The Deal

by David Gallie

  A lot of things just did not add up for me, but I had more than enough questions floating around in my head and I certainly did not want any more clouding my judgment. I had started the day with a mission to find out why my wife had been committed to Muirmill and that was all I was going to focus on until I got some sort of an answer.

  I could feel my gaze being drawn to the desk where Dr. Williams would have sat and written his daily patient notes. The desk was almost identical to the one I had found in the kindergarten classroom except it was maybe a little larger. Making my way around to where Williams would have been seated, I pulled the leather chair out of the way. Almost instantly my eyes fell on the congealed pool of blood on the seat of the chair.

  Making such a discovery at any other point in my life would have unnerved or possibly even made me feel a little afraid of what I was getting into to. But after seeing the things I had and already working under the assumption that the occupants of the asylum weren’t simply allowed to skip freely out of the front doors, it actually came as no surprise.

  As I shoved the leather bound chair further out of the way until it bumped against the nearest bookcase, I imagined that the Grimoyle probably gave the good doctor a surprise lobotomy while he was typing up one last patient report.

  There were two drawers on the side of the desk, the smaller one at the top had been wrenched open and left that way to show scavengers such as myself that there was nothing in it. The bigger drawer at the bottom was still closed, though, and for some reason, that got my pulse going with anticipation.

  Was I going to find a nasty little surprise, like a severed head or something awful along those lines? Or could it simply be that the drawer had been closed after it was raided and all I was going to see was nothing but five years’ worth of accumulated dust?

  My palms grew slick with sweat as I reached out and grabbed the drawer handle. I only had to tug at it before it was quietly being drawn along its metal runners. I breathed a sigh of a relief as I looked down and saw there was nothing horrific to scar my mind. However, the drawer wasn’t empty. A single folded sheet of white paper lay at its bottom.

  A bead of sweat rolled down my furrowed brow and dangled from the tip of my nose as I bent forward and plucked the piece of paper between forefinger and thumb. On closer inspection there did not seem to be anything out of the ordinary about the paper. It had turned a light kind of mustardy yellow from the years of being stored in the drawer and as I unfolded it I could see only a sequence of numbers neatly hand written in black in half way down the page.

  Five. Eight. Two. Zero. A simple four-digit sequence which could have been used for anything ranging from the doctors credit card pin number to his computer password. Although I doubted a man of his intelligence would have been dumb enough to write such sensitive details down on a sheet of paper for anyone to find.

  What I was certain of was the fact that they did have a use. They were written down for a specific reason and as I slid the aged piece of paper into my jacket pocket, a voice in my head told me that they could be very useful at some point in time. When that time would be was another story probably, but they had meaning and a use and I was keeping them until I found out exactly what for.

  As I had been studying the four digit sequence my ears had been trained to listen out for anything suspicious. Even as I puzzled over the numbers, I could hear birds who had made their way inside to nest flapping their wings and the sound of scuttling feet belong most likely to the rats who had made the asylum their new home.

  The sound I heard above all that did not register straight away. I was still perplexed by the numbers on the paper that my mind did not give it enough to time to fully process at that moment. As I slipped the paper into my pocket I could hear the sound again.

  It was coming from the floor above. A sound like something hard scraping against the concrete walls. As I listened more intently I could hear soft thuds which sounded like large feet pacing back and forth along the hallway.

  Immediately my mind conjured up an image of an extremely pissed off Grimoyle. Pacing back and forth, unsure where to search next for his masters’ treasure, and looking for something, anything to take its frustration out on.

  I gave the office one last going over, still looking for a map that was nowhere to be found. If there was one it certainly wasn’t in the doctor’s office.

  Feeling a little frustrated I turned to head back the way I had come in and bumped against the leather chair. I held my breath as I watched it roll across the room, tilt, and then crash to the floor. The noise seemed deafening and I could feel my jaw clamp shut hard enough to make my temples throb under the pressure.

  I stood there motionless, teeth gritted, listening for the sounds of a winged demon from hell coming to get me and vent its anger and frustration on my pitiful human body. Images of being torn limb from limb flooded my mind, but after a minute of standing there, my jaw began to relax and breathed more easily once I felt certain my presence had gone undetected.

  At least that was what I thought.

  I was about to take a step towards the door when out in the hallway I could hear a snort. It was the kind of sound you would expect a wolf to make as it sniffed the air, trying to pick up the scent of its prey.

  Shit! Shit! Shit! How the winged harbinger of death had managed to move so quickly and silently was unbelievable. There had been no rush of footsteps or bellows of anger. It had moved quickly and silently like any good predator would when it was looking for something to sink its teeth into.

  I remained frozen on the spot. Listening and hoping that it would not be able to detect my presence. My hope was shattered when a large claw suddenly tore the door completely off the frame and discarded it like a used tissue. I could hear the clatter as it landed somewhere further down the hallway.

  My heart was now working at full throttle as the winged beast, flames roaring in its eyes, poked its head into the room and immediately spotted me doing my best statue impression.

