ISSUE ELEVEN

In the Face of Evil

            The masculine voice laughs maliciously. Johnny whips around, suddenly seized by animalistic rage, snarling. He snatches a blade from seemingly no where and races towards the direction of the voice, screaming a blood curdling cry. He smashes into an invisible wall and falls backwards but is up in an instant, racing towards the wall again and smashing into it.

            "Try all you want, you won't get past the force field!" The voice says. Johnny crouches like a panther ready to pounce on its prey, teeth bared, blade at the ready. Devi stands a few feet behind him, for the first time taking in the surroundings.

            It was a dark room, the floors and walls were slick black. In the walls are several television screens with what appeared to be security camera images. Not all of these appear to be from the office building. Several images are of home settings, ranging from family living rooms, to children's rooms, to adults rooms. At the far end of the room, where the voice comes from, some soft lights turn on showing a small flight of stairs (mostly for decoration purposes). At the plateau is a large chair; it strongly reminds Devi on the Emperor's throne in Star Wars.

            The lights are angled so Devi can not make out the face of the person sitting in the chair, just an outline. The frame is tall and thin; though not as ghastly thin as Johnny. The person has short, spiked hair and the light glints off a pair of oval glasses. He leans to his right, holding his chin in one hand. Huddled around the throne is a collection of things; the dim light prevents Devi from seeing them as well.

            "Devi, my dear!" The voice says. "You were always one of my favorites. Though he was my pet project."

            "Who the hell are you?!" Devi demands.

            "Well, I prefer to be called 'Heir to the Flaming Global Throne of Evil.' Everyone around here calls me 'The Boss' though. It's cheesy, but whatever," The Boss shrugs.

            "How the fuck do you know who we are?"

            "I know everything about you," The Boss informs her. "I own you."

            "Huh?"

            "I have a most interesting job. I collect souls you see. Originally I kept them in a large cardboard box, but my collection got too big…"

            Johnny growls something that Devi can't make out. The Boss chuckles.

            "No, I'm not Señor Diablo, Johnny, though he's a very interesting person. Remember from your little 'vacation' of sorts that you don't belong in either heaven or hell? Well, that's because you belong to me. I have a nice set-up down here. God gets the souls of the righteous and holy; Señor Diablo gets the souls of the stupid and mundane. I get to fuck up everyone else. It's a lot of fun."

            "What's a waste lock?" Devi demands.

            "Why I'm surprised Johnny didn't bequeath this information to you. Johnny is a point in space where the anger excreted by humans collects. It has an interesting effect on one's sanity, doesn't it?" The Boss snickers a little. "I also get the pleasure appointing this wonderful job to people."

            "The demons?" Johnny hisses, snake-like.

            "Oh yes, those are mine too. A way of keeping track of 'subjects'. I must say, though, you're the first I had to use three voices on. Well, four if you count the failure. Traitor…" The Boss spits out the last word as one would a nasty taste in one's mouth.

            *Again with these voices…* Devi thinks. It apparently shows on her face.

            "Don't look so perplexed, Devi," The Boss addresses her. "You have one too. Sickness, I believe her name is?"

            Johnny looks back in surprise at Devi, shocked that someone like her could have a demon.

            Devi stands in shock.

            "How did you…"

            "Come on, you do remember who gave you your lovely new art supplies, don't you?"

            "Nerve…" Devi grumbles, angrily.

            "Very good!" A light comes up around the chair suddenly, highlighting the group of creatures. 'Creatures' is certainly a correct word for they are the strangest collection Devi's ever seen. All of them look like toys, statues, pictures, drawings, anything of the like, brought to life. Only three of them are prominent however and quickly grab Devi's vision. The first looks like a Gremlin that had too much water dumped on it, a very dangerous looking animal with a wide, stretching smile. Unlike the movies, however, this Gremlin was a shocking bright purple and pink with a yellowish beak. Next the pink and purple monster sits two, almost identical, squat, pudgy little boys, with evil, black, swirling eyes. The round puff balls each wear an interestingly decorated tie and chef's hat. One has the word 'FUCK' printed across it's shirt. "My most successful demons get the honor of staying here with me. And of course, real bodies."

