The Devil's Bride

I just wanted to be wanted. To be loved, adored. I wanted a shoulder to cry on; a person to hate. It all happened suddenly, too quickly. I got ahead of myself and all for what? One dance with the devil. What good is praying when God doesn’t even check his voicemail's? Before the stale crackers and grape juice I knew church was a bunch of hocus pocus but father made us go every Sabbath. God is the principal, the punisher. Lucifer is the teacher, the test giver. And I know I failed mine. I did more than just fail the test, I obliterated it. The night before last a rider came delivering news outside of my balcony. I pattered quickly across the marble floor, my sheer nightgown swaying with each step. Throwing down a bucket attached to a rope, the rider placed the wax sealed letter in to the metal basket before riding off into the night. The letter stated that my father had been killed in the clinic he worked at. I fell to my knees frozen in place. My hair falling in front of me on the floor. The blazing heat from the fireplace in my room did nothing to warm the pang in my bosom. Crumpling the letter, I threw my fist into my floor screaming with the force of 100 banshees.
“Damn him, damn life, damn God, damn it all!” I yelled between punches to the floor.
“To hell with living righteously and being slandered. To hell with chastity and being raped!” Getting up I stomped my way towards my dresser sliding everything off and onto the floor. Running, I ripped the cross from above my bed and chucked it into the fireplace. Sweat beaded on my forehead as my sporadic breathing increased.
“Why.. w-would God d-do this?” I questioned choking on tears.
“Psst.” A crackle in the fire had made me jump back. I thought I was hearing things, I believed it was the wood crumbling from beneath the flames. But I was wrong, oh so terribly wrong. From the fire arose smoke in the shape of long muscular arms. They reached out and grabbed my shoulders. I fought to move but was paralyzed from the sheer burning pain sprouting from the palms of the hands. A man, no a monster crawled from the fire. Standing 2 ft taller than I, his ghostly smoke figure smiled a most devious grin. His eye sockets glowed a bright blue, no remorse only treachery.
“Why do you look so frightened Rhea? Not who you hoped to see?” He cracked another sinister smile. I wanted to scream but wouldn’t. My mouth just hung agape, lip trembling with fear. That is what I got for cursing God.
“You’re hurting my feelings staring at me like that, I thought we were friends.” No matter what he had said that devilish grin didn’t leave his face. To my surprise he sat me down on the floor and released my arms. Immediately I peddled backwards ramming my back into my bed.
“W-who are you and what do you want?” I managed to stumble out.
“You know exactly who I am.” He retorted. I did, I knew exactly who he was. And I wished to God I hadn't.
“And I came offering the chance of a lifetime.” He reached out to rub my leg and I brought my knees to my chest. Bringing my forehead to my knees, I wanted to be anywhere but here. I don’t want any business with him. But then I questioned what if I say no? What would he do to me?
“What offer?” Lifting my head back up to see him still standing in front of the fireplace.
“Ah, so you are interested.” He turned his back to me.
“I never said I was interested just curious as to what you have to offer a mere mortal like myself.” His arrogance began to anger me.
“Forever.. I can offer you eternity of never being alone again.” Spinning around to me, his smile left his face. I couldn’t believe I was even pondering what he was offering me. To make a deal with the devil, was absurd. But that is exactly what I did.
“Bring my father back! Please!” I began crying harder before. This was my only chance, my only shot.
“I’ll bring your father back, on two conditions.” The grin came back on his face, who knew the devil would be so ravishing through tear filled eyes.
“What are your conditions Lucifer?” Getting up from the floor, sniffling between words.
“One, you must dance with me. Two, be my wife.” He reached his hand out to me. I thought eternal hell fire was an option. To be tortured, but no he wanted a dance. To hold someone, and give me forever. Yeah, maybe I was stupid but I grabbed his hand. Anything to give my father his life back. We waltzed around my room, and for the first time I smiled. We danced until the fire died out. He said he would come for me, that we would be together in two days time. He lied. Yesterday a cloaked mob came for me, screamed that I was a witch. They barged in my home, ripped my clothes off and dragged me down every step. So here I am, in the middle of my court yard being tied to a cross and I can do nothing but laugh. I trusted the devil, the most treacherous of them all. And now here I am few moments away from death and no sign of him. I don’t even recall when the cloaked man put a bag over my head, nor when the stones began to batter my exposed body. Not even when the biggest stone of all clashed with my head. My father’s life was given back to him but not before seeing me. Horror covered his face. For his daughter was being left behind. Me, the Devil’s Bride.