GA Writing Prompts - 40. Various Prompts 2: Invitation to Hell

Invitation to Hell

# 163

(You’ve just moved into a new place. While busy still trying to get everything organized there is a knock on the door. You find a delivery guy there with a present for you new place. What did you get and who is it from?)

My story is hard to tell and even harder to believe, but I swear it’s all true. All happened precisely as I have stated it. It began on a morning in July 2008. I had moved into my new apartment the previous day and I had gotten up early to organize things. There was a lot be done. I needed to unpack about fifteen boxes and I wanted to get it done by the end of the day.

It was about eleven in the morning when I heard a knock on the door. I stood for a moment, wondering if I had been mistaken, but then there was another knock. I put the pile of plates that I had just taken out from a box on the floor and moved down the corridor to the door. There was another knock. I opened the door and looked out.

A delivery guy stood outside, smiled briefly and asked my name. I nodded slowly, feeling slightly confused. I had not ordered anything. Anyway, I took the parcel from his hands. He asked me to sign, then turned around and hastened down the stairs. I closed the door and looked at the parcel. No return address. I found it very odd.

I took the parcel to the kitchen counter and opened the box. It contained a small hour glass, elaborately crafted, with ochre-coloured sand in it. I gazed at the hour glass in total confusion. I examined the parcel more thoroughly and found a card in it. It said ‘Time is running out. Respectfully, L.F.A.’.

L.F.A. The letters didn’t ring a bell. I had not the faintest idea who had sent me the parcel. Perhaps I had received it mistakenly. I turned the card and saw my name: Kerwin Dwyer. Correct. A strange feeling took hold of me. I was suddenly feeling nervous, downright alarmed. Now I that know that I had had a sense of foreboding. But that day I shrugged the feeling off, put the hour glass aside and turned back to unpacking my stuff. The parcel was only a joke, I thought. And more so the card and the mysterious message on it.

# 156
(Cue – Nightmare. You haven’t been sleeping lately, In fact you have been having this really horrible nightmare nearly every night. The only problem is, you are pretty sure you haven’t gone to sleep and everything is starting to happen like it did in your nightmare. What is happening?)

Two weeks passed by. I had finished unpacking and I was slowly settling in. I had placed the hour glass and the card in a drawer and had forgotten about them. Everything was fine. I was feeling comfortable in my new home. There was only one thing that annoyed me slightly. I had not been sleeping well the previous three nights. A nightmare had haunted me. I couldn’t make sense of it. A gate opened wide and I heard a mocking laughter from the other side of the threshold. The sound made my skin crawl and I tried to turn around and run, but I was unable to and instead approached the gate, was downright drawn to it. I awoke each time when I was just crossing the gate and found myself drowned in sweat. I ascribed the bad dreams to the overall change of things, the stress, and the hot weather. It was the beginning of August and we were having a heat wave.

The dream had started a little different the previous night. I was in a restaurant. A young woman began to pass my table and turned suddenly. She turned pale before she grabbed my hand and looked totally scared. She opened her mouth, but before she was able to say a thing, the dream changed and I found myself in front of the mysterious gate.

I was having a headache and opened a drawer to look for an aspirin. I spotted the hour glass and the card from the stranger. L.F.A. I had still not identified the sender. My headaches grew suddenly worse and I was feeling very sick. I rushed to the bathroom.

# 208

(Tag – The Medium. Well, your life hasn’t exactly been going as you wished. One day you go for lunch at the local restaurant only to have a young woman begin to pass your table and turn suddenly. She turns pale before she grabs your hand. What is it this medium has to tell you that has her so scared?

I was luckily feeling better soon and left my apartment at about noon. It was a beautiful Sunday and I intended to have lunch in a restaurant and then go for a walk in the nearby park and maybe sit down on a bench in the shades and read a book.

I entered my preferred Italian restaurant, sat down at a table and ordered lasagne and a green salad. I enjoyed the meal and wondered what had caused the headaches in the morning. I thought of the bad dreams for an instant, but then pushed the thoughts aside.

I was just waving for the waitress, when a young woman began to pass my table and turned suddenly. She turned pale before she grabbed my hand and looked totally scared. She opened her mouth and I gazed at her and suddenly felt weak and sick.