            Johnny hisses at the sight of the Doughboys and tightens his grip on the blade.

            "My little minions are like video cameras. Except they can actually get inside their host's head, become a part of their thoughts. I can watch from right here," The Boss points to the video screens. "I must say, Johnny, you had a most interesting past of any I've seen. I had a most difficult time breaking you," The Boss grins a gleaming smile. "For some reason, you were very attached to your memories. I can't imagine why…"

            "What do you need our memories for?" Johnny growls.

            "Well, it's quite difficult controlling those with a sense of identity. They must be stripped of that first," The Boss informs him matter of factly. "Surprising things happen to those without identity. Though your darling sister didn't have one to begin with. She was amazingly easy compared to you…"

            Johnny hollers a war cry and leaps at The Boss again, forgetting the barrier is there and so is flung back once more. Johnny leaps to his feet.

            "Ooo, I think I hit a nerve…"

            "BASTARD! I'LL…"

            "What? Kill me? Do you really want to Nny?" The Boss taunts.

            "You violate my head, kill the only family I've ever known, and generally fuck up my life! I believe I gain the privilege!"

            "My dear boy, your life was already fucked up before you came to me," The Boss explains calmly. "I just helped it along."

            "What the hell do you mean by that?"

            "That's right, you forgot! Sorry. Would you like to see what I'm talking about?" Without waiting for an answer, The Boss snaps his fingers. Johnny's eyes flash and his body goes slack. The blade slips from his fingers and clatters on the floor as Johnny plops into a sitting position. His eyes are completely empty and devoid of life; it's as if looking into the face of death.

            "Nny?" Devi asks. "You OK?"

            Johnny doesn't respond, only stares straightforward.

            "Joh…?"

            Johnny takes a sharp breath like he's just been slapped by something, his eyes still blank. Devi, startled, starts toward him. He shudders violently and squeezes his eyes shut.

            "Johnny, are you alright?" Devi goes to touch his shoulder, but he cries out in pain and quickly curls up in a fetal position on the floor, hands clasped over head.

            "No, I didn't…stop…I'm sorry…" Johnny whimpers.

            "What are you doing to him?!" Devi yells at the Boss.

            "I'm not doing anything."

            "Make it stop!"

            "You seem awfully quick to help someone you used to claim to hate."

            "STOP IT!"

            "I have an idea! Why don't you watch with him too?!" The Boss suggests maliciously, snapping his fingers again before Devi can protest.

            Devi feels her body fall away from her as the world around her dissolves and disappears. She feels as if she's being pulled toward something, and then blacks out.

~          ~          ~

            As Devi walked down the strange corridor, she realized she had a sudden new awareness. She felt feelings and heard thoughts inside her head from voices unknown to her; it was much as if she had become a sponge of sorts. Somehow, this didn't disturb her that much. She continued walking down the dark, richly decorated corridor. Devi figured it must be night where ever she was as it was quite dark. She heard voices down the hall and started toward them.

            On her way to the voices, Devi stopped between two doors opposite each other in the hall, both of them cracked open a bit. Devi's curiosity got the best of her and she poked her head inside the door on the left.

            Devi's eyes were barraged with a large bedroom decorated in pink and purple with ponies, teddy bears, ballerinas; the perfect little girl's paradise. It was very clean, complete with the next day's outfit (a long sleeved navy blue sweater and a plaid skirt) laid out on the trunk at the end of the big, pink canopy bed. Seeing someone asleep in the bed, Devi took a step further in to see who it was, and noticed a little plaque on the back of the door.

"Vicky's Room"

            Devi took another step and low and behold, there laid Vicky, about five or so years old, curled up with a very serene smile, sleeping in the bed which was much too big for the little girl, hugging a purple teddy bear. Devi smiled in spite of herself, soaking in the peaceful feelings and backed out of the room.

