The Soul Thief

He only did one thing well.

He gazed upon her as she slept, anxious to get it over with.  He had been taking souls for years, returning them to Him as instructed.

He was so tired.  This was supposed to be his redemption.  If he took enough souls for Him, he would be released from Hell.  He was beginning to wonder if it was all a ruse.  Perhaps this was his punishment.  Perhaps he didn’t deserve redemption.

He placed his hands on the sides of her beautiful face, entering her dreamscape as he’d done so many times before.  This was his favorite part.  For a few seconds, the dream would stay peaceful until his darkness settled into her mind.  He relished those few seconds.  It was the only beauty he ever saw in the world since his death.

This beautiful girl’s dream was of a field of roses.  He felt the sun on his face for a brief moment until it all faded to black.  He opened his eyes and stared at the girl.  A look of confusion washed over her face as she attempted to understand the sudden change.

This was always the defining moment.  Sometimes, the mind of the girl would register the threat and fight back.  They never won but he appreciated a good fight.  Most would give in, knowing it was futile to resist.

He had a feeling about this girl.  She was a fighter.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“You have something I need.  Don’t fight it.  Your defeat is inevitable.”

“It’s my soul you want, isn’t it?  What will happen to me when it’s gone?”

An irritated sigh escaped him.  He hated it when they questioned him.  He usually lied to make them feel better.  Perhaps he should try telling the truth for once.

“I’m afraid you’ll never leave this place.  You’ll be trapped here.  It will take a while for your body to catch on to what happened.  Your family will believe that you’ve just become ill.  Eventually, you’ll die.”

She gazed around at her dark eternity.  The roses that had been so rich and vibrant just moments ago were now dead and crumpled at her feet.  The sun had disappeared in an instant, the warmth replaced by a chill that made her ache.

Her shoulders slumped and he realized he was wrong.  She was giving in to him.

“There is nothing I can do to stop you, is there?”

“Some fight, but it never ends well.”

She nodded in acceptance, a single tear rolling down her right cheek.  She wiped it away and stood noticeably taller, her meager attempt to show confidence and strength.

“Do I have to stay here?  Your darkness is cold and bleak.  I can’t stay here for eternity.  I’ll go insane,” she pleaded.

The question surprised him.  To be honest, he had never thought to return the girls to their own dreamscape.  He didn’t even know if it was possible.  His darkness was powerful.  It overtook everything of beauty with ease.

“I … I’m not sure,” he stammered.

She beamed at him.  “Please.  It’s all I ask.  You’re taking everything from me.  If I could just have my roses and the sun, I think I could be okay.”

He nodded, suddenly at a loss for words.

“I’ll try.  That’s all I can promise.”

She smiled once more, surprising him with her courage.  He felt suddenly guilty, ashamed of what he was doing.  He needed to get out of there.

“It’s time.”

He walked to her and she knelt on the ground.  He placed his hand on the top of her head and knew instantly that he had made a mistake.

Her soul was pure.

The light burst from within her, penetrating his darkness, and causing him to howl in agony.  He fell to the ground and she was suddenly upon him.  Her light cascaded outward, bringing the roses back to life while the sun rose again to its rightful place.

He gazed up at her striking features.

“Why would He send me here?  He had to know you were pure.”

“I guess you should never trust the Devil,” she smiled.

She vanished into thin air, returning his surroundings to the dying earth of his darkness.  He didn’t even have to try to leave.  He knew he was trapped.

He had finally been beaten.  He would never get his redemption.

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Come Get Spooky at the Speakeasy!

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Don’t forget that I will be taking a break from the wonderful blogosphere for the month of November as I am participating in NaNoWriMo!  During that time, I would love to have guest posts throughout the month from my favorite readers.  You can write about anything!  Just email me!