  ‘Found you!’ It spoke with a deep, broken growl which told both man and beast that it wasn’t to be fucked with.

  Even though the Grimoyle’s looked big and cumbersome they were incredibly fast as the one staring at me with the venom of a thousand snakes in it eyes had just proven. Unfortunately, us humans aren’t exactly quick off the mark, especially when it comes to thinking our way out of tight situations.

  As the beast tried to push its way into the small room, I could feel the gold ring on my right index finger vibrate and grow warmer as it got closer. I quickly realised I was faced with a serious problem.

  The ring granted me the power to knock that thing back to hell, but it had seen me. It knew I was in the asylum prowling for information on my wife even though the dark lord had told me to leave well alone or face dire consequences. If it survived it would surely report everything back to Satan who would, in turn, come looking for me.

  On the other hand, if I did actually kill it then Satan would want to know why the asylum was minus a Grimoyle. Which once again would most likely end with him turning his attention on me. Basically, I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t.

  The creature, its razor sharp teeth bared for the world to see, managed to force the rest of its body into the room and within seconds, I was back peddling as it charged towards me.

  As I tripped and fell down on my ass with a hard thump, I used my shaking left hand to trace the number eight across my right wrist. The sign for infinity. I prayed to any God that would listen that the protective symbols tattooed onto my body would really work as promised.

  There was a sudden rush of extreme warmth through my body. I could see my skin with a strange golden aura, and the symbols on my forehead felt like they were being branded into my head.

  I looked up from where I was now sat on my ass just in time to see the Grimoyle prepare to take a swing at me. Without warning, it stopped mid motion and its grotesque face looked confused.

  ‘Where are you,
you pathetic little man?’ The creature snarled as it sniffed at the air, trying to pick up my scent again.

  There was little time for me to marvel at the fact I was now invisible. Well to the demons of hell at least. The sacred symbols had worked their magic just like the monk Pertilius had said they would. I could only hope I wasn’t premature in using them. I had wanted to keep it as a surprise for the day when I knew I would have to challenge Satan for both my wife’s and my own freedom from his murderous, torture filled kingdom of despair.

  Unsure how long the magic would last for, I quickly got back to my feet and made my way around the demon. I was hoping to make it to the doorway and out into the hall without incident.

  I was just a few feet away from the hall when the creature let out a loud roar and my heart began to race again as I was sure the magic had worn off and once again I was in the demons sights. I turned just in time to see it raise a heavy, muscular leg which it brought down on the desk with enough force to leave an impression on the concrete floor. The air filled with the sound of wood splintering under the sheer force and I had to shield myself from the flying shards.

  Enraged I quickly stepped aside, fist clenched and ready to move to plan b. I was going to have to kill the bastard. But surprisingly it stormed back to the doorway, forced its self out of the room and went back to where ever it lurked on the floor above.

  I looked at my exposed hands. The pale white skin still had that soft golden glow which told me the magic was still working. Bringing my left hand over to my right wrist I let my index finger hang there like a blunt dagger as I tried to decide whether I should break from my camouflage and expose myself again, or if I should simply leave it be and see how far I could get with it protecting me.

  Eventually, I withdrew my finger and decided that now was as good a time as any to test drive the magic and see just how long it would last for future reference.

  Glancing back at the destroyed desk briefly, I headed back into the hallway and turned left to carry on as far as it would go. My heart had returned to a more normal tempo and the thin layer of sweat on my forehead was beginning to dry as the cooler air of the hallway brushed against me.

  I took a moment to regain my thoughts and remind myself of the reason why I had come to the asylum in the first place. As an image of Lisa’s beautiful, smiling face passed through my mind I took a deep breath and started walking.

  There were four more offices on the ground floor. Each one of them was in various states of decline. The same cheap desks and bookcases furnished all of them and despite my encounter with the Grimoyle, I had to investigate the drawers in each one.

  Other than a scrap of neatly folded paper with the four digit sequence scrawled on it, I could find nothing else of remote importance. Near the end of the hallway was a set of doors which the signage above stated would take me into the holding dormitory.

  I hesitated for a moment, arm outstretched, palm ready to push the doors open. I glanced back up the hallway towards the main foyer. I half expected to see the raging beast from hell charging towards me, its nose finally detecting my scent. Instead, I saw nothing that I hadn’t already as I entered the asylum. There were no signs of life not even of the four-legged furry kind.

  I turned my attention back to the frosted glass panes which blocked any view of the room that lay beyond. Without further thought, I pushed forward into the dormitory.

  In its heyday, I was certain the asylum was probably an exceptional place. I knew very little about how mental institutions worked, but I assumed a holding dormitory would be where the new arrivals were stored until a doctor could properly assess their various mental conditions.

  The dorm was easily the size of a football pitch. Six barred windows on either side of the room allowed light to flood in, which strangely enough, made it seem even creepier than if I had been visiting in the dark.

