INB 2 - The Deal

Present tense, in Jesus's current deal...

Biff moans, scanning the pitch black horizon with the torch.

 

I sigh as my foot sinks into mud, "I never said it would be easy."

 

Unfortunately, the Devil knows it. She takes advantage - always putting obstacles in my way. Trekking through the mud at night? That's just another one. Just like when those bats flew out the cave. She knew I feared them.

 

"It's the little things that count." She sniggered.

 

My hands curl into fists. I pause, recounting the way their yellow eyes glazed at me, how they all snapped them open at the same moment. I hope she doesn't have any more surprises awaiting me in the woods.

 

Biff and I walk up a laid pathway, wet grass either side. The Devil looks me up and down, smirking. She's clean as always - leaning back on a bench - whilst I stand here, the bottom of my robe coloured from the mud.

 

"I would like to make a deal."

 

"Ah, God." She uncrosses her smooth legs, leaning to the side. "What would you like?"

 

I have to be nice or she might put me through hell again, "I like Biff. He's great and so supportive. Thank you so much. Because of your talents, I was hoping..." I take a deep breath, "I'd like... to find love."

 

She throws her head back, laughing. Her laughter echoes through the trees, bristling leaves becoming floppy against the strong winds. A plane passes overhead, its soaring through the air grabbing my attention; the stars twinkling with the plane's green and red lights. Anything to avoid looking into the Devil's eyes.

 

A chill cuts through the holes in my robe and graces my skin. 

 

The Devil grins, revealing straight, white teeth, "You can find love. I'll even let you use anything to find her... or him." She sneers. The Devil's never been one to accept others. "But first, I'd like you to pick someone you like the look of."

 

"Mmm.." I weigh up my options, looking away from the Devil's teeth. I feel Biff's little feet, as he leans from one to the other. He shakes his head, eyes wide. He never met the Devil before now, and his reaction means a lot to me. He's the only person I can trust. 

 

The Devil adds, "Choose her before you speak to her. But once you choose her, we'll discuss this further."

 

The Devil gets up from the bench, walking over to a tall tree past us. She’s casual and content, almost like a small child as she goes up to the tree, looking up at it. She touches the bark, letting her fingers slide down it. I watch, furrowing my brow together. I don’t understand what she’s doing or why.

 

The Devil’s eyes then snap to mine. A threatening smirk crosses her lips as she rests her head against the tree. Almost without a thought, she says, “God, Choose wisely.” She winks. The Devil then spins, and disappears behind the tree.

 

A puff of blue and green comes from the other side �" and she’s gone.

 

Choose wisely. I hope she’s toying with me.

 

I start to ask what Biff thinks, but he tells me, "What a freak." We turn round, heading back through the woods.

 

 

 

There it is, between two broken trees. The mystical blue-green cloud. 

 

The Devil made it so we could meet. Usually, she only makes evil things, but this cloudy portal, it shines like the stars above and pulses like a heart. The curved petal-shaped edges extend out here and there as if it’s growing, like a living being.

 

I step through it, with Biff on my shoulder, one leg at a time.

At the other end, among the clouds, Biff pipes,”Change your mind."

 

I stand a moment, listening to the whistling air below, how the owls hoot, how every bit of space is filled with life - whether it be grass, trees or animals. 

 

I look down, between the clouds. The city's lights glisten. Cars roam the roads, speedy ant-size objects going in opposite directions. Houses cosy up together like a few children into a bed. People have comfort, that feeling of always being surrounded by others. They're never alone.

 

“Change my mind about...?”

 

Biff stares at me, "This stupid deal. Have you seen the Devil? That weird way she stares at you...it’s creepy.”

 

"I know, but this isn’t stupid to me.”

 

Biff pulls a face, "Really?"

 

"I wouldn't do this if I had a choice."

 

"You do have choice!"

 

"It's the only way to find love, and sometimes...” I take in a sharp, shallow breath. I’m not sure if I should say it. “You're not enough."

 

Biff flies from my shoulder, "I'm not enough?” Rage. He obviously doesn’t feel the same way and it makes me unhappy to see him react like this. I didn’t want him to fly up and down and start ranting.

 

“Don't we have fun? All the times we pulled faces at people and they didn't know cuz we're invisible!"

 

"Don't do this." I look away, avoiding his angry gaze. I spot a black object in the distance. Good, a distraction. "Look over there, what's that?"

 

Biff turns around, "I don’t know. Don’t use it �" it’s probably something the Devil’s put there to get you. I think we need to make a real plan. We need to beat her at her game. You’ve got no idea what catches she’ll have for your deal. You know there’s always something. Like last time.”

 

As we hop along the clouds, I consider this. He’s right. The Devil doesn’t let you have what you want. At first, it always sounds fair, but then she comes up with something as she goes along. She never stops at one catch; she’ll always replace it if you find a way to best her. Last time �" oh last time I really thought I had it. On Earth, it started so well. I was gaining believers. But then they thought that rapist �" I have no idea why �" but they thought he was the Messiah! I will never understand that. I always think it must be the Devil’s doing. She can always plant an idea in anyone’s head. I’ll try not to let her plant any in mine.

