Speak of the Devil...

Joseph Anderson walked on the red carpet that led up to the office. He had thought of turning around, but he had to do this. From where he had come from, screams came. He shuddered at the thought of the pitchforks, fires, and acid that lay in giant puddles.

At 27, he hadn't meant to die. All he remembers is biking down the street to work and falling. Joseph also remembered the crunching of his bones under the wheels of a truck. He remembered his ghost watching the funeral. Not many people came. And on top of that, he got sent down, down instead of up. It wasn't a very good day.

Joseph snapped out of his flashback when he hit the door. He rubbed his nose as he looked up at the name tag on the door not knowing what to expect.

Mr. Devil it said.

Joseph trembled at the name. But, he had to do this. Slowly, he knocked on the door but was sent right into the office, shocked how he got there without walking in.

"Hello, Mr. Anderson."

Joseph was shocked at the man's properness. He sat down in the red chair that sat in front of the desk looking at the devil.

"You are a very proper man!" Joseph said, hoping it would set them on friendly terms.

"Yes, I suppose I am." he responded, picking up a red teacup and taking a sip of it. Joseph picked up the other and smiled a little too hard. Mr. Devil gagged and took a sip of the tea. Joseph looked down and took a sip too, resisting the thought of spitting it out.

After placing it down, they sat in an awkward silence for awhile, until Mr. Devil said "Why are you here today?"

Joseph got squirmy. He started looking around the room, desperate not to make eye contact. But he decided that he should say why. "Sir, I would like to be alive again."

Mr. Devil smiled. Then he giggled. Then he chuckled. And then, he started laughing and eventually guffawing at how ridiculous this request was. Joseph sat uncomfortably, watching the red liquid in his cup shake under the movement. Of course this was hilarious. Coming back alive? Pure nonsense.

Mr. Devil wiped a small tear from his red and yellow eyes. He giggled a little and then stared at Joseph, waiting for him to give up. But, he didn't.

"Sir, It was most definitely an accident. I shouldn't be here." Joseph said. Mr. Devil looked at this man, who was begging for mercy. I haven't even destroyed this man's happiness yet, Mr. Devil thought. They stared at each other, Joseph's eyes pleading.

Finally, he sighed. "Fine" Mr. Devil said. Joseph looked at him with eagerness. Then, Mr. Devil smiled sinisterly. Joseph's face went dark.

"You have to do one more thing for me." Mr. Devil said. Joseph nodded slowly.

"What is it?" Joseph said, his brown eyes gleaming sadly. He stared, waiting for the horned person to give an answer.

"Okay," Mr. Devil said. Joseph leaned forward as Mr. Devil said "You will..."

"First need to find out how you died. Talk to Harold the Angel and tell him he owes me 3 soul tokens!" He concluded. Joseph slumped and nodded as Mr. Devil drew a circle with his pitchfork and teleported Joseph to Harold the Angel's office.

This hallway looked like Mr. Devil's, except it looked happier. A small angel flew around, looking at a clipboard and blowing out candles.

"What do those candles represent?" Joseph said. The angel said "It represents each person in the world. Each time a candle is blown out, a person dies."

Joseph watched in horror as a candle with a picture of a child was blown out with a slight breath.

"It truly is sad." The angel said. Joseph smiled awkwardly and walked around him, running down the hallway to the door of the office.

"Hello" Harold said. A beautiful angel played a calming melody on the harp in the corner and smiled as Joseph walked in. Joseph felt his face turn a bright red, standing out among the millions of white clouds surrounding him.

It was a bit awkward. They just stood there, listening to the sweet song playing on the harp.

Eventually, Joseph got up the courage. "Hey, can you tell me how I died?" he said. Harold didn't put up a fuss; he nodded and brought out a white scroll. He opened it and said "Joseph Anderson, died at 27. Died of getting run over by a truck." Joseph stared with his jaw dropped down low. How did he know?

"Is there anything else?" Joseph asked.

Harold sighed and grabbed another white scroll. As he opened it, Joseph knew that it wasn't going to be good.

"Okay, there IS why you were down in Mr. Devil's lair. First..." The list went on for 1 hour. Hearing all the things he had done wrong in his life hit him pretty hard. Thing after thing went by, and each was worse than the last. Joseph slowly sank onto the soft clouds. He was red with embarrassment, and he felt so very bad.

Harold eventually finished. Him and the other angel sadly looked upon this poor creature. Joseph was beating himself up on the inside. Finally, he looked up.

"What can I do to save myself from this?" He said, seriously. Harold smiled and said "We can start you over, from birth. Would that work?"

Joseph took a deep breath. It was new. Redoing his life? Would he do it right? Nevertheless, he looked into Harold's eyes and said "Okay."

Harold nodded and began gathering clouds. The angel smiled and drew a circle in the floor of clouds.

Harold came back with an armful of clouds and said "Are you ready?" Joseph took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped into the circle.

The angel walked back to the harp and played a calming melody. Then, he remembered he needed to tell Harold about Mr. Devil's request. He was about to say it when Harold started covering him with clouds and sending him back to Earth…