Devil's Plaything

A Cruel Sense of Humor

            "The devil?" Marci repeated, leisurely stirring her coffee with a spoon. She looked particularly well put together today, wearing a red dress that complimented her dark skin with earrings that matched. Mira, on the other hand, probably looked as frantic as she felt. The two roommates were sitting in their regular booth in their dorm's dining hall. "Like, the guy with horns and a tail? Evil, red dude? Him?"

            Mira nodded vigorously, knowing she would understand, choosing to wait to explain the devil was not exactly red with horns and a tail.

            It was silent for a minute, then, "I thought you didn't do Shrooms."

            Mira's hope that her friend would help her disintegrated quickly. "Marci, I'm serious!" Marci opened her mouth to respond, but Mira continued. "I made a deal with the devil. Why do you think my lips are so puffy?"

            "Wait, what?" 

            Mira ignored her, speaking so quickly she could barely understand herself. "I interrupted him and he got really upset and then he was going to kill Sam and then I tried to exorcize him but then he got me to sell my soul and-"

            Mira was cut short as a hand fell on her shoulder. She jumped, startled.

            "Sorry," Sam apologized, standing beside their booth.

            Her eyes widened and she looked over to him, so happy to see that he looked as healthy and normal as usual. "How are you?" She asked anxiously.

            He didn't answer and instead looked over at Marci, who was eyeing him down as she did every stranger who approached her. "Would you mind if I borrowed your friend for a moment?" he asked politely.

          Marci shrugged and turned the dining hall's "Please Don't Smoke" sign over to use as an ash tray. Ignoring Mira's disapproving look, she pulled a cigarette out of her jacket pocket and flicked on her lighter.

            Sam pulled Mira up with urgency and rushed her out of the hall, carefully glancing around before settling his eyes back on her. But even as he looked at her, he was focusing on something else entirely. "Why did you do that, Mira?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

             She blinked, confused by the question. It wasn't as if she wanted him to fall to his knees in a most sincere "thank you" because she had saved his mortal soul. But that would have been a plus.

            "What are you talking about?" she questioned. "I saved you from that devil guy."

            Sam covered his eyes and sighed wearily. "No. No, Mira, you don't understand." He looked at her again, something suspicious and anxious in his gaze. "How long were you standing there?" His cheeks were suddenly a boyish red tint. "What did you hear?"

            "I didn't really hear anything," she lied. She hadn't heard much, but that didn't mean she would openly admit to listening in to his private conversation because she had thought the devil was attractive. "I just saw you in pain, and I tried to help."

            He covered his eyes again and shook his head. "I made a deal with him, Mira. He was going to give me something and I was going to give him my soul. All my work for the past year. Down the drain."

            "What are you talking about?" Mira's voice was quiet now, too. "He was going to kill you." 

            "Demons are not easy to summon. I had to put myself in a desperate situation to call him. I was ready to die for what I wanted. Fate has a twisted sense of humor, doesn't it?" He seemed to be speaking mostly to himself now. "All my work, and I get the opposite of what I worked for."

            "Sam, I don't understand." Mira watched him carefully, trying to measure how exactly she could comfort him or help get rid of some of the pain he was in but coming up blank. "I'm really sorry if I ruined anything for you, I didn't mean to, I promise." She was sorry he was upset, but she wasn't sorry she had saved his life. That was clear in the tone of her voice and it made Sam shake his head. 

            He looked up at her again with an expression she couldn't read. "No, Mira. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He took a step toward her, his expression measuring hers. "I'm going to find a way to stop this. I'm going to get you your soul back, I promise." He was very close to her now. For a moment, Mira was frightened that he would try to kiss her. But as soon as that thought ran through her mind, he turned and walked away briskly.

            She stared after him, allowing herself to question, for just a second, if she was part of the reason he had been trying to sell his soul.

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