I remember that night like no other. As I sit here lying in my cell, awaiting death as old men often do, I thought about that night. I thought of other memories too, but this one stood out the most. It was a Sunday, I know that for sure. Yes, a Sunday in the month of September. The leaves were changing into their suits of red and orange and yellow. I was watching football with my wife, Anne. She didn't like football what-so-ever. Quite frankly, she didn't like me too much either so I was surprised when she actually sat with me through the whole game. I was even more surprised when she asked me if I wanted sex that night. I said yes, of course. What wasn't surprising is that once we got down to our birthday suits she took a whiff of chloroform and past out. She always found some way to be unconscious during sex. Though, I didn't mind. At least she doesn't complain about it I would always think to myself. Afterward, instead of going to sleep, I took a stroll down my neighborhood. The night was oddly warm for September. I remember smelling something burning and almost thought that I had left the oven on but that was impossible because I've never even touched our oven before. And I still haven't. Suddenly, all the street lights turned off. Well, except for one. I turned around to find that one was still on. Under the last lit bulb was a man. Tall and pale and dressed up. "Hello Benny-boy!" he cried waving to me. How did he know who I was? I asked myself. I was a little frightened by him. The light above him finally went off and he walked toward me. At the same time the burning smell got thicker but at the time I didn't put the two factors together. He got with in a few steps of me and stopped. "What are you out walking in the moonlight for, Ben?" He said playfully in a soft English accent. I couldn't seem to get any words out of my mouth. They were stuck in my throat. I analyzed him for a moment. He had dark eyes, large eyebrows, and slicked back hair with sideburns. The outfit he was wearing really brought out his pointy shoulders. His jacket was a light black with large charcoal buttons and a black tie. He looked "business-y". More than all, his grin stuck out the most. It reminded me of the Cheshire Cat from Carrol's Alice in Wonderland. "What's wrong Benny-boy? You felling okay?" He asked me. His breath smelled like Sulfur. At that moment I realized what he was. This pale man standing before me was the Devil. he was Satan, Lucifer, The Father of Sins, The Lord of the Dammed, whatever you want to call him, that's who...that's what he was. I don't know what clicked in my head to ever make me think this. I was an Atheist and I didn't believe in God or the Devil. But no matter what religion I was, he was the Devil none the less. "What? Are you deaf and dumb?" He raised his voice ever so slightly. I think he was annoyed so I shook my head no. "Good good. Well, then come walk with me Benny." He said as he put his arm around my shoulder and started walking. His arm singed my jacket a little yet I was freezing cold by him touching me. "See Benny-ole-boy, It's been kinda slow tonight and I still need one more soul to fill my quota. You look like you have a good soul." He said to me proudly. He looked at me and smiled his big devious grin of his. You should have been there to see my face. I was completely terrified. My eyes watered and I was sweating heavily. He saw that. "How's about I take your wife's. Not that she's got much of a soul anyways but she's gonna die of an aneurysm tonight so to save her the pain I was just going to take her soul and murder her. Whaddaya say?" I didn't want to believe him but for some reason I did. I believed him. I wanted to say no, you can't do that! but then I thought about it. For one, My love for Anne was gone and her's for me as well(Even though I still cared about her deeply, there just wasn't a spark anymore.) and two, I knew if I refused to his offer he would probably kill me and take my soul. I certainly didn't want to die, not that night. I reluctantly accepted and off he went into the darkness. There was no way I was going home now. I kept walking, and walking into a field outside of my neighborhood until I got to the top of a hill. I heard a scream. It was Anne. I called the police saying that someone had been murdered at house 5171 on Waterford Lane. I was stupid for doing that. They traced my call anyways and 15 minutes later I heard sirens through the streets. I thought of his grin and realized that I shouldn't of called the cops, and I should have just gone to sleep that night, and that I shouldn't have gone outside. I starred at the moon for a moment and had a strange Joe Dirt moment. As I was looking at the moon I had the feeling the He was looking at the moon at the same time. Thirty minutes later the cops found me on the hill and arrested me for drugging and killing my wife. They told me my rights, cuffed me, and hauled me off to jail. Later, I was explained that the cops found a note on my dead wife explaining that I had drugged her with Chloroform and strangled her. I denied it until they showed me the note. It was in my handwriting. I then realized exactly how stupid I was for calling the cops. He had tricked me. I was a fool for believing a single word He said. When they did the autopsy on Anne I asked if there was anything wrong with her head. Nothing was. Not a single sign of an aneurysm. I pleaded guilty and was sentence to prison for...I don't even remember how many years. I pleaded guilty because I did kill her. By being selfish, I killed her. My years in the cell, I've asked God for forgiveness many times but I've never gotten an answer back. Maybe he's too busy for me. Or maybe there still is no God or Devil. Maybe I had a strange hallucination and did strangle her. No. What I saw last night was the Devil. I know one thing for sure: The smell of sulfur has never left my nose and I every time I breathe in I am reminded of that night. He hasn't visited me since that night but I figure he's still grinning from ear to ear.
So, how did you like my story? I would love to hear your opinions.
There is probably some bad grammar in here somewhere so if you find it please tell me so I can fix it. I'd like to add that I'm not religious so writing this was rather fun for me. I kinda winged it though, it might have been better if I planned it out. Anyways, I hope you have fun reading it. ^^
