He’d eaten everything and was just mopping up the last of the sauce with the last bread bun.
‘That was gorgeous,’ he smiled.
Joy began piling everything onto her tray.
‘I’ll be right back with your dessert,’ she smiled. Bussing the tray to the kitchen before returning for his dessert, another mug of tea, and a second milkshake. Placing each item on the table his eyes widened.
‘I didn’t order more drinks.’
‘They’re on me, make up for the inhospitality when you arrived.’ She gave him a huge warm smile and winked. He never said another word, just dived right into the cake. Whilst he ate she filled a clear bag with cookies, the large kind you buy one of as a treat and added a blue ribbon. And a reduced sticker. Then as he left his table to come pay she moved to meet him at the till. Making a show of putting the cookies on the counter beside it.
‘What are those?’ he asked.
‘They’re the last of the cookies. They looked all lonely on the trays on their own, one of each kind in that bag. They’d make a nice gift I thought, or perhaps a treat for later.’ She smiled prettily again and told him the price of his dinner.
‘I’ll take the cookies as well please.’ He picked them up.
‘Anything else sir? Perhaps a sausage roll for your tea?’ She kept smiling.
‘Ay go on then, give me one of the large sausage rolls, and two corned beef pasties.’ He gestured under the counter.
‘And for dessert?’ she asked, as if it was a habit.
‘Perhaps an apple pie.’
‘Oh, we only have the large ones.’ she smiled apologetically.
‘That’s fine, I can eat it over a couple of days,’ he said. Then he added almost as an afterthought. ‘I have some family staying.’
‘Oh how lovely. They’ll enjoy it I’m sure. Would you like a pot of our custard to serve with it?’
‘Yeah why not, nothing better than pie and custard.’
‘I completely agree.’ She smiled and added it to the bag she’d begun to fill. ‘Will that be all?’
‘Yeah, I think so.’ He looked down at the bag and she gave him the new total. Smiling as she did. He handed over the cash with a slight frown.
‘You enjoy that now, and I hope your family enjoys the pie,’ she called as he left.
‘Thank you.’ He turned back frowning. ‘They will probably devour the lot before I get any.’
‘Oh, I hope not,’ she giggled and he flushed.
‘Holy hell, how did you get him to buy so much food?’ Judy asked coming over.
‘I don’t know, I honestly thought he was going to keel over from a heart attack. I put double portions on everything.’
‘Guy nearly had a heart attack in the kitchen when he saw the size of the dessert you served him. Never mind giving him second servings of drinks for free.’ She laughed, gesturing to the kitchen door.
She’d had a second instruction that day to share the book with someone. She’d already bought a new copy.
‘Have you heard of The Soul game?’ she whispered to Judy.
‘No, I mean, I’ve seen some articles but it’s just a self-help book, isn’t it?’ she smirked as if the very idea of self-help books were worthless.
‘This one’s different. All the things that have been happening to me, all the good things, are since I started reading that book. Even before you start completing the tasks.’ Joy said.
‘Still sounds kooky to me. You’re saying that getting that apartment, and bumping into that guy, Alex, is all down to the book?’
‘Yeah, some of the tasks are weird and make you feel bad, but afterwards, something amazing always happens,’ Joy went on. ‘I’ve got an extra copy if you fancy giving it a go.’
‘I don’t know.’ She didn’t seem convinced. ‘Let me think about it.’
‘Sure.’ Joy smiled, knowing that by the end of the day Judy would want the book. That was just the way it worked.
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE: MAËL
Mike was unapologetically crying, loud chest heaving sobs that made him feel empty inside. He had no one to apologise to. The housekeeper and groundsman had gone to their own cottage and wouldn’t return until the morning.
He’d run a bath, grabbed a bottle of Demon Whisky, and dropped his clothes on the bathroom floor. He just didn’t care anymore. About anything. All he’d wanted was love. A woman who loved him as much as he loved her, someone who loved the same books, the same movies, the same kind of pizza. He’d found all that in Joy.
