Blue Orchid

A deal with the Devil always comes due. Drew can't deny this in the last thirty minutes of life - and who better to accompany him in his final moments than Mercy?

            Drew opened the heavy wooden door of his motel room and sighed at the sight. The room

was a closet: there was a bed, a window, and a bathroom. The furnishings and walls, idle in tones

of beige and brown. A ray of blue moonlight beamed in through a set of dusty blinds. It’s solid

complexion split into bands on the carpet, still and jaded. Drew closed the door behind him and

shrugged off his blazer. He tossed it onto the bed, pulled back the cuff of his crisp white shirt,

and looked at his watch.

            11:35PM.

            Drew sighed again. Now there was nothing to do, but wait. This in mind, he took to the

bathroom, as if the idea would make him feel better. He grimaced at the sight of a rust stain that

crawled down the wall from beneath the spotted mirror. As he washed his hands, Drew looked at

his reflection. His eyes looked so tired, his previously bright brown irises shrunken by the

imposing red encircling them. His dark hair gleamed with oil; his crisp shirt, sleek black tie and

black slacks, though sophisticated and handsome to the naive bystander, was the only outfit he

really had left. The perfect mirage: a vision of treasure, but only trash.

            After drying his hands, Drew stepped out of the bathroom and gasped. “Jesus!”

            Mercy smiled, seated on the window ledge, her long legs crossed. She tilted her head to

the side, her long dark hair falling from her shoulder, and said, “Try again.”

            Drew shook his head. “How did you... appear like that?”

            She smirked. “Are you high? I walked through the door like a normal person. You were

just too focussed on doing whatever you were doing in the bathroom to notice.” She winked.

            He rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here, Mercy? My contract isn’t up ‘till

midnight.”

            “I know.” She looked down, one dainty bare foot tracing little circles on the carpet. “I

just thought I’d drop in to bid you adieu. I’m gonna miss being on your case all the time.”

            Drew grinned. “Isn’t that cute? A demon with feelings.”

            Her eyes flicked up. “I’m really not the bad guy here. I wasn’t the one who signed my life

away ten years ago.”

            “Says a demon that makes deals.”

            She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought you were stronger. I mean, don’t get me

wrong �" I’ve done deals for the shady and the Brady. But every once in a while, there’s that one

person that surprises me.”

            Drew opened his arms. “Welcome to the world �" it’s full of surprises.” Without another

word he turned away, annoyed, and put his hands on his hips. He looked at the wall and met the

unfortunate sight of something brown smeared there. First the bathroom - now this.

            But that same brown smudge, the thought of dirt and grime all together, suddenly pushed

the memory back �" the very memory he so badly wanted to forget. Drew closed his eyes. “I’m a

coward. I don’t hide from that.”

            “Saying it out loud don’t make it right.”

            Drew turned back around. “What other choice did I have? Tell me, Mercy. What other

choice did I have?”

            She stared at him. “You could’ve been a man.”

            Drew shook his head. “And what would you know? You’re a demon. You don’t even

have a true body �" you live through possessing some poor woman!”

            Mercy held up one finger. “I protest: I take very good care of this body. Been wearing it

for decades. Considering the violent aspects of my life �"”

            “Try evil.”

            She paused. “Or whatever you want to call it... I think that’s quite the feat. Some other

demons breeze through bodies like the fashion of last season �" wear once, dump out.”

            “Well, let’s just see how strong your body is.” From the back of his pants, Drew grabbed

his dagger and threw it at her. Without flinching, Mercy raised her hand, palm up, and the dagger

stopped an inch before her nose. Drew’s jaw dropped.

            Mercy blinked and her eyes flooded black. “Really, Drew? You should know better than

that.” She blinked again and the black receded from her sparkling brown eyes. She took the

dagger from flight and jabbed it hard into the windowpane. It wobbled for a second before rigor

mortis hit. Mercy crossed her arms and smiled. “I’m trying to have a civilized conversation

before your meter runs out, so let’s try to play nice, hmm?”

            Grinding his jaw, Drew bit back the urge to scream all sorts of things and backed down.

She was right. That was just the pill he had to swallow. He remembered what she said about his

meter running and looked at his watch.

