Gunslinger

“Never make a deal with the Devil-”

     My father’s warning echoed through my ears. A distant memory. He made the mistake, and he swore to teach me better. He gave me his last wisdom, seconds before death, seconds before the Devil came to claim his end of the deal.

     My mother was in the hospital. Lung disease had tormented her body; we all knew she did not have long left. Presently, she was healthier now than she was in her twenties. My father in return was six feet under. That was a year ago. My mother was healthy but she wasn’t living. Depression filled her soul once she realized what my father had done. My siblings were not any better. The loss of our dad left us all numb. My brother was forced to grow up without father. My sisters would never be given away at their weddings.

     It had been a year, but it still felt fresh. An open wound that refused to heal.

     I mulled over his words once more. I closed my eyes and considered them.

     I had to do this.

     I grabbed the pistol from the nightstand and loaded it.

     “Devil,” I called out.

     The air grew hot and thick. Sweat beaded down my face, the feeling of flames licking at my heels. The room dimmed, only a red glow saturated the room.  I was taking a gamble, and I was all in.

     “Alex,” The Devil cooed, “What do I owe the pleasure?”

     “I want to make an offer. Similar to my father’s.” I admitted.

     “A life for a life?” the Devil said with a smug smile.

     “A life for a life,” I established.

“Have the Devil make a deal with you,”

     I smirked as I remembered his dying words.

     I lifted the gun, aiming at his temple, “Your life, for my father’s,”

     “Do you think that can harm me?” The Devil laughed.

     The faith in my plan wavered at his confidence, but I kept the act up.

     “I know it can,” I asserted as I cocked the revolver.

     I watched the slight shift in his face. His composure fell for fractions of a second.

     “You came here. You’re on mortal ground now. When my father made a deal with you, each of you pricked the others finger to sign the contract. So what makes you think I can’t draw your blood now?” I retorted.

     “You know nothing of these things,” The Devil spoke.

     I shifted my aim to the right and fired. He watched the bullet rush past his head. The slug buried itself in the wall, and when the Devil turned back the gun was trained on his head once again.

     “Would you like to test your theory?” I prompted, “Because I’m willing to fire, and I have nothing to lose,”

     We held eye contact. I pulled back the hammer of the gun once again, narrowing my eyes.  I held his gaze, unable to read his expression. I tightened my grip on the pistol and began to apply pressure to the trigger.

     He glanced at the pistol and inhaled sharply, “Wait-“

     “Wait,” He conceded, “Fine, I shall bring your father back-,”

     “Alive and well,” I added.

     The devil let out a short burst of air, “Alive and well,” He repeated.

     “Deal?” I proposed.

     “Deal,” The Devil sneered.

     Seconds passed and I waited for his end to be fulfilled. Suddenly I heard a muffled commotion downstairs. I smiled.

     “I’ll be seeing you again,” He seethed.

     “This gunslinger will be waiting for you,”