A child sat at a crossroad banging on a bucket, chewing on one of the sweets he was giving to keep him out of trouble. His father was off somewhere else, yelling at a worker as if it would make things go faster. A man approached the child. Or something that looked like a man.
"Hello child," said the man.
"Hi!" the child replied. And then, because he was brought up to be polite. "Do you want a sweet?"
"Well, it's not often that the child offers the stranger a sweet." The man murmured, amused. "What's your name little one?"
"I'm Nate," the boy replied cheerily, "Who are you?"
"Humm. You can call me Phantom. Now," he crouched down beside the boy, "What can I offer in exchange for a sweet?"
Looking at the upturned bucket the boy was still idly tapping he asked, "So do you want to be a drummer kid?"
The boy shrugged, "Da says that drums are too loud, I wanna do p'ano, but dad says p'anos are too 'pensive, he said I can learn guitar if I buy my own, I've only got 3 pennies so far, so I don't tink that's enough yet, I'm gonna be a singer like Ma was."
The man blinked at the deluge that spilled out from the boy. As the child drew another breath to continue he decided to interrupt.
"Well, a piano or a drum set might by too much for you to handle right now but a guitar I can do."
The man drew from behind his back a black shiny guitar. The dark finish reflected a multitude of colours from its depth, like an oil slick on ink. The strings shone like the glint of a knife in a dark ally. The tuning pegs gleamed white like the fangs of a wild beast.
The boy clapped at the obvious magic trick. No different to him then aged grandparents pulling a coin from behind an ear.
"So, tell me child. What would you give for a guitar like this?"
The boy thought carefully. And then with great solemnity, handed over a sticky paper bag. "You can have the rest of my sweets."
The man laughed, "Well that's what I get for dealing with children." He lay the guitar beside the boy. It really was too big for the child, but that wasn't his problem. "I don't think I need you to sign for this. Enjoy the gift."
The boy struggled to get his arms around the guitar in some approximation of musicians he'd seen.
"Hey thanks mister."
But the man was gone.
( ı o }===::
Nate ducked out of the bar into the cold night air with relief. The set had gone great, there was no reason for him to feel this anxious. What kind of musician didn't like crowds anyway?
As he leaned against the stone wall in the shadow of the bar he sighed. The idea of a starving artist only looked good on paper. He still didn't have a permanent gig. He needed to suck it up and go back in there and network or he wasn't going to get anywhere.
He paused, listing to the noise of the crowd inside.
Maybe in a few minutes.
"I liked your music."
Nate jerked in surprise at the voice. A man, half hidden in shadows, was standing next to him. He hadn't even heard him walk up.
"Uh, thanks." Nate shifted slightly, why was he so bad at this?
"Oh, yes," There was enough light so see the smile on the man's face, "I must admit I am somewhat of a fan."
"Really?" Nate perked up. He had people say they like his music before, but no one had ever said they were a fan. "I kind of screwed up the second last song a bit."
"Oh, no. It was fine." The man reassured, "I was just wondering what you'd do to get the recognition you deserved?"
"Are you a manager?"
"Of a sort." Ha held something out to Nate. "My card."
Nate held it into the light to look at.
The bone white card didn't look like any business card he had seen before. The red ink seemed to almost glisten wetly. But when he rubbed a finger over it there was no smear. One side simply said the name 'Phantom' and the other had a strange symbol. In the low light it seemed to almost move and he felt a headache come on as he looked at it. It had been a long night.
He frowned. Where had he heard the name Phantom before?
"Although," the man continued, "I do wonder what you did with the guitar I gave you."
Nate's mouth dropped opened as a vague memory unfurled.
"Are you kidding?" he blurted, "Dad sold that off about a week after I got it."
"Well, that's the kind of security you buy with a bag of sweets I suppose." The man finally stepped enough into the light for Nate to get a good look.
The man didn't look a day older than his blurry memory. But now he also noticed something he would have never noticed as a child. The man looked like a mirror image of Nate himself.
