an abrupt stop when he heard her speak.
“Are you going somewhere?” she inquired
in a deep voice.
She came to an abrupt stop then tapped
the cane on the floor three times while echoes of
her menacing laughter filled the room.
Tyler could not believe his eyes, as the
hunch in her back had vanished; her hair had
turned from gray to charcoal black, and magically
grew just passed her shoulders.
He dropped the object in his hand, and
swallowed the excess saliva while urine trickled
down his pant leg and onto his designer shoes.
His eyes bulged out, as her cane turn into a scepter, and she instantly grew a foot in height.
Her nails sprouted and became pointed at
the end, and when she slowly spun around to face
Tyler; she was no longer a woman.
“Mr. Sands.” the mysterious entity said
with a deep voice.
Tyler stared into the red pupils of the
enigma that stood just a few feet away. “What in
the world are you?”
“You are an intelligent man, Mr. Sands;
I’m sure you can figure it out.”
“What happened to Ms. Cipher?”
The man began to chuckle. “You are so
wrapped up into yourself that you did not pay
any attention to the name that was on the deed
of this apartment.” The entity began to pace the
room. “I could go on with tedious clues about my
identity, but I am pressed for time.” He chuckled
once again. “The name on the deed was Luann
Cipher. Is it becoming clear to you now?”
Tyler’s legs became weak, and he fell back
onto the couch. His breathing became labored
and his heart began to race. “You, you are.”
The mystery man approached Tyler. He
ran his claws along the couch, slicing it while a
scent of brimstone permeated the room. “Say it.”
“Luann Cipher” Tyler took a deep breath
then exhaled. “Lu Cipher” he closed his eyes
and his shoulders sank while a tear ran down his
cheek. “Lucifer”
The mystery man slowly nodded his head.
“Years ago, you were tired of being broke and sold
your soul to me.” He smiled exposing razor sharp
teeth. “The sand in your hour glass has run out,
and I have come to collect.”
At that moment, a loud scream radiated
throughout the room and then all was silent.
A few minutes later, Sy arrived with the
contracts as ordered and knocked on the door.
Much to his surprise, Tyler opened the door with
a smile on his face.
“Where’s Ms. Cipher?” Sy inquired.
“She’s in her bedroom.” Tyler replied.
“Did you bring the contracts?”
Sy entered the apartment then handed
Tyler the papers. “Did she agree to sell you the
apartment?”
“Yes she did.” Tyler replied with his back
turned to Sy, as he walked toward the kitchen.
Sy looked at Tyler in awe. “You’re the
man, boss; I would give anything to be like you.”
After hearing that, Tyler immediately
stopped, and an evil grin appeared on his face.
“Anything?” He asked, as his pupils turned red.
Keshaune Hatchett was born in Canton, Ohio
in 1975. He graduated from Canton McKinley
high school in 1993. He served his country
the United States Navy and was honorably
in
discharged in 1997. He attained his Bachelor’s
degree in Criminal Justice from Beckfield College
in June of 2014. He had short stories titled,
Angel Among Us published in the June 2013 is of Cigale Magazine, Sometimes We Forget
sue
published in the May 2014 issue of Foliate Oak
Magazine, and Long Dirt Road published in December 2015 issue of Foliate Oak Magazine.