The Promise - Part 3 (917 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.5 on 8 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Julia (View user info) at 2004-10-10 03:33:59 EDT
Part 1 - "The Deal" - http://www.ubersite.com/m/46415
Part 2 - "The Details" - http://www.ubersite.com/m/46524
Part 3 - "Blue Dress"
"Constance is what you might call a liaison of mine," said the man, standing. He pulled out a chair for the ordinary-looking woman. "Like I said, Michael, Constance is the key to getting what you want." Smirking at his joke, the man resumed his seat. "She has access to many of my accounts, and I assume you'll require a signing bonus to get you settled in a house, to obtain a car, that kind of thing. Constance will also act as your advisor, not that I think you'll need much advice. I think you're doing splendidly being selfish so far."
"You said that," replied Michael.
"For instance," the man said, "yesterday I gave you $300 in cash. You spent $79 on a room at the Best Western; $19, $13 and $24 on breakfast, lunch and dinner, respectively; $73 for second-hand clothes; $17 for various toiletries; $18 for a haircut; and $22 in cab fare, leaving you with a grand total of $35. That, coincidentally, is the cost of this breakfast, for which you are paying, but not including the tip, which Constance will handle." The man smiled and clicked his teeth together. "You did not give a single dollar to any of the unfortunate people you passed on the street. Michael, you did not go back to the shelter and share your good fortune with anyone," he teased. Constance frowned a little.
Michael sat, stunned. When he opened his mouth, nothing came out. "I am heartless, I guess," he finally managed. "Still, you didn't tell me what would happen if I was--if I were accidentally kind to someone."
"You will simply be unable, physically unable, to do so. If I may demonstrate?" Michael said nothing.
Constance leaned forward and spoke for the first time. "Michael, dear." Her voice was exactly as neat and motherly as the rest of her. "You look so handsome with your hair cut."
Michael's automatic "thank you" caught in his throat. He choked and sputtered into his napkin.
"Now, manners aren't always kind. Most of the time we use them to make ourselves look more polite and refined than we feel, not because of any genuine thoughtfulness or pleasantry. This was only an example, Michael. Of course you'd be able to be mannerly within reason." The man helpfully passed Michael a glass of water.
"If you can control me like that," Michael said, catching his breath, "you can control my thoughts and tempt me. You know I am tempted now. Sell my soul? It's ludicrous that I'm even considering it. I know that's your doing."
"Michael, if I wanted to control you, I would," the man said flatly.
The waitress passed, and Michael realized he hated her more than he could ever have imagined. He loathed the sight of her, how she smelled, the way she walked. He started to stand, his hand curling around his knife, his mouth stretching into a snarl. And then the feeling was gone. Horrified, he dropped the knife.
"If I wanted to do that, I would," said the man. "That's not what I want."
"What do you want?" demanded Michael, shaking and ghastly pale. When the man pointed at his chair, Michael sat back down. "Why do you want me to do this?"
"I want you to work for me, Michael, and my reasons are my own," the man answered seriously. "Honestly now, enough stalling. Do you want the job or not?" He tossed his newspaper in front of Michael, gesturing to a headline. "If not, this is what awaits you."
RECORD COLD CLAIMS THREE MORE LIVES.
Silence stretched over several minutes. "Seven years of selfishness for ten million dollars. If I quit before the seven years are up, you take my soul, but if I die in that time, I have the chance to repent. I can do whatever I want with the money except be generous until the seven years are over. This lady will be my advisor and can get me more money if I want. You promise not to kill me." Michael paused. "Is that it?"
"Yes," said the man. "Except for one thing. No suicide. That counts as quitting--just so we're square on that."
"I have more questions," Michael said. "What do I call you? Lucifer? Satan?"
The man made an amused sound. "Ignatius."
"Ignatius?" cried Michael incredulously. "You're kidding."
"I don't lie, remember?" the man asked lightly. "Ignatius. From the Latin 'ignire,' to burn, to set aflame." The last three words were spoken slowly, as if they gave the man great pleasure.
"Will I see you again before the seven years are up?"
"Yes," said Ignatius. "I will stop in to see you from time to time."
"What if I want to see you? What if I need to talk to you?"
"I told you," the man said smoothly, flicking a speck from his crimson tie. "Constance is my liaison. If you need something, call her." Constance smiled and held up a mobile phone. "There are few circumstances where you'd need to speak to me--like, say, you wanted to quit." Ignatius's face was not as pleasant as before. "Call out to me, and I will come."
"Your name summons you?"
"Oh my, no. You have to want me to come. Believe me, I can tell the difference." Ignatius stood. "So, Michael, do we have a deal?" He held out his hand, and Michael got to his feet, still hesitant. Then the man frowned in impatience. A waiter across the room yelped and dropped a tray of dishes. "Believe me when I say I have somewhere to be."
Michael reached out, and Ignatius clasped his hand warmly. "Splendid, splendid. Good-bye." He bowed slightly to Constance and strode away.
Weakly, Michael sank into his chair. Constance smiled amiably. "A little shocking, I'm sure," she said. She smoothed the sleeves of her blue dress. "Let's go find you a place to live. I think that would be very refreshing. We can look for a car after lunch if you like, or go buy you some new clothes." Michael stared at her. "I'm authorized to spend a great deal on your behalf. I just love shopping," she confided happily.
After the bill was paid, the white-faced man in the shabby coat and the cozy matron in the blue dress exited the hotel and went out into the wet morning. As they walked down the block to a realtor's office, a woman coming toward them stumbled and dropped her packages into a puddle. Michael began to turn to help, and pain pricked at him, hot pins on his fingertips. He cried out in surprise.
"So it begins," Constance said, patting Michael's arm.
User Reviews
Submitted by touch_faith (user info) at 2004-10-18 16:03:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
what the fuk
Submitted by Trishtopher (user info) at 2004-10-14 21:08:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I love coming to uber and finding people like you. keeps me coming back. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Submitted by drfeggphd (user info) at 2004-10-14 10:49:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
What him said.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2004-10-11 15:12:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Bra-fucking-vo so far, Julia! Love the "Devil With a Blue Dress" reference (as I am a sucker for oldies music) and the little plot devices you've set up in this one. As always, the writing is impeccable - clear, concise, no-frill, yet sophisticated and well-paced...in short, beautiful!
Please don't discontinue this series. As long as your write it, eventually the readers will come. You will probably find some reading it now might drop out, but you will pick up other readers along the way. Please know that some of us actually seek out your username because of the quality of your writing, so don't take it too hard when your story gets pushed off the main page by a bunch of garbage.
Submitted by Mercutio (user info) at 2004-10-11 12:57:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's a fucking shame that this bullshit is being pushed off of the front page by rape posts and butt posts. I mean, I like butts, but this is some really damn good stuff. As always, Julia, brilliant.
Submitted by Badlands (user info) at 2004-10-11 10:57:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really wish this series was generating more attention than it has thus far. Truly inspired writing.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2004-10-10 13:13:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Coolness.
Submitted by Saxman (user info) at 2004-10-10 03:57:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
excellent. I look foward to more installments