"Don’t cross that gate," the woman said urgently. "Don’t do it. Don’t. Listen, you..."

She was interrupted by the owner of the restaurant, a stout man, who seized her by the elbow and ushered her out of the restaurant.

"Don’t listen to her, Mister Dwyer," he said when he returned. "She claims to be a medium, but she’s just nuts. She has been in a psychiatric hospital for six months. She had lunch here often before she went crazy. I hoped she would never come back. Sorry, Mister Dwyer."

"It’s okay," I said slowly and hid my shock behind an artificial smile.

A part of my horrible nightmare had just become real. I looked into nowhere for a while, left in disbelief. I was feeling cold despite the heat. A shadow had turned the beautiful day into something ugly and weird.

# 210

(As if things didn't go wrong normally, you were killed accidentally this morning when a bus driver swerved on a wet road to avoid a kitten and plowed right into the coffee shop where you were waiting to get your morning coffee. Instead of a trip to heaven or hell, you are met and told you are actually going to work as grim reaper. What is your first day on the job like?)

But it was getting even weirder. I dreamed again that night. I dreamed I was killed accidentally in the morning when a bus driver swerved on a wet road to avoid a kitten and plowed right into the coffee shop where I was waiting to get my morning coffee. I saw my body lying dead on the floor. I felt regret, but then turned away, moved ahead and suddenly stood in front of the gate. The gate opened wide and I heard the mocking laughter from the other side. This time, however, the laughter suddenly stopped and silence fell. A silence, oppressive and eerie. It made me feel cold and frightened.

And then a man crossed the gate. He came from the other side. The man was middle-aged and entirely dressed in black. His face was not really handsome, but nonetheless appealing. He reached out his hand to me and smiled a winning smile.

"Mr. Dwyer, so glad to meet you," he said politely and with an amiable smile. "Lou F. Angel," he continued, shaking my hand.

The touch of his hand was like an electric shock. I felt instantly energized and revived. He saw it and gave me an appreciative nod. His smile broadened.

"Mr. Dwyer, I was looking forward to meet you. I’m convinced you will fit in well with our team and add to our accomplishment of goals. I have studied you and I think you’re highly qualified," he said.

I gave him a questioning look. Who the hell was the man? Had I sent him my application papers?

The man, Lou F. Angel, led me through the gate and took me to an office room. There things finally cleared up. He told me that I was going to work as grim reaper, albeit not on my own in the beginning. We were a team of three. My new boss reached out and seized the receiver of the phone that was placed on his desk. He typed a number and asked my new co-workers to come to the room.

I awoke with a start. Sweat covered my forehead and my heart was beating wildly. I got up, albeit it was only four in the morning, but I feared to close my eyes again. I feared to fall asleep and maybe never wake up. I feared to join the grim reaper team.

# 188

(You joked when everything seemed to go wrong that you would take a job from the devil himself if it meant you could turn your life around and get out from under. A week later you got a job offer from Infernal Industries to work for one Lou F. Angel as a manager. Once you see what the pay and benefits are you quickly accept the offer. What happens when you realize you are working for the Devil? Your new boss’s full name is Lucifer Fallen Angel.)

My fear disappeared once morning had broken. I decided to take a vacation. Two weeks later I left for Spain and spent two weeks under a scorching sun on the beach. The stress symptoms and the dreams disappeared. Everything was fine and summer and autumn passed by. And then I lost my job. The company I had worked with as a recruiter had become insolvent. I had not seen it coming.

I was confident in the beginning and applied for other jobs. But whatever I tried, it was in vain. It was already March the following year, when I finally admitted to myself that things were incredibly bad. I was running out of money. I was becoming increasingly desperate.

It was on a Sunday morning when I joked on the phone that I would take a job from the devil himself if it meant I could turn my life around and get out from under. My mother scolded me for my thoughts and I told her that I had just been joking. I ended the call and gazed at the phone in my hand. A strange, creepy feeling had seized me. I felt as if someone was staring at me and I looked around warily in the room. I scolded myself. I needed to get a grip on myself.

I received a letter the following day. Infernal Industries invited me to a job interview. I didn’t remember I had sent my application papers to the company, but, then again, I had written many letters and I didn’t recall all the companies. I searched the company on the internet, but didn’t find any information. It confused me slightly. I searched on the address and looked up the street in Google maps. It was a small street in the neighbouring town.

