He was tired of hearing how different he was. He just wanted to be normal. He was tired of how everyone in his small hometown stared at him. He could almost feel their eyes burning into him. And when he looked in their direction, they scrambled to not make eye contact. He felt like a carnival freak most days. “I can’t wait to get the hell out of here.” He dreamed of moving to the big city where he could be just another person walking down the street, not the object of everyone’s stares and whispers. He looked down at his hands. The golden glow around them hinted at the power and destruction he was capable of. “I’ve got to learn to control it.”

He climbed out of his twin sized bed and slid his feet into the Nike slides on the floor beside it. He yawned and stretched as he shuffled into the bathroom to wash his face. As he rinsed the soap off of his face, he heard his mom call him for breakfast. While he ate the scrambled eggs, French toast and bacon she had made for him, he listened to his mother issue her daily warning about losing his temper. As she talked, he remembered the first time he lost control. He destroyed half of the local Winn Dixie just because she wouldn’t buy him any candy. That’s the day his life changed. He would no longer be just Jose Reyes. That’s the day he became an outcast. A freak. “The Boy with the Powers.” After breakfast, he returned to his room to get ready for the day. While getting dressed, he repeated his mantra: remain calm, remain in control. Once he was ready to go to school, he kissed his mom on the cheek and headed out the door.

As he made his way to school, he could feel people staring at him once again. He quickly shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie, buried his head in his chest and picked up his pace. He heard one old lady whisper something about the incident at the Winn Dixie. He let out a heavy sigh and turned up the music in his headphones.

A few moments later, he arrived at the large brick building that housed kindergarten through 12th grade. Kids of all different ages filed into the building like ants, with a few stragglers stopping to socialize on the front lawn. The occasional first or second grader would even walk up to him and say “hi.” He returned each of their greetings with a warm smile. He took a few more minutes to calm his nerves before walking into the building.

The day carried on as most school days did for him. He sat in the back of his classes and didn’t speak to anyone. Occasionally, a football player would try to get him riled up by pushing him into a locker or calling him a freak. He’d simply just pull his hands out of his pockets and intensify their glow (the one thing he knew how to control) and they’d back off. But things got interesting for him when he got home from school that afternoon.

When he walked into the house, his mom was sitting in the living room with a middle-aged man dressed in a dark suit. Before his mother could move, he had snatched his hands out of his pockets and was ready for a fight. The glow around his lit up the entire room., you could feel the power emanating from him.

“Honey, calm down. This man is here to talk to you about going to a new school.” He unclenched his hands and took a seat on the couch next to his mother. The man introduced himself as Dr. Ronald Cunningham and said that he ran a private school that specialized in children with “abilities.” Jose shot his mother a nervous look and she reached over and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“So Jose, your mother tells me that you destroyed half of a grocery store over a candy bar when you were 10.” Jose started to blush and quickly buried his chin in his chest.

“That’s mighty impressive, young man. Any incidents since then?” Jose looked at his mother, then at Dr. Cunningham.

“Yes sir, but nothing as major. I used my powers to blast my way out of a locker when I was a freshman.” Dr. Cunningham nodded and scratched his cheek.

“Any other abilities, son?” Jose sat for a moment, contemplating how to answer, then shrugged his shoulders.

The three of them sat for a while longer, discussing various details of the school. The young boy sat there, absorbing as much of the information as he could with a sense of dread and excitement. Then Dr. Cunningham asked his mother if she wouldn’t mind leaving the room. Although she was hesitant, she obliged and went into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.

Once the doctor was sure his mother was out of earshot, he leaned in and divulged the real reason for his visit. He said he worked for a clandestine government organization that was recruiting people around the country with “abilities” to join the fight against America’s enemies.

“What do you say, son? Are you in?” The doctor extended his hand towards the young boy. Reluctantly, the young boy grasped the doctor’s hand and gave it a soft shake. Dr. Cunningham got up from his seat on the couch and walked into the kitchen.

“I have great news, Mrs. Reyes! Jose has decided to accept my invitation to attend Winchester Academy, that is if you’re still okay with him doing so.”

A sad smile slowly spread across the woman’s face as she looked at her son. “Of course, Dr. Cunningham, it’s what’s best for Jose.” Jose scooped his mom up off her feet in a gigantic bear hug. In that moment, both mother and son knew that their lives would never be the same.