 

As we take steps between the clouds, they become smaller, thinner as if they were a footpath to a front door. Each cloud shrinks to about the size of a table, the rounded edges puffing off as I jump on them.

 

The black object becomes bigger, a telescope. Its three legs are thin and long, all connecting to the body of the telescope.

 

I grab the telescope firmly, I will choose wisely. I will pick the right girl. I think, as I direct the telescope to the ground. White clouds block my vision. I stick out my foot, and shake the clouds until they have become thin streams of air, almost see-through.

 

Biff flies up onto my shoulder, trying to peek into the telescope. Gazing down it, I scan houses with large back gardens. A nice community �" it has trampolines, slides and outdoor pools. But as I navigate toward the road, streetlights shine down on empty pavements. No one's around - it's 3am.

 

An alleyway. A large, balding man hands money over to a hand. The man walks out from the streetlight, leaving. A woman comes into the light, alone. Her clothes are tight against her body, a short shirt squeezing her cleavage. Her hair's scruffy, frizzy and shoulder length. She's petite and despite her 'attractive' clothes, has a child-like presence, her innocent eyes glancing left and right as she waits by a nearby bus-stop.

 

I frown. I remember why I normally look away when I see people going through a hard time. These situations force me to look at myself �" and think how helpless I am and how I’m such a useless God. I never want people to pray for me �" it gives me this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, watching decent people getting stuck in situations they shouldn’t.

 

I would look away �" but I can’t just pick a woman with a nice, normal life. I can’t overlook the nice women who have gone through rough times. I have to give them an equal chance. It’s what I always encouraged in my believers �" equality.

 

The woman sits on the bus, her head resting on a hand. She looks up out the window, as if she were staring up at me. It sends a chill through my body. Every time someone does that, I wonder if they really can see me. It makes me freeze on the spot �" in the hope that standing still would make me invisible.

 

The bus stops at a street corner with apartment blocks. The woman leaves the bus, getting up to her doorway and getting keys out from her small red purse. She twists the house key and goes through the door.

 As she walks in her apartment door, a hand goes to the heel of the shoes and she tugs it off. Relief strikes her face.

 

She makes her way to a small room. Fairy wallpaper covers the walls. In the middle of the room, a toddler rolls over in her crib, asleep. 

 

I don’t want to watch anymore. I can’t bear an innocent teenager having to go through that. And she has a child. It’s too much. She’s going to have such a hard life and there’s nothing I can do to save her.

 

Biff's snores loudly, catching my attention.

 

I gently put the telescope down, and look to Biff. He’s lying on his back on my shoulder. His head’s back, drool escaping from his mouth as his snores echo through the clouds.

 

I cup my hands around his sleeping body. Carefully, I lower him onto a cloud. His feet twitch as I place him down, as I pull a cloud over him like a bed cover.

 

I can be on the lookout tomorrow, I smile, as I pull clouds over myself as well.

 

Orange seeps into my eyes. Biff's already up, fluttering about. I get up, the cloud falling away from me. The telescope reflects the light brightly, a few glimmers reflecting from it.

 

With a slight breeze, the telescope tilts to the left. I go up to it, and only see white. Zooming out, I find a coat with white feathering, with small footprints coming from behind it. The outline looks like that of a bear, but it turns around. It's a woman, with black, thick hair poking out from the hood of her coat. Her eyes are wide but thin, a very dark chocolate brown contrasting with the pure snow.

 

An Inuit. She probably wouldn't speak English. I know, God, who should be all powerful isn't. Who should be all knowing isn't.

I sigh, feeling Biff's poking me, "Why are you bothering?"

 

"I need to go down there and see it myself."

 

Almost, as if there's someone listening, a mystical clouded portal appears. Biff watches me be dragged toward it.

 

"No, no, no." He flies in front of me, blocking the way to the portal, "You said we'd talk about this. And that Devil, she's obviously listening to you! Don't you think she's up to something?"

 

I peek round Biff, watching the portal stretch and sparkle, luring me. "Biff, I can't find someone up here. I need to see them up close, to hear what they sound like-"

 

"This is ridiculous. Do you hear yourself? This is all a trick. Don't make that deal. What am I supposed to do if she captures you or kills you?"

 

I look at him. I look at the portal. I gently guide him out the way with my hand and step through.

Reviews

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I like this. I wonder if Biff will get jealous? This chapter is the best of them all. :) Keep writing. It's a great idea. I like Biff/God's friendship and camaraderie. I'm amazed by how you gave the devil the upper hand in everything, though. God is so weak... Does he have any endearing factor? Or, are you playing that he is dependent on his so called "minions." Also, consider putting in a part where the devil leaves heaven.