The Devil's Time

George was sweating and it was 11:30 on Christmas Eve. The Devil was coming for him at midnight thanks to a difficult deal he cut early in the year. His sweet, beloved daughter was dying of an incurable form of cancer. A desperate man, George begged the Devil to save his daughter’s life and the Devil agreed—on one condition. George would kill one other person to take his daughter’s place by Christmas Day. The Devil thought that was quite fair as he was giving George almost a year to pay his debt. “Quite fair,” said the Devil.

The problem was that George was a truly decent man and only his desperation enabled him to cut the deal. George was also a bit squeamish and the Devil insisted he do it in person. There was no particular requirement as to the kind of person or the kind of death. It was just that George had to conduct the action that resulted in death to another person.

It turned out that the Devil was a bit finicky about who George killed. For instance, he could not kill a dying person or a person who was about to die or a person who wanted to die.

“Honey,’ a distraught Susan, his wife, bawled, “you have 30 minutes and you are just sitting here in our bedroom.”

“My god, Susan, what do you want me to do? Should I just run down to the corner store and shoot that nice clerk?” Sweat was pouring down from George’s scalp. “I am petrified, the Devil is coming for me and there is nothing I can do. Look, we have to be grateful. Thank me and the Devil that Allison is living and will live a long life. You are living and you will be well supported with all that money I was able to accumulate in just this year. We should feel blessed that I was able to take our savings into the stock market and make so much money. We took a big risk, but it paid off.”

“George, I don’t need money, I need you.” And Susan start crying even harder.

“Susan, Susan, it will be alright. I love you and Allison and I am so happy that you both will survive and live well. Don’t you see, it’s a good trade? It’s not like I am some big hunk that a woman would die for. I realize that the Devil made it pretty nasty to take me basically on Christmas Day, but that is the way with these things.”

The bedroom door flew open and Allison rushed in. “Mommy, Mommy, why are you crying so hard? Daddy, is that sweat all over your face? What is going on? Tell me, tell me.” Allison was frantic and turned quickly back and forth between her father and mother. She knelt down and put her arms around her mother. “Mommy, talk to me.”

Allison was 12 years old and a beautiful child in every way imaginable. Everybody loved her except one jealous girl in her seventh grade class. The family were devout Lutherans, went to church every Sunday and contributed lots of time and money to the church. Most importantly, Allison was a special blessing to not only her family and her school but to her church. She was quietly and modestly one of God’s own. 

“Mom, Dad, does this have anything to do with my being sick? I read up on that cancer and it is terminal with no hope for cure or regression and yet here I am? How can that be? Did one of you make a deal with the Devil?”

Now it was George’s turn to start crying. He was crying from his heart and beyond communications. “Mom, tell me it isn’t true. Dad is going die because of me? No? That cannot happen. Tell me the deal. What is the deal with the Devil? Tell me! I will kill myself before the Devil takes Dad. Will that satisfy the Devil? I was bound to die anyway and I am deeply grateful for the time that Dad must have bought me. Tell me!”

Susan was beside herself. She knew that if Allison said she would kill herself, then she would. “Wait,” she thought, “she would use George’s pistol. He spent time with her teaching her how to use it and gun safety. Allison knew where the gun was. “But…”

The gun was in the top dresser drawer but unloaded. Still, the loaded clip was in the next drawer. Susan jumped up and ran to the dresser. She took out the gun and then the clip and loaded the gun. Allison screamed.

George was crying a little less and through all the tears he could see Susan running towards him with the gun in her hand. “Yes,” he cried hysterically, kill me before the Devil gets here. 

“No!” Shouted Allison.

“Yes, no,” cried Susan. “If you kill me George, you will have fulfilled your debt. You and Allison must live.”

Suddenly there was a red flare in the room and a harsh, but gleeful cackle. “Well, how charming,” exclaimed the Devil. “The family that kills together stays together…or something like that. Ha ha. I’m so funny.”

“Well, I guess none of you have noticed that it’s 11:59 and in less than a minute George will be coming with me back home. You all know where that is.”

“Nooo,” screamed Allison and Susan together. “Take me,” they both exclaimed. “I could take both you for this retched crybaby?” The Devil was smiling broadly. He was about to make a really nice deal—for him.

A soft but bright light filled the room. The Devil’s smile turned to a grimace. “Lucifer, how nice to see you” spoke Gabriel.  Up to your usual stuff, I see. Unfortunately, the Old Man caught this and just didn’t like your Christmas trick. Jesus wan’t very happy about it either. So sorry, but this deal of yours has been cancelled.”

“You can’t do this,” bellowed the Devil and his flame erupted. It formed a tentacle that reached out and wrapped itself around George and the flame, the Devil and George started to disappear when time stopped, dead still. 

“Allison, my dear— Susan— you are a blessed family and your father, George, outshone himself in saving your life. He was willing to give his life for yours and couldn’t kill someone else to save himself. God knows there is great love in this family and He likes it. You all will live long and happy lives. When I release you, it will be 12:01 and your father will still be here. Merry Christmas. God bless.”