             11:45PM.

            He sighed. “Quarter to.”

            Mercy rose and sauntered towards him, hands clasped behind her back, the bottom of her

red dress swaying around her legs. “Well, this is literally your fifteen minutes of fame. Any last

words? Confessions? Dirty little secrets?” She grinned.

            Drew glared at her. “I have nothing to say to you.”

            She raised her hands. “Hey, I’m just offering you your Last Rights here....”

            “So that’s what this is about?” Drew laughed. “You want me to ask for forgiveness for

making a deal?”

            “No, it’s about responsibility.” Her eyes blazed as they locked onto his. “You made a

choice, a cowardly one at that. And like I said, I really wish you weren’t the demon-deal type,

but you’re refusal to at least acknowledge why you made the deal just proved me wrong.”

            Drew nodded. “Right, I see it breaks your black heart.”

            Mercy smiled sweet. “At least I have one.” Drew frowned. Mercy raised her eyebrow and

sauntered back to the window. Drew stared at her back, fists clenched. Just when he opened his

mouth to retort, the memory returned. He closed his eyes.

            There was so much blood. Blood in the dirt, on the gravel, on his shoes. He ran down the

highway. He just kept running. Even when she called for him. The officer caught him halfway.

            Can you tell me what happened, sir?

            Uh, yeah, my wife... she was drunk. She lost control. We swerved in... into the woods.

            Were you both drinking this evening, sir?

            What? No... no. Just her. Yeah. Just her.

            The memory sliced into him like jagged shards of glass. At once, Drew opened his eyes.

He couldn’t let himself remember anymore. The pain was too great. Besides, he’d take

responsibility soon enough. The deal he made to clean up his mess would come full circle: the

deal to save his soul for setting her up and sending her behind bars for his mistake. The deal he

made to gain some peace of mind from crashing into that van and killing the family inside. The

demon promised him peace for ten years, a typical Pleasantville life: success, family, happiness

�" and all it took was his soul. Drew signed on the dotted line, and now, in short time, his contract

would be up. He looked at his watch.

            11:55PM.

            Drew looked at Mercy. She stood poised before the window, her fingers walking the

windowpane. Up and down, up and down. Drew took a deep breath. “What do I have to expect?”

She looked at him over her shoulder. He gestured to the carpet. “In Hell.”

            Mercy turned around, playing with the bottom of her dress. “What do you think?”

            “I don’t know. Fire, chains... Satan.”

            She smirked. “Yeah, a two-horned red guy with a pitchfork awaits you down under.” She

laughed and shook her beautiful head. “But I don’t think you should know what’s coming, Drew.

I mean, if you know what comes after life, what would you live for?” Drew looked away,

knowing full well what he could have lived for. Mercy sighed. “You should’ve become a demon

instead of making a deal. At least then you could free yourself from the memory.”

            Drew looked at her. “Would that make it easier?”

            She shrugged. “It would take away your mortal feelings. But hey, just a suggestion for

down under if you’re ever offered a promotion. For right now, though...” Her eyes set on his.

“No way out.” Drew didn’t say anything. Mercy smiled. “Hey.” She strolled up to him and

smoothed his tie down. “Don’t be afraid, Drew. Be a coward.”

            At that moment, Drew heard the growling behind the door. He looked to the heavy

wooden thing, his heart stuck in his throat. Out of habit, he stole one last look at his watch.

            11:59PM.

            Drew deflated. “Oh God.”

            Mercy looked at the door, resigned. “Hell hounds.” She looked at Drew and her features

softened, if only a little. “It’s time.” The growling became louder. The floor rumbled from the

sound, and then the barking started: sharp, snapping barks piercing the virgin staleness of the

room.

            Drew was always running, and now was no different as he, the coward, staggered back

from the door. Mercy watched him recoil with terror, silent, stoic. The door burst open. Drew

closed his eyes. Dust and wood splinters rained down on him. Seconds later, he heard a scream.

He stole a look at Mercy.

            But the demon simply stood by, silent as death. His eyes widened. It was his scream he

heard, and it was his screams that shook the room as the hounds, growling, gnawing, and hungry,

ripped at his body.

            Mercy sighed. “Goodbye Drew.”