Devil Always Collects

Jareth’s heart swelled as his newborn son, Caius, wrapped his tiny little fingers around his pinkie. He gently caressed the soft hairs on his son’s head as Alessia held him in her arms.

           The nurse came in and asked, “How are we doing?”

           Alessia beamed as she looked up and said, “He’s perfect.”

           Grabbing his arm, the nurse asked Jareth, “And how about you, dad?”

           “Wonderful. He’s so tiny and quiet.”

           With a smirk, the nurse said, “Don’t worry, they get bigger...and louder!”

           Jareth fell onto the chair next to the hospital bed. It was a hot July day, but the air vent over the chair blew a soft stream of cold air onto him, soothing him.

           After watching his wife and son for several minutes, he stood up and kissed his wife’s lips. She smiled as she surveyed her husband’s weary face.

           “Jare, you need to sleep. You look so tired.”

           “Me? You did all the work. Don’t worry about me, hon. I’m great.”

           Jareth bent down and kissed Caius’ head, then his cheek, and whispered, “I’m going to take good care of you, little man. Your daddy loves you.”

           Alessia lovingly stroked Jareth’s face.

           “I’d better go give Ken and Sara the news. Be back in a few, ok?

           Alessia nodded.

           In the waiting area, Ken and Sara stood up as Jareth approached them.

           “It’s a boy!”

           Ken shook his hand, and Sara gave Jareth a half-hug with her free arm so as to not crush her own semi-newborn son, Josh.

           Ken grinned and said, “Does he have a name yet?”

           “Caius.”

           Sara cooed, “Aww, so sweet. How’s Ally?”

           “She’s great. You guys can go in and see them in a little while.”

           Later that night as he pushed Alessia and Caius in the wheelchair, Jareth asked, “Can’t I just bring you guys to the car?”

           Caius stirred and issued a sweet cry before closing his eyes again.

           “Hospital rules, Jare. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

           Tension wrapped around Jareth’s midsection like a band of wires. Probably new-dad nerves.

           Glancing back over his shoulder, the image of his wife and son near the entrance to the hospital tugged at his heart.

           As he pulled the car up to the pickup lane, Jareth noticed a tall thin man in blue nurse’s scrubs talking to Alessia. She gently bounced Caius in her arms as the man peered at their son.

           After Jareth released the car seat, the man tipped him a little salute as he walked to the parking lot.

           As Jareth carefully secured Caius, he asked, “Who was that?”

           “I didn’t catch his name. Must be a nurse or something. He said Caius was just about the cutest baby he’d ever seen.”

           At 3am, Jareth rolled out of bed and flipped on his computer. Alessia had just finished nursing Caius, and they were both asleep. Every time he tried to fall asleep, Jareth jerked awake in a panic. He felt like he was suffocating.

           It had been two days since he last checked his emails, which meant there would be plenty.

           Junk mail, spam, nonsense, invitation to a BBQ, and then...an email from Jarethbro25@yahoo.com.

           Jareth sat back with a chuckle, stroking his chin.     

           Quietly, he said, “Wow, that’s weird.”

           He moved the cursor over the email for a second, then stopped.

           Probably spam.

           He went to mark it as spam to permanently delete it, but froze.

           I haven’t used that email in years. Maybe someone hacked it?

           Overcome with curiosity, he clicked open the email.

           The email read:

[Don’t delete this email. It’s from YOU. I’m 13 years old, writing this to you from March 23, 2008. I just got home from the hospital. You remember? The glioblastoma.

Samil is REAL! The deal is REAL! You don’t have much time. Trick him. Make him take something else instead.

He told me to remind my future self. He even knew the exact date! If it’s really July 6, 2024, that means you just had a son and this whole thing is real!

I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to die.]

           Jareth’s eyes bulged as he reread the message. He glanced at the date, and it did inexplicably appear to have been sent on March 23, 2008. Can you delay sending a message until a specified date?

           A shudder ran through his body as he recalled that horrible month in the hospital in 8^th grade. And his visitor. Was he real?

           Shaking his head, Jareth pushed himself away from the desk. After a moment, he deleted the message.

           As he headed back to bed, in those few steps from the den to the bedroom, Jareth convinced himself it was a prank. Some sick bastard at the hospital perhaps?

           The next morning, he didn’t even think of the email.

           Shortly after 9am, Jareth shuffled out to the kitchen where Alessia sat nursing Caius at the table.

           He said, “Why didn’t you wake me, hon?”

           “I wanted to let you sleep.”

           He kissed her forehead. “You’re sweet. But I don’t want to miss a single minute.”

           Jareth bent over and kissed his son’s head. Caius cooed softly, and went back to his meal.

           Later that afternoon, Jareth returned home from Baby Walmart with a full car. Alessia sat on the front porch with Caius on the swing. A tall thin man wearing an immaculate black suit and an impossibly cool smile sat across from them.

           Jareth walked up to the porch with apprehension. Something bothered him about this, even though Alessia wore a tired smile. He felt that band of wires tighten around his midsection again.

           Without getting up, Alessia pointed to the man across from her and said, “Honey, meet our neighbor.”

