The Devil's Deal

It was a small, black notebook with scuffed covers and only one sheet of paper within it. It lay there on the sidewalk, just waiting for someone, anyone to pick it up, and see it's contents, but nobody did till one day.....

She hurried along the sidewalk, the rain pattering down around her. Once again, she was late for work, and this time, she was certain her boss would fire her. The old skinflint hated her. She never understood why he hired her. All the other people that worked in the office, were older. She could only guess that he needed someone that he could push around and dictate orders too without them talking back. That was her trouble, she never stood up for herself, not to her family, not to her friends, and certainly not to her boss. She told herself everyday that today would be different; she would actually grow a backbone, tell that old man off, and walk out of the door with her dignity intact, but everyday, she knew she wouldn't. She was stuck there till she either found a new job, or found money. She only hoped that the latter would come first.

She saw it just as she was about to step off the curb and cross the street. A black notebook, just lying there. She started to walk on by, but some force compelled her to stop and pick it up. Reaching down, her fingers made a grab for the cover, and was surprised how warm it was. It was a chilly 50 degrees with a slight wind blowing, but the cover, even the wire binder was slightly warm to the touch. Weird, she thought, but with no time to dwell on it, she stuck it in her purse and hurried into the office.

What a day!! After having been berated for an hour for being late again, she had been bombarded all day with file after file to catalog and put in its proper place. Even after barely taking any breaks or even a lunch, her boss still wasn't happy with her. She really HAD to find a new job. Throwing her purse on the couch, she was surprised when a small, black notebook popped out and slid across the faded material. Even though she was starving and tired, she picked it up and opened the cover.

"Ask, and it will be granted" stared back at her. What the heck did that mean? That's all it said, just one line, on one sheet of paper written in black ink in a masculine script. Crazy. Tossing it back on the couch, she headed to the shower to gain back some energy and perhaps some of her dignity. Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom refreshed and ready to eat and hit the hay, when she was stopped in her tracks. That little, black notebook was lying on the kitchen counter, opened to its only page.

No way, I left that on the couch, not on the counter. I must really be tired; I don't even remember what I'm doing. It's bed for me, she thought as she walked into the small cubicle that served as a bedroom. As she slipped between the cool sheets, she had the oddest thought remembering what was written on that single page. She wished she really could just ask for something and it would be granted. Twenty-thousand dollars would allow her to quit her dead end job, and move to a better apartment, and find an occupation she would really like. Maybe someday....

The alarm went off sending her dreams scattering. Another dull, boring day at a job she hated. Something caught her eye as she threw back the covers. The notebook was sitting on her nightstand, open to its one lone page. What the heck, I know I left that on the counter, why is it here, she thought. Picking it up, she felt its warmth once again. Suddenly, she had an overwhelming desire to ask for the twenty thousand. Crazy thought, but I'm doing it. "Don't know what you are, or if this is anything legit, but if you can hear me, I need $20,000 ASAP". The notebook jumped out of her hands and landed on the floor. Am I going crazy, she asked herself. Leaning down, she picked it up and sat it on the dresser, so much for wishes, she thought as she hurriedly dressed, grabbed her purse and sprinted out the door to another boring day.

Time passed quickly that day, she did her job as was expected, but as usual, got no praise or recognition even though she had found a mistake on a client's part that saved the company a lot of money. Trudging home through the rain and wind, she desperately hoped that her luck would change and that she could start over. She opened the door, and there it was money, and a lot of it, neatly stacked on her kitchen table. Slowly she approached it, almost as if she was in a dream and afraid she would wake up and it would disappear. Timidly she touched the first stack, she felt the cool, crispness of the paper. Picking it up, she was awestruck by the by the weight of the bundle; heavy she thought, a lot heavier than she thought it would be. Suddenly, panic took over. What should she do with it; hide it take it to the bank, what, she asked herself. Hide it a small voice said. Grabbing a small satchel from her closet, she put the bundles in it and frantically looked for a place to put it. Stashing it under her bed, she sat down to calm her thumping heart and catch her breath. Somehow, someway, a miracle had happened, and it had happened for her.

She needed to do some thinking, make some plans; but for now, all she wanted was sleep. In the morning, she thought, I'll sort it all out. Sleep seemed to elude her that night, it was after midnight when she finally dropped off too restless dreams. Suddenly, her eyes popped open; the clock read 2:30 a.m. Glancing around, she saw a small shadow at the end of her bed. Terrified, she yelled out, "Who are you? What are you doing in my room?" She scrunched up to the top of the bed and was preparing to take flight when the form stepped forward, a small aura surrounding it.

It was a man, an old, wizened man, with sparse grey hair, leathery skin, and black, black eyes that seemed to pierce her to her soul. In his hands, he held the black notebook she had found. Slowly he opened it to the lone page, and pointed to it. Once again, she read what it said, "Ask and it will be granted". I know what it says, she told him, that's why I asked. He shook his head back and forth and turned the page. On the back, written in masculine script, was a few simple works, "But, there is a price."

She realized that she had never turned the page, had never even thought that there might be something written on the back. "I didn't know", she yelled at him. A thin, evil smile spread across his face and and a crooked finger beckoned to her. "NO, I won't go, I won't" she yelled. In a desperate attempt to flee, she jumped off the bed and started to run, but to no avail.

A silken rope snaked out and before she could escape, wrapped around her from head to toe. "Let me go" she screamed; but it fell on deaf ears, and as she struggled to move, to breath, to just get away, the scenery changed and instead of her small cozy apartment, she was surrounded my black rocks, fire pits, smoke, and screams of pain. At that instant, she knew the price she paid for all that money was her soul, and the Devil had come to collect. A mass was moving toward her, almost as if to consume her and as they reached out their hands to grab her, she screamed at the top of her voice. A scream that seemed to come from the very bowels of her body, high pitched, frenzied; a scream of denial, pain, and fear. But even as it ended, she started laughing hysterically, because that twenty thousand dollars was raining down on her head and rising back up in small puffs of ash; perhaps to tempt the next unsuspecting person.

It was a small, black notebook with scuffed covers and only one sheet of paper within it. It lay there on the sidewalk, just waiting for someone, anyone to pick it up, and see it's contents, and somebody would one day.....