The Prisoner: Part 5 of The Mayor

The cutting of flesh and the warm rush of blood over his hands made the demon smile. Kaleel enjoyed taking souls. Kaleel felt different about his time on Earth while inhabiting the mayor. Even Kaleel was astonished at some of the things he was doing.

John’s hands wrapped tightly around the handle of the straight razor. Each cut oozed more blood. With each new wound, fear in the air thickened so much it would choke off someone normal. It was that sweet-savory sensation that fed him, that made him strong.

When Kaleel first found a crack in Hell's walls, the stench of human fear brought him to Earth. Its spicy aroma called to him like heroin to addicts. Kaleel found his way to the midwest, first finding a small city in Southwestern Iowa.

His first was always his favorite. Nobody, even more than 100 years later, had a clue who he had possessed. Even the poor bastard he used to do his dirty work didn’t remember being possessed. But, in those days, Kaleel never stayed in one person too long.

More than 100 years later, Kaleel was still corrupting souls. In John Jones, he’d found a special kind of man. Only one flavor satiated Kaleel’s demonic appetites as much as big and stinky fear. That was desperation.

In John’s desperation, he had picked up the knife and accepted his role as Kaleel’s vessel on Earth. He was enjoying the fruits of his deal while his friends and his wife suffered because of his fear of death. John missed Helena, he missed the boys, and he knew he was going to Hell.

It’s better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. It was one of John’s favorite quotes.

As the terrible twosome washed John’s hands, the blood of his newest victim washing into the drain, John looked at the mirror with a sinister smile. He felt a sense of accomplishment. They had taken another soul. The thing he spent hours torturing was on his way into the pit.

It was the deal Kaleel made with John. John would have to spend the rest of his days as a facilitator, helping Kaleel take as many souls as he desired. Humans, Kaleel considered. They do anything to stay off the rack themselves.

John, as it turned out, was different. At first, it was difficult for John. He didn’t like sacrificing Helena. Getting Rid of Steven and Harry wasn’t part of the original plan. He even argued with Kaleel about losing his two buddies.

Over the following weeks, John changed. But instead of succumbing to Kaleel's whims, John embraced them. He remembered watching the light in the eyes of a local barista as it dimmed. The life in her body slowly slipped away.

The recent victim and dammed soul belonged to the body of Jorge Ramirez. Jorge was an irritant. Sadly, he was the gardener. The only thing Jorge was guilty of was being an early bird. After John warned him, and he did it again, Kaleel suggested he be next.

This one might be easy, Kaleel had thought.

John, however, was keeping something from Kaleel. John learned to hide his thoughts from the demonic entity inhabiting his body. The mayor was enjoying himself.

John was taking over. As much as Kaleel tried, he struggled to separate himself from John. In the inner conflict, Kaleel was losing control. The only benefit was he was taking more than his share of souls downstairs. But Kaleel had one question.

Would he be able to escape the mayor's grasp? Something inside John Jones was darker than the worst corners of Hell. Kaleel was getting scared of John.