They had arrived earlier that day. I had just dropped my daughter off at school and was on my way to work when I hit an unexpected patch of traffic. I thought nothing of it until I finally realized that the cars in front of me were empty. I quickly turned off the engine and hopped out to see what was going on. A crowd had begun to form in the intersection. They were all staring straight up into what I thought was clear blue Tuesday morning sky. I tapped one guy on his shoulder and asked what he was looking at. He didn’t respond, he just pointed upwards. I turned my gaze in the direction his hand indicated and that’s when I saw it. Waves of fear and confusion crashed onto the shores of my consciousness as I tried to wrap my mind around what my eyes were taking in. I quickly rushed back to my car. I didn’t really have a plan, I just knew I had to get to family.

By the time I arrived back home, my house was full of scared family members. I did my best to calm everyone down and turned on the television. Who were they? As we all sat around my living room watching the news, that’s the only question we could think to ask. The anchorwoman stated that the president was going to give a national address in a few moments. We sat in breathless anticipation as our imaginations ran rampant on what he would say. That’s when the President of the United States appeared on the television, broadcasting live from the Oval Office. While he tried to give the perception of his usually stoic demeanor, you could tell that he was scared shitless just the rest of us. After giving the standard propaganda about us not being alone in the universe, he recited a message that had been received from their leader earlier in the day. It simply said: “Please do not panic, we are not your enemy. We are here to help.”

“Ain’t that what they always say, right before they attack,” my little brother retorted to the 50 inch screen hanging on the wall, “Nobody just shows up and says they want the smoke.” As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. If Hollywood hadn’t done anything over the course of our lives, it had taught us all to be untrusting of aliens. Especially when they tell us up front that they come in peace. The pop culture lexicon is littered with movies of aliens coming to earth with the worst of intentions. Everyone began to work themselves into a frenzy, going on and on about how we needed to protect ourselves. I looked around the room at my friends and was a little caught off guard by the nonsense that had began to pour out of their mouths.

“You guys have watched way too many sci-fi movies, man,” I said with a heavy sigh, I prayed the conceit in my tone was enough to offend them all. “Think about it. If a race of advanced extraterrestrials really wanted to invade earth, you really think they’d take the time to shoot off a text message first?” I could see that my words landed with the subtlety of a Mike Tyson uppercut. “Seriously, stop thinking Hollywood blockbuster and start thinking history book. We’ve seen what happens when a group with better technology and weaponry wants something possessed by a lesser group.” Slowly, they all started to regain their senses as heads nodded at my premise.

We turned our attention back to the talking heads on the television as they urged people not to make any gesture towards the ship that could be misconstrued as a threat. “Obviously, they’ve watched all the same movies as you guys.” The room erupted into nervous laughter. I stepped out onto the porch and raised my gaze towards the sky. My eyes locked on the spacecraft hovering high above us. It looked less like the flying saucers we’d been force fed by movies and television and more like something that was shot into space by NASA. But what if Hollywood did get it right about their intentions? I furrowed my brow as I beat back the irrationality that was climbing up inside me.

Days passed and nothing changed. Their ship remained on its perch, high in the sky. We all did our best to try to get back to the business of living a normal life. But, at least for me, there was always that gnawing thought in the dark recesses of my subconscious: What did they want? I had no idea how soon all of my questions would get answered.

As I sat in my office pouring through reports, weeks after their arrival, the strangest thing happened. The power went out. Normally this wouldn’t be sufficient enough to put a building full of federal agents on high alert. But given the current circumstances, we were all a little on edge. I pulled my Glock from the holster, checked to see if there was a round in the chamber, then made my way out of the building. Not only were we in the dark, but so was the rest of the city. I fished my phone out my pocket and tried to call my wife, but I had no service. I went back to my office and tried the landline on my desk, but got the same result. I grabbed my body armor and AR-15. But before I could get back out the door, a voice came through the speakers of my computer. It asked that we remained calm and listen to his message. Nervously, I placed the assault rifle on my desk and took a seat. My computer monitor flickered then the image of a figure standing in the shadows appeared. The figure took a step forward and revealed itself. To the collective shock and dismay of us all, it appeared to be human! But for me, there was something else. He looked oddly familiar, like a distant relative of some sorts. Then he spoke again.

“Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Captain Vincent Jacobs of the USS Endeavor. I guarantee you this is not a joke, nor is it an invasion.” The power came back on and every phone in the building was ringing within seconds. “Please take a moment to check in with your loved ones.” I quickly snatched the receiver from my desk phone and was relieved at the sound of my wife’s voice on the other end. The entire building let out a small, collective sigh of relief. After what was an entirely too brief conversation, the phones died. Then, Captain Jacobs reappeared on the computer screen. He re-iterated that he and his people weren’t here to invade, but simply to help. He stated his intentions to meet with the world’s leaders in at the United Nations in 2 days to discuss his ideas. And just as quickly as he had appeared on my computer, he disappeared and the power came back on.

I grabbed my jacket once again and stepped out my office. The world around me was moving in a state subdued panic. I fished my phone out of my pocket and called my wife. After a few rings, she answered. “Did that Captain Jacobs look familiar to you?” I prayed she would tell me that I was being paranoid. My prayers weren’t answered. “Oh my God! He looked like he could be your brother or something!” I let out an exasperated sigh as I climbed into my car. We talked for a few more minutes, both doing our best to dance around the proverbial elephant in the room as I drove to pick up our daughter. As I drove home from her school, I hoped for a peaceful evening with my family. But that was thrown out the window the moment I walked through my front door.

When I walked through into my home, I was shocked to find Captain Jacobs and 2 members of his crew standing in my living room! Without thinking, I quickly drew my weapon and shielded my daughter. Instinctively, Captain Jacobs and his men raised their hands above their heads. “Special Agent Williams, we mean you no harm. Please lower your weapon.” My daughter peeked around from behind me. “Daddy, don’t hurt them please.” I took a deep breath and holstered my firearm. “What are you doing in my home?!” Captain Jacobs took a step forward but my hand quickly shot back to the gun on my hip and he froze in his tracks. “It might be best if we spoke in private.” I agreed and told my daughter to go up to her room and lock the door. Once I heard the door slam close, I motioned for Jacobs and his men to go out to the back yard. As we walked through the house, my wife walked in. Before she could react, I told her that he said he wanted to talk. Trembling, she nodded and joined us.

Once we were on the back patio, Jacobs explained why he was here. He wasn’t from another planet, but from an alternate future. One in which the earth had become inhabitable. He and his crew invented a way to travel back in time in the hopes of saving the planet and the billions of humans that perished during what he called “The Reckoning.” As he explained it to us, humans had begun to consume the earth’s resources at an exponential rate. Those that were willing and able or desperate, enlisted in something called The Space Corps. Those that had the financial means to do so, moved to colonies on the moon and Mars. The rest of the population was left to fend for themselves. They resorted to any means to survive. “Mankind not only destroyed the planet, but itself.” Hearing his words, my wife wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest. Her tears began to soak through the front of my shirt. “But that doesn’t explain why you’re in my house.”

He took a seat at the patio table and gestured for us to do the same. My wife and I looked at each other then sat down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. After a few moments, he handed it to me. The moment I saw it, my jaw dropped. My wife stared at me, as if she was trying to figure out what was wrong. I said nothing, I just passed her the picture. Her reaction was the exact same. “I wanted a chance to meet my grandparents,” he said.

Together they silently walked towards the restaurant, each hoping that the other would come up with an excuse for them to turn around and go back to their hotel. At this point, the flimsiest of reasons to reverse course would be welcomed with open arms. They both knew they were walking into a trap: a figurative one for her, a literal one for him. She was the only daughter of Angelo Giamatto, the Don of the Scaligniari family. He was a freshly graduated FBI agent assigned to New York’s White Collar Crime Division.

“You sure you wanna do this?” he asked as they walked arm-in-arm towards their destination. “I think so,” she responded, “Why? You don’t want to?” He hesitated for just a second before answering, but his silence in that moment spoke volumes. They both stopped dead in their tracks and faced each other. In that brief moment, all the unspoken words came to the surface. “We both know who your dad is, babe.” He finally replied. She buried her head in her chest. “And we both know what I do for a living,” he continued.

She tried to shrug off what he said, as if she hadn’t come to grips with what her father did, what he was, a long time ago. And while she loved her father, part of her despised him for his chosen profession and the impact it had had on her life. She quickly reminisced about the last guy she brought home. How much it angered her father that she wouldn’t “settle down with a nice Italian boy and start a family.” She remembered the last time he came to pick her up at the house. How Daddy had one of the guys hit him in the mouth so hard with the butt of a gun that it knocked out all of his front teeth. The thought made her cringe at what he might do to her new love interest.

