ac benus Preview Sample – upcoming Halloween story

[AC Benus]

Hello, All!

 

Is that a hint of fall in the air...? Maybe for me it is I've been busy working on a wicked little tale to darken the spirits of this upcoming Halloween. Set in San Francisco, we meet a banker and his irascibly fey rescuer with a stammer...a certain demon-in-training named Terrance. ...Starting to sound familiar...? 

 

Without further ado, I offer for your consideration:

 

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It’s a Dreadful Life – a Halloween Classic

 

 

Story Description: A demon from Hell is sent to show a desperately frustrated

businessman there is still plenty of evil left to do in the world.

 

**mild warning for devilish language**

 

 

 

[...After his rescue from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, the human and Oni warm up in the abandoned Toll Booth Operators' break room...]

 

“You sound pretty well informed.”

 

“In Demon School we devote an entire semester to studying avaricious human plots.” The hellion’s Pollyanna-fey cum-wholesome wickedness emerges to the fore with a wink. “We learn all the classic examples: GM/Firestone buying up every light-rail system in North America to scrap ‘em for buses; the bill of goods saying Artificial Intelligence will help people, ha! Oh, oh, the 2016 Elections! – Heavens! All the big cons.”

 

The banker nods his head. “Yep, but you be careful and remember to act naïve while you’re tooling around here on Earth.”

 

“Oh, yes,” the evildoer says in total innocence. “We’re warned by our professors not to venture up here on our own; our own. You can never tell what’s on a man’s mind, and you’re likely to be out-deviled at any moment.”

 

As Gregory bundles up tighter, then sips and starts to feel more alive again, he takes a good gander at his rescuer.

 

Terrance’s age is indeterminate. With its store of wrinkled frown lines, a solidly middle-aged face expresses a long, experienced life already lived.

 

Now that the pair sit inside, the banker can see the novice demon’s curly black hair steps away from two bony plates on his skull. They’re in line with Terrance’s temples, and remind Gregory of the protrusions from which deer antlers grow.

 

The remainder of the Oni’s appearance is less interesting. Besides his flame-red skin and yellow cat eyes tricked out with mascara, his tubby beer gut is ill disguised beneath his 70’s era leisure suit. The brown triple-knit polyester – a truly hellish fabric – looks hella uncomfortable and clashes style-wise with the black satin cape he wears with standing velvet collar in back of his head.

 

“So, what’s being a demon-in-training all involve?”

 

“Well, ya see; ya see, we have to pass our final exams and then go out into the world and spread a little wickedness around. You know, make sure people feel sufficiently hopeless. And then, like me, to graduate to a fulltime, tenured demon position, we’re assigned a testcase for our final thesis.”

 

“So I’m your testcase.”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Meaning…?”

 

“Meaning, I help you see things clearly again, and I’ll get my horns.”

 

“Horns?”

 

“Yes! Teacher says every time a banker shouts ‘Get a job!’ at a homeless person, a demon gets his horns.”

 

“That’s all very well and good,” Gregory says, totally self-absorbed, “but in case you haven’t noticed, I want to die.”

 

After a half minute of despondently looking down in his lap, Gregory sees a fiendish hand settle atop his own.

 

“And I’m here to help,” Terrance says as soft as a malicious notion come to a person on the crapper.

 

“How can you help, demon?”

 

“By raising your chin. By cheering you up, by making you see there’s still so much bad left to do in the world.”

 

“You think?”

 

“Yes. And don’t worry about Hell. It’ll always be there, waiting for you. Why, just the other day, Bub himself was saying ‘If there’s one man I need more than any other up there on Earth, it’s Gregory Bailiff. He's an awesome dude!”

 

“Beelzebub said that, about me?”

 

“Yep. He’s a big fan of your work.”

 

“Look, thanks for the evil pep talk, but I’m just a banker. Just a humble…money changer.”

 

Suddenly Terrance sounds like Mr. Paul Lynde. “Oh, you’re so much more than that.”

 

“I still don’t know—”

 

“Don’t know if you should trade one hell for the other?”