           The charming man stood up and extended his right hand to Jareth.

           “Samil Romero. I live just a few blocks over.”

           Jareth’s mouth hung agape. “Did you say Samil?”

           Alessia said, “Samil works at the hospital! I met him last night, remember?”

           Ignoring his wife, Jareth shook Samil’s hand as if in a daze. The words in the email he read in the terrifying hours of the night when nothing makes sense, flew in front of his mind’s eye.

           One word stood out clearly: Samil. His 13 year old self warned him that Samil was real. And that the deal was REAL!

           Samil had a British accent. Not cockney, but a real gentleman.

           Alessia stood up, handing Caius to Jareth, and said, “I gotta pee. Take him, will you?”

           Jareth looked down at his boy. Caius made those cute little grunts babies make after they’ve eaten to their heart’s content. He slept soundly, without a care in the world now that his belly was full and his diaper was dry.

           Samil watched Alessia until she was inside, then glided closer to Jareth. “My my, you are looking much better than the last time I saw you.”

           “The last time?”

           “Of course. Surely you remember. Room 212, Silver Cross Hospital. March 21, 2008.”

           Jareth’s heart skipped a beat, and he could no longer draw a breath. He stared at Samil with incredulity.

           Grinning wider now, Samil nodded and said, “There it is.”

           Jareth shook his head and said, “No. That wasn’t real.”

           “Oh, I assure you it was. And what you owe me is real. You have til July 11^th. Five days.”

           Taking a step back. Jareth clutched Caius to him tighter. Caius let out a little cry, and Jareth looked down at him with such love.  

           “No, that wasn’t real. You can’t—"

           Samil stepped closer and said, “Do you know where the abandoned Covert Motel is over on 46?”

           “Of course, but—”

           “Bring him to me behind the building. There’s a small clearing just in the woods. Do this by noon on the 11^th, and the debt will be paid.”

           Jareth held his gaze and whispered, “And what if I don’t?”

           Samil tilted his head slightly, then held his hand in front of Caius’ face. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Caius stirred. His mouth opened and closed. He gasped. Caius’ little hands clawed at the air, his face twisting and turning. His tongue lolled from his mouth, and Jareth stared down in horror. Caius’ face was beginning to turn red, then purple. Samil’s grin held.

           “If the 11^th comes and goes, and you haven’t paid me, you will lose everyone and everything in your life that has any meaning. Caius first, then Alessia. Your family, your friends, your life. They will spend an eternity in a hell you couldn’t possibly fathom.”

           Jareth pushed his hand away and said, “Stop! Please, just stop.”

           Samil pulled his hand back, his eyes blazing.

           Jareth’s eyes filled with tears, and he said, “Please don’t make me do this. There has to be some other way. Please!”

           “There is none.”

           Caius wheezed as he caught his breath, then erupted, wailing and crying. His fists opening and closing as he regained his breath. Alessia trotted out with a look of mild concern.

           Samil’s charming grin returned, and he regarded Alessia just before turning to leave.

           “Young Caius must have missed his dear mother.”

           Samil turned toward the driveway, then stopped. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he quietly said, “Thursday”, then strolled to the sidewalk as Jareth handed Caius to Alessia.

           Within seconds, Caius had been soothed, and his cries faded.

           On the 10^th, Ken and Sara had invited the new parents and their Caius over. Jareth was a nervous wreck. He could barely follow the conversation as he stared at his little boy.

           While they sat in the backyard, Ken and Sara’s son began crying. He was only a month older than Caius. Jareth stood up and said, “You know what? Let me try. You guys look beat.”

           Sara wore a surprised expression, but handed Josh to Jareth.

           Jareth cradled the baby while Sara and Alessia watched him. Ken blabbered on about work. Jareth walked in little circles around the trio, glancing at his own baby boy in Alessia’s arms. Each time he walked around them, his circle grew larger until he was almost walking the perimeter of the backyard.

           His arms tensed so much that his shoulders ached. Sweat poured down his face as he tried to slow his breath. Jareth took one last look at his wife and son and friends, then quietly slipped through the gate and walked briskly to the driveway. With tears streaming down his face, he strapped Josh into his son’s car seat and backed out of the driveway.

           Jareth glanced in the mirror a few times and began to weep. Minutes later, he pulled into the gravel parking lot of the abandoned Covert Motel.

           On weak legs, Jareth carried baby Josh toward the clearing. Josh slept silently now.

           Samil stood with his hands behind his back, watching Jareth as he approached. For the first time since he met him, Samil was not smiling.

           Jareth cried as he tried to hand off Josh, his arms trembling. Samil’s hands remained clasped behind his back as he shook his head.

           “That is not Caius.”

           Pleading, Jareth cried, “Just take him! Take him! The debt is paid! Please!”

           Samil closed his eyes and shook his head again. In a whisper, he said, “You knew what the deal was when you made it. Noon tomorrow. Or you will lose everyone.”

           As Jareth drove back to his friends’ house, his cell phone blew up with missed calls and texts from his wife and Ken and Sara. Alessia even left a hysterical voicemail begging him to explain where the hell he was.