“You don’t have anything to worry about,” she whispered, hoping to put his mind at ease, “Daddy is a big teddy bear, you’ll see.” And while he tried his best to smile and accept what she said, he couldn’t help but remember everything he had been told about her father at work. Under her father’s reign the Scaligniari family had become one of the most dangerous clans in La Cosa Notra’s almost 150 year history in the United States.

Begrudgingly, they continued their walk towards the restaurant. With each step, the knots in their throats seemed to grow larger. After what felt like an eternity, they reached their destination. He reached out for the door handle as he flashed an uneasy smile in her direction. She squeezed his left hand in both of hers as she entered the building. “Here goes nothing,” he whispered to himself as he followed her inside.

She smoothly made her way through the crowded restaurant until she reached her father’s table. He did his best to feign at trying to keep up, but felt slightly relieved when he began to fall behind. Just as you would expect, Don Giamatto greeted his “baby girl” with a great big bear hug and huge kiss on the cheek. Meanwhile, he had stopped at the bar in search of a little liquid courage. After a few minutes, he heard her call out his name. With a deep sigh, he downed the rest of his drink and made his way to her side.

As he approached, she reached out for his hand and he did the same. “Daddy, I’d like you to meet…” Before she could finish her introduction, he found himself staring down the barrels of a few handguns. As if it were rehearsed, the busy restaurant fell silent. Not a single person dared move an inch. “If you’re not La Mia Famiglia, GET OUT!!” the Don’s baritone voice reverberated off the walls, “NOW!!!” Instantly, everyone in the restaurant quickly and quietly exited. “DADDY!” she exclaimed, her face frozen in shock.

“How dare you bring this mulignan into my establishment,” Angelo growled, “Why can’t you date a nice Italian guy?!” Without batting an eyelash, he extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. I’ve heard so much about you.” A look of absolute disgust came across Angelo’s face. “It’s not that I️ don’t like you people,” he replied, “But there’s no way my baby girl is gonna be with some mooley, you understand?” She began to pout like a petulant child after being told no. “So what’s gonna happen now is you’re gonna turn around, walk away and never see her again. Capiche?”

He remained calm, even let a hint of a smile flash across his face. “I’m afraid I️ can’t do that, sir.” Angelo became enraged, he had never felt so disrespected in his entire life. “And why is that?” He looked at her and said, “Because I️ love your daughter and want to marry her.” The Don let out a primal scream and threw a wild overhand right. The punch landed squarely and sent him to the floor. “GET OUT OF HERE!!!” Angelo bellowed. “I️’m afraid I can’t do that sir,” he responded while wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. At that very moment, a squad of FBI agents rushed into the restaurant, guns drawn. “You’re under arrest,” he said from his seat on the floor.

She stood with her back to the airplane door and let go. In her mind, this was more than just a Saturday afternoon adventure. This wasn’t just another item crossed off her bucket list. This was a new beginning. This was escaping everything and everyone that was holding her back. As she plummeted back towards earth, she felt something she had never felt in her 30 years of living: freedom. True, unadulterated freedom. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was truly in control of her destiny. And although her heart was racing a million miles a minute, a sense of peace and calm washed over her.

She continued her descent to the ground below with her eyes closed. She heard the instructor screaming commands over the earpiece she was wearing. Only one stood out: “Relax your body and let the wind catch you.” She took a deep breath and obliged. She spread her arms and legs out, letting the glider wings on her suit unveil themselves. Almost instantly, the wind caught her and slowed her descent. That sense of flying took the whole experience to a new level. Overcome with joy, she let out a loud scream. The instructor was immediately back in her ear, asking if everything was okay. She assured that she was better than okay.

A few seconds later, she pulled the ripcord and braces herself. The parachute quickly unfolded. The force of it rapidly slowing her fall caught her off guard, causing her to let out a breathless grunt. Once she regained her bearings, she drank in the view. Never in her wildest dreams did she see herself doing something like this. A sense of empowerment sprang forth as she stared in amazement at her hometown off in the distance. A that very moment, she made a vow to herself: never let anything or anybody take this feeling away from her.

