I came to, a splitting headache clouding my vision. No amount of rubbing my temples helped the throb, so I moved over to try clear my eyes of the invisible shield. After a bit of blinking my sight came back, and I immediately wished I had stayed blind.
The car was resting on its' roof, which would explain why the pressure in my head was so great. I looked to my left to make sure Mike was okay, but was greeted by an empty seat. The panic started setting in, my brain suddenly alert to my dire situation. I unbuckled myself and fell with a thud, sending a shock wave through my head again, having to do everything in my power not to throw up.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfclPLV72n
I had to kick at my door a few times to get the crumpled metal to open, crawling out on all fours out into the pouring rain. I tried standing up, and immediately regretted my decision as I buckled under a broken right leg. I didn't even have time to register the pain, shock completely numbing my body.
Despite the situation I started giggling, which very quickly turned into hysterical laughing that had my sides hurting. It felt like a total nightmare, like I had to be dreaming for all this to be happening. There's no way something this bad could be happening to me.
After what seemed like forever I sat up from where I had been rolling around in my laughing fit, wiping the raindrops from my face and hair. I looked around, the lack of endorphins now making me groggy, and tried getting the energy to move around. I finally managed to drag myself across what was left of the front of the car, and wished I had stayed where I was before.
Lying there in rain-diluted crimson red was Mike, his body mottled and disfigured, seemingly unmoving. I was afraid to approach, not wanting to face the brutal reality, but I knew it was something that had to be done.
As I inched closer to him I was confronted with the degree of severity of his injuries. He seemed to have been tossed around the inside of the car before being thrown out the windshield, severing a few places as the glass gave way. By the angle of his neck, it was quite possible that it was broken, and I knew it was too late for him. With a missing arm, I knew that if he even survived this, he would be forever traumitised.
I fell back into a sitting position, not sure of what to do. Part of me wanted to start crying, but the other part was too despondent to feel any emotions. I looked around me frantically, hoping that there would be someone who would know what to do, feeling hopelessly lost.
"Hello! Anyone there? We need help!" I looked back over to the remnants of Mike. "I need help!" Finally feeling the sharp pangs of heartache shooting across my chest. "Please! Someone! Anyone!" And that's when I felt the warm tears mix in with the raindrops on my cheeks, and I simply curled up on my side and shut down, unable to keep my emotions in check.
It felt like another lifetime before I could get myself under control again, and I just lay there feeling the emptiness and pain, watching the rain come to a slow drizzle. I forced myself up into a sitting position and finally into a standing one, hoping painfully to the car. Before I could start searching for a phone a dark figure began striding towards me, confident in his steps as he approached me.
I never thought I'd feel so much relief in my life. "Hey! Hey, I need your help!"
As he neared I had gotten too eager for his help and sort of buckled again trying to reach for him. Luckily he caught me before I crumbled into a painful heap, leaning me against the car again.
He held a hand on my shoulder and searched my face, "Quite a mark you got there. Seems you got quite a knock." He said in a platonic voice, taking a step back to examine the rest of my injuries. "Quite a crash you had too. I'm surprised you survived." Scratching his chin as if he was trying to figure out a complicated riddle.
I started feeling quite uncomfortable under his scrutinising stare, and cleared my throat to ease my awkward tension. "Yeah well I made it better off than my friend. You might not want to go to the front, it's not for the faint-hearted." And with that the stranger ignored me and walked around the car to witness the tragedy for himself before I could even protest. Even though it was dark I could've sworn that I saw a small smirk pull at his mouth.
The stranger moved back over to me and I was now certain of the smile on his face. "Mind sharing what you find so amusing about this?" I could feel my anger rising at this sick individual. Of all the good Samaritans to come along, why did it have to be him?
"Seems like you're in quite a predicament, Caine." He started, letting his hood down, revealing smooth raven hair that contrasted strangely with eyes that were not quite green and not quite yellow either.
I was taken aback by his appearance, but more so that he had addressed me by my name. "How do you know my-?"
He cut me off before I could finish the question. "I know more than you need to know boy." He replied, almost in a snarky manner.
Unfortunately for him, my need to stay in control far superseded my want to be scared. "What do you want?" I gave back the attitude he had given me.