I went there on Thursday morning. The building was small, but looked well-preserved. It was secured by an iron fence and a gate. They had an intercom system. I pressed a button like they had told to do in their letter and a male voice answered an instant later. For the briefest of time I thought I was hearing a mocking laughter in the background, but the irritating sound stopped abruptly and I told myself that I had been mistaken.

The gate opened wide. I stood for an instant and suddenly felt the urge to turn around and run. I clenched my teeth. I was just being nervous. I needed to get a grip on myself. I crossed the gate and approached the building. I went to the entrance door and rang the bell. Half a minute later, the door was opened. A middle-aged man, dressed in a black suit, welcomed me with a winning smile.

For the split of a second, I was alarmed, downright scared. The man studied me. His look was intense. I was under the impression he could read my thoughts. He made a vague gesture with his hand. My fear disappeared. It almost seemed he had wiped it away. His smile broadened and he welcomed me warmly. He introduced himself. His name was Lou F. Angel. He was the manager of the company. The boss had personally opened the door.

He led me to an office room and asked me if I wanted a drink. An attractive young woman brought me a cup of coffee. Lou F. Angel said a good coffee was black as the devil and hot as hell. He smiled and I smiled back in return, not knowing what else to do. I took another sip of the coffee while the man opened the folder with my application papers. He looked at me.

"Your employment references are excellent," he said. "You have worked as a recruiter for five years. Alas, you have not managed to find yourself a new job."

He looked at me and I felt instantly ashamed of my failure. He measured me with a grave look. I fidgeted in my chair. Lou F. Angel smiled warmly and a twinkle appeared in his eyes.

"You’re exactly the man we were looking for, Kerwin. I’m convinced you will fit in well with our team and add to our accomplishment of goals. I have studied you and I think you’re highly qualified," he said.

I felt relieved, almost grateful. Lou F. Angel leaned forward and told me more about my future job as a recruiter of Infernal Industries. The pay and benefits were excellent. Lou F. Angel renewed his job offer and I gladly accepted it. I signed the contract, and then my new boss introduced me to my co-workers Grimsley and Blake. We were a team of three. Blake was a stout and grim looking man. I felt intimidated by him. Grimsley was tall and slim with a pale face and fair hair. He had an impish twinkle in his eyes. I did not particularly like both men at first sight, but I told myself to not be prejudiced and not judge from looks.

Fifteen minutes later, I left the building, feeling happy and relieved. I had finally found a new job. And more so, the job was excellently paid. However, as soon as I had passed the gate, I suddenly felt tired and almost depressed. I sensed a total energy loss and wondered why I was suddenly feeling distressed. However, I shook off the feelings.

I started work the following day. My boss was absent. Blake, my grim looking colleague, handed me a list with five names and five folders with details on the persons. The men were all blacksmiths and Blake asked me to find out about their qualifications and find the most qualified man. He left me alone in my office room and I started to work through the documents. The work would distract me from my concerns.

I had awoken in the morning with a feeling of certainty that I had made a big mistake. A voice in the back of my head tried to speak to me, but I suppressed it successfully. As soon as I had entered the building of Infernal Industries, I had felt better. I was feeling good and meanwhile almost ecstatic.

A knock on the door shook me out of my thoughts. Grimsley, the fair haired man entered my room with a cup in his hand. He measured me with an odd look and asked me how I was doing. I told him of the work Blake had assigned me to do. Grimsley looked at the papers and then turned his eyes to the window. His face showed a sad expression when he looked back at me.

"Kerwin Dwyer. I understand that your name intrigued him," he said.

"Pardon?" I asked, not knowing what he was alluding to.

Grimsley smiled faintly. He held up the cup. "Little dark wise one," he said. "A good coffee is black as the devil and hot as hell. However, I do not like its taste."

I gazed at him in confusion. He was speaking in riddles.

"So why are you drinking it?" I asked.

"I can’t get out of here," he replied.

"What do mean?" I asked back. Grimsley started to annoy me.

"I don’t want to unleash hell," he said under in his breath.

We looked at each other. I finally shrugged. Grimsley smiled faintly.

