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Teens & Young Adult Urban Fantasy Speculative

Everything was ready for the ritual.

I had drawn the star to the best of my ability, placing the candles at the points. All I could afford were those pillar candles with Jesus Christ on the front, but oh well. Being squeamish of blood, I couldn’t do the animal’s blood part, so I did the best wine I could get my hands on with my latest paycheck. Maybe it will like wine more?

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I nearly choked on the cloying scent of the strong incense and herbs I had burning in a bowl on my end table. My last resort at even a sliver of happiness was in the form of the two sheets of printed paper, the first one showing the process of summoning a demon and the second one having the symbol hand-drawn on it of the one I’m trying to summon. Supposedly, if it is successful, the demon must give you one thing you desire in return for your soul. I planned to bargain anything I could.

I picked up the paper with shaky hands. The summoning spell hadn’t been too specific on verbiage, so I had done my best to create my own based off of others that I had found, though I shied away from some of the more blasphemous terms. Despite what I was about to do, I am still Jewish and hold my beliefs close to my heart.

Holding the paper with the symbol on it in my left hand, I hold it over the candle closest to me while chanting softly, “Oh Lord, by your great and fearful presence, I pray that You grant me the strength and courage to perform that which I desire most and summon one of your loyal vassals to my aide, so I may attain Your and their help for my own gain. Please, O Mighty Lord, the one True God who cast man out of the Garden of Eden, allow your vassal whose name is burning in your flame to appear before me. May your vassal help me out of loyalty to You so I may fulfill my deepest desires, given it is proper for one of such divine rank to grant. This I humbly request ask in Your Name. May you deem me worthy, Father.”

At the end of the chant, the last bit of paper went up in a smoke, singing my fingers. Yelping in pain, I yanked my hand back and sucked on my finger, wishing I had thought to bring an ice cube in before the ritual. I knew better than to do anything dangerous without precautions - that was why I was doing this to begin with, after all.

I stared into the middle of my hand-drawn star on the floor, wondering if I had failed at even this. The ritual online said it was easy to make this, so even I - with all the worst luck imaginable - should be able to do this.

Looking back and forth at the design of the star on the paper and what I had drawn, my head spun as I felt like someone had kicked the air out of me. “Ah… I’m so stupid…” I murmured to myself, tears welling up in my eyes.

I drew the Star of David, not a pentagram.

My legs gave out under me. I collapsed just as the tears flowed down my cheeks, splashing onto the candle and making it sizzle and pop.

I had failed at everything in life, even this. From learning how to drive and getting into a wreck that killed my older brother, to landing my first job where my first blunder landed myself and a coworker in a hospital with a medical bill I am still struggling to pay off and the guilt of watching them on life support, and so much more, this failure just seemed like a mockery of all my efforts.

Not even the devil wanted to get near this embodiment of bad luck.

I pressed my palms against my eyes, willing myself to stop crying, but it was as though a switch had been flipped. Sobs wracked my body, loud and unfiltered. I blocked out the sight of the candles, incense, bowl of wine, and most importantly, the failed drawing of the star on the floor.

“Little one, why do you cry?”

A soft, melodious murmur too beautiful to be called a voice found its way to me despite how loudly I was crying. Startled, I jerked my head up and stared at the androgynous person standing in the middle of my hexagram. Based off of the flat chest, I assumed this person was male. His exquisite reddish hair practically glowed in the candlelight, making it look like it is made out of copper. His facial features are smooth with no abnormalities, giving him an ethereal beauty that transcended any depiction I had ever seen of… well, anything.

He held out his hand to me, easily bypassing the edge of the circle. A scream caught in my throat; my blunder might just cause my death this time. If I actually summoned a demon and it can move freely about, what would stop it from just killing me for fun?

“Come now, tell me your worries, little one. You requested the Almighty Father to send me, did you not?”

“Al… mighty?” I breathed, my eyes as wide as saucers. I didn’t even want to call his eyes such an unsightly term. They seemed to be more like the sun itself shining down on me and gracing me with their attentive gaze.

