literature

Devon

Deviation Actions

Sparkplug223's avatar
By
Published:
126 Views

Literature Text

         "Devon! Please do not leave me. Please, Devon! Devon!!"

         The tortured cries echo off the walls of the otherwise silent house. Rain patters softly against the windows and the sloping, shingled roof of the small room where a girl lies dying. Her skin, normally aglow with health, has turned deathly pale, contrasting sharply with the mess of dark brown hair scattered on the pillow around her. Glazed blue eyes stare blankly up at the boy sitting in a chair beside her. His entire body is hunched over as he holds each of her hands in his own, tears flowing freely down his slightly tanned cheeks.

          "Fret not, dear Jesse," Devon whispers, her voice soft as leaves scuffing across a forest floor. "This is not goodbye. I will see you on the other side, just like I promised."

          Not another word leaves those once rosy lips. All at once, the air rushes out of the dead girl's lungs, her eyes become glassy and lifeless, and her hands go limp. With a tremendous sob, Jesse leans forward until his forehead is resting against her chest. Already her hands begin to feel cold. Unable to bear the loss of his loved one, Jesse cries out.

          "Why?!" he shouts at the ceiling. "Why her? She does not deserve this! Please, take me instead! Her life is more important than mine!"

          "Is that so?" asks a silky voice from directly behind him. Jesse whirls around, rising into a standing position with his arms spread as if to protect Devon's body from the intruder.

          A man stands before him, at least two feet taller than Jesse, clad in all black from his knee-length boots to the long cape fastened around his neck by a shiny golden clasp. Red eyes pierce through his shadowy hair, so sharp that it feels to Jesse like the stranger is staring right into his soul.

          "Who…who are you?" Jesse whispers. "How did you get in here? What do you want?"

         "None of those are important," the man declares with a dismissive wave of one black-gloved hand. "I only care about what you want. And what you want, more than anything else, is to have your dearest love by your side again, is that not so?"

         "That is so," Jesse replies cautiously, but at the same time with a tinge of hope in his voice. "It was not her time to leave, and I cannot bear the thought of living my life without her. Please, if you know of any way to bring her back…"

         "Ah, but she is not really gone, you see." The man smirks and waves his hand again. Suddenly, through a rush of fire and smoke, Devon appears before them, looking healthier than she ever did in life.

          "Jesse, my love! Here I am!" she calls, her smile so radiant as to make the whole room shine with her happiness. Jesse stares, uncertain if what he sees is real or merely an illusion.

          "Your heart lies beyond this portal," the man explains, and at his words the image dissipates, though Jesse imagines he can still feel Devon's eyes on him, those bright blue eyes full of curiosity and wonder. "Do you wish to retrieve it?"

          "Yes," Jesse replies without hesitation. "Yes, I would do anything!"

          "You would take her place?" the man inquires, a dark smile playing around his face. "For me to restore her, you must take your place inside the fire. Surrender your soul to me. Release your life, and you may begin another time with her."

          Foreboding creeps like a demon's shadow down Jesse's spine. This man is promising something that should be impossible, something that runs against the laws of nature. But the temptation of his offer is just too great, and Jesse knows without a doubt that he would give his life to have Devon back. So he agrees.

          "Take me," he says, determination making his eyes shine. "Take me instead of her. You may have my soul, and any other part of me that you wish, just return my Devon to me. Please."

         The man grins a cold, cruel grin, and before Jesse can react, he is engulfed by the same smoke and flames that Devon appeared in. The ground is suddenly gone from beneath his feet and he falls, limbs flailing in an attempt to stop his plummet towards the unknown. Just as panic begins to settle in, he sees an arm reaching for him, and soon after Devon appears through the smoke. She beams at him as he grabs her hand, holding onto it as if it were a lifeline. But as she leans forward to kiss him, she is wrenched back by an unseen force.

          Her scream, one of terror and pain, is like a blow to the gut. Jesse tries to call her name, but his voice is gone. The man from before appears behind Devon, holding her arms behind her back while she struggles, flames licking at her like hungry dogs ready to tear at her flesh.

         "Foolish mortal," the man proclaims in a cold voice. "This girl's death is beyond your control. You cannot free her from this prison any more than you can free yourself. She was destined from the moment of her birth to die at a young age. Had the doctors found a cure to her strange illness, perhaps she could have been saved—but now she belongs to us. Take the word of an immortal, you will not meet her again. You were destined to live beyond her, but you tried to cheat fate, and we cannot allow that. You will spend the rest of eternity inside the fire, haunted by memories of her dying form while she will not even remember your name. Perhaps next time you ought to consider more carefully before you make a deal with the devil."

          He laughs darkly and disappears into the smoke, dragging an unconscious Devon with him. Jesse cries out, trying to follow, but the fire has already taken hold of him. It drags him down, engulfing him completely. The last thing he sees is Devon's face, now a mask of horror.

          "Why, Jesse? Why?" her shrill words echo in his head as the world fades to black around him, and he is consumed by the devil's flames.
Inspired by: [link]
© 2011 - 2024 Sparkplug223
Comments6
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
ScarletTemplar's avatar
Excellent writting style! It makes a short story more enjoyable to read.

P.S: You are disturbed!