The Cost

"I was told that you could help me with getting my case overturned." The old Vodoo 

Priest nodded affirmatively after hearing Jason's inquiry. "Okay, so my grandmother says it 

requires me to do something. What do I need to do and you have to speed it up. I can't stay 

on the phone in here to long because the guards will be coming around to count soon. I need 

to make sure I have enough time to log out of my accounts." 

"I told your grandmother that you are a very special child. There are three spirits 

attached to you. They are all willing to give you one thing but they will require something in 

return. You tell me what the three things it is that you want and I will consult them. If it is 

within their power to give and agree to give you these things they will tell you what they 

require of you after you have received your gifts." .

"Man I just want to go home but...what do you mean if is within their power?" "Many 

spirits are blessed with the abilities to bestow different blessings but we would have to know 

which deities have attached themselves to you. But depending on the spirit you could 

possess anything, child." "Anything? Like money or houses and stuff?” "Anything.".

Jason had spent so much time in prison thinking on the things he wish he could have 

changed in his life and how he'd wished he could just turn back time and do it all over. But 

was this really possible. "I wanna go back to when I was in highschool. Senior year, and I 

want a bank account with millions in it. And finally I want to be popular as hell. Like the most 

popular kid in the city...no the state.

The old priest gazed deeply into the eyes of the young man on the opposite side of 

the screen. "Wouldn't freedom be eoungh? And maybe you would be satisfied with being 

prosperous. There are not many who can send you back in time so that will not be given. 

Money and popularity comes at a high price. And these spirits will collect."

"Listen man, I really don't believe in all this anyway but my grandma paid you, so just 

do what I ask you to do. That's your job right. I told you what I want." The look the old man 

gave him discouraged him, but he hadn't come this far in life to be wavered by a decrepit 

stranger. 

"As you wish. I will consult the spirits and get back with you or your grandmother. 

Just remember that the more beautiful the gift, the higher the price and it will be paid." With 

that the old man disconnected the call and Jason sat feeling somewhat satisfied and 

intrigued.

For the remainder of the day he went about his normal routine but as a shell of 

himself. By the time he'd taken his shower and gone through the last standing count of the 

day and knew he wouldn't be disturbed by the officers anymore that day he was full of 

anticipation. He couldn't wait for his grandmother to call to inform him of what the old man 

had to say. 

He pulled his phone out from its hiding spot in the wall and powered it up. Once he 

logged in to his social media account, he found out that the girl of his dreams had finally 

accepted his friend request and sent him a message. It had been five years since his senior year of highschool and he'd spent the entire five in prison. She was a constant thought of his

throughout that time. By the time he opened her message his palms were sweaty and mouth

dry. 'I forgive you Jason.' His heart dropped into a bucket of joy and relief. She forgave him.

He wanted to respond but decided to meditate on her words for a minute. Laying on his back

he scrolled through her page he now had full access to and thought on how differently

things would have been if she had chosen better. Eventually his thoughts rolled away in the

tides of dreams and snores.

"Boy get yourself up out that bed! You late for school! How you gone look missing all

these days and getting kept back. You'll be 19, still in school, and looking for somewhere

else to stay cause you won't be sleeping here."

The sound of his grandmother's voice waking him seemed surreal. Opening his eyes

to the familiar sites of his bedroom rocked him violently. Was he still dreaming? Is this

possible? "Boy what's wrong with you? You better not be still smoking them tweeds. That

mess got you getting up out the bed looking like one of them patients at the center. I done

told you bout them drugs." He could smell sausage and coffee. This can't be real but he

knew the smell of that deer sausage and this was it. He rushed passed his grandmother into

the kitchen.

At the stove he was overwhelmed by the heat and smells of the best cooking he'd

tasted outside of his grandpappy who'd past when his was 15. He lightly touched the

outside of the pan. "Ouch!" It burned...this wasn't a dream. But how? Time travel? This

wasn't possible.

"Boy I don't know if you running scams or not but you got a letter here from Wells

Fargo and it feels like you got a card in it. This the same type of stuff got your mother locked

up. Why you getting mail from a bank Jason?".

Jason practically appeared in front of his grandmother shredding the letter open. The

card, along with the letter, dropped him to his knees.

"Boy what you laughing for? What's wrong with you? You acting like that clown man

off that movie you be watching with that fool with that bat mask on. You getting out my

house today cause I know you been on that stuff."

The balance had so many numbers in it his vision blurred. "Grandma, can I hold the

car?" Her look was wary but he knew the answer already.

Inside the mall he begin buying all that he could making several trips to the car

storing items. "How much for this chain right here?". The clerk was a tall dark figure with

intimidating features. He'd make a great bouncer at the club. His eyes were hidden by

shades.

"This chain is one of my favorites. The red diamonds are the rarest in the world. You'll

never find them as red as this. Their actually the exact same color as blood spilled. I

specialize in wealth and precious items Jason. I think these match your spirit."

"How and the hell do you know my name?" The room grew dark and cold with an

ominous feeling. Sounds from the mall faded and the doors to the shop were now closed

and seemed tinted. There was this floating like feeling that he couldn't fully grasp. "Are

you...?".

"I am one of three and I am here to collect for my end of this bargin. For the riches of

this magnitude I require only something simple. Worship and sacrifice. I'm sure you won't

have a problem with neither of these considering how much you like shopping and I'm sure

this chain would look great on you. I'd hate to give to another of my worshippers. I'm fond of

gifting my new servants." The man or whatever he was, slid the chain over Jason's neck.

