The bag

“So, what’s the catch?” Odette asked taking black duffel bag from the masked man.

”Ha! Easy, there is no catch. Just take the bag, I promise you won’t regret it.” The masked man says walking away in the dark allyway.

All you could hear was the howling wind and the pitter patter of his feet getting quieter as he walks away.

Odette sighs as she cluches the bag in her hands. Unsure what to do at that moment. Well, in that moment she was regretting all her life decisions. Despite the fact that she was the one who wanted the bag. She was the one who was desperate enough. She needed the bag.

Odette walked home, clutching the black duffel bag in her arms letting out a few cold breaths every step she took. It was a cold night, yes it was. It was also late. You see women weren’t supposed to really be out this late. No, this was not a general rule it was just simply there. Did Odette follow rules? No, but she was quite happy not following them, quite happy not having a husband.

Odette had finally made it to her tiny little house with her tiny little kitchen and tiny little windows. It was dark, yes, her father must’ve been asleep. The doctor had said he had fallen ill. It worried Odette, quite frankly because her father was the only person she had that cared for her and now she takes care of him.

Odette slowly and quietly walks in the house, being careful with the door so it wouldn’t shut and wake up her father from his slumber. From the gleaming moonlight she could see a candle and a matchbox that’d she’d use to light it. Odette could finally see what was in the bag. She was itching. The masked man said there was no catch. Surely, there has had to have been a catch? Odette brushed it off and opened the bag. Inside contained a piece of paper with some writing in it and some chocolate. Odette Angrily ripped the paper and threw it on the ground. Even though the bag didn’t cost her anything…or so she thought.

Odette woke up the next morning with a terrible headache. She didn’t know what caused the headache. She got out of bed and slowly walked to the kitchen where she saw her father boiling some hot water over the furnace.

”Good morning Odette, did you sleep well.” Her father says cheerfully. The old man was always excited to see his daughter.

”Good morning father, I slept well, but woke up with this terrible headache” Odette scratches her head. She watches her father prepare tea for them, the two always had morning tea, usually Odette would make it.

”Father?” Odette asks.

”Hm?” Her father places the two teacups on the table and guides his hand to where Odette shall sit.

“I thought I should be making tea to-*cough* tod-*cough* toda-*cough*” Odette starts coughing as if she was extremely ill. The girl looked like she could barely breathe. And here her father was standing astonished because he had felt completely fine in the morning, in fact he had felt better than he had been. Now why all of a sudden is Odette coughing so much and why wouldn’t she stop? Her father tried getting Odette to stop coughing he even tried pouring tea into her mouth, frantically shaking realizing how much of a problem the situation was. Just then the coughing and wheezing had stopped and Odette closed her eyes. Her father starts tearing up as he had lost one of the only people he had cared about. He loved his late wife, but he loved Odette even more. Loosing his daughter was the last thing he wanted and yet, it happened.

The old man looked next to the dead Odette seeing the torn up paper and the chocolate wrapper. He took the paper and put it together and read the lines “I did say there was no catch to this bag, whoever holds it would be sacrificing a life for another if they wished, the chocolate works like magic. I’m serious it does. But there’s always a catch, and there’s always a consequences.” Odette s father was shocked. For what could she possibly need this bag for? Why did she suddenly die? Why did he suddenly get better?

Well, prior to the tragic accident first when Odettes father fell ill and the doctor said he wouldn’t live much longer

“Surely there must be something we can do?” Odette cried wiping her tears with a hanger chief.

“I’m sorry Miss, but there’s nothing I can do, with his condition there’s not much hope he’ll live any longer.” The doctor says looking at Odette with a sympathetic look.

”Oh please! Please! Don’t let my father go, I need him I have no one else.” Odette gets on her knees and clasp her hands together sobbing and begging the doctor for help

”Maybe you wouldn’t be so lonely if you had a husband and stopped acting like a crazy woman.” The doctor scoffs, but seeing Odette in this state and how upset she was he decided to recommend her his only option. “Look, I know I guy, he goes by the masked man, he’s the only one who can save your father, I can write to him and you have to meet him at the exact location I give to you understand?” The doctor says.

Odette nods and watches the doctor exit.

Later on that week Odette had received a letter from the doctor that she had been expecting. While her father lay in bed resting. Odette reads the letter and the address. She waited ‘till midnight, the strangest time to be out, but she did what she had to do to save her father.

She walks to the dark Allyway. All you could see was the faint moonlight and the mist and hear the howling wind that struck a cold breeze that sent chills down your spine.

”Hello? Anybody there.” Odette asks, her voice echoing. She takes a step back and bumps into a figure

”Hello…” A voice said ever so raspy and quite deep it also sent chills down your spine.

”Eek!” Odette jumps and turns around to see the masked man holding a black duffel bag.

“Sorry to give you a fright, here’s the bag” The masked man holds the black duffel bag out.

”So this will save my father?” Odette asks holding her hands out for the bag.

”Yes it does, but it depends on what your rescuing him from, yes this bag holds great power, but also great consequences so be aware.” The masked man chuckles and Odette had a worried look on her face.