He swept an arm over the room like the beginning of a rapturing dance. “Yes. You are one of the few with enough conviction and belief that our Almighty Father deemed you worthy of your request. You are humble and kind, always stand up again and again through your trials and tribulations, and more than anything else, do not ask for much. So, child. What do you request of me?”

“I… I…” Tears welled up in my eyes again. “I wish to no longer have this bad luck. So many terrible things have happened to my friends and family because of it. I don’t want anyone around me so I don’t hurt them, too. M-my brother, my parents, my best friend… they have all suffered from it. I don’t want to hurt anyone else…”

I buried my face in my hands. I couldn’t bear to screw up another person’s life again.

Shhhk. Startled by the sound, I looked up to see the summoning ritual paper in his hand. His brow wrinkles in confusion, but it didn’t mar his beauty in the slightest. “You attempted to summon a demon with this type of ritual?”

“Y-yes…” I responded, uncertain. “If you’re not a demon, then… what are you?”

“I am Archangel Michael. You requested Our Lord to send me specifically.”

My eyes widened. “A-an angel? I screwed up the ritual and summoned an angel?”

“Archangel, yes.” He set down the sheet of paper and turned to face me. Kneeling down, his eyes level with mine, he murmured softly, “You poor child. You seem to be living your life at the crossroads, watching as everyone else passes through their trials - yet that in itself is your trial. It has taken such a toll on you. Your desire stems from compassion and selflessness, which in turn will help your own state of being. That is truly a remarkable trait in a human. Most would just request for something selfish.”

“It… it hurts to see when others suffer for my own misfortune. I just want it to end…”

“Hush now. It is all over; you do not have to stand at the crossroads of others any longer. Your own trials need not involve those around you from this point on.”

At that, my head spun as I sucked in one deep breath after another. I hadn’t even realized I couldn’t breath. Looking up at him with a clearer gaze, I asked hesitantly, “What… do you want in return?”

“The Lord does not give in order to take; He gives in good faith that his children will follow Him and His guidance.” The angel rests a hand on my head, and I felt the chill leaving my body as a gentle, warm light encompasses me. “I bid you farewell, little one, and hope the next time I see you is among those you so fervently wish to protect.”

My vision goes black. For a moment, I thought I had passed out, but then realize that all the candles went out instead. My phone, which I forgot to leave outside my room, started to buzz.

Fumbling on my end table, I stare at the screen.

Felicia: Hey!! Long time no chat. Wanna hang out?? I haven’t seen you in aaaaagesssss

I bit my lip, hesitating. The archangel’s words rock through my mind. “I don’t have to be afraid,” I mumble to myself, calling my friend back.

“Hey! Wasn’t expecting such a quick response!” Felicia’s chipper voice bubbled over the line.

“Y-yeah,” I stuttered, a trembling smile working its way across my face. “I like the sounds of hanging out. I’m available today if you are.”

“Awesome! How’s coffee sound? I’ll carry it to the table since I know you’re such a klutz.”

“Ahaha, okay. Umm, Starbucks sound good? How about in 30?”

“Oooh, look at who’s taking the lead on being social! All right, you’re on. I think I like this sudden change!”

“I… had some time to think,” I said, my smile coming more easily this time. “As well as some encouraging words.”

“That’s good to hear. Let’s talk more over coffee!”

“Okay!” Click. I took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing…”

After a quick shower, I walked the ten minutes to the one closest to me - the only one I ever go to if I dare to leave my apartment. Shortly after I got there, I saw Felicia in her designer clothes saunter through the door. I waved her over.

“What’s this? You already ordered?” Felicia asked, staring at the coffees in front of me. “How many did you spill?”

“None of them,” I admitted, a little self-conscious.

Her eyes widened. “Y’know, before I met you, I didn’t believe in bad luck. Now you’re telling me it was cured overnight?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my fingers curling around my warm cup. “I’ll take this little blessing, though.”

My whole body was still warm from whatever Archangel Michael did before he disappeared, but right then, the warmth from my unspilled cup rivaled that. I finally felt like I could do something with my life, and I was ready to see what I was capable of.

October 28, 2021 12:22

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1 comment

Sandie Stayrook
16:11 Nov 02, 2021

Wow! Great story!

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