Sweeter Than Poison

If only I had thought about this sooner.

Honestly, having completely no money, and having to look out for both myself, and my mother-my mother most than myself- isn't exactly fun. Forget about the word "exactly." Call it...exhausting. I have been taking care of my ill mother for about four years now, since my father died. With no medical help, I have to fend for myself, study hard to become a doctor, and finally be able to take care of my mother properly. But when will that finally be? How can life guarantee me that it won't be too late by then. I cannot risk it.

The bus stopped in front of the sign that read "stop", and picked us up to go to our next stop. I looked out the window throughout the whole ride, watching this waste of a world fly by me. Four years of my life taken away from me because...apparently I didn't deserve it. Selfish bastard, I thought silently in my head, referring to my diceased father. My body wobbled against the bus wall behind me, meaning someone was getting off or someone was getting on. Just who I was waiting for. Sarcastically.

In came in, the two most popular girls in my school, whom hated me. I never surrendered under their supposed power so it was decided to treat me as an outcast. It didn't really matter to me. I just wish that I didn't have to run into them all the time. It was as if fate was against me. They stumbled to find their seat right in front of mine, and started giggling like two crazy high school girls. Except, they were two crazy high school girls. I wouldn't say crazy, just...a drawback on intelligence. A really huge drawback. I glanced at them whispering into each other's ears, and giggling everytime they looked my way. Clearly, they were speaking about me.

I signaled for the bus to stop and straightened up before it could halt. I walked quickly outside of the bus and walked the rest of the way home.

"Welcome home, honey." My mother coughed.

"Hi, mom." I put my jacket on the couch, and walked towards the kitchen to get her medicine.

I came back with a bottle of water and four pills, which she really needed to take even though she stubbornly opposed to it everytime. I gave her the pills and waited for her to put them in her mouth, then gave her the bottle. She looked weaker and weaker everyday. It was heartbreaking to watch, but there was nothing else I could do. I cursed myself for being so utterly useless. "Alright, have a nice night, mom." I smiled, in efforts to try to make her feel better. She smiled back, only hers didn't make me feel better.

As I went up the stairs, her coughing sent an arrow right through my heart. I have to do try my best, I said to myself. For her. I took a shower, did my homework, brushed my teeth, and went to bed. And I had strangest dream. It was my first time dreaming such nonsense. I was floating above a river, with my eyes closed and my two hands over my chest. My brown hair looked longer-way longer-than my current haircut. A light was slowly shining under the water, and suddenly everything was swept away by another image. I was being held by this ominous shadow, its eyes(being the only thing I could see of his features) piercing like a knife going right through me. It looked hungry.

I shooked my head, and continued on to my studies, at the public library. Already finished reading all of my ten books on mythology, I went to the shelf to find a more interesting book. I read most of them so there wasn't much to choose from that appealed to me. Except one book that seemed out of place, like it didn't belong there. My hands slowly reached out to it, and returned it closer to me. It was a leathery black book covered in some kind of...different language. But the one thing I could understand was the big letters on the top that read "A Book of Spells." A book of spells? I questioned, in my mind. How interesting.

Back at home, my mother was sleeping, and I was locked in my room studying this strange book. I figured out what kind of language it was, which was weird because it's actually in Romanian language. I couldn't quite make out what they read but the titles above each supposed spell were in english, and there was one that intrigued me. It read, "A spell to bring lost ones back to life." It sent shivers down my spine. To actually bring my father back to life wouldn't mean much to me...but it would give my mother a reason to fight for her life.

"What am I thinking?! This can't possibly work!" I paced back and forth across my room, and realized it wouldn't hurt trying. I mean, sure, if it doesn't work well then too bad...but if it actually turned out to work then this would mean a step closer to my mother's recovery. I had to try.

I placed the book on my bed, and with a piece of chalk I drew a star inside a circle with the letterings surrounding the circle. Once I was done, I picked up the book and began to read. What caught my attention before I started the chanting was something small on top of the page. It read, "Any bit of selfishness felt during the chanting, and you shall be dragged into darkness forever." Wow. Well, I don't have to worry about that.

