Martin's Flash Fiction - 4. Chapter 4 - Buy your Life, Sell your Soul

Terry was in a hurry. It had already been ‘one of those days’ and he hadn’t even gotten to work yet. Running down the street he got to the main road and immediately started sprinting across it. Suddenly, a loud beeping noise filled his ears and he turned his head to see a Smart Car mere feet away from him. The world seemed to slow down as he closed his eyes, expecting the impact...

...but it never came. Opening his eyes, the world seemed to have frozen with the car still just about to hit him.

“Greetings, Mortal.”

Terry spun around on the spot- in front of him was a tall figure, hidden under a large black hood. In one hand the figure was holding a large scythe, the other was held out towards him.

“Who the hell are you? Wait...are you Him... you know, the Grim Reaper?”

The figure looked down at its robe, then up at its scythe, before returning its hidden gaze to Terry.

“Clearly a member of the Observation Corps... pun not intended,” It remarked. Terry frowned at the figure. As much as a black hole into the void, it frowned back.

“Ok, so now what?”

“That is the interesting bit. You do not have to die now. There is a way to continue. However... it will be costly.”

“I can be saved?” said Terry, his face slowly lighting up. “I can avoid getting hit by that car?”

“Avoid the car, yes. Saved? I wouldn’t go that far. It really is quite simple- to buy your life, you must sell your soul.” The figure stood there, steady as a rock, only the slightest of movement as small bits of the cloak swayed in an unknown breeze. Terry stared back. He wasn’t sure. This was.... not right. He could instinctively feel that this price...this was high. This was the highest price you could ever pay for something. However.... he would avoid the car. The temptation was strong. He could avoid this fate. Yes, it’ll cost him.... but he can pay fate when the time comes. Right here, right now, the car was the only thing that mattered. He could avoid it.

“I’ll do it.” He said, looking at the car, then back at the Reaper. “I’ll take the offer.”

“So be it”, said the Reaper, and he swept his arm in a wide arc. The cloak flowed out behind it, spreading outwards, stretching out to fill the entire world in an all-consuming, rustling blackness.

Terry felt a sudden hollow feeling deep inside him and his sight returned. The Reaper was gone and the car was once again bearing down on him. However, the world seemed to be in slow motion.. Terry looked around, taking in all of his surroundings as the car inched closer... he leapt to the side, throwing himself through the air as the Smart Car swept by, missing him by mere inches. Terry looked up just in time to see the Rolls-Royce smash into his chest, shattering him. The world turned grey once again.

“You again?” said the Reaper, looking down at Terry. This time the world was seemingly still moving on around them. Grey shadows flitted to and fro as the cars stopped and people panicked. “You sold your actual soul and then jumped into the path of another car? Surely you must have seen it coming!”

“Of course I saw it coming,” said Terry, indignantly.

“Then why did you jump in front of it? It makes no sense.”

“Do you really think I’m going to let myself be killed by a Smart Car? I’d never live it down!”