"So, would you like to make a deal?"
Now, you don't spend any time as a musician without hearing plenty of songs about crossroads, deals and devils. And while Nate had never given that kind of thing much thought, when something this suspicious was standing in front of you, it was time to err on the side of caution.
"Um, it's really kind of you to offer. But I.. um, I'd kind of like to make it by myself."
"A nice idea," The man smiled, "Oh, relax. Don't be so nervous. I'm just a simple business man after all."
"Um,"
"Think of this as an opening salvo. Keep the card, it yours now. If you ever want to make a deal just add a little fire. I'll be right over."
Nate looked down at the card again.
He couldn't bring himself to be surprised to find the man has disappeared when he looked back up.
( ı o }===::
Nate sat at a bar nursing a whiskey contemplating a piece of card he never managed to throw away.
He had just struck out on another potential gig. They had been very polite about it but their reasons given for not hiring him had been vague and wishy washy. He knew the real reason. It was the same reason he couldn't seem to stay with a band or a music group for long.
For some reason, everywhere he went, rumours sprung up.
Musicians could be just as superstitious as the next performer. When people started to whisper that he has made a deal with the devil for his talent, word got around.
It wasn't even fair. He'd worked hard for his talent, he didn't get some supernatural handout. He was pretty sure. How on earth did people even know about it anyway?
It was enough to make him think about the card just to make the rumours come true.
But he had always resisted the urge before. He wasn't going to give in now.
Sighing he finished his drink.
He couldn't hang around here long anyway. Time to get back to grind and look for more work. He was bound to get lucky eventually.
"Ah, Nathan wasn't it?" A sleazy looking man made his way over to the bar. On the one hand, men approaching him from nowhere hadn't really worked out for him in the past. On the other, while this guy did have the look of a common shyster, at least he didn't have the edge of the teeth feeling of unease around him. That at least was enough for Nate to wait for the man to approach.
"That's me," He said as the man arrived at the bar. Two looming thugs followed the man like bodyguards. They but kept back as if to try and keep him from feeling nervous. It didn't work.
"Wonderful, wonderful. I've been looking for you." The man said exuberantly.
"Well you've found me." Nate attempted to smile. Oh, this was a bad idea.
"Marvellous. I've been asking around and I think that you are just the man I'm looking for."
"You want to hire me."
"Oh, yes, yes. That is to say, I think so. If you're willing to follow me I'd like to interview you. But I'm sure I can make you the next big thing!"
"Right now?"
"Of course, of course. Time is money you know."
"Um, what did you say your name was?"
"Why, I'm surprised you don't know already. Mr. Scheisser. Conway Scheisser." The man flashed something from his wallet but put it way too fast for Nate to look at it properly.
"I'm starting a new venture and I'm looking for the best of the best to launch them into a new career."
The man put an arm around Nate shoulders and started to steer him towards the door, "As I said, I've been asking around and I have decided that you would be the perfect person to start off with."
Nate wasn't stupid. All signs pointed toward someone with a get rich quick scheme looking for someone desperate to help pull it off. Unfortunately for him, he was pretty desperate. Sighing quietly, he clutched his guitar case and allowed himself to be steered out of the bar by the enthusiastic Mr. Scheisser. So long as the guy agreed to pay him up front there was no harm in at least going to the audition.
( ı o }===::
He was wrong.
He hadn't been expecting luxury when was brought into the building Scheisser said he owned but the abandoned structure he was ushered into looked worse than he had imagined.
Before he could start questioning what this was all about Scheisser nodded at his thugs.
A fist drove into his stomach doubling him over.
"What the fu*cough, cough*" The thugs forced him to his knees. His guitar case clattered to the ground. Another punch hit the side of his head leaving him dazed and unable to fight back.
The two thugs held him down as Scheisser sat down in a rickety old chair in front of him.
Gathering his wits together Nate yelled, "What the hell was that for?!"
