This week, we didn't get a prompt from Chuck. But that's okay. I've had a story idea rattling around in my melon for a few days - and here it is now.
Enjoy!
It’s an addiction,
you know… sucking souls that is.
I’ve been tracking
him for years and have yet to catch him; and yet I’m always too late to the
party when I do get close – finding his leftovers in the empty warehousese
where rages have been held, or worse still, huge gatherings of people where
he’s just shown up and ‘snacked’ on around fifty people and left their corpses
laying around.
Real nice for the
police to have to let the families know of their loved one death, when all they
did was innocently go out to a rock concert.
I’m often left with
a lot of paperwork in the end – and it’s getting too much. My boss isn’t
pleased and he’s thinking of replacing me with somebody better, more efficient
and less likely to be left behind.
But really, it’s not
like that… he doesn’t understand how it all works. It’s not as though I’m
letting him go on purpose, he’s always just out of my grasp.
“I don’t want to
hear it, Raphael, do your job or I’ll get Michael to do it.” His thunderous
voice pounded above me as I prayed in the church.
“Yes, Father.” I’d
whispered, feeling guilty and horrible that I had disappointed him yet again for
letting the Soul-Sucker escape me yet again this week; rising from my knees,
crossing myself as I turned to leave the lines of pews.
I was just another
parishioner to them; not a vessel being used by an Angel on a mission to save
their souls.
There were others
out there who didn’t have any souls – I could spot them – but they weren’t on
my most-wanted list at this time. I wasn’t allowed near them right now.
The Soul Sucker was
enemy number one and he was stealing and devouring as many souls in a day, as a
vampire was turning humans in a month – and that’s a lot.
But now, I was
getting closer to him than anyone ever did. I was attending parties, concerts
and music festivals where I knew he’s take up his position to devour human
souls. And I had to be there to make sure he was stopped for good.
The music pounded
through the warm night air as everyone was enjoying themselves. Food smells
wafted through the air, and I walked around in a pair of jeans, concert t-shirt
and a denim vest without shoes on; my feet dirty with mud and grass. It felt
good to be connected with the Earth so much. But I was there to work.
A scent cut the air
and I knew it was him… and I followed it around the place to where he was. He didn’t know it was me until I looked
straight at him, “Hello, Lucifer.”
“Raphael…” he
grinned casting an eye over the sixty or so people he had chosen to suck dry,
“I knew Dad would send you… his Healer… but you can’t heal this, can you?”
“Smart-ass.” I
muttered, “You know what you’re doing is against the Natural Order.”
“Yes… but I love the
high it gives me.” He grinned as the Humans turned to him, one by one. They all
seem to be attracted to him in some way, “And they love me.”
“So, you drugged the
air with something addictive – something they can’t say no to.” I said.
Leaning in close to
my right ear, his voice filled my head, “Yes, and neither can you, because
you’ve taken over a Human vessel.”
“But you have a
soul.” I looked at him.
“No, I don’t … Dad
took that away from me on the way out of Heaven.” He said, “So, the more souls
I grab, the stronger my hold over this puny little planet.”
“You’re a
disappointment.”
“So are you.” He
took a deep breath as he opened his mouth and took in all the souls one by one
and I watched helplessly as all the humans dropped to the ground, dead like
flies. Before he was finished, I had handcuffed myself to Lucifer and he found
himself stuck as the cops showed up, “What are you doing?”
“Being the
disappointment.” I smiled at him, “You see, I may not be able to heal any of
this … but,” I laced the fingers of my hand with his and we traveled quickly to
the holding cells of Heaven, “…I was sent to pull you in.”
The guards quickly
grabbed Lucifer and escorted him inside the cell as Father stood by my side, “I
am proud of you, Raphael” his voice whispered, “Go about your duties on Earth
as required.”
“Yes, Father.” I
nodded and returned to Earth where I positioned myself outside a frat house
where a party was just starting up. Lucifer was right about one thing:
soul-sucking was addictive. And just standing next to him at that concert got
me hooked from one sitting… I had suckered in three souls while I was there –
without knowing it until we were in Heaven – and now?
Now… I want more.
