The price

Trigger warning: Suicide/self harm, physical violence, gore and or abuse.

Steve pushed the ladder off the bridge, the sound of metal on metal piercing the quiet of the night. It had taken months of hard work to get to this point but now, now it was time to reap the rewards. "Please don't make me do this." Steve pleaded, the last of his words punctuated by a splash as the ladder hit the water below. 

"You knew this was the price when you took the deal Steve." I said forcing him over the guard rail. "I held up my end of the bargain and now it's time for you to do the same." 

Steve let out a pathetic whimper as he looked over the edge. "Please, I'll do anything. Just-"  

Silence fell as I took control of his body, claiming the last shreds of what remained of him as my own. "Steve, Steve, Steve." I said, using his own voice to speak to him. "It's too late for all that. You've had your fun but now, now it's time to pay the piper." 

"No, don't!" Came a voice that split the night like a gunshot. 

The words felt hollow as they rang through the air, blurted out by a coworker of Steve's that I had failed to learn the name of. How many times had we spoken since I had taken control? Five, maybe Ten times tops and yet here they were, trying to talk him off of a literal edge. "This doesn't concern you." I yelled back as I make Steve shuffle his feet, sending a few pieces of debris into the inky black water below. 

"Steve, how can you say that? We're friends aren't we?" Steve's coworker said, their words stirring something within my vessel. I felt my hands tighten around the guard rail as Steve fought back, his mind desperate to reclaim control of his body. His efforts were futile of course, we had long since past the point of no return. This was a little interesting though, to think he could resist me even now. "How fun." I said under my breath as I weakened his grip. If nothing else, this could be entertaining. I closed my eyes and searched Steve's mind for the name of this coworker, this human that dared to interrupt my work. Steve's mind tried its best to stop me of course, but a little pain was all it took to put an end to that.   

His mind was little more than a tangled mess by now, which wasn't surprising all things considered. The human mind wasn't equipped to deal with a power like the one Steve had asked for after all. I poured through his memories looking for anything that could be useful to me. "Oh?" I said as I found what I was looking for. "This man's name is Peter, my what a lovely wife and daughter he has. He'll do nicely." With a new target acquired all that was left was to deal with Steve.  

"Peter, I can't do this anymore." I said, trying to provoke fear from my current vessel. Souls are far more delicious after they've had a chance to marinate a little after all. "I'm- I'm sorry." 

"Please don't do this, you have your whole life ahead of you." Peter screamed back, taking a few cautious steps towards me. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we can work it out together." 

Malice twisted my face into a wicked smile as an ember of hope flickered to life within Steve. This was an opportunity, one that I had no intention of letting go to waste. I loosened my grip on Steve and allowed him to wrestle back a modicum of control from me. "Peter, help me." Steve whimpered as he turned to his friend, his eyes pleading for help. 

Peter, rallied by his friend's plea, lunged forward and grabbed the collar of Steve's shirt. "I got you." He said as he pulled Steve against the guard rail. "I got you." 

I burst into laughter as I reclaim control of Steve's body. Sure, I was having fun, but I didn't have all day to play with my food. "I slept with your wife." I said, turning my head so I could watch Peter's heart break. 

"You- you did what?" Peter asked, my words causing his grip on Steve's shirt to falter. 

"I slept with your wife." I repeated, swinging Steve's body around so I could look him in the eyes. "It wasn't easy. That woman of yours, she loved you heart and soul after all." I said, my face twisting into a crooked smile. "So, I made a deal with the devil." 

Peter backed away, delicious repulsion now staining his face. "She wouldn't." He said, his words stamping out the last traces of hope within Steve. "You're lying!" 

"Am I?" I asked, leaning over the guard rail. "Don't you think it's odd how women giggle at my shitty jokes now? How every woman we pass turns and stares? How your wife won't stop talking about me?" 

"She-" Peter paused, his head twisting like a leaf in the wind. "She wouldn't." He said, his voice little more than a whisper. 

"She didn't have a choice. The devil's power, it makes me irresistible." I said, leaning back over the rail. My smile widened as Peter clenched his hands into fists, both now white and raised towards me. He was close. All I needed to do now was twist the knife a little more and then, then he'd be mine. "That's why I'm here Peter. I can't control it anymore." I said, forcing a tear from Peter's eye. "If I don't put an end to this now then your daughter-"  

My words were cut short as Peter lunged forward, his fist slamming against Steve's face. I let out a squeal as the hit caused Steve's grip to falter, his body filled with panic as he began to fall. I laughed to myself as I watched, his screams filling me with glee until his body slammed against the water.  

"What have I done!" Peter yelled as the anger on his face melted away, replaced with a mix of horror and terror. With a click of my fingers I granted Peter a gift for his service, a glance of what lies beyond the veil. He watched as long black tendrils wrap around what remained of his friend. My brethren had arrived to claim what was mine, his soul. 

Peter screamed and backed away from the guard rail. If only he had turned before my gift ended. If that had been the case, he might not have walked into me. But alas that was not the case. I was a part of him now and there was nothing he could do about it. 

I let out a sigh as I looked through his eyes. This new vessel was much nicer than the last. Although, without a contract, there was little more I could do unless he sinned. Of course, I already knew that which is why I had set all this up. Each sin gave a devil like me a fraction of control over a human. In particular, those who had killed their fellow man could hear my voice.  

"I had to. I had to protect my family." I whispered in the back of Peter's mind. "But what if someone saw me?" Peter looked around, his eyes going wide as he spotted the fake camera I had hung before all this had started. "Shit, they caught me on camera. What am I going to do?" I continued, my voice a little louder this time. Peter collapsed to the ground, his life unravelling around him. I savoured it for a moment as I waited for him to fall to despair, but he didn't. Instead, he picked himself up and began to walk away.  

 "I need to get to Steve's place. If that devil can help him, then it can help me." Peter said, his steps now filled with purpose. 

My smile returned to me as I watched him leave the scene of the crime. Humans were so much fun when they were desperate after all.