The Devil Calls Me Sweetheart

11

     I tried thinking of something to ask. In the meantime, Astel decided to swim around. He was currently in a starfish position, floating on the salty water just staring up at the gray sky. I approached him, poking him on the rib to grab his attention. He stood up normally just as a wave came and splashed us both.

"How did you get your credit card?"

"That again?"

"It just doesn't make sense to me," I started. "You need an actual identity and everything. But you weren't born here, were you? So how? How did you do it?"

He chuckled. "I manipulated them to give me it."

"You mean threaten? Like you did to me?" My eyes widened.

"No I didn't threaten them." He frowned. "I erased their memories, replaced them with new ones."

My mouth formed an 'o'. "Wait- you mean to tell me you can erase memories?" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry I didn't do it on you sweetheart," he reassured. I was relieved. As much as there are things I want to forget, they are still memories, good or bad. It was a bit scary just how much Astel was capable of. "I don't particularly enjoy doing it, just because I can. You know?" he said and I nodded even though I didn't know.

"I did it because I was obligated. I needed money to survive in this world," he said. "It's kind of like cheating. You can do it, anyone can. But do you want to? Not really. At least not me."

"Wait- is that how-"

"Yes," he cut me off, "that's how I get away with taking people's soul. I just make it so nobody ever remembered their existence."

A cold shiver ran through my spine. I gulped, not wanting to swim deeper in the subject of the souls he had taken, and memories stolen. "Okay, so you can become invisible and erase memories."

He nodded.

"Is there anything else I should know?" I asked, beginning to swim back to shore. Astel followed closely behind.

"No, I don't think so."

I took the towels out of the basket and laid them out on the sand side by side. The sky was dark already, the moonlight reflected on the sea. He laid down while I sat, each on our respective towel.

"I honestly don't know how I'll go to work tomorrow," I confessed. How was I supposed to face the man who lied to me? Who took advantage of me? He was my superior, he could fire me. And yes, I can search for another job. But I felt sick to know that Ethan would have some sort of satisfaction in my despair.

"Then don't," replied Astel, laying on his side facing me. Once again, I felt his eyes glow. There had to be some sort of pattern. Did they glow bright red when angered? Frustrated? Pissed?

"I don't want him to think he had an impact on me."

"Whatever you do, I'll support you on it."

His words warmed my heart. "I'll go tomorrow. I'll be brave, and just ignore him. Whatever he says or does, I won't let him get to me," I stated, though I was more trying to convince myself than him.

"Atta girl!" he beamed, sitting upright. "Enough talking, we haven't eaten dinner yet."

"Should we go back home?"

He waved his index finger side to side, indicating no all while shaking his head. "I don't want you to cook today. Frankly, I can't either."

"And in all this time you lived, you haven't mastered to cook? A basic survival skill?" I teased.