Moments later, she landed on the ground with a soft thud. She quickly got to her feet and reeled the colorful parachute in, just like she had been instructed to do. The look on her face was that of pure bliss. She was soon joined by the rest of her group as well as the instructor. He congratulated everyone on a great jump as they walked back to the hangar. She quickly changed out of her gear and back into her regular clothes. As she left, she got a call from her mother asking her how she felt. “Like I’m ready to take on the world.”

Good afternoon world! Normally, I don’t preface my short stories with any kind of introduction. There’s no real reason why, I just feel better about posting them and getting on with the day. But this one is different. I’ve wrestled with the decision to post it since the day I finished writing it. Not because I’m not proud of the work, but because it’s a sensitive topic. And while I don’t pretend to be the most sensitive man in the world, I never want to intentionally offend someone. But at the end of the day, I came to the conclusion that its better to put it out and let you, the reader, decide how to feel about instead of voluntarily censoring myself. So please be mindful that the subject of this story is of a sensitive and potentially troubling nature. This story in no way is meant to glorify it. Peace and love… 

Angela felt his warm, moist breath on her neck as she struggled to free herself of Luke’s iron grasp. Never in her wildest nightmares did she think she’d be in this situation. And definitely not with him.

They had started at the firm around the same time, she as a paralegal and he as an associate. Early on, he did everything he could to show his interest in a more personal relationship. He’d routinely ask her out for drinks or to dinner. Each time, she’d graciously turn him down. The pictures of his wife and kids hanging in his cubicle made it easy. And while his ego was a little bruised, Luke said that he understood. Over the five years they had worked together, they had become good friends. Luke even introduced her to her fiancé, Shelton. Luke and Shelton went to Duke University together. Shelton even stayed with Luke and his wife when he first moved to New York.

Since the hospital was within walking distance of the Manhattan skyscraper that served as the home of the law firm, Shelton would routinely stop by to take Angela to lunch or bring her coffee. Sometimes, the two couples would get together for dinner when Shelton’s schedule would permit. On more than one occasion, Shelton caught Luke staring at Angela. This made Shelton uneasy.

“There’s something about him,” Shelton would say each time, “I think he still likes you.” Angela would always brush off the insinuation. After all, she felt like they had developed a real friendship over the years. “He’s responsible for us being together,” she would respond, “Why would he hook us up if he wanted me for himself?” Angela also made sure to let it be well known that she was more than happy in her relationship with Shelton. The walls of her own cubicle were plastered with pictures of the two of them. Her wedding plans were the talk of the office.

A few months later, the law firm threw an office party to celebrate Luke’s promotion to junior partner. Everyone was in attendance. When Angela and Shelton walked in, the whole room noticed. Shelton was dressed in nice three piece sharkskin suit with a lavender shirt and tie. Angela had on a white silk blouse, a tight fitting black pencil skirt and a pair of 6 inch Christian Louboutin heels. They walked around the room and Angela introduced her fiancé to all of her co-workers. As they walked to the bar to get some champagne, Luke and his wife approached. The two couples exchanged pleasantries and small talk. As Angela and Luke’s wife, Christina, stood and listened to their men talk football, Angela started to feel a little queasy. She politely excused herself and made her way to the bathroom. A few minutes later, Luke followed her.

Angela was washing her hands when Luke slipped into the women’s restroom behind her. She didn’t even notice he had entered the room. In an instant, he pushed her up against the counter in front of her and quickly pulled her pencil skirt up around her waist. “Please don’t,” she whimpered as he pawed at her breasts through her silk blouse. She begged and begged for him to stop. Her pleas went unanswered. He reached between her legs and ripped her lace panties off. She fought back with all her might as he fumbled to find the opening to her womanhood. Tears formed in her eyes as he shoved his fingers inside her. “You’re so wet,” he growled as he unzipped his pants and pulled out his member, “I see why Shelton loves you so much.” Hearing him mention her fiancé’s name seemed to hurt more than the sensation of him digging in her vagina. She began to sob uncontrollably as he forced himself inside and thrusted away.

After what felt like an eternity, he grunted and stepped away from her. Angela collapsed onto the marble floor below her and curled up into a ball as he zipped up his pants and scurried out of the restroom. A mixture of confusion and rage washed over Angela as she laid there and wept. Why would he do this to me? That was the prevailing thought in her head. Just then, Justine, one of Angela’s coworkers entered the room. “Oh my God! Honey are you okay,” she exclaimed as she knelt down beside Angela. Angela didn’t respond, she just laid there and cried. The lady quickly ran to fetch Shelton.