Glass after glass of whisky seared his throat. He partially emptied the bath with one foot then refilled it with hot water with the other. All without a break in the tears.
‘Wh..hi..high…’ he sobbed at the ceiling. How had it gone so wrong? How had he messed up so bad? How could he have been born a Demon? His early life had been about hiding who and what he was. His entire adult life had been a shuffle between becoming more himself and pretending he wasn’t himself. He didn’t even know who he was anymore, how could Joy be expected to know?
‘Jo..o…oy.’ He poured another glass and drooled as he drank. Trickles of whisky, snot, and tears made their way down his face into the steaming water.
The phone in his trouser pocket began to ring. He used his fist to wipe away the mess of his face.
‘Who the hell is calling now?’ he muttered, turning to stare accusingly at his trousers. The caller gave up and he settled back into the water.
But then it started again. That incessant noise. Why had he picked that ring tone? He slammed the glass on the side a little too hard. Sloshed great waves of water from the bath as he flung himself out. The phone stopped again as he reached his trousers.
‘Oh come on!’ he yelled.
The phone began its incessant ringing a third time, someone wanted to get hold of him, and he dived for it.
‘Hello?’
‘Mike! Where the hell have you been?’ Stan asked.
‘Visiting relatives,’ he stalled, wiping his face with a stray sock. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was. He didn’t want Stan to know he’d been sobbing like a baby.
‘I went to your place, they said you’d left. Moved out.’ Mike frowned. He hadn’t officially moved out yet.
‘Who said?’
‘The landlord, he was measuring it up for the next tenants, big furniture or something,’ Stan said, sounding bored.
‘Really,’ Mike said.
‘Anyway, I grabbed a box of stuff you’d left. They were just going to chuck it out,’ Stan said. ‘Give me the address and I’ll drop it round.’
Mike didn’t know what to tell him. What stuff had he left behind?
‘Can you hold onto it for me? I don’t have anywhere permanent yet.’
‘Sure.’ Stan didn’t sound happy with that idea. Not that he would notice it at his place. ‘You wanna meet up for a drink?’
‘Naw mate, I can’t.’
‘What, ever?’ Stan chuckled but it sounded forced.
‘Not right now, not this week at least. Too much on,’ Mike said.
‘Maybe next week then?’ Stan was trying to sound hopeful but Mike detected irritation. What was he after?
‘Yeah, sure, I’ll give you a call when I’m free.’
Mike stood naked, frowning at the phone after they’d hung up. What if Stan had never been his friend.
CHAPTER NINETY-SIX: ABADDON
Those souls, those pitiless souls, as if they believed they could be accepted into heaven if they completed all the tasks in the Demon soul game. And the writers, how awful to do such a thing to their own kind. It could only be a power play of some sort. Dommiel wondered if the King was aware of what was going on, and what he planned to do about it.
The Demon soul game was even more despicable than the human version. Humans had to commit the seven deadly sins and convince others to play. What the Demons had to do was grotesque. He couldn’t imagine what they wanted so badly that they were willing to do those things a
nd give up their very soul. A soul that would not be reincarnated in any form once the Demon died. Sure, it could slip into the body of some unsuspecting human but that rarely lasted long.
The human body could go on without the soul, it had been proven time and time again. There were some very successful soulless humans. A demon would die within weeks without its soul.
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN: PINK
Joy woke up energized and terrified. Today was going to be the hardest so far and yet she was looking forward to it. It was up to her how she committed the seven deadly sins today, and she already knew how she would include the extra challenge.
She jumped in the shower as she began to make plans. She would call some friends and set up a girls’ night in. Spend the day making a feast and finding the most luxurious dress she owned. She was going to tell them all to dress as if they were going to a kids’ ball; she knew they would understand. They’d talked about doing it last summer, a whimsical idea for some future date. But she was going to make it come true that evening. She smiled at the fun she was planning and stepped out of the shower.
