The Devil’s Man
By: Matthew Donnellon
Tags: Family, Relationships, Fiction, Short Story, Love

The Devil sat at his desk trying to look busier than he really was. He liked the idea of people thinking he was rising early and grinding away at work, but in reality he was reading Morning Brew looking for stock tips.

Most of the financial realm fell under his control and he liked to stay abreast of what was going on topside.

He was sitting there trying to figure the puzzle out at the end of the email when his phone buzzed.

Since he was a huge investor in several of Silicon Valley’s largest companies, he had a proprietary app made for Hell, and now there was a notification signaling he had a Devil Message, or DM, for short. He thought it terribly clever but no one else thought nearly as funny.

It was a message from his assistant saying that he had a visitor.

That’s odd, the Devil thought as he pulled up the schedule on the computer. It looked like he had the morning free.

He texted back saying to send the person in.

The door opened and the Devil was on his guard. Usually, unknown visitors meant trouble. Half the time it was some angel sent by his brother wanting him to do something.

A mild mannered man walked in, the Devil guessed him to be mid-thirties. He had glasses and looked like a school teacher.

“Hello sir, er Lord..Mr.?” the man said.

“Lucifer is fine.”

“Lucifer.”

“Please take a seat. I don’t get many visitors,” the Devil said. He noted the man was mortal he wasn’t an escaped soul trying to wiggle his way out. Nor was he an angel on some task from his brother.

“Thank you for seeing me.”

“I must say I’m intrigued. One question? Did Michael put you up to this?”

“Who’s Michael?”

Ah good, the Devil thought.

“No one. Go ahead.”

“Can I tell you a story?”

“I love stories,” the Devil said leaning forward in his chair.

“I was lucky. I meant the girl of my dreams in high school. It was like someone put an angel on Earth just for me. When I saw her it was like I knew deep in my soul we were meant for each other.

We got married not too long after high school. Everyone thought it was silly. It was great. I got a job. She went to school. We scrimped and saved and by the time she graduated we had enough to get this little house. It was the one she wanted the whole time we were dating.”

“That sounds lovely,” the Devil said.

“It gets better. A few months later our son Will came along.”

“Congratulations.”

“That’s where the good parts end.”

“Oh.”

“Will was two and she didn’t feel good. We thought she was run down, you know, chasing a toddler around.”

“I’m guessing that’s not what it was.”

“No. Cancer. She was gone within the year.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. It was bad but I had Will and had to make sure he was okay. I was doing pretty well too. I think Will was happy.”

“Was?”

“He died last year.”

“My word. That’s awful. What happened?”

“I had to work late. Someone was supposed to pick Will up from school. They were late and Will decided to walk home. He’d been bugging to do it for a while, but I thought it was too dangerous. A man…a man found him on the way home. There was a manhunt. The police looked. The FBI came to. They found Will a week later in the guy’s basement.”

“And did they arrest the man?”

“No he was on his way home. He didn’t know the cops found the house. However, before they could arrest him someone shot him.”

“Oh? And did they found the shooter?”

“They didn’t look too hard. But I also happened to lose my deer rifle around the same time.”

“That is a compelling story my friend.”

“I thought you might like it.”

“However, I’m afraid I’m at a loss to why you’re here. I can’t give you your son or wife back. That’s not my realm.”

“I know. I guess you could say I’m here to apply for a job.”

“A job?”

“The man who killed my son. Kevin Drake he’s here right?”

“Give me a second,” the Devil said. He pulled up the roster of recent souls admitted.

“Yes, we have him.”

“He’s presumably being tortured right?”

“Yes he starts soon actually.”

“That’s why I’m here. Drake didn’t get what he deserved. For he did to my little boy I want him to suffer for eternity.”

“And you want to be the one to do it?”

“Yes.”

The Devil smiled, “I think something can be arranged. Welcome Aboard.”