           As he pulled into the driveway, they rushed his car. He took a deep breath and amazingly painted an embarrassed smile onto his face, all ready with an explanation that he prayed would smooth things out.

           Sara ripped open the car door and fumbled with the car seat until she was able to grab Josh. She scowled at Jareth as he got out of the car. Alessia patted Caius’ back as she looked on disapprovingly.

           Ken walked over with a serious look and said, “What the hell, Jare?”

           Shaking his head, Jareth said, “I’m so sorry. He was upset, so I just took him for a little car ride. Babies love car rides. See, it worked!”

           Ken sighed with relief and tried to smile. “You gotta tell someone before you do something like that, man. You nearly gave us a heart attack!”

           The car ride home was silent. When they finally got inside, Alessia put Caius in his crib and calmly met Jareth in the kitchen. He sat at the table, his fingers anxiously intertwined.

           “What the hell was that with Josh? What were you thinking?”

           Jareth finally looked up at her, and she saw terror on his face.

           “Ally, I gotta tell you something.”

           He showed her the email. She said, “What? You think you sent yourself an email from sixteen years ago?”

           “I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me. You know I had an aggressive brain tumor when I was in 8^th grade, right?”

           She nodded.

           “Well, what I never told you was that this guy visited me in the hospital. It was Samil. He offered to cure me in exchange for my first born son. I was delirious. I thought I was hallucinating. But, I agreed to it.”

           “And what? You just believe it? This guy is a lunatic! The email is a coincidence. Or a sick joke. You can’t—”

           “Alessia, I got better the next day. Cured.”

           She stared at him for a moment, then said, “You were young. Strong. Your body beat it.”

           Shaking his head, he said, “The doctors said my recovery was a one-in-a-billion. I was supposed to die within days.”

           Alessia stood up, knocking her chair over with the backs of her knees.

           Pointing at him now, she said, “Stay away from our son. You’re not taking him. He’s not getting him!”

           “I think he’s the devil.”

           Jareth spent the night on the couch. Alessia never put Caius down.

           As morning dawned, Alessia’s fear and anger grew. Doom hung over the house like a storm cloud. A storm was coming, whether they gave up their son or not.

           Outside, a literal storm was brewing as well. Dark clouds threatened rain, and thunder rumbled somewhere far away.

           Alessia silently made herself some coffee, ignoring Jareth.

           Finally, he came over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She let him.

           “I’m so sorry, Ally. You know I would never give up our son. But this thing is real. I don’t know what this guy Samil is, but he’ll destroy everything if we don’t give him—. What can we do? You’ve always been the smart one. Tell me, what are we supposed to do?”

           With her head down, Alessia hugged Caius closer and said, “I understand. You probably never even thought it was real. You were a terrified kid about to die. But, he’s not getting our son.”

           Alessia grabbed the car keys and said, “Come on. I am going to end this.”

           Fifteen minutes later, Jareth pulled their car into the parking lot of the abandoned motel. Rain had begun to fall.

           Alessia gathered Caius in her arms and walked behind Jareth around the back to the clearing. There, Samil waited.

           This time he wore a smile. With his arms outstretched, he said, “You made it, with hours to spare. How good of you.”

           Alessia stopped short, shaking her head. “I don’t know who you are or where you are from, but there isn’t a chance in hell you are getting your hands on my son. Not today, not ever.”

           Samil’s smile faltered, and he said, “I’m afraid that is not up to you. You see, your husband here made a deal with me. I saved his life all those years ago. I cured him of an incurable cancer that was eating him alive. He was almost dead when I came to him. And now the bill is due.”

           Jareth could not bear to look at her or his son. His head hung low, and tears flowed.

           Alessia shook her head again and said, “No. You’re not taking him. I never agreed to this. Caius is my son. God as my witness, Samil, you are not getting him today or any other day.”

           Lightning tore open the sky, seeming to knock Samil off balance.

           Samil was quiet, pondering her words as the rain drove now harder. Jareth dropped to his knees, hands clasped in prayer.

           He turned his face up to Samil’s and said, “Take me instead. You can do that. I could never promise another’s soul. Take mine instead! Please! Let them go in peace, and I’ll go with you.”

           Samil looked down pitifully at Jareth, almost as if to mock him. Then, he looked up at Alessia. In that moment, he realized the deal was tainted.

           “You are right, Alessia. You did not agree to the deal. I accept your husband’s offer. Come now, Jareth.”

           Relief lifted Jareth to his feet. The rain slowed, then quieted to a mist. Then, the sun broke through the clouds, warming the sweet air.

           He went to Alessia and Caius. Knowing these were his final precious moments, he held his arms out, and Alessia handed him their baby boy. Caius stirred slightly as Jareth took him in his arms. Fresh tears streamed down his face as he memorized every inch of his son’s face.

           From behind him, Samil quietly said, “It’s time.”

           Jareth kissed his son’s face, then handed him back to Alessia. Alessia’s mouth quivered, and he kissed her. He felt her tears on his own cheek.

           Just as he moved away, Caius reached out his little hand and grabbed Jareth’s pinkie finger. He clutched it with a strength that crushed Jareth’s heart.

           It was the last thing he felt in this world.