"Worship and sacrifice? What type of sacrifice? And what do you mean worship?"

Jason couldn't help but admire the chain in the mirror. The man pulled out another chain

more elaborate and brilliant than the first.

"Well, I require three prayers a day. Sunrise, noon, and around three o'clock. You will

call upon my name and give me praise. Basically, tell me how wonderful I am and how

thankful you are that I'm in your life and take special notice of you. I think another chain

would suit you just well. Something shorter in length to fill in the space." The piece of jewelry

he removed was stunning.

"Sounds a little egotistical. The whole 'Oh how mighty art thou hype!' but if I get gifts

like this who cares. What's the sacrifice thing?" The chains disappeared and his new phone

begin vibrating out of control. It was a notification alerting him that his account has been

frozen due to fraudulent activity. "What the....". The room became darker and colder.

"When you leave this place you'll soon come to a road in a suburb and a person will

be crossing the street. You will make sure they don't make it across. Or you'll arrive back at

school as broke as you were before." The chains reappeared along with a few additional

bedazzled ornaments. "Will you be paying your tab Jason?"

The hookah shop was the first place he could get to where he could empty his

stomach into the toilet. He could still hear the crunch of the body beneath the tires. A kid,

just a kid too. He begin vomiting again. Notifications from his bank were still coming

through informing him of deposits being made to his account from various companies and

charities. It didn't make him feel any better. He rinsed his mouth out and walked into the

store.

"Sir, pardon me. You can't use the bathroom without making a purchase." The clerk

seemed polite enough. He looked around and grabbed a bong and some incense for his

grandmother. An alert from his phone came in. 'This is Stephanie. I just received a text

saying you needed to speak with me.'

It was her. The girl of his dreams. 'Yo this is all real.' Man this is the best day of my

life. 'Gotta thank that Murdock dude at three o'clock for sure. He's most definitely the best.

The clerk cleared her throat. "Oh, my bad. Let me get this and some of those rolling papers."

"Murdock is okay but I'm not fond enough of him for him to receive credit for my gifts.

I mean what could such a narcissistic brute know about love anyway. Did you know she

already has a crush on you?"

"What...for real?" Elation had to be the word for what he felt. He couldn't believe his

ears.

"Yep, didn't take much to work her over on your behalf. So the items come up to thirty

six ninety five, downloading this playlist and using this once a day at least." She placed a

black case on the counter. He opened it to find several syringes and vials of heroine. He was

about to debate when his phone vibrated. He didn't have to take it out to read it. The clerks

face said it all. I'm Omrah. Listen to that music and use the vials as you think on love and

happy thoughts. You will worship me this way and always have her love as long as you do. If

not then she will be taken away from you violently. I need you to go back into the bathroom

and do this now please.

As bad as he wanted to see Stephanie he was just too high to make it to school. He

barely made it two blocks home. Not sure where his grandmother was he entered his

bedroom and fell on his bed. He nodded off into a dream like state.

Sobbing awakened him. His grandmother sat on the edge of the bed with two

strangers. Her eyes were swollen from crying. "Jason, honey there's someone here to see

you."

One of the men's aura was so bright it hurt his eyes but the other guy had no aura, yet

his presence was foreboding. The first sat beside him on the bed. "Jason, I'm here to take

you back. You can't stay here."

"What you mean I can't stay here!" I did what they asked and I paid what they

required." The man looked back towards the grandmother and then back at Jason with pity

in his eyes. He stood and placed a hand on Jason's shoulder.

"Jason you aren't allowed to determine your place in life. You're...spoken for already.

You have a destiny you must fulfill and prison is part of that journey." Jason couldn't

understand what he was hearing. Spoken for? "I've been assigned to you before your birth

and I've been with you through all that you've been through, making sure you survived it all.

I've been instructed to take you back to the future immediately but..." Jason didn't like how

the man turned again to his grandmother. "now it will be just me and you for a while."

"What do you mean just me and you?" Jason stood and stepped away from the man

and in between his grandmother and the stranger.

"Hello Jason. It's nice to meet you." The stranger speaks. "I've been after this one for

a while now. Thanks for your help."

"What the hell is going on here and if you're thinking about doing anything to my

grandma then you can get your asses the hell out of here now." His words came out in a

shrill. "Grandma what are they talking about?"

"Baby you made a deal with the devil and he's here to collect. You owe him a life baby

and he can't have yours. They taking mine instead. I won't be there when it happens but you

destined for something great baby. I can't tell you what it is but I'm proud of you baby. And I

love you. Don't let this...".

"Take it back! Take it all back! You can have it all!" He threw off all the jewelry and

tossed the phone and bank card to the floor. "I don't want it. You can..." Darkness overcame

him.

Jason woke up in his cell alone. His phone was still on his chest. He collapsed in 

tears. A breeze hit him and a piece of mail slid beneath his door. He left it there. He cried for 

hours on and off. Finally, on a whim he grabbed the piece of mail. It was from the courts 

notifying him of his new trial being granted by the judge and was scheduled to take place in 

ninety days. Bittersweet. Out of the corner of his eye he recognized something hanging from 

the side of his mirror that wasn't there before. He walked over to the piece of paper and 

snatched it down. It was his grandmother's obituary.