Memories,

Chapter Four

Powers

He had never liked the boy. From the day his parents had brought the abomination home, to this very second, he knew that he was just as evil as his ancestors. He was just another bad apple, and he had proof! Yes, solid proof that this innocuous looking boy of seven was in fact, already friendly with the devil. While his mother didn't- or rather, refused to see it, the boy's so called 'imaginary friend' was nothing of the sort. It was the demon Mephistopheles himself, here to do the boy's awful bidding and, most likely, kill them all. Herr Schwerdtlein snorted in distaste and resumed the sweeping of his porch.

His wife, Martha crept up beside him.

"Is that boy," She said the words in disgust, "Talking to the devil again?" Her husband's only response was a nod and more fevered sweeping. "Well I daresay, why doesn't his mother stop him? If it be fear, what better reason to intervene?"

Her husband stopped sweeping.

"Yes, that may be sound reasoning, but she is not sound of mind. After her wretch of a husband went and shot himself, she hasn't been the same. She took to barricading her son and self in that wreck of a mansion, to 'protect him' apparently. But what does a devil child need protecting from? It was probably he who drove his father to madness!"

"But our dear friend does not see it!" Martha lamented.

"Martha, our 'dear friend' is as good as dead. She lost herself, all that time ago. She will never see reason now. It is too late…" He trailed off sadly. "If only it were mot so…" He shook his head and resumed sweeping once more. Darn those leaves anyway!

Martha turned and peered through the fence, catching sight of the boy, talking to a being that wasn't there. She too, shook her head sadly. What a waste of such a beautiful child…

But to Johann, eyes shining with mirth and innocence at his friend, his one true friend, Mephy could be nothing but good. He made sure that he was happy, and was only there for him, no one else. Johann realized quickly that no other living thing could see Mephy, but they sure could feel his presence. His arrival sent a tremor through the air, and a silence in the trees. Whatever bird or insect life had been present at the time always vacated the area. Johann never took notice of this though; too intent on learning the interesting tricks that Mephy always taught him. He had found a book for him, one filled with all sorts of wonderful things, things that put ideas in his head.

They might not be the kindest of ideas, but what did Johann know of kindness? He only knew of his mother's suffocating, all encompassing love, and his delicate companionship with Mephy. He had been told his friend's full name before, but it was too long, so he had shortened it to Mephisto. It was the first and last time Johann had made Mephy angry, and he still feared that look, that burning rage in his eyes as he yelled at Johann to never, ever call him that again.

How was little Johann to know that was what his first ancestor, all those centuries past, had used that nickname? How was he supposed to know the endless amount of work that name-giver had caused his friend? For Mephistopheles was never given his soul. Faust the first was never truly happy, so the pact was never fulfilled. It was a pity the boy had to be the brunt of all that vented wrath. From then on, he tried his best to never let Mephy get angry with him. He wouldn't allow himself to create even the slightest hint of irritation in those red eyes.

Johann studied diligently, learning his little 'tricks' quickly. Then came one night, he, in a spur of the moment memory, recalled all the loathing looks his neighbor had cast towards him. So what if he used the path behind his neighbors' property? It wasn't his, was it? And the short stretch of woodland it led to wasn't his either. Johann suddenly wanted to do something to get back at the man… And his wife, she wasn't any kinder. His eyes narrowed. He had even caught her glaring at his mother once! Surely she deserved punishment as well! He sprinted down the stairs, almost crashing into his mother at the bottom.

"Johann! Why so much haste my dear?" She ran her fingers through his hair lovingly.

Johann was facing away from her, so he allowed himself to frown. What was he going to do? Then it came to him. He would need a jar…

"I'm sorry mother, but I wanted to go catch some fireflies." He looked up at her, with the most pleading expression he could muster. "May I? I won't stray too far, I promise…"

His mother sighed and smiled.

"Of course you may, my little Johann. But please, put on your jacket first, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold and have it ruin all your fun!"

"I will mother." He said obediently, and rushed off. He grabbed a jar and a needle, then hastily pulled on his jacket. He didn't want to catch a cold and upset his mother, did he? Once he had all he needed, he stepped out into the evening light. It was warm, a perfect night for what he needed to do. He ran down the path, turning up into the Schwerdtlein's yard just before he reached the forest. They were enjoying the evening air and watching the sunset, peacefully. They didn't notice him at first, but when he started to throw rocks, it drew their attention.

"Hey! You, boy! What's this? Didn't your mother teach you anything? I have half a mind to go and tell her what you're doing!" He yelled angrily, blocking the rocks ineffectually. His wife faired even less well, getting caught with a particularly large rock to her temple and crashing to the ground, dead. Johann dashed out from his hiding spot, tackling the elderly man to the ground as well, easily overpowering his feeble struggles. This would be easier than he thought.

Johann snaked his fingers around the man's throat, cutting off the blood and oxygen flow to his head. After a few moments, his struggles ceased and he lay still, stone dead. Johann only relaxed his hands after making absolutely sure his victim was gone. Then he quickly took out his jar and focused all of his will into it. It began to glow a faint green and he smiled with satisfaction. Johann crawled off of the dead man below him, giving him a swift kick for good measure before making his way to the man's lifeless wife. He unscrewed the lid of the jar and waited.

He hadn't to wait long, before he saw what he sought. A round and brightly glowing soul, rising up from her body, slowly steadily, heading towards the sky. But Johann intercepted its flight, catching it in the jar. He smiled, his features made grotesque in the light given off from the jar and it's captive. Slowly, the soul split in two, and as soon as it was finished, Johann grabbed one half and drew his needle to the ready. He didn't have much time after all; Herr Schwerdtlein's soul would rise any moment now. He focused again, this time on the needle's thread, or rather, lack thereof. His efforts were rewarded with a softly glowing thread that came from an invisible inexhaustible spool. Johann strung the needle through the half of the soul he held, and then plunged it straight into Martha's heart. After a few more stitches, it was secure, and both thread and soul sank into her body.

Johann then abandoned the needle in haste, grabbing the jar and carefully, lest his other captive escape, enclosed the old man's soul within it too. He could take his time now; and so patiently sat in wait for his jar to split this new arrival in two. He repeated the process, before pocketing both needle and jar contentedly. Johann then turned his focus to the corpses before him, and slowly, signs of 'life' began to creep into their features. One, then the other stood jerkily, turning around to face him silently, watching with half-dead eyes as he screwed his eyes shut and poured himself into them, giving them enough energy to keep them going for a few more days.

Johann dearly wished to be able to see the police's reaction to this, he wanted to watch them learn, puzzled, that the bodies they found had been dead for days, yet had been seen alive just moments before. After all, with half their souls, they would go on 'living' as they had before. To all appearances, nothing was wrong with them. But Johann knew better.

He smiled as he ran back home, into his mother's welcoming arms.

"Did you catch any dear?"

He held out his jar proudly, to her eyes normal looking, for she couldn't see it's sickly magic glow, all she could see were the usual flashing bug-lights.

"Just two…" Johann stated innocently.

Hey, anyone know where I got the neighbors from? XD Bet you don't. XP Nyah. So how was that? Did it suck totally? Sigh. Please review. This'll be the last chapter for a bit, I have to write the next ones still… I can't get this stupid thing to indent either... grr.

Kitsunegirl911,

I'll be back soon.

(You thought I was going to say 'over and out' didn't you? Didn't 'cha? XD)