He looked down his nose at me, another smile as if he was enjoying our little banter. "Well Caine, right now it has nothing to do with what I want and everything to do with what you want."
I frowned, trying to figure out the stranger in front of me. "What are you talking about?"
The stranger chuckled and turned his back on me, facing out towards the river passing under the bridge. "You need to learn which questions to ask, and when to ask them."
I sneered at his back, hating his condescending voice. "Who the hell are you anyway?"
He turned his head slightly to me. "Now we're getting somewhere."
"I asked you a question." I grinded the words between gritted teeth.
He chuckled again, turning around now to face me properly. "I go by many names. One of them you would know, but then again who am I to say if you believe in it or not."825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qBwYudcoC
My body was beginning to shake and I wasn't sure if it was the shock, pain or anger that was getting to me now. "Is this going somewhere?"825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYMKAigrdu
Again the smile of enjoyment spread across the strangers face. "They say patience is a virtue, boy. You should learn some, it'll do you the world of good." He obviously was getting bored of his own games and my glares, sighed heavily and continued. "You may call me Luca. It sounds a lot more fashionable than Lucifer."825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT08Dxpc68d
I stared at him in disbelief, trying to blink some sense and logic into my head. "You're joking?"825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6micABqh2
"Does I look like I'm joking?" His face set as dead serious as it could be. 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAlLlo4ABy
My hands went to my head, the migraine getting worse as my mind tried grappling with the situation. "So what are you doing here?"825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzeXBTWYqL
"Now you have the streak." He smiled, walking slowly back towards me. "I'm here to collect my fee."825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5JyvFfqhh
It hit me hard then, connecting all the little pieces. "It's Mike isn't it." Phrasing it more as fact rather than a question.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEZs4TTol5
"Very good boy, you're as bright as they say." He moved over towards Mike's body, crouching next to it.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaMnfbt78f
I scrambled around the car, wincing every time I stepped wrong on my leg. "Don't touch him! Get away from him!" 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPexT3WcmQ
I was panicking at the sight of his hand hovering over Mike's body, his bored expression plastered on his face. "Why not? He's mine anyway."825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlUzDJQxzd
"Let's make a deal." Immediately regretting my loud mouth.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz4sxezH8q
This did the trick, sparking interest over his face. "Very well boy," Standing up and moving towards me again. "Plead your bargain."825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKd1D9u2tW
I stood there for a moment, chewing my lip in concentration. Even though It technically wasn't my fault for all of this happening, I felt responsible for it all. "Take me instead." Feeling like that would redeem me.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5fV8q7iFm
Luca stood there, stroking his chin, considering my notion. "Seems like a fair deal." And with that he jabbed a finger into my chest.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiuiJfoQnR
Suddenly all the pain I had been feeling melted into the one seering point of pain where his finger stuck in my chest. The fire spread across my chest and it felt like I was going to pass out from oxygen deprivation. 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mocOXkI19
Before I could register anything else the pain vanished, leaving me gagging and choking for air. "What... The... Hell?" I gasped between breaths, clutching at my chest. I searched for the hole that I had felt pushed into my chest, only to find a scorched 'X' sitting exactly centre. 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m6SwZE4zz
"You now belong to me." And with that started walking away from where he came.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC7weITfbx
I stood there stunned, panic setting in again. "Wait, what about our deal? I was supposed to die, not Mike!"825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVq9esrEPN
He stopped, but didn't turn around. "That's not how it works, boy. I can't give or take life as such, I merely traded your souls. Now you can rest easy knowing he's going to a better place." And continued walking.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEuVcvVyiX
"You said it would be a fair deal!" Panic becoming hysteria.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa74put8jb8
"But I never said I was going to be fair." And disappeared into the shadows. 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGuEmkbRrV
I stood there again, completely stunned at the events that had unfolded. 825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zWyV5gtf4
I was suddenly so drained, way too tired to even stand, so I slid down the side of the car and sat on the road again. I looked up at the sky, as if by some miracle things would come right.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQy98Ma2Gb
"It better have been worth it Mike." I said to the sky, before blacking out again.825Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG3HtvHrm3