Wrapped in a thick towel, she picked up the phone and dialled. Joy hadn’t thought she’d find anyone she loved more than Mike but Alex, the gorgeous hunk she’d crashed into in the street outside the café, had found her later that day and nervously asked her out. She’d been unable to resist.
‘Hey baby, how come you’re up so early?’ the deep sexy morning voice of Alex flowed down the line.
‘I had the most amazing dream about you,’ she purred. ‘Had to get up and take a cold shower.’
Not entirely true, it had been a hot shower and she’d dreamed about kittens for some reason – big fat ginger kittens. But she’d realised whilst she was planning how she could deal with one sin this morning.
‘Do you need me to come over?’ she could hear him grinning.
‘Yes, right now. How soon can you get here?’ she giggled, drying between her toes.
‘I’ll be there in five. I can give you a full fifteen minutes before I have to rush off to work,’ the phone went dead and she laughed out loud, dropping the now unnecessary towel to the floor.
He was opening the apartment door as she put her toothbrush back in the pot.
‘Come here!’ he said, grabbing her and pulling her towards him.
Waving him out the door with a rather indulgent, yet quickly made, lunch bag under his arm she congratulated herself on finding someone she was perfect with. She turned back to the kitchen bench, clad in a pink satin robe and ran a finger down the cookbook she’d bought a few days earlier. Some of these things she could make but others would require a professional. She began to ring around a few places to see who was most willing to deliver succulent joints of roast meat, tempting gateau and finger foods. Plus, a crate of rather indulgent and far out of her price range wine.
There was something about committing sins that made her completely throw any budget to the wind. The strangest part was the ease with which the money reappeared in her bank account.
As she talked to each chef, cook, catering service, she weighed, poured, mixed, and measured the ingredients she needed. Making a mess of her tiny kitchen and not caring in the slightest.
Then when things were baking and she’d made herself a cup of tea she padded into the sitting area to wrap the gifts. Each in a different coloured paper, each for a different friend – she wasn’t trying to influence the colour they picked, well, not much anyway. Then, with the prepared dishes cooling she decided sloth needed taking care of and, ignoring the washing up, sprawled on the sofa for a long nap.
‘Joy!’ Casey yelled in shock. Joy forgot she’d left the door unlocked and was sleeping, legs dangling over the edge of the sofa, hair wild, in nothing but a short satin robe.
She sat up and yawned, stretching and eyeing her friend.
‘The party isn’t until tonight,’ Joy muttered.
‘Yes, I know, I can’t get a sitter.’ Casey was beginning to clean up for Joy, disgusted at the mess. ‘You can’t have a party with the place in this kind of mess.’
‘I’ll take care of it,’ Joy said, taking a mug to the sink. A little miffed that her friend would presume to clear up after her. ‘Can’t your mother have them?’
‘No, she’s away for a week and the usual sitter’s sick.’ She was wiping down the benches as she talked. Joy let her get on with it, she didn’t want to clean. ‘I’ve tried everyone I can think of that you haven’t invited.’
‘So you’re not coming?’ Joy was shocked. Casey was one of her best friends, how could she let her down like this, just ’cause she had a couple of brats to take care of. Weren’t they old enough to sit for themselves yet? ‘But we planned this for ages.’
Casey frowned and rinsed out the cloth in the sink.
‘Last year, don’t you remember?’ Joy knew she was starting to sound like a petulant child.
‘No Joy, I don’t. I barely remember last week.’ She gave her a wary smile. ‘We can do the next one at my place or something.’
‘Your place?’ Jesus what was the matter with her, that was just petty. ‘Sorry, that didn’t come out the way I meant it to.’
‘I think it did.’ Casey wasn’t being so friendly now, and she’d stopped cleaning. ‘If you want your house back just say, I can find somewhere else.’
