When I saw the curtain move this nice evening with no wind I wasn't surprised to see the wellknown hoofed foot enter my room by the window, followed by the rest of the magnificent figure of The Dark One.
Yeah, dark he is, although not e.g. an Afro-American. "Hello there, dear lady," he said in his flamboyant and charming manner.
I forced myself to greet him just as cheerfully and polite as he had greeted me.
"You look wonderful, Dear," he said. "As always a pleasure to see you."
"Thank you, you too," I answered him trying to look less scared than I was.
"I take for granted that you remember that this is the day ..." he said and his eyes gave a sudden glint with something that resembled the flickering of red flames.
"The day you are supposed to take my soul? Oh yes, how could I forget that?"
He smiled, grabbed one of my limp hands and kissed it like the heroes did in old, French movies. "Dear lady," he said, suddenly all teeth and flashing eyes, "I'm looking forward to your stay in my little Paradise ..."
"And what if I'm not as eager as you seem to be?"
"Ohhh," he said, letting go of my hand. "But you will, yes, you will like it, I'm sure of it ..."
"I admit that we made an agreement many years ago, but ..."
"So you are not looking forward to your new life with me?" He looked quite disappointed.
"Well, I should like to make a last bid for it - for instance to draw a card about the matter. I know that you always liked that ... "
Now he was getting angry so I put on my most charming smile, trying to turn all of it into a joke. However, he had caught on to the idea and said: "Hmmmm ... I do have a right to collect the debt - your dear soul - but on the other hand you are right that I always enjoyed a bet. Only hope for too much, as you will lose - people always do ..."
"What if I agreed upon your killing me with a knife?"
"Kill you with a knife?!!! Why would I do that - and besides, to have one's soul collected means being ... ahem ... dead."
"OK, I know, but what if I gave you leave, only not to spill my blood as I'm a Christian ..."
He roared with laughter. "Aha, you have read Shakespeare and have learnt the trick that poor, poor Shylock couldn't foresee ... Don't imagine that I'm that dumb. I know that I can't kill you with a knife without spilling your Christian blood." Suddenly he looked quite amused which was a relief to me as I had started getting worried. "All right," he said, "I feel like having fun with the cards so let's see what they decide in this case. Let's draw one card and interprete it. None of the cards can hurt me, but one is connected to me and I shall feel obliged by it, only not to let you go. I rever this special card as a symbol of - well, never mind ..."
His remark made me think intensely of the card I considered "mine" because an astrologer once said so: The Queen of Hearts. As to the card Mr. Unholiness talked about I didn't know what he could mean. Could it be The King of Spades? That image would go so very well with his looks, his hoofed foot and whole character.
"Hm," he said, "let's make a note of the card we're thinking of and then draw one card each. We can draw three times and should you be lucky to get the one you're thinking of and which is in your note to me then we postpone the soul-business for 10 years. Should you draw the card I see as connected to me you win and go free for twice that number of years."
"What about you, are you to draw too?"
"Yes, I shall keep you company on this game and if I draw my card or the one you're thinking of I shall have a gift of some kind from you ..."
I dared not think of gifts for The Dark One, but was happy to have this new opportunity. Otherwise I might very well have been dead and on my way to Hell right now.
In one movement he produced a brand new set of cards which he presented to me. I found it amusing that The King of Hell wanted me to approve his cards, it being so very much out of character. I nodded my acceptance and he indicated that I was to draw. I felt like my heart nearly leapt out my breast with fear, but I took a card: The King of Hearts. What a disappointment! I dared not look at his Dark Majesty, but watched as he drew the King of Diamonds. With a sigh of relief I prepared to draw my second card: The Two of Spades. This time my disappointment was so intense that I felt like crying, but once again I dared not look at him.
That's why I didn't even see his second attempt, but prepared for my third one. I hadn't prayed for years, but now I found myself praying to the God I had denounced. Then my hand reached out and grabbed my third card, almost like by its own will. When I once more saw the familiar picture of The King of Hearts I nearly fainted with disappointment. So I had lost and was to go to Hell at the age of 42? Too tough, and much too early, I thought as I faced The Dark One with a brave smile. To my utter surprise he looked less than happy even though I had lost.
"Well," he said, "I have to admit that you won and that you in a way beat me three times." I just gaped at him, not believing my own ears.
"Yes," he went on, "Your first card simply is ME."
"Eh' ...." I said, totally surprised at him identifying withThe King of Hearts.
"Oh yes, I'm a great humanitarian and a lover of beauty ..."
I was stunned. Satan a "humanitarian"??? A "lover of beauty"?!!!
"Your second card, The Two of Spades, holds many memories to me as it's symbolic of friendship ... a lost friendship ..."
I was surprised once again. Was this his lost identity of Lucifer speaking of the happy times in Paradise before his eviction?
"When you presented your third card, The King of Hearts, and it was the same one as No. 1, I nearly cried. It was like a message to me because it's the one I see as mine. Nah, as representing me."
I just gaped at him. The Dark One a sentimentalist, a romantic? Impossible! Still, here he was, The King of Hell, almost in tears over these cards. Very, very strange, but also quite touching. "Ehhh'," I ventured, "What now - eh', with me and my case."
"Well, you did win even though you didn't draw the card you thought about. The Queen of Hearts if I'm not much mistaken."
"Yes, like you I go with the Hearts."
"Like me?" He suddenly looked quite offended. "You, my dear, are a murderess, how can you be The Queen of Hearts?"
"Well, you are The King of Hearts as well as of Hell" ..."
"Oh yes, but I'm not a murderer. I'm a rebel, but when it comes to the punishment in Hell I only follow orders. I never did what you've done."
"I had my reasons ..."
"Yes, you enjoyed to torture your victims. You're more of a Queen of Spades than of Hearts. Hmmm ... maybe I shouldn't have let you draw cards."
I smiled and may have looked a little too triumphant for the red glint appeared once more in his eyes. Suddenly he smiled and said: "Consider yourself taken, you come with me NOW."
"What!?" I exclaimed, "You agreed upon ..."
"Yes, and now I go back on my word. Consider that the first one of the tortures you are to endure in your new home." With that he grabbed me by my hair and swept me up into the air where I dangled from his claw, totally paralysed with fright.
Originally Posted On Site: 2009-07-26 06:18:59
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