"Reality will soon catch up with you," he said. "We have something in common, Kerwin. He cannot manipulate our minds entirely. This is why I see a chance. You and me, together, we could make it."

I leaned back in my chair and gazed at him. What the hell was he talking about? Was he making a pass on me? I smiled at him curtly and then turned back to the papers on my desk. Grimsley left the room.

A week passed by. They had assigned me paper work. I didn’t see my boss and Grimsley until Friday. Only Blake now and then came to my room. I was under the impression he supervised my work and watched how I was doing.

Things changed drastically on the weekend. First, the nightmare returned. I awoke with a start, covered with sweat and tried to reject the truth that formed in my mind. I had crossed the gate in my dream. Lou F. Angel had interviewed me and had offered me a job as grim reaper.

I was totally shocked and didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to face the truth. I remembered the tranquilizer pills that I had bought when the nightmares had bothered me. I opened the drawer and there I spotted them, the hour glass and the card with the words ‘Time is running out’ on it. I took the card with a trembling hand and looked at the letters under the line: A.F.L, the anonymous sender. Not a stranger anymore. The scales fell from my eyes. L.F.A., Lou F. Angel, my new boss had sent me the hour glass and the card many months ago.

I jumped at a knock on the door. For the split of a second, I considered jumping out of the window. Another knock. I forced myself to calm down. I went down the corridor. I opened the door and looked out fearfully. Grimsley stood outside. We gazed at each other.

"I need to talk with you," he said in a ragged voice and with a haunted look in his eyes.

"Come in," I said and quickly closed the door.

Grimsley looked at me warily. "There’s something you must know," he said.

"I have just found out about it," I replied, holding up the hour glass and the card that I was still carrying in my hands.

Grimsley looked between the hour glass and the card.

"L.F.A. Lou Fallen Angel, that’s how he calls himself to newcomers in order to cheat them. Lucifer is his real name," he said.

"How can it be?" I asked helplessly.

Grimsley smiled almost shyly. "He and his companions were banned from heaven. They were banned to Earth. Here’s where they dwell. They have dwelled here for aeons. They have just adapted to modern times. Lou put his black hooded robe aside and now wears tailor-made suits," he said.

"What about Blake?" I asked.

"Joined them centuries ago," Grimsley said with a shrug. "He’s very loyal to Lou. That’s why we need to be cautious."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

I made a gesture with my hand and led Grimsley to my living room. He sat down on the couch and smiled at me impishly.

"I’m not exactly what they think I am. So far, I was able to hide my true identity. I got in there accidentally, so to speak. But, alas, I can’t get out on my own. I can’t get it started, you know. Someone must cut a deal with me," he said.

"What?" I asked, gazing at him.

Grimsley smiled wickedly. "Let me explain," he said.

# 206

(There is a long standing story that if any of the fairy folk ask you to dance, never say yes. Unfortunately you never liked to listen to people and you said yes. What happens when you are finally done with the dance?)

"There is a long standing story that if any of the fairy folk ask you to dance, never say yes," Grimsley said. "Would you say yes if one asked you?"

I gazed at him, certain now that he was nuts. I crossed my arms. "Certainly not," I said in a reserved voice.

"Would you say yes if I asked you?" Grimsley asked.

I didn’t reply, just kept looking at him, wondering how I could make him leave my apartment.

"Would you?" Grimsley asked with some urgency.

"Well, yes, why not," I said in order to not stir his anger.

I rose from the couch, determined now to throw him out. Grimsley’s eyes widened expectantly.

"Say it again," he said ecstatically. "Would you dance for me?"

"Yes," I said in an annoyed voice.

Grimsley clapped his hands, and then the incredible incident started. A rush of energy streamed through my body. I involuntarily put my arms in the air and started to shake my body. I jumped through the room like a maniac, unable to stop my wild movements. I moved my legs, my arms and my whole body. I whirled around in the room. I danced a dance, wild, ecstatic and frantic until the energy suddenly left my body and I fell to the floor. My heart was beating wildly and my breathing was ragged. I was totally exhausted. A few minutes passed, and then I finally got up. I gazed at Grimsley in shock. Grimsley smiled impishly.

"You’re..." I started.