When they returned, Angela was trying to get back on her feet. “Babe, are you okay,” Shelton asked, “What happened?!” He reached out for her but quickly withdrew from him. He looked around and noticed the torn underwear on the floor. “Who did it,” he snarled. She didn’t respond. Justine walked over to Angela and embraced her coworker. “Honey, tell us what happened.”

The trio exited the bathroom and found an empty office to go into. Justine helped Angela into a soft leather armchair and knelt beside her. After a few moments of intense silence, Angela finally recounted what had just happened to her. When she was done with her story, she looked up at Shelton. A look of pure, unadulterated rage had exploded all over his face. “Can you please take her to New York Presbyterian, and I’ll meet you there,” Shelton asked Justine through clenched teeth. Then he stormed out of the room.

By the time Angela got to the hospital, she had calmed down enough that she was no longer crying. Justine held her hand as they walked into the emergency room and told the nurse that she had been raped. Angela was quickly whisked away to an examination room. The rape exam was almost like living through the ordeal again. She was asked to strip and her clothes were sealed away in evidence bags. Every inch of her body was photographed for marks or bruises. Then, the doctor performed a pelvic exam on her. And while it didn’t necessarily hurt, Angela flinched every time she was touched. Finally, she was interviewed by a detective. The questions she was asked bordered on invasion of privacy, and she didn’t feel comfortable answering them. But she did. By the time it was over, Shelton arrived at the hospital. When Angela saw him, she ran into his arms and buried her face in his chest. “I’m so sorry babe,” he whispered as he squeezed her tight.

The money was just sitting there. I couldn’t stop staring at it. In the midst of all the chaos going on around me, I found myself solely focused on it. I peeked out from my hiding spot to see if the coast was clear. Bullets were wildly flying through the air like hungry mosquitoes. I ducked down and gathered my nerve. Then I made a mad dash for the bag. Once I had it in my hands, I hugged it tightly to my chest and started looking for an exit. Right beside me, laid the freshly slain body of one of Gustav’s henchmen in a growing pool of his own bright red blood. His gun was just a few feet away from him. I started to grab it, but hesitated. What am I doing? I’m not a killer, I’m an accountant!

Bullets continued to whiz through the air around me. I crawled over a few more recently deceased and dove out of the warehouse’s emergency exit. I looked around to see if anyone noticed me. I was in the clear. I scrambled to my feet and searched for transportation. I didn’t drive to this massacre and I didn’t want to go back in and try to find keys to any of the cars outside. I fished my iPhone out of my pocket and opened the Uber app. Before I requested the ride, I stopped. I decided it would be smarter to put some distance between myself and my current surroundings. Plus, I figured it would be too easy for someone to track my movements through Uber.

I scurried away from the warehouse, diving and hiding behind shipping containers in case I was being followed. Eventually, I made my way to the security gate for the docks. I took a moment to compose myself. Then I slung the duffel bag strap across my body and calmly walked past the security guard. He looked in my direction, so I smiled and nodded. He returned the gesture and went back to his magazine. I stopped right outside the gate and fished out my wallet. I had about $35 dollars in cash on me, so I hailed a taxi.

I had the cab drop me off a few blocks from my condo, just as a precaution. As I walked home, I carefully scanned the faces around me. As I approached my building, Stanley, the doorman, greeted me. I shot him an uneasy smile as I darted into the lobby and headed to the service elevator in the back of the building. Once I was in my apartment, I stashed the duffle bag in the coat closet. Then, doing my best price officer impression, I checked every room to make sure I was alone. When I got to my bedroom, I flopped down on the bed. I had no idea what to do next. Surely by now, Gustav noticed that not only I, but the money was missing. I was certain one of his goons would be knocking on my door any moment. As I awaited my perceived impending doom, I couldn’t hep regret not grabbing a gun before I left the warehouse. Although I had never held, let alone shot a gun in my entire life, I was quite sure it was probably better to have one and not need it than need one one and not have it. I sat there on the foot of my bed for hours, waiting for someone to come to the door.

