The Devil's Pact - S01 E301

Story 1 week ago

The Devil's Pact - S01 E301

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 301

University of Wisconsin-Madison, July 20th, 3013

"I'll be there by ten," Brandon had told me on the phone and that was nearly three hours ago.

This waiting was killing me. Brandon had been breathing down my neck to finish translating his book, and now that it was done, he was late. Doubt was starting to eat away at my mind. This entire situation was off. The only thing that kept me from going home was the thought of the two hundred thousand Brandon owed me.

Why he would pay three hundred thousand for a translation of the Magicks of the Witch of Endor was beyond me. It was like the numerous grimoires I had seen over the years, the Keys of Solomon, for instance, or the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh, that purported to let you do magic and command angels and demons. There was definitely more to the story than Brandon told me.

So I decided to take steps to protect myself.

I had uploaded my translation to the school's server. The school's system had a useful function, a teacher could upload an assignment and have it published at a later date. So, I set the computer to publish the translation on Monday at noon. If everything went smoothly tonight, I would take it down. But, if something went wrong, the translation and a message telling everyone that Brandon Fitzsimmons was responsible for anything that might have happened to me would get published.

I should just walk away. Every bone in my body was telling me to do that. That's why I set up the insurance with the school server to begin with. Brandon didn't want anyone else to know about the translation. But I just couldn't bring myself to walk away from all that money. The first check had cleared. One hundred thousand dollars was more than I made in a year and I wanted that other two hundred thousand he promised. I was nearing my retirement and my divorce last year had eaten up my nest egg.

Footsteps approached and I perked up. The door to my small office opened and there was Brandon. He looked more haggard than a month ago, greed and excitement gleaming in his eyes. I swallowed, fear bubbling in my stomach. This was a mistake, I should run, I should shout, or attack him. But, I wanted that money. I needed that money.

So instead, I greeted Brandon.

"You have it, Professor Scrivener!" he demanded.

I pulled out a thumb drive, holding it out. "Yes, I..." Brandon just yanked it out of my hand.

"This is the only copy?"

I lied, "Yeah. I erased my hard drive like you asked. Where's my money?"

A smile appeared on Brandon's lips and he reached into his coat Just like last time. Only this time, he pulled out a small, black gun. "Walt!" I shouted. I needed to tell him about my insurance. "I made..." My words were cut off by a punch to my chest. I clutched at my breast, blood welling between my fingers, and I stumbled back.

No, no, no! This can't be happening! You greedy fool! I struggled to talk, to tell Brandon about my insurance, but it was too hard to breath, let alone speak.

You stupid, greedy idiot, I berated myself as I sank to the floor. Brandon grabbed my computer case and slammed it hard onto the floor, spilling broken components everywhere. He fished out the hard drive and pocketed that, then slammed my laptop on the floor. Everything was growing darker and darker as Brandon dug through the wreckage of my laptop to find its hard drive and....

I was falling, falling, falling.

Into darkness.

Babylon's House, July 21st, 2013

"Chantelle," I said, softly, shaking my pregnant wife. She was sleeping in one of the bedrooms in Babylon's house. We had been staying with Babylon ever since her coven started worshiping Lilith. For the last month we had been caring for the barely conscious Karen as Lilith's vessel grew swiftly in her belly.

"What, Lana?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her belly was swollen with Lilith's child. Both of us were pregnant with our Goddess's children. They were growing fast, only a month had passed since Lilith blessed us with her seed. We would probably give birth in just a few days, a week at most.

"Karen's gone into labor, I told her and I could feel the excited smile growing on my lips. "Our Goddess is about to be born!"

To be continued...