A Little More Time...

SIXTEEN

Ryan ran his fingers over the torture devices that his assistant, Jon, had brought him. Jon was a recent member of Hell, having fallen into Ryan's department when he experienced the unfortunate death of being buried alive and coated in cement. A terrible fear; one that Ryan had brought to life in many of the man's nightmares.

Now, they were partners in the small department of Hell.

"How to torture a man who's greatest fear is so vague..." Ryan mused, continuing to trail his fingers over the weapons. There were pokers, branding tools, spears, and many medieval devices... Just for fun.

"Perhaps we should dig deeper?" Jon suggested, watching nervously as Ryan eyed the tools like an all you could eat buffet.

"Perhaps..." Ryan cocked his head, resting his hand over the handle of a branding tool. It had an odd shape on the end. The shape was an eye. Ryan picked it up, twirling the rod with his fingers. "Perhaps..."

Jon watched silently. Some of the weapons had been used against him in his own dreams before he died. Ryan had the same look in his eyes then as he did now; enjoyment.

There was a knock that echoed in the room, catching Jon's attention. Ryan continued to examine the tool in his hands.

Jon shifted from foot to foot. "I'll get it." He finally mumbled. He hurried across the room, somewhat relieved for an excuse to move away from Ryan.

Ryan was engrossed in the tool he held. He had never seen it in his arsenal before. He brought his eyes up to trail over the ends of other branding markers, finding two others he had never seen before; a crescent moon and a sun. Where did these come from?

"Ryan Ross." An empty voice filled Ryan's head, momentarily making his eyes grow wide. A memory flickered in Ryan's mind, far too quickly to register before it was consumed by darkness. His eye lids dropped and he turned around.

Jon stood against a wall on the far corner of the room. He cast his gaze to the floor, refusing to look at Ryan, or the creature that now stood in front of the nightmare giver. This creature hadn't changed in the, what could have been, centuries Ryan had put into his job. All that time, and not a thing seemed to change about the Soul Keeper. The darkness on his fingertips licked his knuckles, while around his neck it looked like he wore a choker collar.

"Leave us, Jon." Ryan instructed.

Jon didn't need to be told twice. He nodded and hurried out of the room, leaving Ryan and the Soul Keeper alone.

"Ryan Ross was rewritten a long time ago." Ryan only spoke once Jon had vanished from the room.

The Soul Keeper nodded. "I rewrote him." He took a step forward. Ryan didn't back away, in fact, he stepped forward as well. "You've succumbed to the darkness well."

Ryan stared at the creature before him. With most beings, just a glance could reveal their worst nightmare to him. He could learn how to completely tear someone, or something, down and bend it to his will. Ever since acquiring his new position in the afterlife, it had come naturally to him. The Soul Keeper, however, was afraid of nothing. He was exactly where he wanted to be in the afterlife, and knew how things worked; everything. He was a being that had existed for as long as the ruler of Hell himself had.

"What brings you here?" Ryan inquired. He gave the poker in his hand a single twirl.

The Soul Keeper was still for a moment. Then, he did something that had only happened one other time in his existence. His lips curved up into a smile. "Your purpose has finally arrived."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. Somehow, he felt like the tool in his hand had something to do with whatever the Soul Keeper meant. "Explain?" He asked, ignoring a small voice that called out through the dark in his mind. A warning? A knowing answer? The darkness surpressed it.

"The ultimate nightmare and more power to fuel you." The creature held his smile, which seemed unnatural against his features. "The devil has a job for you."

"What would that be?" Ryan asked. His interest was piqued, but he didn't let it show over his expression.

There was a pause. "Hell on Earth. Every dark demon of Hell and worse making their way up to the surface world."

Ryan grinned, exposing his teeth and letting the red of his demonic eyes flair. The darkness within him shivered with excitement. A job so fun from the devil himself? It was the word of prophecy. The feat had never been done, but Ryan was being trusted with it.

"I'm in."

The End

°Happy Halloween°