As the sun began to set over the city’s skyline, I came to grips with the fact that no one was coming. I had gotten away with it! I hopped up on the bed and did a quick celebratory dance. But as unbridled glee washed over me, I couldn’t help but feel a small pang of curiosity. There was no way a man like Gustav would just let that kind of money vanish. So why had no one come looking for it? For me? I hopped down off of my bed and darted into my closet to change into something less conspicuous. While I pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, I decided to go back to the warehouse to investigate. I grabbed the keys to my Audi A4 off my dresser and headed out the door.

As I drove towards the warehouse, my mind began to race. The closer I got, the wilder my imagination became. But the time I arrived, I was having a full-blown panic attack thinking of what Gustav would do to me when he found out I took the money. But the scene that awaited me when I pulled up to the gate was beyond belief. The entire area was swarming with police officers and emergency medical personnel. I parked my car and got out, trying my best to regain my composure. I approached the guard and pretended to be just another curious passerby.

“What happened?” My voice cracked as I tried my best to come across as just another nosey New Yorker.

“Couple of gangsters got into a shootout in one of the warehouses.” He didn’t even look in my direction.

“That’s crazy. Anybody alive?”

“Nah. Cops say it looks like they all clipped one another.” That’s when he turned to look at me.

“Hey! Weren’t you here earlier?”

The fact that he recognized me felt like a punch to the gut. I took a microsecond to deal with the shock and recompose myself, then softly shook my head.

“Nah, I just got one of those faces. Ya know?”

The guard shrugged it off and sat back down on his stool. While I walked back to my car, I let out a small sigh of relief as it dawned on me that I was now a very rich man.

It was just a normal Sunday when the doorbell rang, waking her from her nap. She flung open the door and locked eyes with the devil himself. He stared into the windows to her soul for what seemed like an eternity, then with a charming smile on his face, he asked if he could come in. Before she could answer, he pushed past her and entered her home. “Come on in,” she said under her breath as she closed the door. She followed him into the living room and watched in amazement as he snapped his fingers and the room was magically cleaned.

“You know what they say,” he quipped as he took a seat in her husband’s favorite armchair, “Cleanliness is close to… well, you know the rest.” That sly smile spread out across his handsome face again as she let out an uneasy chuckle. She sat down on the end of the couch furthest away from him and hugged a throw pillow nervously. “So how has literary success been treating you?” he asked as he crossed his legs and leaned back in the armchair. She let out a heavy sigh. “Seems to me that I more than kept up my end of the bargain,” he continued, “Unless you think that you wrote 4 consecutive bestsellers on your own.” She leaned back and clutched the pillow harder. If there was one thing she couldn’t accuse Lucifer of, it was not keeping his word.

It had been about 5 years since they met in the research section of the Atlanta Public Library. She was struggling to come up with a solid story idea and was in fear of her publisher dropping her. She was at the end of her rope, that’s when she did something that was completely out of character for her. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together and prayed to God. Or at least she thought  was praying to God. As she sat there sending her wishes into the atmosphere, an odd smell filled the room. At first, she couldn’t really place it. But after a few moments, it hit her. It smelled like struck matches. And expensive cologne. As the smell filled her nostrils, she opened her eyes. In front of her sat the most breathtakingly handsome she had ever seen. 

“So you’re having some trouble getting past your writer’s block,” he said, then the corners of his mouth began to curl. She stared at him for a moment, trying to connect with the eyes behind the Ray-Ban sunglasses. 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?”

“Let’s just say that I’m a huge fan,” he replied smugly as he peered at her over the top of his glasses and flashed her a million dollar smile.

By now, confusion and curiosity were running rampant in her head. But what the hell, maybe it’ll help to talk about it. It sure as hell can’t hurt. She leaned back in her chair and nodded her head. “I’d give anything for a good story idea,” she exasperated.

“Anything you say?” He removed his sunglasses and leaned forward. She nodded. The stress of trying to come up with a topic for her novel had hit its apex. 

“Hell, I’d sell my soul for a bestseller right now,” she continued with a chuckle. His gaze intensified. 

“I have an idea for a novel that I would be willing to give you,” he said. She sat straight up in her chair. What’s the catch? Nobody gives anything away without expecting something in return. “I wouldn’t ask for any credit, I just want to be compensated on the back end if the book is in deed successful,” he continued.

