AN -- I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while… there's been a lot going on in my life, and I've been really stressed out. I haven't had time to write, and on top of that, I've had no plot ideas. But don't worry, I know how it feels to be hanging on the edge of a chapter, and waiting for the next to come along. I'll do my best to keep adding. :
Just as Amber had left for work, Aubrie had gone back inside the house, hoping that her sister was ok.
She shut and locked the front door and made her way into the living room, where she sat on the couch and switched on the TV.
Spongebob's high-pitched voice made Aubrie jump unexpectedly. "Stupid Spongebob." She scoffed and changed the channel. Just as she began to flip through the TV stations, the doorbell rang. Aubrie sighed and got to her feet, marching toward the door. She peeked out the peephole and saw that no one was there. She decided it was probably a ding-dong-ditch session so she turned back around for the living room. The doorbell whistled through the house once again. "Ok, ok… you wanna play ding-dong-ditch, eh?" Aubrie swiftly grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, to find an older man standing on the porch in front of her. She opened the full glass screen door and peered out of it, only holding it open enough to stick her head out. "Yeah?" She asked, looking up at him. He was at least 5 inches taller than she was. "Why hello there." He grinned, looking down at her. Aubrie clutched the handle of the screen door tightly and furrowed her brow, "Can I help you?"
"Oh, yes… I'm looking for an Aubrie?" He smiled, curling his upper lip over his front teeth… baring them in a thick grin.
Aubrie took a second to gather her thoughts, trying to remember if she knew him or not. "I'm her… do I know you?" She frowned, nothing coming to mind.
The man just continued to smile…
Amber attended to a costumer, ringing up their items one by one.
"That'll be 54.92"
The woman took out her wallet, and thumbed through a variety of credit cards.
She chose one, and pulled it out of its place.
"Will that be credit or debit?" Amber asked; readying herself to punch in the right key before the woman could slide her card.
"Credit." She replied. Amber hit the "Credit" button on the touch screen and the woman traced the card through the slider.
The receipt was printed; Amber snatched it and handed it to the woman, before bagging her purchases and placing them back into the cart.
"So, how do you know my sister, again?" Aubrie asked, setting down a cup of coffee in front of the man, who sat across from her at the dining room table.
"Oh, I'm just a friend from the past… although, just recently I have acquired her as one of my employees." He explained, disregarding the fresh steaming coffee in front of him.
Aubrie sat back in the chair and folded her arms.
"Really? She works for you at The Work Bench, then?" She asked in suspicion.
"Oh no, she didn't tell you?" The man began to laugh, leaning over the table towards her. "Tell me what?" Aubrie was beginning to understand, but just to make sure, she played stupid.
"I'm the Devil!" He laughed so hard, he began to wheeze. He patted Aubrie on the shoulder, as he did Sam at their first encounter.
Aubrie frowned, and her jaw dropped. So this wasn't just some scam of hers. It's really true…
She let her arms drop to her sides, standing up. "You're the Devil? Holy shit!" Aubrie cupped her hand over her mouth and began to laugh.
"Actually, unholy." The Devil snickered.
Aubrie tried to stop laughing but it was just automatic. Possibly related to Sock's laughing-when-nervous characteristic.
She finally calmed herself, and caught her breath. The Devil sat in place, his legs crossed and hands rested on his knees with his fingers locked. A smile still plastered on his face.
"So, wait, what are you doing here? What do you want with me?"
Aubrie wiped her eyes.
"Well, I just thought we could make a deal." His lips curled up once again in a smile.