"Why, that was just to get your attention friend." Scheisser managed to look even sleazier then before now he was no longer trying to butter him up. "After all, I don't what you to think you can get away with lying to me. Better to have everything out in the open. That way we can avoid any," He smiled in a way that he probably thought was evil but mostly made him look constipated, "unfortunate accidents."
"Look, I don't know what you think I did but I have no idea who you are or what you want. I'd love to help but-"
Scheisser cut him off, "Oh no, no, we've never met, but I been looking for you for a long time."
"Why?"
Scheisser ignored him, "To be truthful I should say that I been looking for someone like you."
Nate didn't bother interrupting again. This guy obviously liked the sound of his own voice. As long as he was talking he wasn't ordering his goons to hit him.
"I've been following rumours from all over the country. It's amazing how many they are if you know where to look." Scheisser got up and started pacing. "But always, always, I was too late. They were dead or disappeared or simply too well connected to meet with me. Years I've been looking." He stopped and faced Nate again. "But now I've found you."
Nate kept his mouth shut, waiting to hear what the crazy guy's punchline was going to be.
"You sold your soul for your talent and I want to find out how you did it."
"I did not!" Nate blurted out. Forgetting his plan to keep quiet, he couldn't help but protest, "I worked hard to get where I am. All that's just jealous rumours. Besides, do you think if I had sold my soul I'd still hanging around dive bars like the one we met, waiting for a break?"
"There's no smoke without fire," Scheisser retorted. "Everyone I've talked to about you knows there's something strange about you. And now, here we are. Far, far away from any interruptions. I'd advise you to tell me what I want to know or you're going to be in for a real bad time."
The thugs took this as their cue start hitting Nate again. Unable to get away he yelled out "Ok, ok, ok!"
Scheisser signalled to the thugs to stop.
Panting, Nate decided to just give him what he wanted, "In my left pocket. There's a card."
The left-hand thug reached in a pulled out Phantom's card. He barely had time to hold it out to his boss before Scheisser snatched it out of his hand.
"Fascinating, fascinating," Scheisser murmured, turning the card this way and that.
Abruptly he snapped his attention back to Nate. "How does it work?"
"I don't know, I've never used it." One of the thugs raised his fist, "Fire! Just burn it."
Giddily, Scheisser fished around for a box of matches. Finding some. He happily stuck a match and held it under the card.
Nate leaned away as much as the thugs pining him in would allow. He really had no idea what was going to happen.
For a long moment nothing did. The flame of the match licked the card but it failed to catch. Scheisser held the card close enough to almost extinguish the flame waiting impatiently. He was just starting to frown when it suddenly flared up.
Yelping, Scheisser dropped in. It burned brightly on the ground, much hotter then such a small flame should. And then, abruptly, it when out.
The card lay there innocently. Not a mark on it. It almost gleamed on the dusty ground.
"Well this is unexpected." Nate's better dressed mirror image stepped from the shadows in the corner. Walking over to where the card lay he tapped it with his crystal headed cane. Flipping his cane around, he picked up the card before turning to Nate. "So, have you decided to make a deal?"
"Not him. Me, me," Scheisser said gleefully, "I'm the one who summoned you, I want to make a deal."
"So?" Phantom finally looked at Scheisser. The sleazy ratbag looked perturbed at this.
Phantom continued, "The lowest imp in the pit knows where you're going to end up. Why should I make a deal with you?"
"I – I'm the one that summoned you," Scheisser sputtered, "I spent years looking for a way, I called you. I had your card. I worked too hard for this. You have to make a deal with me. You have to!"
Phantom glared at the panicking man until he shut up. Finally he sighed, "Oh, very well."
His form shimmered for a moment like water. The figure standing in front of them now looked like a copy of Scheisser. But he somehow made the man look much more intimidation then the reality.
"What do you want?"
"Power," answered Scheisser gleefully. "You makeme powerful. And you don't try any of those monkey paw tricks."
"Well, that's very vague."
"I've studied your type for years, I'm not giving you any rope to hang me with. Just do it."
Phantom eyed the man disdainfully before looking back at the card he had in his hand.
