Devil’s Delight – Room 101

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. I try to do them in 101 words but sometime not.  .  The prompt was ‘Devil’s Delight’

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Leyak rapped against the heavy wooden door and stepped back and waited.  Beyond he could hear the shuffling of feet but no call to enter came.

“Knock again” urged Abraxas.  “He needs to come out.  They’re expecting him.”

“Shut up will you, you’re not the one doing the knocking” Leyak snapped taking a deep breath and raising a trembling hand to knock again.   He could feel the heat seeping from the room beyond and if he had a heart then it would most certainly have been pounding.  “You know what he’s like this time of year.”

Abraxas ran a curled claw down the column of a sheet clamped to the clipboard in his hand his eyes hovering over the numbers.  His nostrils flared and his skin glowed red as small flames danced between the short black horns on his head.  “Fine, I ‘ll do it.” he said sharply knocking on the door.  “We really don’t have time for this.  He’s due out tonight and it’s in his contract.”

With a sharp thud and a rumbling of thunder a deep voice, full of dread and malice barked back.

“Leave me alone, I don’t want to do it.”

“Sir please” pleaded Abraxas.  “This is it.  Your big finale, the thing these last six thousand years have been leading to.”

“No, I’m tired of being the bad guy.  Get someone else to do it.”

The imps exchanged confused glances.

“Sir?  I’m sorry but there is no one else.  This is your gig.  Your crowning glory.  Your time to reign.”  Said Abraxas leaning in towards the door warily.

“Plus we all get to get out for a bit boss” added Leyak, “and I know the lads are really looking forward to it.”

“Well I don’t want to.  Why is it that I have to do this.  If I am honest, I actually like things just as they are and I’ve become quite accustomed to it and I really don’t like change.  Plus it’s just not fair.”

Abraxas reached cautiously for the door handle.

“And another thing” came the voice from behind the door.  “I am pretty certain that I’m getting a pretty raw deal you know.  After all these years and all the awful things he let happen I have to turn up and be the bad guy and he then gets to save the day.  I don’t recall that being in my contract.”

“But sir, you made her eat the apple” said Abraxas impatiently.

The floor shook as a roar tore through the air the door shaking and both Abraxas and Leyak cowered pressed against the wall.

“I’ll have you know I never made her do a damned thing” he bellowed, heavy footsteps approaching the door.  “She wanted it and anyway, it was just a bloody apple.  You know what the problem is don’t you?  Do you want me to tell you?”

He waited for the cowering creatures to respond and when they didn’t he carried on anyway.

“The problem is, is that he is a bit of a twat to be honest.  It was just a bloody apple and he then goes off on one being all vengeful and dickish and ends up killing his own son over it.”

Leyak pulled himself back to his feet and took the clipboard from Abraxas who remained curled up in a ball on the floor.

“Sir please, we really need to go there’s a schedule to keep.”

There was a deep sight before the creature spoke again.  “Okay, but Let me ask you this.” There was a melancholy tone in it’s voice as the door handle turned slowly.  “Am I really that bad?  Did I really deserve this?”

“I understand boss I do” answered Leyak.  “And no I dont think you deserve it at all but it’s in the contract sir, and we really need to get going.  And think about the lads boss, it’s been a while for them.”

The door swung slowly open on its heavy metal hinges and the creature stood in the doorway.

“How do I look?” he asked running his fingers through his hair.

Leyak smiled as Abraxas looked up from his position on the floor.

“Like the best damned POTUS there’s ever been boss…”