I chanted, "Acest miel altruist, invită spiritele acient a aduce înapoi un suflet pierdut." As I did, a sudden chill went down my spine, and I could feel a slight wind inside the room. "Adu-mi-l, şi să accepte plata dvs.!" Suddenly, the drawing began to glow in a crimson red color, and the wind blew stronger against my body. I had to chant more. "Un sacrificiu pentru tine, forţe puternice, pentru a aduce la viaţă dorinţa mea! Pentru a aduce ceea ce am pierdut, adu-mi-l, şi să accepte plata dvs.!" The wind grew stronger, and the crimson light which devoured the drawing became stronger. But that was it. Chant more! "Fie ca este pentru a impune pedeapsa sau pentru adora, adu-mi-l, şi să accepte plata dvs.!" More wind, and brighter light shining throughout my whole room, yet still no deceased father coming back to life. The final chant! "În numele numele dvs. demon secrete, accepta sacrificiul mea, şi adu-mi-l! Domnul Diavolul!"

Everything abruptly turned into darkness, a second before the drawing which glowed attached to my floor disappeared leaving behind a shocking surprise. I screamed, having seen a striking face right beside me. I backed away, and covered my mouth with my hands. It couldn't be! This wasn't my father...who was this?!

The man with black hair, crimson-red eyes, and horns attached to his head approached me, slowly. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. How could this be? How did this happen?! The corners of his perfect looking mouth stretched across his flawless face to reveal a devious smile. "My, my. Don't you look...ravishing?" His chuckle echoed throughout the room, making my heart stop for a second.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Who are y-y-you?!" I asked, then put my hands over my mouth again.

"Why, I'm your 'devil lord'," he rolled his eyes, playfully at the mention of the word "devil lord."

"Devil L-Lord?" My body wouldn't stop shaking. How disastrous.

"Something tells me you don't speak Romanian." He laughed, silently.

I shooked my head really quick and continued to tremble upon his presence. "...the spell. It was supposed to bring my father back," I informed.

"Oh, well, I think you should have read a bit deeper. It clearly states, weak human, that 'any bit of selfishness felt during the chanting, and you shall be dragged...into darkness forever.'" He tilted his head, as if to say "Didn't you already know that?"

"I wasn't b-being selfish!" I protested.

"Oh?" He kneeled down closer to me, making my heart stop for the second time. His devious devil smile spoke more than a thousand words. "Is that so?" His gloved hands caressed my hair.

How I could feel my cheeks getting flaming warm, meaning right in that moment, I should have looked like a tomato. "Wh-What are you...going to do with me?"

"Ah, who knows." He straightened up, and walked towards the other end of the wall. However, he suddenly stopped, looking back at me with the most clever unreadable evil smile I had ever seen. "I'll tell you what. How about agreeing to a little contract with me. You shall get to see your father again, but for that I need your sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?" The sound of the word made my shoulders hunch in pure fear.

"That is...your body." His finger pointed straight at me, seeming to want to shoot me straight in my heart. "You do want your 'mommy' to get better, don't you?"

No! No! No! I screamed, petrified inside my mind. Don't do it! I can't! I'm...s-so scared! "I..." What am I going to do? For my mom...to get better...isn't that what I always wanted? Isn't it? "I...I think..."-I swallowed hard before continuing-"...I agree...to your contract! I want my mother to get better!"

The room silenced, for even the demon standing in front of me had quieted. Yet not for long. His evil laugh echoed throughout the room, ominously. "Great." Like in my dream, he grabbed me by my arm, and pulled me against him. "Looking"-his strong soft fingers held my chin, his pleasant scent becoming more vivid-"forward to it." His lips, without warning, were pressed against mine, while my head went spinning, and my heart pounded against my chest. They were so soft, and delightful. It was hard to believe...that I was making a contract...with the devil lord.