"Very well," he tapped his cane on the ground and there was suddenly a table with a roll of parchment between them. "Simply sign this and I promise to grant the owner of this card powers beyond your wildest dreams. Furthermore, I will not lay a finger on you from this day forth. Nor stand against you. Nor order any being other than myself to harm you in any way."
Barely glancing though the contract Scheisser eagerly scribbled his signature on the space provided. As soon as he lifted the pen from the paper both it and the table it was on disappeared.
Scheisser laughed triumphantly.
He turned to Phantom, "Now what have you-" but there was no one there.
Not to be perturbed he turned to Nate. "Never mind. I know how I can test this."
The two thugs had been hired for the willing for violence rather than their intelligence, but they had shuffled back during all this. They weren't exactly hiding behind their victim, but Nate was definitely more in front of them than he had been previously.
"Finaly, I have everything I've ever wanted!" Scheisser raved as he approached, "No one can stop me! And for your generous help," he stopped in front of Nate, "You get to be the first to witness my power!"
Nate's head was hanging down, slumped as he was kneeling on the floor. Looking at the ground he missed Scheisser dramatically thrusting his hand out at him.
Nothing happened.
Scheisser waved his hand.
Still nothing.
Wiggling his fingers Scheisser started to get angry. He had signed the contract, he was supposed to have been filled with supernatural power.
He can't have been robbed. He had worked too hard for this.
Furious he stepped forward to garb at Nate only to stop short. His victim had slowly raised his head to look at him. But his face had changed.
Dark shadows had appeared around his eyes, with a glistening purple streak reaching down each check. But the most disturbing change was the wide smile on his face.
( ı o }===::
Nate had been scared when the thugs started beating him. Frightened when Scheisser started talking about devils. But he had been terrified when Phantom had appeared.
When he saw pen touch paper his pain and fear seemed to double. He hunched over as much as the thugs would let him as everything seemed to swirl inside him. Things seemed to twist and change, thoughts sliding away in an increasing maelstrom. A feeling of darkness creeped in setting everything inside roaring aflame. As something inside him was screaming he barely noticed the man approaching him. Silent screaming tore his mind. Screaming that turned to laughter as he raised his head.
Pain.
Fear.
Twisting.
Turning.
Man.
Enemy.
Toy.
Crack of bone.
Tear of flesh.
Hot blood.
Crush and rip.
Run and chase.
No escape.
Screaming.
Begging.
Screaming.
Laughter.
Silence.
There was a quiet slow dripping.
It took a long time for him to realise it was the sound of the sticky fluid falling from a pair of hands.
His thoughts sluggish, it took a long moment to realise the hands were his.
Blearily he realised that he had been moving but now he had stopped.
Swaying slightly, he looked around uncomprehending at the empty room.
There was wet swaths of colour everywhere. Cracks and gouges on the walls. Debris scattered along the floor. He was unable to force meaning into the shapes he saw but one caught his eye.
Moving over to the black shape he picked it up. This was his.
His mind was still unable to fully grasp what was happening but his hands knew what to do.
Opening the case, he pulled out his guitar.
Eventually sound filled the room. Softly and discordantly at first it soon became coalesced into a melody that grew loader and faster until it the walls shook.
Blood stained the strings of the guitar as he struggled to turn his internal chaos into some sort of order.
Eventually the music calmed as the man slowly realised where he was and what he had done.
Finally his hands stilled and he looked up.
"Why?" has ask the man in front of him
Looking again as he had when they first met, Phantom smirked. "Beyond dreams lie nightmares. And he never was the owner of the card."
Twirling said card in his fingers he asked, "I don't suppose you're looking for a deal now are you?"
The other man shook his head.
"Well, you don't need this anymore," Phantom flicked his wrist and the card disappeared, "You know how to call me on your own now."
The other man nodded. The information felt seared into his bones.
"I look forward to seeing your work in the future-"
Phantom tapped his cane on the ground, disappearing with one final word.
"Natemare."