"Yes," Grimsley said. He leaned forward with an intent look. "Do you understand now, Kerwin Dwyer? I’m a member of the Fey."

# 195

(Things have gone wrong and you are left with no choice. The only way to possibly make this right is to cut a deal with a member of the Fey. Everyone warns you that any deal you cut will only favor them. When the time comes, you meet a totally captivating Fey who agrees to broker a deal with you. What is the deal and why did you have to make one with a Fey?)

It took a few minutes until I had entirely grasped it.

"What the hell...," I started.

Grimsley raised his hand.

"Don’t mention this place again, Kerwin Dwyer. The place intrigued me many years ago. I was curious to learn more about Lucifer. I ended up in his den, so to speak. It was my fault. I am to blame. They caught me when I was sneaking about at their gate. They dragged me in and I cannot go. I pretend I have become one of them, but I’m still who I am. I’m looking for a way out of it and I finally see a chance," he said.

"How?" I asked. "Why can’t you go?"

"Could you go?" Grimsley asked back.

I pondered. "I’m not sure," I admitted. "I feel drawn to the building. I feel happy inside. I feel totally unhappy when I have left it."

Grimsley nodded. "Lucifer manipulates the minds of the chosen ones. He usually manages in the blink of an eye," he said.

I nodded slowly. I remembered Lou Angel’s faint gesture that had wiped away my concerns.

"I see," I replied.

"He cannot manipulate me and he has not entirely succeeded on you, mainly because he was absent this week. His influence would have been bigger, if he had been around. He’ll be back on Monday and then he will brainwash you for good. Then you will be entirely lost to him, Kerwin Dwyer," he said.

"What can I do about it?" I asked. "He chose me many months ago," I said with a gesture toward the hour glass that I had placed on the coffee table.

Grimsley looked at it for an instant. He turned his eyes back to me.

"There’s no way out for you, once you have fallen for him. The humans quickly forget. I, however, know a way out of his reach. I have been pondering on it for a long time. I’m certain my plan will work out in the end. So far, I have just not found anyone to collaborate," he said.

"What can we do?" I asked urgently. The prospect of falling for the devil did not please me at all.

Grimsley smiled at me. He looked confident. New hope had apparently filled his heart. His blue eyes twinkled. He looked energized. I looked at him more closely. Grimsley’s smile broadened as my eyes studied his face. A voice in the back of my head tried to warn me. ‘Don’t cut a deal with a member of the Fey. Any deal you cut will only favour them,’ it said. ‘If so,’ I thought with a shrug. Grimsley waited patiently.

"Okay," I said finally. "I do understand. You want me to cut a deal with you."

"Exactly," Grimsley said. A triumphant smile crossed his face briefly. He opened his mouth.

"Wait," I interrupted him.

I was still weighing my odds. A thought occurred to me. I leaned forward and fixed my eyes on Grimsley.

"You cannot get out of Lou’s reach on your own. You must unite forces. That’s what you said, Grimsley," I said. "You want me to ask you to get me out of their reach. Apparently, you think you can help me."

Grimsley measured me calmly. "Exactly," he said in a sober voice. "I can free your mind from his reach."

"I signed a contract with the devil," I said warily. "Can this really be undone?"

"Yes," Grimsley replied, his voice serious now. "I can transport you back in time, a minute before you receive his gift, his invitation." He pointed at the hour glass. "You will receive it again. Break the hour glass and tear up his card. Burn it all and bury the rest. Thus you will reject his invitation. He must accept your decision. That’s how the rules are," he said.

"The rules," I said slowly. I looked at Grimsley, wondering if he was deceiving me. "I didn’t accept his invitation. I had no idea who the hell L.F.A. was."

Grimsley cast me cold look. "But you were hell-bent on finding out, weren’t you? You wished for working for the devil, didn’t you? Else you would have never crossed their gate. You mention hell very often," he said.

My cheeks blushed. I leaned back in my chair. Grimsley was right. I had said I would take a job from the devil himself if it meant I could turn my life around and get out from under. My mother had scolded me for my words. I had only been joking, hadn’t I? I looked aside.

"Be careful what you wish for," Grimsley said in a low voice.

I turned my eyes back to him and swallowed. Grimsley’s eyes rested on my face gravely, but then a small smile showed on his lips.