‘No, that’s not what I meant.’ Joy tried to correct her mistake.
‘I got offered a new job, down south, in my cousin’s new place. I wasn’t going to take it, but maybe I should.’ Casey was watching Joy for a reaction. ‘It would be good for the boys to be around family. And you can have your place back.’
‘Casey, seriously, I didn’t mean I wanted you to move out. I don’t even want to move back in.’ Joy was exasperated. ‘It’s awesome that you got offered a job.’
‘Well, you could sell your house, maybe move somewhere new yourself,’ Casey said throwing the dishcloth in the sink. ‘I’ll talk to you some other time; I can see you’ve got loads still to do.’
‘Casey…’ Joy called after her friend as she stormed out. Did that take care of wrath? She wondered. But she didn’t have time to think about it. No sooner had the door clicked shut then the doorbell went.
When she opened it, she looked upon the prettiest green eyes over the top of a stack of white boxes.
‘Hi, I’m Lush from Terry’s Catering? I’ve brought your order, where would you like it?’ The eyes crinkled letting Joy know she was smiling.
‘Oh, right, on the bench if you don’t mind.’ Joy stepped aside.
‘Wow, I love your place,’ Lush said.
‘Thanks.’ Joy swiped hair out of her face. How long did she have to get ready?
‘You should consider some fairy lights.’ Lush gestured at the beams around the top of the kitchen. Joy pondered the idea, did she have any fairy lights?
‘That’s not a bad idea.’
‘Do you know what, I have some I was going to throw out. My boyfriend said we should redecorate and go more modern. I could go get them if you wanted them for your party?’ Lush offered.
‘I’m not sure,’ Joy said frowning, she’d just met the girl. ‘I mean, I have so much to do to get ready.’
‘It’s not a problem, honestly, and if you don’t get around to putting them up this time at least you’ll have them for the next one.’ Lush was already heading out the door when she turned back. ‘You should get those top two boxes in the fridge if you can.’
‘Right, thanks,’ Joy said beginning to feel like the day might be getting away from her.
It wasn’t long before Lush returned. She ducked into the bathroom to get ready whilst Lush put up the fairy lights.
‘Wow, you look amazing,’ Lush said from on top of the ladder as Joy emerged.
‘Thanks, you didn’t have to do that you know,’ Joy told her adjusting the dark pink sash she’d tied around her dusky pink dress. She couldn’t decide if the net underskirts were taking it too far or not.
‘Like one of those posh photo shoot models that’re selling perfume or something,’ Lush continued.
‘All we need is a chandelier in the trees and we’re good to go.’ Joy laughed. ‘But seriously, you didn’t have to do that. It does look really great, though.’
The fairy lights were strung around the small apartment giving it a cosy twinkly feeling.
‘You were in such a panic when I got back.’ Lush laughed. ‘I hope you have a great night.’
‘Would you like to stay?’ Joy felt she had to offer.
‘No, I mean I’d love to but I’ve got a hot date with the boyf tonight, we’ve been planning it for weeks. Dinner on the river boat.’ Lush grinned.
‘Oh sounds wonderful.’
‘Yeah, the chef is to die for, and champagne on the deck under the stars is just fantastic.’ Lush let her voice drop to a husky level.
‘I might have to try that some time.’ Joy thought it sounded amazing.
‘I’ll drop you in their details next time I’m by this way, it’s ludicrously expensive so I hope you’ve got a man who can afford the luxuries.’ Lush grinned. ‘I got lucky with mine, he’s the best at what he does.’
‘Really?’ Joy almost sighed at the thought of having someone able to pay for everything. She let herself want it, imagine it, knowing she would never get it.
‘Yeah, when I first met him I wasn’t sure, not my usual type at all. But now it’s like we were made for each other.’ Lush grinned dreamily. ‘Right, I best get going before your guests arrive. Have a great evening.’
The Soul Game Page 28