  Rows of cots with little bedside cabinets were neatly laid out before me. Some of the cots had been knocked over or pushed askew which broke their neat formation. All the sheets and blankets had long since been removed. Probably pillaged by the many homeless folks who had seen the building as a possible home for a few nights?

  As I looked around though I saw no signs that anyone, not even the junkies, had attempted to bunk down even for a night. In a strange way, I thought it was sad that the city had this huge building at its disposal and choose to let it go to ruin when there were so many homeless people in the city that could do with a roof over their heads.

  It’s all politics. I thought as I took in the room. I noticed down near the far left corner there was a nurses station and next to that was another set of doors which could only lead upwards. Even from this distance I could see papers, probably preliminary patient reports, spread across the nurses’ desk. Behind that was a cupboard with a sink and couple of medicine cabinets which I was certain would be void of their contents by now.

  Double checking that the magic was still working and my skin were still glowing, I decided to head towards the nurses’ station. I must have been a few yards away from the metal framed desk when the clash of metal hitting the floor came from behind me.

  Jumping, I quickly turned in the direction of the noise, certain the Grimoyle was still on the prowl for me. The winged demon was nowhere to be seen, but I noticed one of the beds had been deliberately pushed onto its side.

  Trying to contain my ever changing heart rate, I focused back on the desk and took another step towards it. I could clearly see the neatly typed writing on one of the sheets of paper when another loud bang came from behind. This time, it sounded like something being thrown against the wall.

  Sure enough, when I spun around I could see one of the bedside cabinets leaning crookedly against the far wall where it had landed. Now I was starting to get worried.

  Those cabinets were made from solid wood and had to weigh at least forty pounds. Even a bodybuilder would have to make a considerable effort to pick one up and throw it across the room. Before I had left my apartment I felt certain I was being watched. Followed even.

  This was the proof I had been waiting for. My body tingled with fear and anticipation. Was it simply trying to scare me off, or was it trying to make me aware of its presence?

  I glanced between the magical symbols on my wrists and the nurses’ station trying to decide which was the better option. There was no certainty that the spook following me would show its self even if I removed the magic spell hiding me from Satan’s demons.

  I decided to carry on to the extra few yards to the nurses’ station. As I went I listened for any more noises sounding out behind me, but it seemed my spooky stalker had decided to keep a low profile once again.

  The papers on the nurses’ desk appeared to be exactly what I had originally thought. Patient reports. There was at least four of them sprawled across the blood smeared wood. Smears which looked like someone sitting at the desk had been head smashed into the table and then dragged away from it by very powerful hands.

  I ignored the blood and studied the names on top of the papers. Three of them were male and one female. There was no recognition as I studied them, no fleeting memory of ever being near these people. Nothing.

  ‘Your boss will be very upset with you.’ The voice that came from behind me was soft and calm.

  Jumping, I sent the papers flying to the floor as I turned to face my stalker. He was at least two feet taller than. His skin fresh and unsullied. Crystal clear blue eyes stared down at me under a mop of short blonde hair.

  ‘How can you see me?’ I asked without really understanding why.

  The man that stood before me wore ornate golden armour that seemed to be impossibly bright and a heavy looking sword which hung proudly in a golden scabbard. It was his wings that caught my attention, though. They flapped lazily behind him as he spoke and had quite a mesmerizing effect on me.

  ‘Your magic is only good for demons. Check out the wings. I am not a demon.’ He said proudly. ‘Oh, and by the way
, the name is Gabriel.’

  It took a few seconds for my shattered brain to put together the pieces of the moment. Here I was invisible to demons but perfectly visible to a man, who according to his cocky attitude, was an angel.

  ‘He’s only my boss for the time being.’ I said, feeling a little pissed at being under Satan’s thumb.

  Gabriel crossed his arms over the impressive gold breast plate and his smile broadened. I’m glad someone was getting a kick out of my misery because I sure as hell wasn’t.

  ‘You mean from here to eternity?’ His smile continued to grow and I could tell he was just goading me now.

  ‘Why are you here, Gabriel. Isn’t there some sort of rule that states you can’t be seen hanging around with the dark lords’ right-hand man?’

  I watched his wings rise and fall as he breathed. The smile waned a little but there was a glint in his eyes that told me he wasn’t following me just for the sparkling conversation.

  ‘No there is no such rule. I just thought I would check in on you.’ He spoke as if he had been following me for quite some time.

  I decided that if we were going to have a conversation then I should at least take a look at the remaining area of the nurses’ station for anything useful. I began my search in the medicine cabinets which again, as I guessed, turned out to be empty.

  ‘Why, would an angel be checking up on me? I’m pretty sure there is no amount of hail Marys I can say that will grant me access to the kingdom of heaven.’

  As I hunkered down to check the bottom cabinet I could hear Gabriel chuckle as if I had just told the funniest joke he had ever heard.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ I asked opening the cupboard doors to find both its shelf where devoid of anything except a few years’ worth of dust.

  ‘Well, only god’s creatures are permitted to enter his kingdom upon repenting their sins.’

  I stood up and looked the angel in the eyes, my face a picture of puzzlement.