The Second Contract

Chapter Two: The List

"Raeph!" Benji ran up from the soccer field. "What're you doing here?"

"Good morning, Benji," Raeph replied. He looked around the grassy area. "How's your mom doing?"

"Great!" Benji beamed. "She came home a week ago. Some days it seems like she was never in the hospital!"

"That's great, Benji." Raeph clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm happy for both of you."

Benji's smile faded. "You're still here, though. That means you're still stuck, huh?"

"Yeah. For now." Raeph tucked his hands into his pockets and began walking, Benji automatically walking with him. "That's actually what I was hoping to talk to you about." He explained to Benji about the figure in the alley and the scroll of the contract for his return to Heaven.

"That's great! What do you need to do?"

"A list of tasks. Do you think your mother would let you accompany me today? I promise, I'll get you home safely when my penance is complete."

"I'll go home and ask her!" Benji replied and raced off.

"Benji!" Raeph shouted. When the boy paused and turned around, Raeph called, "If she says yes, grab the bag of things from your contract and meet me at Manny's Arcade in one hour!"

Benji nodded and ran off.

"Good morning, Nate," Raeph greeted.

The impossibly tall person stopped, hunched back straightening slightly, then turned. "Raeph? What're you doing here?"

"Well, turns out you had a hand in my getting involved with the contract Nick made with Benji."

"Nick asked who might be able to help the kid out; I gave him your name, since you're such a do-gooder. Figured you'd like to help." Nate frowned, looking at his toes. "Didn't realize Nick was aiming to break your halo, bro."

Raeph put his hands on his hips. "You didn't realize the Prince of Darkness would want to drag down a son of Light? After everything you've witnessed here?"

Nate shrugged. "He said a boy needed help with a string of tasks so his mother could get healed. Sounded like a good thing to me."

Raeph sighed, admitting, "Yeah. He fooled me at first, too. We both forgot that the devil plays by his own rules. Turns out he didn't heal Benji's mom at all—she was already on the road to recovery, the doctors just hadn't noticed yet. She would've woke up that day anyway, regardless of what Benji did or didn't do. He took advantage of the timing to claim he'd done it, and to trick me into helping Benji."

"Trick you into falling."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, bro."

"Me, too." Raeph reached out and hugged Nate. "And I forgive you."

At Manny's, Benji approached Raeph as Raeph was busy handing out coins to kids playing games. "So, what's on your list?"

Raeph pulled out the scroll and unrolled it, showing it to Benji.

1. Forgive your half-brother.

2. Donate coins to kids playing games at Manny's Arcade.

3. Return what you stole. Apologize.

4. Serve lunch at the soup kitchen.

5. Bless the Lord at Tonka Park.

6. Sing praise and worship songs, walking from Tonka Park to St. Abernathy's Church.

7. Go into the church and pray.

8. Walk down 8th Street. Give alms to every beggar and help every woman you find.

9. Apologize to Benji.

10. Forgive Nick.

11. Ask the Father for forgiveness.

"Can I have that blue dog from your bag, please?" Raeph asked.

"Sure." Benji slung his backpack to his front and dug through it, pulling out the plushie he'd won from the claw game.

"Thank you." Raeph took it and approached the man behind the prize counter, Benji following behind him. "Excuse me, sir? We were here a few weeks ago and won this in your claw machine. I'd like to return it to you, since we cheated."

"Cheated?" the man repeated. "To win this?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Well, thank you for returning it. Hope you learned your lesson."

Raeph nodded. He and Benji walked out of the arcade.