"I wished to find out more about him and his place. My wish was granted as well," he said drily.

"Okay," I replied. "I want to get out of his reach. You want to leave also. Why can’t you do it alone?"

Grimsley took a breath. "Someone needs to cut a deal with me, a deal that I take advantage of," he said. "That’s how it works for the members of the Fey."

"Understood," I replied. "And your plan would take me to ruin?"

"I have been pondering on it for a long time," Grimsley said. "Like I said, I can transport you back in time. You will receive Lou’s gift again and you must make your choice again. This is all up to you. I will travel back farther in time to the point where I made up my mind to set out for Lucifer’s realm. Thus I will benefit from our deal, because I will not make the same mistake twice."

"Will I make it again?" I asked.

Grimsley shrugged. "The deal must favour me."

"Grimsley," I said in threatening voice.

"You can either fall for him now or take your chance," he replied, crossing his arms.

We gazed at each other. I narrowed my eyes and Grimsley frowned.

"All right," he said resignedly. "I must take advantage of the deal. Else it would not work out. I’ll take you back to the moment Lou’s gift arrives, but I will slightly blur your mind."

"What?" I called out.

"Only slightly," Grimsley said. "Chances are good you remember what A.F.L. stands for, once you see the letters."

"Chances are good," I echoed.

Silence fell.

"Lou will return on Monday," Grimsley said finally. "Two more days to make up your mind." He looked at me intently. "Don’t hesitate too long, Kerwin Dwyer."

I nodded slowly. Grimsley rose to his feet and crossed the room. I looked at the hour glass on the coffee table.

"Wait," I called out.

Grimsley turned around. I looked up and met his gaze.

"Do it," I said. "Time is running out."

"Quite true," Grimsley said with a look at Lucifer’s invitation card.

# 207

(They say for everything there is an opposite. So what is the opposite of those tricky jinns who have people make terrible wishes that end up destroying their lives totally? Meet a fixer. What do they do?)

He stood behind me and placed his hands on my arms.

"Be careful what you wish for. And never say yes when a fairy asks you to dance," he said seriously.

And then my mind got blurred. I sensed a shift of energy and for an instant I felt dizzy. I opened my eyes again and wondered why I was holding a pile of plates in my hands. I shook my head. I was unpacking my boxes. I had moved into my new apartment the previous day. My mind had gone blank for a moment. A grievous symptom of stress.

I was distracted by a knock on the door. I stood for an instant and then moved down the corridor. I opened the door and looked out. A delivery guy was standing outside with a parcel in his hands. I took it to my living room, wondering who had sent it. I opened it and found an hour glass, elaborately crafted, with ochre-coloured sand in it. I gazed at the hour glass in total confusion. I examined the parcel more thoroughly and found a card in it. It said ‘Time is running out. Respectfully, L.F.A.’.

L.F.A. The letters didn’t ring a bell. I had not the faintest idea who had sent me the parcel. Perhaps I had received it mistakenly. I turned the card and saw my name: Kerwin Dwyer. Correct. A strange feeling took hold of me. I was suddenly feeling nervous, downright alarmed. I shrugged the feeling off, put the hour glass aside and turned back to unpacking my stuff.

There was another knock on my door. I sighed and went to open it. A young man stood outside. He smiled at me impishly. I looked at his pale face, the fair hair and his blue eyes. He reminded me of someone I had once met. I looked at him in confusion. He handed me a flyer.

"Just an invitation to the dance on Saturday evening. Would you like to dance?" he asked.

I gazed at him and my face turned pale. He smiled at me impishly.

"Just a reminder," he said, his smile broadening. And then he turned around and hastened down the stairs.

I threw the door shut and hurried into the living room. The scales had fallen from my eyes. I seized the hour glass with a trembling hand and smashed it on the floor. It broke and I was under the impression a dark energy was emerging from it. I grabbed the card and read the letter: A.F.L. Lucifer’s invitation to join him in hell. I tore up the paper instantly.

I burned it all and buried the rest at night, shortly before sunrise. And then I sat quietly at the edge of the wood where I had gone to git rid of the evil. Morning was breaking. I looked at the sky and watched the change of colours. And then I went back home and continued unpacking. This weird part of my life had finally come to an end.