Dancing With The Devil

• Charlize Christall , Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2019

“In a desperate peril to keep the lives of her family existing, Cielo sells her soul to the devil – however, years later, the devil bargains to give it back; along with a slight favour.”
Death. As a child who’d had the strength of mind to never fear dying, Cielo didn’t find it so bad in the firmaments of hell. Although the dead girl had little to no opportunities to communicate with her family as a spirit, she made the most of her pneuma and took the time to enjoy her overlooked existence. It all started when he came. Tall and lean, with boyishly Stygian coils flying around his well-defined face and eyes darker than any human substance she’d ever encountered before. Eyes that were a mix of black and brown, sorrow and complacence, balanced with an analytical and observant curiosity. A boy on the outside, but the continuance of time creating him into much more than just that – decades and centuries of wisdom, a chronology of pain and rejection, had turned him into far more than just a boy. That turned him into a Devil. Literally.
Cielo expected that after she’d bargained her soul with the Devil so that her family could live instead of falling victims to their very narrow deaths, she’d never have to encounter that boy again. The ruler of Hell and dictator of evil within a vulnerable human’s mind. She was wrong. When he appeared again, two years later after the girls negotiated death, his trademark smirk and untamed curls were a familiar sight for Cielo’s curious eyes. She didn’t expect him to remember her, considering he’d probably bargained many people’s souls for the security of an Earthly favour – however, Cielo wouldn’t mistake that expectant, and slightly reticent grin for something the Devil himself would hand out to anyone. “Hello, Cielo,” He’d said, eyes glowing intensely with something Cielo couldn’t speculate as desperation or commemoration.
It was almost laughable how laid back with someone he’d technically killed. Regardless, Cielo listened to him. “You see, God has plans to ‘dethrone’ me,” He said, an impetuous smile playing on his lips. “But in my eyes, the world will never be perfect. In attempt to create a sublime society at this point in time, his plan will fail either way – whether he kills me and the immorality that follows in my wake, or not. Evil is the balance of good, and there’s no one that has the capability to change that; not even God.”
Cielo shrugged. “Okay...why are you telling me then? You don’t seem too fazed.” Said girl rose her eyebrows inquiringly, but he only laughed.
“Well, God sure can cause a lot of harm, angel. I think you could change that, if you’re willing to negotiate. Again, that is.” Normally, Cielo would have rejected his offer, but she understood what he was proposing by the slight hint of sympathy in his eyes. Her family. So, with a curt nod, she took the dark boys chilled fingers into her own and shook on an iniquitous covenant of sorts with the devil again.