by T L Stokes
He sat down on a bench to catch his breath. It all happened so quickly, he had no time to adjust. He didn’t notice when the figure sat beside him.
“Hello,” the boy sitting next to Stephan said.
“Wha... uh... hi,” Stephan said hoping he would go away. He recognized the boy from his school. He mentioned him to Stell.
‘Not Stell,’ he corrected himself
“My name is Michael,” the boy introduced himself.
“Stephan,” he replied, still wanting the boy to leave.
“Yes I know. I know your friend, Stell,” Michael said staring at Stephan’s face.
“That’s not his name....” Stephan thought out loud.
“Ah, he told you,” Michael confirmed, nodding his head and looking out at the field he and Mephistell had stared at while talking.
“What? You know?” Stephan said coming out of his trance.
‘Maybe this kid knows about Stell... er... Mephistell,’ he corrected himself.
“Yes, we used to have the same boss,” Michael said.
‘Oh no. Another demon?’ Stephan put his head in his hands. Michael chuckled. A musical sound.
“No, I work for a higher power.” When Stephan gave him a confused look he glanced at the sky and then back down at Stephan.
“God? You’re an angel.” Realization struck Stephan. “Michael,” Stephan nodded. “You guys with secret identities have a real sense of humor you know that,” Stephan shook his head.
“Well we have to have some fun, right?” Michael smiled. Stephan shrugged.
“Can you tell me what the hell... sorry... just happened?” Stephan asked. Wincing at the swear.
“It’s alright. And yes, I think I can let you in to what’s going on,” Michael smiled.
“Mephistell made a deal with the Devil. If he told you who he really was, what his job is, and you still loved him, then He would let you be together... but if not...” Michael trailed off.
“Then he goes to hell,” Stephan nodded.
“No, actually, YOU go to hell. What I don’t understand is if you’re not with Mephistell, then you must have said you didn’t love him. But then why are you here?” Michael queried. Realization struck Stephan.
“He traded places with me...” Stephan gasped.
“Ah... despite some bad decisions. Mephistell is a good man... demon... thing...” Michael said before shrugging it off.
“He... he protected me. But he had no right to bet my soul in the first place,” Stephan scowled.
“If it’s any consolation it was tearing him apart, trying to decide what to do. He wished he could take it back,” Michael told Stephan.
“He did?” Stephan asked, shocked.
“Yes, the day before he told you, we talked here. Mephistell and I are mortal enemies. He’s the Demon Lord of fear and death. I’m the archangel in charge of ridding the world of things that cause fear. But that day, he begged for my help and advice. What he feels for you is real. I’m not surprised he took your place,” Michael nodded.
Stephan felt the hot tears pour down his face. Michael got a far off look in his eyes.
“I apologize. I must leave. I wish you the best though. Remember that Mephistell took your place so you could live. Don’t waste his gift,” Michael said before walking off. Stephan sat for a moment crying silently at the mistake he had made. He did still love Stell.
After a moment he stood and headed home. His parents knew something was wrong. His teachers knew. His friends too. But he told no one of what had happened. Francis pestered him for weeks, asking about Stell and what had happened. Stephan shut him out. Over time Stephan realized Michael was right, he couldn’t waste his life grieving for a mistake. Soon people stopped asking and Stephan moved on.
But old wounds are opened easily.......
~ 10 years after Stephan last saw Mephistell...
Stephan arrived home after a long day of work. He stepped inside the house his parents had given him when they moved to Florida. He took off his police uniform and took a hot shower. Stepping out of the shower with a towel around his waist he lay down on the bed. The towel fell from his hips and he crawled under the covers naked. He reached for the remote to his stereo and turned on ‘Mephistell’ by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Following the same pattern he had followed since Mephistell gave his soul to save Stephan, he listened to the music build and climax. He knew the story by heart now. It was the story of Mephistell and Faust. But Faust was replaced by Beethoven for this version of the story.
Beethoven sold his soul for amazing musical genius and when the time limit on his powers went up he was given the choice of destroying his life’s work and no one would remember it, or going to hell.
Stephan wondered if Mephistell saw Beethoven in hell.
Stephan sighed as the song finished and rolled over and fell asleep. He didn’t dream.
Stephan woke up at 6:00 am and hit the button on his alarm clock.
‘Who the hell invented alarm clocks anyways. Horrible way to wake up,’ Stephan thought. He rolled out of bed and quickly dressed in his officer’s uniform.
He walked into the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. Sipping it as he finished getting ready, he fed his fish (he wasn’t home enough to care for a more social animal like a cat or dog).
He glanced at the picture that sat on the windowsill. It was a picture he had taken of himself and Stell back in high School. Everyone always gave him odd looks when they saw the picture. It was of him and Stell sitting on Stell’s bed. Stephan’s arm wrapped around Stell’s shoulder. But what Stephan didn’t know was that Demon didn’t show up on film. The place where Stell’s slim body should have been looked like dead air. But Stephan knew he was there. And it comforted him to look at the picture.
He realized he was running late and took off to the police department.
“You’re late,” Francis said as Stephan finally walked in.
“Yeah, yeah... I got distracted,” Stephan said.
