The Bargain

Keri sat on the edge of the crumbling pier, the wood beneath her creaking ominously with every shift of her weight. The fog rolled in thick off the sea, blurring the line between water and sky, casting an eerie glow over the world. She clutched a small, weathered chest to her chest, its brass lock cold against her skin. Tonight, the bargain would be struck.

Her grandmother’s stories had always seemed like the fanciful tales of an old woman — until Keri found the chest. In her grandmother’s attic, buried beneath decades of forgotten relics, it called to her. Inside, she found a single piece of parchment, yellowed with age, detailing a ritual and a name- Enoch, the Keeper of Lost Promises.

Keri's breath hitched as she thought of her sister, Alesia. Just eighteen, full of life, yet taken too soon by a senseless accident. The pain of her loss was a constant ache, one that she had learned to live with, but never to accept. Alesia had been Keri's best friend, her confidante, and the thought of a future without her was unbearable. When she discovered the chest, it felt like a lifeline, a chance to undo the unthinkable.

The wind howled, and Keri shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her. She glanced at her watch- 11:55 PM. The ritual had to be completed by midnight. She took a deep breath and stood, setting the chest on the ground before her. The instructions were clear- place the chest at the water’s edge, draw a circle around it with salt, and recite the incantation.

Keri reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial of salt, scattering it in a careful circle around the chest. As she completed the circle, the air seemed to hum with energy, a faint blue glow emanating from the salt. She opened the parchment and began to read the incantation, her voice trembling.

“Enoch, Keeper of Lost Promises, hear my plea. I call upon thee to honor the bond of blood and love, to return what was taken too soon. By the power of this ancient pact, I offer my heart’s deepest desire in exchange for the promise of life renewed. Enoch, Keeper of Lost Promises, I summon thee.”

The words hung in the air, resonating with a strange, otherworldly power. For a moment, nothing happened. Keri's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and hope. Then, the fog began to swirl, condensing into a dark, shadowy figure. Enoch.

He was tall, almost impossibly so, with eyes that glowed like embers. His presence was both terrifying and mesmerizing. He stepped forward, and the circle of salt flared brighter before fading to a dull glow.

“You have summoned me, child,” Enoch’s voice was a deep rumble, like distant thunder. “What is it that you seek?”

Keri's voice was barely more than a whisper. “I want my sister back. Alesia. She died, and I can’t… I can’t live without her. Please, bring her back to me.”

Enoch regarded her with a penetrating gaze, as if weighing her very soul. “The price for such a request is not light. What are you willing to offer in return?”

Keri swallowed hard, tears welling in her eyes. “Anything. I’ll give anything. My own life, if I have to.”

Enoch’s eyes softened, just a fraction. “Your life is of little value to me, mortal. But your love, your memories, your very essence — these are currencies I can trade in. Are you prepared to give up everything that makes you who you are for the chance to bring your sister back?”

Keri hesitated, the enormity of the choice pressing down on her. To lose herself completely, to erase her very being… But then she thought of Alesia, of her laughter, her kindness, her dreams unfulfilled. She nodded, resolute.

“Yes. I’ll give you everything. Just bring her back.”

Enoch extended a hand, dark and ethereal. “Very well. Place your hand in mine, and the bargain will be sealed.”

Keri reached out, her hand trembling, and placed it in Enoch’s. The moment their hands touched, a searing pain shot through her, as if her very soul was being torn from her body. She cried out, but the sound was lost in the wind. The world around her blurred, the pier, the sea, the fog — all dissolving into darkness.

When the pain subsided, Keri found herself standing alone on the pier, the chest at her feet. The fog had lifted, revealing a clear, starlit sky. She felt… different. Empty, yet filled with a strange sense of peace. She knew that the bargain had been made.

Footsteps echoed on the wooden planks, and Keri turned to see a figure approaching. Her heart leapt as she recognized the familiar face, the golden hair catching the starlight. Alesia.

“Keri?” Alesia's voice was hesitant, confused. “What’s going on? How did I…?”

Keri rushed forward, pulling her sister into a tight embrace. Tears streamed down her face as she held Alesia close, the reality of her presence sinking in. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here. You’re really here.”

Alesia pulled back slightly, looking into Keri's eyes. “But… something feels off. Are you okay?”

Keri forced a smile, pushing down the emptiness inside her. “I’m fine. I’m just so happy you’re back.”

Alesia seemed unconvinced but didn’t press further. The sisters walked back along the pier, Keri savoring every moment, every word. She knew that her sacrifice had been worth it, that she had given Alesia a second chance at life. But as they walked, a part of her wondered what she had truly lost.

Days turned into weeks, and life slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy. Alesia resumed her studies, reconnected with friends, and embraced the future with newfound vigor. Keri watched from the sidelines, her heart swelling with pride and love, yet the void inside her grew.

She found it harder to remember certain details of her own life — favorite songs, cherished memories, the warmth of a summer day. It was as if pieces of her were fading away, leaving behind only the shell of who she once was. But she never regretted her choice, not for a moment.

One evening, as they sat together on the porch, Alesia turned to Keri with a serious expression. “Keri, I need to ask you something. That night… how did you bring me back? What did you do?”

Keri sighed, the weight of the truth pressing down on her. “I made a bargain, with a being named Enoch. I gave up everything that made me who I am to bring you back.”

Alesia's eyes widened in horror. “No… Keri, you didn’t have to do that. You shouldn’t have done that. What about your dreams, your future?”

Keri smiled softly, reaching out to take Alesia's hand. “My future is seeing you live yours. That’s all I need.”

Alesia shook her head, tears in her eyes. “But it’s not fair. You deserve to live, to have your own happiness.”

Keri's voice was calm, assured. “I am happy, Alesia. Because you’re here. That’s enough for me.”

Alesia hugged her tightly, and Keri felt a warmth spread through her, momentarily filling the emptiness inside. In that moment, she knew that despite the cost, she had made the right choice. Love, in its truest form, was the willingness to sacrifice everything for the ones we hold dear. And in that sacrifice, Keri had found her purpose.

As the sun set, casting a golden glow over the world, Keri and Alesia sat together, their bond stronger than ever. The price had been paid, and the bargain fulfilled. Keri had lost herself to bring her sister back, but in doing so, she had found a deeper meaning in life — a love that transcended time, space, and even the essence of who she was. And that, she realized, was a bargain worth making.