Robin's Story

" Come on, Robin! Dinner time!" yelled my sister Julia.

" Coming, sis!" I yelled back, then hopped down the stairs to the kitchen.

My brown-haired sister stood against the door frame. Her impatient eyes glazed at me to hurry. I entered the kitchen and sat down to eat the sister's cooking.

Not that I would say it to her face, but this stuff was gross! Everything was mushed together in a pile like mud. My sister would mutter some excuse like "mushed-up is healthier" whenever I complained, so I'd given up on begging for something else. In the old streets of France, there wasn't much you could get if you were poor. Not that we were. We had each other and that was what mattered most.

" So, Robin..."Julia began, slow and careful, like always." You know I saved enough money for the Nivose, right?"

" Uh-huh. I can't wait to go!" I cheered. The Nivose was a ship and I'd never gone on one before.

" Robin... I'm afraid I'm the only one that can go..." Julia said slowly, as if afraid of my reaction.

"...It's ok, Julia... I understand. You just go to college and work hard there, all right?" I encouraged, smiling gently.

" Robin?! You're not even angry at me?" my sister exclaimed.

" It's all right. You have your work and I've got mine," I explained, while trying to gulp down mush.

"...Robin... you're a sweet boy, you know that?" Julia said softly, patting my brown-not-very-straight hair.

I didn't answer her. I didn't have to. My sister said that so many times, it must have been her catch-phrase.

The two days after this conversation, the Nivorse sank. I never saw my intelligent- glasses-wearing- warm-hearted sister again. Maybe it was meant to be that way. There was no tombstone, nor body. She...was gone...forever. I spent days sulking around the house, not eating or sleeping. Until I met the Earl of the Millenium.

I was sitting in front of the wall. Just staring at its white. White...the color of death. The funny little man just popped in out of nowhere. He wore a black top hat, and clowny-formal clothing. He also had a pair of tiny glasses. He had a round body, like an odd balloon, but what freaked me the most was his jaw. It was incredibly long!

He walked over, in a dance-like fashion, to me. I didn't notice him until he placed his gloved hand in my shoulder, saying," Good evening, Robin."

"W-Who are you?" I muttered slowly. All I cared about was my dead sister.

"My name is the Millenium Earl. I symphasize with the dead's loved ones," was his answer.

" Yeah."

" Your dear Julia died on a sunken ship, right?" he asked me.

" Yeah," I muttered tonelessly, then I couldn't take it anymore." WHY did SHE have to die?!"

" Ah, I know the reason," he stated, pulling up a chair and putting it in front of my face.

" What is it?"

" That horrible being God did it. He caused the ship to fall apart. And his workers, known as exorcists. Yes, they were aboard the ship that night," the Earl answered sadly.

" Exorcists..." I muttered. How could such a cool sounding name be so horrible?

"But Robin! I have good news for you!" he whirled.

" What is it?"

" Not only am I a symphasizer, but I am a bringer! Your sister Julia can live!"

" She... can ...live?"

" Yes, and all you have to do is make a certain contract with me, all right?"

I'd do anything to have my sister back. Without even considering his words, I agreed to sign the contract. The Earl pulled out a piece of parchment and a pen. Handing them to me, I eagerly signed it. The Earl snapped his fingers. Instantly, the chair in front of me, hald a cloaked being!

"Why is she in a cloak?" I asked.

"It's the clothing for people who are back from the dead," he answered."Come now, Robin!"

" Is it true, Mr. Earl? Can you really bring her back from the dead?"

" Of course! You signed the contract, and she came back from the dead!"

" Sis! Julia!" I called out, running towards her.

What I didn't know at the time was that, there were evil people in this world. You cannot trust everyone. Without knowing it, I had sealed my fate with that contract.

I felt something sharp jab straight through my body. The Earl had thrust a sword straight through my body! I felt like I was floating. The last words I heard were from the Earl," Poor Robin! You signed the Devil's Contract! After your soul is transferred, a lifetime of carnage begins for you!"