“With what? No girlfriend, no boyfriend, no kids, even Michael isn’t that interesting,” Francis laughed, referring to Stephan’s fish.
“I’ll have you know Michael can be quite the chatterbox during poker night,” Stephan retorted. “What are we doing today?” Stephan asked his partner as he prepared himself for the day.
“You have no say what happens to him, it was his own fault,” Lucifer growled at Michael and Gabriel.
“I have orders from the big man upstairs,” Michael said, wings shifting uneasily. He did not relish being downstairs. It smelled of sulphur and death.
“I don’t care what ‘He’ says. He has no right! He is here of his own free will,” Lucifer roared.
“Then why don’t we ask him,” Gabriel stepped forward.
Lucifer growled as the superior archangel stepped forward, snow white wings flexing, showing the muscle under the soft feathers.
“Fine,” Lucifer scowled at the angel and waved a hand. Mephistell appeared at his feet, naked. Covered in burns and scars of all sorts, he whimpered quietly and shook on the floor. Michael swallowed loudly.
“Mephistell, it’s Michael. You remember me, yes?” Michael tried to get the small quivering form’s attention.
“Be sober.... adversary the devil... roaring lion... whom... devour....” Mephistell mumbled, words being lost or cut short due to his shaking.
“He’s gone mad,” Michael looked towards Gabriel for help.
“How are thou fallen from heaven... morning... cut down to the ground... weaken the nations...” Mephistell curled into a tighter ball. Not acknowledging any of them.
“Mephistell, please. You must pull yourself together, we wish to help you!” Gabriel stepped forward pushing Michael out of the way.
He lay a gentle hand on Stell’s shoulder. Stell winced and screamed.
“Black as it stood as night, fierce as... furies, hell, shook... dreadful dart... kingly crown... Satan... Satan... now at hand,” Mephistell slowly looked at L
ucifer.
“He’s quoting bible verses,” Michael realized. Gabriel glanced at him.
Lucifer hissed at Mephistell and he quickly turned his eyes down.
“Accursed be he who plays with the devil,” Mephistell whispered looking like the small pebbles on the ground were the most interesting thing in the world. He studied them closely.
“Mephistell, do you not remember? Stell... Stell! Do you remember Stephan?” Michael asked.
At the mention of Stephan’s name Stell froze. His mutterings stopped as did the shaking.
“Stephan....” his brow scrunched like he was trying to remember where he left his car keys.
“Let us not love with words or tongue... but... but...” Mephistell paused as if he couldn’t remembered
“But with actions and truth,” Gabriel finished. Mephistell glanced at him, he held his gaze for a moment, before it dropped back down to the pebbles and his shaking resumed.
“We are taking him,” Michael reached for Mephistell.
“You have no right. He is my property. I own him!” Lucifer stepped in front of the quivering mass that used to be a proud demon.
“No, you don’t. You won him in a deal which you made on a human’s soul. That’s not allowed. The boy had not committed any major sins. Your deal is invalid, meaning your... winnings... are as well,” Gabriel stepped up to Lucifer and spread his wings defiantly.
“Step. Aside,” he growled without shifting his gaze. He stood several inches shorter than Lucifer but his wings made up for that tenfold.
Lucifer thought a moment. And with a scowl moved aside from Stell.
Michael picked him up and cradled him to his chest. Mephistell made invisible swirls on Michael’s chest armor before shaking, and burying his face in Michael’s neck.
“Stay away from him and Stephan,” Gabriel said before he took off, followed close behind by Michael.
Chapter Eight
“Francis we just got a call... come on,” Stephan found his partner at the counter of the coffee shop they had stopped at. His partner quickly put a lid on his drink and followed Stephan out to the cruiser.
“So what’s the call?” Francis asked as he sipped his coffee.
“I don’t really know. Apparently some guy was dropped off in front of the hospital and it looked like he took a pretty massive beating, so they called us,” Stephan explained.
“Hmm. Is he conscious?” Francis asked.
“They say he is, but he’s kind of incoherent. Quoting bible verses or something,” Stephan answered.
“Weird,” Francis laughed.
“Yeah.”
10 minutes later they arrived at the hospital.
“Good, you’re here. He’s in room 221,” A nurse at the front desk directed. Stephan nodded his thanks and turned down the hall with Francis. They arrived at the room to see a doctor standing over the form on the bed with a clipboard in hand. He scribbled something down and then looked at them.
“Ah, you’re here. I was hoping you would be able to get something out of him. I don’t think he even knows where he is. He just mutters and whispers things. Won’t even make eye contact. He could have a mental disability we don’t know,” the doctor shrugged.
“Stephan, why don’t you try and talk to him I’ll go talk to the doc ‘bout what’s going on with him,” Francis stepped outside with the doctor. Stephan walked over to the bed and looked down at the man lying in it.
He had a long scar running from his left temple down across his eye over his nose until it reached the right side of his jaw. It looked red and angry. Something about the man reminded Stephan of someone. He shrugged it off and tried to question the man.
“Sir, my name is Officer Bernard. You can call me Stephan though, ok?” Stephan told the younger man.
