Chapter 3 - Nightmare

Kevin faces the price of this sinful wish of his, and has to choose what he holds dear.

Chapter 3: Nightmare

 

A week had passed since Kevin's fateful encounter with Lucy at the cafe. Ever since then, she was completely subservient to him, serving his every desire.

Everything should have been perfect, yet it was not.

 

In the dimly lit confines of his room, Kevin saw it calling out to him once more, this time round not to offer but to collect.

 

"Kevin, my dear boy, are you enjoying yourself?"

 

It took the form of a slender, young woman with long white hair that covered her breasts. A coy smile could be seen on its face as its violet eyes leered at Kevin through the shadows of his room.

 

"You!"

 

"I've given you what you want, so I expect you to return the favour."

 

"W-What do you mean?"

 

He should have been blessed, to have her by his side, as evidenced by the whispers of jealousy wherever they went. After all, those who had once shunned him now saw him with begrudging envy.

 

And that was what he wanted, to be envied by those he deemed lesser, was it not?

 

Yet Lucy was nothing like the wilful and charismatic goddess he had once spent hours admiring from afar. She was a w***e, with her constant hankering for his affection. He couldn't help but shudder in shame at the attraction he had once felt for her.

 

"You will be marked, for your soul is mine."

 

Kevin was about to protest before he felt a burning sensation emanating from his torso. He pulled his shirt over his head, discovering a large charred patch of skin on his chest that never existed before. It stood out like a sore, as though a portion of his flesh had been seared by flame.

 

His skin turned pale at the realisation of what was happening to him.

 

"You never stated anything about this! You tricked me, you b*****d!"

 

"It is but a simple matter to control the mind of the weak."

 

"This can't be happening! This isn't happening!"

 

It laughed once more, its enjoyment of his despair evident from the wide grin on its face.

 

He could feel himself withering away. But no, he wasn't going to die. Especially not like this.

 

"Damn you! I'm not going to hell for this!"

 

Kevin lunged forward to punch it, in a desperate bid to save himself from whatever fate awaited him.

 

However, it caught his knuckle with its hand with almost supernatural speed, and proceeded to twist it before flinging him against the wall like a ragdoll.

 

"Does it hurt, being so powerless?"

 

Kevin gave a grimace of pain as he clutched his wrist, recoiling from the impact of the sudden blow. He began to crawl towards it again, cursing it silently as he eyed its smug expression.

 

Yet he had no choice, as much as he hated it. He had to beg for his soul, for there was no other way out.

 

"Please! Don't do this! I'll do anything!"

 

"Anything?"

 

It was teasing him again. B*****d, Kevin thought to himself as he grovelled at its feet.

 

"Very well. I want Lucy's heart."

 

"What? No way, that's murder! You must be crazy!"

 

"Me, mad? Quite likely. But if you wish to be free of this sinful wish of yours, you will have to give me her heart.

 

"I…"

 

"After all, didn't you say you wanted her to love you with all her heart?"

 

"…"

 

"And now, I must bid you goodbye again. Remember, my offer is only good for the next twenty-four hours of your pathetic existence."

 

It laughed again, a haughty, sarcastic laugh that sent a chill down Kevin's spine, before it faded away once more into the darkness.

 

Once more, like the night of their first meeting, Kevin was alone in the darkness. He pondered his options. What it had demanded of him was tantamount to murder, yet if he refused, his soul was forfeit.

 

He was damned either way.

 

For a moment, Kevin realised Lucy had nothing to do with this. It was his greed and lust that had led to this travesty.

 

She was innocent. His precious goddess should not have to die for this, yet he knew that he was lying to himself. 

 

"No… that's not it."

 

He may have been in love with her, but his life was far more important. The Lucy that he had been in love with all this time was but an ideal, the perfect woman that existed only in his fantasies. He was never in love with her as a person, but in love with his own image of perfection. The bewitched Lucy was but a shallow mimicry, an insult to what he held as perfection.

 

"Yes..."

 

It was finally clear to him now. Lucy had to die so that he could be free. She was at fault anyway, for tempting him with that supple body of hers. It was the least she could do to make it up to him, he reckoned.

 

And now, he had a date with destiny.

 

"Hello? Lucy? I need you to come over right now. It's very important…"

Author's Note

Chapter 3. Feedback please!

Reviews

[Cyndy Robinson]

Okay so, the problem with reviewing chapters at a time is that there is a reason to make Lucy out so perfect, as is stated it here, it was largely his imagination and obsession doing it. I did think in the first chapter you made him into a bit of a stalker, and his mental illness is coming through here again in the end of this chapter. Going to read on. I did have some trouble with the "in the confines of his room Kevin saw it calling out to him once more". It took me a while to realize it was the black mist, and further confusing the issue, was suddenly it wasn't the black mist anymore but a young woman with long white hair, and then a few sentences later he calls her a b*****d. A little confusing.

[Lavorther]

Seems like I was right, he will have to pay for his greed. Although the ending surprised me. It really shows how twisted and insane this Kevin is. Well done once again, you keep writing surprising plot twists than keep the reader invested in the story.

Some things I noticed:

"He began to crawl forward towards it again ..."
"forward" and "towards it" is kinda double, and feel a bit weird.

"Remember, my offer is only good for the next twenty four hours of your pathetic existence"
I think "twenty four" should be one word.

[TheMalady]

Another surprising twist. The story is rather fast paced. Though, if there could be a bit of elaboration in the part about the payment? It would really help a lot. Just a suggestion.

Nice work, btw. :)