 

“Yes, if—”

 

“Look, right now your P.E.I., Personal Evil Index, is low. You’re being exhausted by all these sham do-gooders, raising a stink about a few puny billion dollars; billion dollars. But if you think about it, with your naturally crooked nature, combined with your amazing skills at lying, manipulating, deception – being a banker! – you’ll go into Leavenworth and wind up running the joint in three months.”

 

“Ya think?”

 

Terrance sits back confidently, hands locking behind his head. “I know it. You’re one wicked son of a bitch.”

 

Gregory demurs. “Ah, you’re just saying that.”

 

“No! You are. So I propose we take a look at three special Halloweens: one past, one present and one future. Then you can make your final decision.”

 

“Um – Isn’t that from a different holiday movie—”

 

“Shush”—glances over his shoulder—“they’ll never notice the difference. Plus, they're not paying that much attention anyway.”

 

The banker thinks the proposition over but still hems. “I don’t know.”

 

Terrance pops to his feet. “Oh, come on, Greggy Boy – help an Oni out. You decide if you want to live or die, and maybe I’ll be promoted to fulltime demon in the process; the process.”

 

“Well, what do I have to lose?”

 

“That’s the evil spirit!” Terrance runs and gathers Gregory’s clothes as the man stands to dress.

 

Once they’re all set, Terrance chirps, “Excellent. Now, grab the hem of my cape and we’ll be off.”

 

Gregory does so, thinking they will be whooshed up into the air. Instead, Terrance hoofs it for the door.

 

“Aren’t we – you know – gonna fly?”

 

“Heavens, no! That’s Fallen Angel College, and it takes several millennia to be that bad.”

 

“But if we’re walking, why do I have to hold your cape?”

 

“Atmospherics, and just for chuckles. Now, shall we?”

 

“Lead the way.”

 

Both go back out into the gray blanket of air and start heading for the Marina District. What Gregory can’t know, is they are also stepping back in time.              

            

 

˚˚˚˚˚

 

 

 

_     

Edited September 17, 2018 by AC Benus

[AC Benus]

A classic Oni, you ask?

 

Here you go - they come in red, blue and white skin. Terrance is a little red devil.

 

 

👹 👹 👹

 

 

 

👹

 

 

_

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2018 by AC Benus

[Mikiesboy]

This is wonderful.  A delicious witches-brew of Xmas Films!  Personal Evil Index lol.. like a credit rating. 

You can never tell what’s on a man’s mind, and you’re likely to be out-deviled at any moment.  

This is rather scary, that demons are actually threatened by the evil man can cause.

 

I love it AC.. lots of fun.  Can't wait for more!!

[AC Benus]

 

2 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

This is wonderful.  A delicious witches-brew of Xmas Films!  Personal Evil Index lol.. like a credit rating. 

You can never tell what’s on a man’s mind, and you’re likely to be out-deviled at any moment.  

This is rather scary, that demons are actually threatened by the evil man can cause.

 

I love it AC.. lots of fun.  Can't wait for more!!

Thanks, Tim! If you are especially evil on Halloween night this year, Terrance and his cohorts may pay you a call too. *evil laugh*

[Dodger]

I agree with Tim. This looks like a lot of fun and I don't mind the devilish language. In fact, I quite enjoy it.

 

I've been so busy at work lately I've been neglecting some of my reading and I'm still a chapter behind on Mojo. But bring it on AC.

[MichaelS36]

Loved it! Nothing wrong with a bit of devilish fun! I am looking forward to it!

[AC Benus]

1 hour ago, Dodger said:

I agree with Tim. This looks like a lot of fun and I don't mind the devilish language. In fact, I quite enjoy it.

 

I've been so busy at work lately I've been neglecting some of my reading and I'm still a chapter behind on Mojo. But bring it on AC.

Thank you, Dodger. There's no rush on Mojo. It will be there when you're ready

 

Thanks again. 

[AC Benus]

6 minutes ago, MichaelS36 said:

Loved it! Nothing wrong with a bit of devilish fun! I am looking forward to it!

Thank you, Mike. Great encouragement -- I'm looking forward to posting it. 

[Defiance19]

Oh yes, please.. looking forward to this

[mollyhousemouse]

well i finally go a chance to read it

i can't wait for more! the mashup of Christmas stories/movies is perfect and the description of the leisure suit!!!

thanks for the preview!