Someone once said "The Devil's greatest accomplishment was convincing the world he didn't exist," I for one can agree that was the grandest accomplishment to start, but he has stepped it up since then.

My name is Jon and yes I work for the Dark Lord himself, now contrary to belief I am not a worshiper or do I follow him intentionally, no our relationship is on his terms and his terms alone. I became a servant of his following when I decided to test my limits and prove a point that the existence of God was merely a farce that was contrived by man, needless to say I was wrong. When I went through the trouble to renounce the light the darkness swept in, oh I can remember the day as if it was only yesterday.

I had an honest life working as a supervisor at a retail store, didn't make a lot of money but enough to get buy. Lived alone in my apartment a couple of blocks away from the store, my family had passed away a few years back, which probably started me on this quest of disbelief. Didn't have any friends and to be honest didn't want any, I was very content on living a life of solitude. My journey began when I had decided to take a vacation camping out in the middle of nowhere. Staying out in the woods for a few days I sat there pondering my deepest subject, the meaning of life.

I was a strong believer in that eternity was the key to life, if people could grasp that eternity never ended or began then they might start understanding the world the way I saw it. It wasn't until I opened my eyes that I noticed a person sitting across from me staring into the fire, he had a sad look on his face but was content on waiting until I was ready to talk to say a word.

"What are your thoughts on the world?" is all he said

giving him a little chuckle "Really I wouldn't know where to begin." Looking around I felt a little uncomfortable not knowing where he came from.

"Do you have Faith?"

"Faith in what, a God..." shaking my head "I gave up on him a long time ago. What about you?"

"How do you define Faith?"

beginning to stand "Look I really don't know what you want, but I'm not feeling comfortable here."

"I understand, and my apologies that isn't my intention." crossing his leg and laying his hands into his lap. "I just have a few more questions and then I will be on my way."

easing up a little his posture making it a little more comfortable "What do you want from me?"

"Life is a gift, and it is yours for the most part to live how you wish." looking back at the fire. "God loves you, and ask that you only follow his words in return."

thinking to myself great out in the middle of nowhere and a religious zealot finds me "Well tell me this if your God is so loving why then the sacrifices to prove our love?"

"Sacrifices..." he pauses for a second "They are not made for you, but for the one who has been given a chance to return home."

"So I'm just suppose to accept it then?"

"Yes."

"Not good enough, and I'm done with your questions." getting up again I point out into the woods "and you can see yourself out of my camp."

getting up slowly "I'm only able to give you one chance..." as if he was holding back tears. "If God commanded you to return to the flock would you accept."

"How could I return when I don't believe it is even out there." kicking a rock into the flame "If God wanted me to return maybe he should have asked himself."

The man standing there begins to weep, as the ground began to shake I fell to the ground looking around trying to figure out what was happening. I look over to the man screaming for him to hold on, but all he did was stand there as if nothing was happening. I watched in terror as the man began to glow and lift off the ground a bright light emerges from his skin and as if out of nowhere wings come out of his back. As he returns to the ground the Earth stops shaking, I slowly get up and walk over to him.

"God does exist?" is all I can muster out of my mouth.

"Yes, and I wish I could ask again for you to return..." wiping a tear from his face. "the belief in him is derived on Faith, once he has shown the light you can't change your answer."

"What do you mean? I had my reason you can't do this?" as if I was a child all over again I begin to pout "What happens to me now? I can't go back with this knowledge without sharing it?"

"Your life is over." turning me around he points at a limp body on the ground "You my friend are dead."

looking shocked I turn back at him. "What happens to me then?"

"You are a wandering spirit now plagued with existence never knowing the happiness that others share."

I drop to my knees as I watch him ascend into the night sky screaming "Can I find redemption!" over and over, but the angel only watches the sky as if he could not hear my screams. It was then that the darkness began to surround me.

"You have been abandoned..." is all the voice says.

as I look around I can't see anything but dread begins to fill my anxiety. "Who... who are you?"

"I am simply that for which I... am."

"...and what would that be?"

"I am your only salvation..." as I feel a hand rest onto my shoulder I quickly jump. "Do not be afraid..."

"Your joking right..." as I stare at what appears to be a man with a giant smile on his face.

"You have no reason to be scared..." as he moves next to the camp fire. "Just because God has forsaken you doesn't mean you have a free pass to Hell." as he looks back he gives a wink. "but what do you want to do, wander the great plains haunting houses having kids talk to you on Ouija boards. What kind of life is that."

"So what would you be offering, eternal damnation, basking in a fiery pit in Hell tormented by my worst nightmares."

Giving me another smile "You have seen way to much tv haven't you. No it is nothing like that..." pulling out a paper "No, I need you back in the game... so to speak."

"Let me guess I'm to kill people in your name, and listen to that death metal music."

letting out a hearty chuckle, "Oh, my... no it isn't like that either. I rather you not mention me at all. no, no, no here's the deal... I bring you back to life and all you have to do is find certain items that I will instruct you to find when it is time."

"There's gotta be a catch here? maybe I'm too stupid or you are way too vague."

"Let's go with the vague one. I will set you up with a whole new life and all you have to do is procure items that are of interest to me."

"Why me? I don't feel that these are damning things, I just don't understand the catch here."

"The catch is simply this, failure to meet my needs will render our contract null and void and I will have you move in with me. Completion will give you God's grace or shall we say the back door to Heaven's Gate."

"Now you really have me confused, how can you get me into Heaven?"

shaking his head as if talking to a child "All right you know God created man in his image..." rolling his eyes "He also created his angels... last time I checked I was his first. Just because I have been tasked with the sin of man, doesn't mean that he don't like me. If that was true he would blink me out of existence... right."

"So you are saying that God has tasked you to create doubt in man, so that we will love him more."

With a simple shake of his head "Yes."

"So all I have to do is procure these items and that is it?"

"Yep, that is all." giving me another smile.

reluctantly I take the paper, looking over the words I say hesitantly "where do I sign..."

Smiling as he begins to fade away... "you already have..." he points to the paper "That is your new name, and the address of where you live. I will be calling when it is time."

I yell at him "That's it." but when I look up at him he was gone. I sit there for few more minutes pondering my fate, what have I done. I walk over to my limp body and kick the foot, as I kneel down I realize that I guess in order to start a new life the old one could not simply disappear. I reach into the pocket and pull out a chain that was my father's and slide it into my pocket. Well I better get to my new home this should be interesting.