She stared into the handsome stranger’s face for what seemed like an eternity. “How much are we talking? What would consider successful?” His long fingers intertwined as his perfectly manicured nails almost sparkled in the overhead fluorescent light.

“You said a bestseller was worth your soul, let’s make that the benchmark and the price.” At that moment, room around them faded away and it suddenly got much warmer. “So do we have a deal, my dear?” A sinister smile pushed his cheeks up to his eyes as he stretched out his flawlessly manicured hand. Although hesitant, she reached out and gave his hand a firm shake. Instantly, they were transported back to the research section of the library. He stood up from the table and started to walk away. Before he could get away, she reached out and grabbed him.

“What about the story idea,” she inquired. He simply replied, “Check your email.”

Here they were again, multiple years and bestsellers later. He had more than kept up his end of the bargain, so now it was time for her to do the same. They say in silence for a moment, the tension in the air grew thicker by the second. At that moment, her 7 year old daughter came running into the room. She was completely oblivious to her mother’s guest at first, but that changed almost instantly. She turned to face the handsome man sitting in her dad’s favorite chair. Her first inclination was to approach him, but something made her stop and retreat to her mother’s embrace.

“Honey, this is mommy’s…” she paused, trying to find the best way to introduce her daughter to the devil, “work friend, Mr. Damien.” Beelezebub leaned forward in the chair and flashed that million dollar smile at the little girl. Although hesitant, the little girl politely greeted “Mr. Damien” before returning to the warmth of her mother’s embrace.

“Go play, baby. When me and Mr. Damien are done talking, I’ll fix you breakfast.” She gave the little girl a kiss on the forehead and a light pat on the backside to send her on her way. The little girl slowly backed out of the room, never taking her eyes off of her mom’s guest. Once they were alone again, Lucifer returned to the business at hand.

“So about repayment,” he said, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knee. She sunk down in her seat on the sofa and squeezed the throw pillow even tighter. She took a moment to reconcile her perceived fate. She asked for a moment to say goodbye to her family. Before he could respond, there was another knock at the door. Before she could move to answer, a kindly looking older man dressed in all white let himself in. “I figured I’d let myself in, didn’t wanna disturb you two.”

Lucifer let out a heavy sigh. He was hoping to conclude his business without any further interruptions, especially from Him. She sat there staring at the 2 well dressed men in her living room, waves of confusion washing over her.

“Are you who I think you are?” He nodded and smiled. “Yes my dear, I am God.” Then He turned His attention towards his longtime adversary.

“Hello Gabriel, you look good. Is that Brioni?” He extended His hand towards the devil. Lucifer rose from his seat and crossed the room in one swift motion.

“Yes it is. I wish I could same the same for You. Isn’t the all-white look just a little played out?” He firmly gripped God’s hand. “Now if you don’t mind seeing yourself out,” he continued, “We have some unfinished business to tend to.” He tried to pull away from God, but couldn’t.

“It’s funny you mentioned your business, that’s why I’m here. You can’t have her soul.” The devil tried again to release himself from God’s grip. And just as before, he failed. God flashed a toothy smile and gave Satan’s hand a gentle squeeze, which dropped him to his knees. Then He leaned in close and whispered, “For eons, I’ve put up with your petulant behavior with the patience of Job, but I grow tired of playing these games with you.” He let go of his hand and the devil slithered back to his seat. “Consider this matter closed, leave this place and never return!” At that very moment, lightning ripped through the bright, sunny sky outside.

“But we had a deal,” Lucifer whined, “That agreement must be honored in full!”

“I HAVE SPOKEN!!!” The bass in His voice reverberated off the walls of the room as more lightning shot through the morning sky.

The devil scrambled to get on his feet. Although he wanted to challenge God, he decided not to. Instead, he calmly responded, “I’m still owed a soul. If I can’t have hers, I’ll take the husband. Or the daughter.” She began to sob hysterically.

“You’ll do no such thing,” God bellowed, “You’ll leave this home empty-handed while I’m gracious enough to allow you to do so.”

Reluctantly accepting defeat, the devil let out another heavy sigh and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. The room filled with the smell of sulfur and brimstone. “Insolent child,” God murmured. He turned to face her.

“You’d be wise not to give away things that don’t belong to you, my dear.” She softly nodded her head. Then God vanished in a flash of white light.

When the light subsided, she was sitting in the library. Just then, a handsome stranger approached smelling of struck matches and expensive cologne.