes wide. Alyssa screams.
I feel like a rocket just hit me.
The crunch of metal and the shattering of glass fill my ears. Other cars honk their horns and I hear people screaming. The car is upside down, the creaking of the frame is all around me, threatening to collapse. I know I have to get out. I have to get Devin and Alyssa out…
I look around and they're not there. Gone. I feel like screaming, but I can't. I can't get any air in my lungs. I look down at my chest and am I am horrified. A huge shard of the windshield sticks out of my chest, pinning me to the seatbelt and the car. I can't even feel it.
I can't breathe…the edge of my vision is black but I still see people running at the car, screaming at one another. I can hear an ambulance in the distance…but I know they'll be too late. I look around for Devin and Alyssa…but they're still not there. Where did they go?
______________
The doors. I'm standing in front of them. I guess Lucifer was right, I did die rather quickly. My chest still bleeds, I can feel the blood emptying from the huge hole. The blood blossoms like a flower on my shirt. I guess I can't get any morphine, can I?
Slowly, I reach out and take hold of the door handles. I open them slowly and everything is white. Shining. And Devin stands there. He looks fine; perfectly fine. He smiles at me. I think it’s Heaven.
"Welcome to the world of the dead." he says, holding out a hand to me. His arm is bleeding. The same wound again, dripping crimson water. I look at it, then at my own blood dripping from my chest, then at him.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
His smile fades slightly, and his eyes show pity, "Where do you think? You made a deal with the devil." he reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me across the threshold. I scream as a crushing pain engulfs me. Sorrow stabs my soul…Fire surrounds me…and I know I am in Hell.
_________________________________________________
Epilogue:
Lucifer stands in the small apartment, his child-like devil grin painted on his face. He holds his flower to his lips and laughs. "All too easy!" he giggles madly, turning slow waltz circles around the apartment. "This was much too easy!" he stops in front of the mantle. He touches the pictures with his flower and the images begin to fade. Dissolve into nothingness. The emptiness flutters out; snatching and grabbing at everything and making it all disappear. Nothing-ness eats away at the world. Lucifer turns to watch it, still laughing like a little kid with ice cream. "Oh, how I love these silly humans,"
His laugher rings out as the apartment fades into a deep and dark void.