            Devi now stood in front of the second door, which she suspected must be Johnny's room. She gripped the handle, not knowing what to expect inside.

            She was actually quite surprised. This room was fairly large as well and painted baby blue. It, however, was not decorated like every little boy's dream room; no sport memorabilia, no action figures, no comic books. Instead, it had lots of novels, not all children's books either. Many were rather large. A few of the titles didn't surprise Devi, but several books were about law and the best colleges for lawyers. These looked as if they had barley been touched. A few had even been thrown in the waste basket. A poster depicting Harvard was posted on the wall; it looked like darts had been thrown into it. Devi scanned the rest of the room and saw a desk covered with crayons and drawings. An art book or two was partially hidden under some college books. Devi was suddenly startled by a muffled noise.

            The room also contained a large mahogany bed and in it was little Johnny. His sleep was not as peaceful as his sister's, however. The little boy groaned again and rolled over, a very troubled expression on his face. Devi, afraid she might wake him, slipped out of his room, disturbed by the uneasy vibes.

            The voices Devi had heard earlier were getting louder down the hall. Devi hurried towards them.

            "You're too hard on that boy!" A woman cried as Devi stuck her head in. She quickly ducked, afraid she might be seen.

            "Nonsense!" A man replied. "All I'm doing is preparing him for the real world!"

            Devi, peaking in the cracked door, wasn't able to see the voices' owners. She, with her new sponge ability, was able to pick up the flying emotions; certainty and uncertainty, love and sternness, positivism, dread, fear, anger.

            "By not letting him have a childhood?!" The woman countered. "He needs to be able to have fun, play…"

            "I'm treating him no different than my father treated me!"

            Devi opened the door a little more. This room was also decorated very richly with a pure white carpet and wood paneled walls. Every piece of furniture that Devi could see was a beautifully crafted chestnut piece. Devi could see shadows on the wall.

            "I'm afraid you're going to hurt him."

            "Honey, I turned out as a perfectly mentally healthy child…"

            "I don't mean like that."

            Devi inched her head in a bit more and a surprising thing came into view. The two fighting were still hidden by the door, but Devi could see, leaning against the chest of drawers, the fully grown Johnny as Devi knew him. He was almost transparent, like a ghost with an extremely sad expression on his face. Devi was shocked that no one saw him. Just then, a tall, thin man rushed over to the drawers, reached through Johnny and pulled one open. Devi was amazed by this until she looked down at her hands to see that she was transparent as well. Then she realized what was going on. This was Johnny's past and they were no more than mere shadows; the people who lived in this time couldn't see them. Devi stepped further in the door.

            Meanwhile, the argument continued.

            "You're making up things, dear," The tall man said. He was putting on a tie. A young woman stood nearby. She had long, bluish-black hair and an extremely kind face. Johnny looked remarkably like her. Devi figured she must be his mother and the man his father.

            "But poor Johnny…"

            "Quit calling him that ridiculous name! It's Jonathon! 'Johnny' is not a name of any self-respecting lawyer…" The father snapped, whirling around.

            "I think you're taking this lawyer thing too far."

            "I think you're coddling him too much!"

            "But Johnny doesn't want to be a…"

            "STOP CALLING HIM JOHNNY!"

            "Honey…" The mother stepped back, frightened. The father exhaled and wrapped his arms around his wife in a very loving hug.

            "I'm sorry dear. I didn't mean to explode like that. I promise I'll never lay a finger on him."

            "I know you won't," She hugged him back. "I know how your family is all lawyers. But…"

            "I have to go. Can we continue this when I get home?"

            "Of course. Good luck at court tonight." The two kissed deeply and then the father left the room, not seeing Devi standing by the door.

            Devi moved her eyes from the worried mother to the shadow of Johnny. A tear rolled down his cheek as he watched his father go. Then the world dissolved and it all went back again.