The Detective and the Demon

A Short Story

The detective walked down Mercy Street. It was raining, but he was wearing a hat. That old brown hat his mother had bought for his father. After his father died, he took the hat for himself. His mother wanted him to have it.

“Take you father’s hat, Sam,” she had told him, “It looks good on you, and I really want you to have it. It was my present to your dad, and now it’s my present to you. So please… take it.”

Sam had taken it, and he wore it ever since. In Black End, it was as if the season was always autumn; there weren’t any warm days, there was only rain and cold, and a sad, grey sky. He could wear the hat and never take it off.

Mercy Street was the main road of the town, crossing it from one end to the other. It was where the most attractive bars and stores were, and where most people were taking their walk on Saturday nights. Now the detective wasn’t going for a walk, but he had to meet someone. A woman.

He had met the woman a couple of days ago, in a bar, a dark and ugly bar, where he had gone to find his partner, whose name was Eckhart. Eckhart wasn’t there, but that woman was, and the detective felt as if they were supposed to meet each other that night.

“What’s your name?” He asked her.

“My name?” She smiled. “It’s Lilly.”

“Lilly… Nice name. Mine is Sam.”

“I know your name, Sam,” she said. “I think it’s a good name for a detective. Detective Sam…”

“Yeah, that’s me,” he smiled back. “But how do you know my name?”

“I just know things…” She said.

“Right… You know things.” He repeated the words while considering them.

“Yes, I do. I also know that you called me. You are in need, detective. You called for me to meet you here.”

At that point, things started to get a little creepy. He had just met a beautiful woman, and somehow hoped that things would turn out good for both of them, but then she started to talk in a pretty weird way…

Perhaps, the detective thought, I should get going now…

“Oh, come on,” she said, “don’t leave yet. You wouldn’t leave a lady alone, would you? You know I’m here for you…”

“I don’t understand a word you’re saying, but…”

“You need me, detective.” She touched his hand. “See? Feel how warm my hand is. You should know, and you do know, that punishment leads to purity.”

Sam looked at her a bit scared, surprised at her words.

“Punishment?”

“Oh… does that sound scary?” She asked him. Then she smiled. “I’ll give you two days to think of our little conversation here. Then you can decide whether you want to meet me again, or not. It’s your choice. Now have a drink, and go home.”

She walked away, just like that. Sam for a moment felt as if nothing had happened, and he drank silently and almost happy, even though his partner had missed their rendezvous. After that, he returned home, where his little chat with the demon started to affect him. He called Eckhart.

“You weren’t at the bar,” he told him.

“What bar? You didn’t tell me about going out tonight.”

“I didn’t?”

“No, Sam, you didn’t. You probably forgot.”

Sam thought about it for a while.

“Oh, ok. I’m sorry then. I’ll see you next Monday.”

He hung up, and went to bed.

So there was no rendezvous with Eckhart. And what about that woman? Who was she? Thoughts were coming in and out of his mind, and he dreamt restlessly of the woman with the red hair and the green eyes.

Back in Mercy Street, the detective sat on a bench, thoughtful. He felt a bit anxious, for the woman was about to show up. Then he saw her walking towards him, crossing the street.

“Hey, detective,” she said. “Are you ready? Purity waits. We both know you need it, don’t we?”

“I’m… not… sure…” He muttered.

“Oh, of course you are.”

She offered him her hand, and he took it, feeling scared.

“Let’s go now,” she said. “You can call me Lilly… A journey into darkness is waiting for you.”

The woman smiled, and a set of big, sharp teeth caught Sam’s attention.

They walked away together, and vanished at the end of the road, just outside Black End.

Reviews

[Marie]

A good story with a good end. You must know, though you didn't say, that Lillith was (according to legend) Adam's first wife. She wanted power, and when she couldn't get it,she turned into a demon and flew away. Not everyone will catch this, but those who do will find the story even more meaningful.

A couple of suggestions:

Mercy Street was the main road of the town, crossing it from one end to the other. It was where the most attractive bars and stores were, and where most people were taking their walk at(on) Saturday nights. Now,(no comma after now) the detective wasn’t going for a walk, but he had to meet someone. A woman.