Life at a Crossroads

Ian kissed his wife's necklace and then looked both ways before entering the intersection with his briefcase. He saw no traffic coming down the dirt roads; it was unlikely considering the stars above and the treeline in the distance. He took out his chalk and drew the circle. 

He sighed and stripped to the waist; summoning was hot work and that would be on top of the heat and humidity. He dropped to his knees, put the athame before him, and started chanting. He completed the chant and cut his palm; he let the drops of his blood fall into the circle. He put the athame down and spread his arms while looking at the sky above. 

In moments a Model T Ford could be seen coming up the road. It stopped next to the circle. Its driver-side door opened and a distinguished gentleman In a red suit and shadows covering his features exited and stepped directly into the circle. He looked at Ian. "I have arrived."

Ian fell prostrate. The distinguished gentleman smiled. "Your humility is accepted. Now stand, please." 

Ian stood and then gulped. "Mighty Kafou. I ask three boons of thee. I will pay your price."

The distinguished gentleman sighed. "We can do business then." He adjusted his Homburg hat. "Name your boons so that I may fulfill them."

Ian smiled nervously. "Inside the briefcase is information on my wife's murderer. He should have gone to the chair, but he was freed. As of Saturday, Nguvu would have been dead for ten years. He needs to bead by then."

The distinguished gentleman nodded. "A simple revenge. I can respect a man doing what he can to avenge his wife."

Ian nodded. "Our daughter Florence is doing poorly in college. She wants to be a doctor but lacks the gags that the sight of a dead body and so failed her anatomy classes. I would appreciate it if she were to overcome that issue."

The distinguished gentleman nodded. "A worthy career, one that speaks to the highest aspirations of humanity. The deficiency will be eliminated."

He nodded, then wiped his brow. "Thank you." He gulped. "Lastly, I would like to become an oungan, but to start on the path properly I must catch a glimpse of pure evil." He looked pleadingly at the distinguished gentleman. "I must see the true nature of evil."

The distinguished gentleman smirked. "Are you sure?"

Ian forced himself to stand taller. "Yes."

 The distinguished gentleman sighed. "Fine." 

The eyes of the man in the circle glowed fire bright. Ian's eyes widened: He saw into an abyss, and then a parade of images flew past him, each there just long enough for him to see the glee on the predator's face and the horror on the prey's. He saw people enslaving others, landlords forcing out widows and orphans, men nervously signing contracts under lusting gazes, and people being forced into ovens. He saw all this and more. There was a magenta haze and he was returned to his normal perceptions. 

He fell to his knees. 

The distinguished gentleman motioned for him to come closer. Ian stood and shuffled over to him. The hand of the distinguished gentleman caressed Ian's face. "Your race may have its mountains, but it also has its valleys." The distinguished gentleman pushed Ian away; he fell to the ground. "You wanted a glimpse into evil? It is this: Your evils as a race are due to its members' free will. Revenge and seeking a boon for your child may be good motivators in their own ways, but here you are pleading for relief from a veritable demon.

"Even in doing good, you are seeking the assistance of evil to fulfill your wishes."

Ian pulled himself up. 

The distinguished gentleman smiled. "You made two errors in your summoning. The second was that you approached too closely while shuffling over to me." He motioned to the ground below him; part of the chalk circle had been rubbed out. "I am now free to do as I please." He left the circle. Ian shivered. "But I will ignore that simple faux-as so that I may capitalize on your first: You did not offer me a price."

Ian's eyes widened as he paled. "B-b-but - - -"

The demon showed his fangs. "Once I have completed my other two boons to you, you will receive a book and a plane ticket. You have a week to get your affairs in order." He gestured and a wind erased the rest of the circle. "Then your servitude and the training necessary to be a proper servant will begin." He motioned and the briefcase flew to his hand. He turned to his Model T Ford. "You will not be a oungan, but a bokor." He entered the vehicle and drove off.

Ian collapsed, cursing his stupidity. He stood, grabbing the athame and his shirt, then took his first few steps on the path to evil.