“Stephan... Stephan... greater... no one... this... lay down... life... his friends,” the man mumbled. His eyes squeezed shut tight. He tossed his head back and forth.
“Can you tell me your name?” Stephan asked.
“Name... what’s... in... name... that... call a rose... by other name... smell... just as... s-sweet,” the man whimpered.
Stephan recognized the Romeo and Juliet quote.
“So not only bible verses huh?” Stephan smiled.
“And now... you claim... not prepared...” the man muttered. Stephan quickly recognized the line
“So much to do you cannot be spared...” Stephan finished.
“Still... entreaties... death... not hear,” the man whimpered into his pillow.
“That’s ‘Mephistell’ by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra....” Stephan realized.
“Meph... Mephistell... Stell...” the young man whispered.
It hit Stephan like a freight train.
“Oh my god... Stell?” Stephan gasped, leaning in towards the younger man.
“Stephan....” he whimpered without opening his eyes. He still didn’t seem to be coherent. But he could still hear, Stephan had proved that.
“Holy shit!” Stephan rushed out of the room.
“Francis!” he leaned out of the door.
“What?”
“It’s Stell!” Stephan shouted. A couple of people turned to stare at him.
“What?” Francis repeated.
“The guy, it’s Stell!” Stephan said again before rushing back into the room. He put a hand on Stell’s arm and the man flinched.
“Holy shit... it is isn’t it. What the hell happened to him?” Francis asked.
“I don’t know...” Stephan trailed off looking into the face he still had dreams about.
“Look... Stephan I still don’t know what happened with you two. But I do know it destroyed you... everyone knew. One day you just came to school and you were like a zombie. You wouldn’t eat or sleep. Your grades were slipping... and he never came back to school. You never wanted to talk about him, so we all figured it was something that happened between you two. Are you sure you can handle this call? We can call someone else in,” Francis said, looking at his partner.
“I’m fine. I can handle it,” Stephan wouldn’t move his gaze from the man’s face.
“What did he do to you...” Stephan whispered.
“What?” Francis asked.
“Nothing,” Stephan answered.
“Doc, what are you going to do with him?” Stephan asked.
“Well, because of his behavior we will probably put him in the psych ward. No one has reported him missing. No one has claimed him.
“He has no family. I’m the closest thing he has. I’ll take care of him.” Stephan glanced back down at the figure who seemed to be sleeping. He had large black circles under his eyes. It looked like he never got a chance to properly sleep.
“Stephan, you haven’t even seen him in what? 10 years?” Francis asked.
“So,” Stephan growled. Francis sighed and gave up.
“Alright well we need to keep him here for a couple days to make sure he’s OK,” the doctor said looking at Stephan.
“After that, I can take him home can’t I?” Stephan asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ll look into it,” the doctor said.
“Alright,” Stephan replied, still holding the frail hand in his. Stell never looked like this. He was always strong, even arrogant sometimes. Never this weak and defenseless.
“Stell, please wake up,” Stephan whispered in his ear before kissing his temple.
“Stephan, we got another call we gotta go,” Francis said. Stephan looked up.
“I’ll be back later,” Stephan whispered into Stell’s ear. He thought he felt the man squeeze his hand but he studied his face for a moment and saw nothing.
Stephan turned and walked out of the hospital with Francis leading the way. All he wanted to do was go back and hug Stell tight to his chest, to make sure no one would ever hurt him again.
Stephan had just finished a long day at work and planned on showering and then going back to the hospital to sit with Stell.
‘Seein
g him that way was just so weird,’ Stephan thought to himself.
“Yes, I thought the same thing.”
Stephan jumped at the voice.
“God damn it!” Stephan shouted.
“Hey now,” Michael scrunched his brow in disapproval.
“Sorry....” Stephan muttered, blushing heavily.
“It’s alright. Long time no see. So, you saw Stell,” Michael nodded.
“Yeah, what’s he doing here? I thought he was, you know, damned to eternal suffering and all that jazz,” Stephan asked, guilt chewing at him.
“Yes well. I may have pulled a few strings upstairs,” Michael smiled.
“It took you 10 years?” Stephan raised an eyebrow.
“I worked as fast as I could, there were other things that needed doing. Saving a demon from hell wasn’t exactly top priority,” Michael laughed.
“I guess I can understand that. What happened to him, he’s not really all there is he?” Stephan asked worried about the answer.
“No, I’m afraid not. It seems he’s lost his mind. Most of the time he doesn’t even realize where he is or who the other people around him are. We rescued him about three months ago. Had to deal with some stuff before I could send him on down here to you. I’ve been working with him trying to get him to at least realize who he is and what’s happened. But I haven’t had much luck,” Michael looked sad. “I wish I could have gotten to him sooner.”
“You did your best. Better late than never, yeah?” Stephan tried to cheer the angel up.
“I suppose. I figure if anyone could bring him back to reality, it would be you. I’ll mess around in some people’s heads and get it so that you can take him home,” Michael said.
“Are you allowed to do that?” Stephan asked.
“No,” Michael answered. They both laughed.
“I have to go. Take good care of him.” And then the angel was gone.