The Devil and Jimmy Neutron

by Gary D. Snyder

Part 2:

Cindy stalked to her locker, muttering savagely to herself. "Big-brained show-off know-it-all," she grumbled under her breath. "Thinks he knows everything. Ha!" She twisted the combination dial, slammed the door open, and pulled out the books for her afternoon courses. "Just once I'd like to see him mess up but good." She sighed heavily. "I think I'd sell my soul for just one chance to show him up big time."

"Sounds like you have issues," a voice said, completely startling her.

Cindy jumped and uttered a little scream. "Who said that?" she demanded in a shaky voice.

"Relax," the voice said. A hand appeared around the edge of her locker door and slowly pushed it closed, revealing a boy whom Cindy had never seen before but who looked oddly familiar just the same. His dark hair was fashionably long and he was dressed like most of the other kids she knew in school although he may have been a year or two older. He seemed friendly enough and was smiling in a charming way that reminded her very much of Nick Dean. "Sorry to startle you," he said. "The name is Cipher, but you can call me Lou." He held out his hand.

Cindy very wisely did not socialize with people, even young ones, she didn't know but there was something about the boy's dark eyes that was almost hypnotic. She took his hand and shook it gently. "Cindy Vortex," she said in a faraway voice. "Nice to meet you." His hand seemed curiously cool, and when she released it her own hand felt oddly cold as though the boy's touch had somehow sucked the heat from it.

Lou continued to smile. "Likewise I'm sure. I'm sorry to intrude, but it sounded like you had some problems that maybe I could help with."

Cindy shook her head as though coming out of a daze. "Problems?"

"You were saying something about showing someone up."

That seemed to bring Cindy out of a dream. "Oh. Yes. Yes, I was. Jimmy Neutron."

"Oh, you know Neutron. What a pain." Lou shook his head and frowned in disgust. "Always thinks he has all the answers, interfering, getting in my – in people's way. Yeah, I'd like nothing better than to put him in his place one of these days."

"Yeah," agreed Cindy. "Just who does he think he is, anyway?"

Lou looked thoughtful as though an idea had just occurred to him. "You know, we might be able to help each other out."

"Oh?" Cindy was curious. "How?"

The boy smiled again. "Well, I could fix Neutron for you. But I'd need you to help me out."

The idea of fixing Neutron intrigued Cindy. "Help you? How?"

"Well, say I could arrange for you to get Neutron any way you wanted. Show him up, humiliate him, anything and any way you wanted. What would that be worth to you?" Lou stopped looking thoughtful and fixed his dark eyes on Cindy. "Didn't you say you'd consider selling your soul for the chance?"

Once at the dentist's office Cindy had been given a light anaesthetic that had left her not quite asleep and yet not quite awake. Lou's eyes had a very similar effect and Cindy felt her mind and will draining away under the influence of those eyes. "Sell my soul?" she repeated tonelessly "Yes, I said that."

"That's what I thought," said Lou. He smiled again and Cindy found herself free to think again. Lou reached behind him and produced a sheaf of papers as thick as a phone book. This he extended to Cindy with a pen. "Just sign your name on the bottom line on the last page and name your terms."

This has got to be a joke, thought Cindy. Sell my soul? This guy has go to be nuts! She shook her head and backed away. "Uh, look," she said feebly, trying to think of what exactly to say, "it's been interesting talking with you, but –"

Lou looked almost sad and sighed. "But you think I'm nuts, right?"

"Well…"

"Yeah, I understand. But think about it. If I'm not on the level, you've got nothing to lose. But if I am, you get everything you've ever wanted. How can you lose?"

"But my soul?" Cindy pressed. "Isn't that a little extreme just to get back at Neutron? If you really are on the level I'd be out my soul."

"Hey, you were the one who set the terms, not me. But I'll tell you what." Lou looked off in the distance as if thinking something over. "Suppose we put in an escape clause?"

Cindy looked dubious. "Escape clause?"

"Yeah. Supposed I put in something that would void the contract even if I arrange it so you get what you want."

"Why would you do that?" Cindy asked.

"Hey, it's strictly a quota thing, like traffic tickets. As long as I write so many contracts I'm doing my job, even if some of them don't work out." Lou looked at her and smiled that charming smile again. "How does that sound?"

"Well, I suppose that would be okay. But what could you possibly put in?"

Lou again looked thoughtful, then smiled and snapped his fingers. "I've got it. How about it if your friend Carl has to get an A on his English recitation tomorrow?"

Cindy looked uncertain. "I don't know. Stranger things have happened"

"Not sure? Okay, let me think see." Lou paced back and forth and suddenly stopped. "How about if your friend Libby agrees to go on a date with Sheen as well?"

Cindy thought about this and shook her head. "Not likely but still not impossible."

"You are one tough sell," Lou admitted grudgingly. He gave a heavy sigh and tried one more time. "How about if, in addition to the other conditions, Jimmy Neutron has to tell you he loves you of his own free will?"

The thought made Cindy laugh. That'll be the day, she thought. That could never happen in... Suddenly a thought struck her. "When do all these escape clause things have to happen?"

"How about by noon this Friday?"

Cindy was surprised. "Not midnight?"

Lou looked sheepish. "Hey, I'm only thirteen. I can't stay out that late."

"Okay, you've got a deal." Cindy took the pen and signed her name on the last page of the contract, sure that she had gotten the best of the deal. "You arrange for me to humiliate Neutron and if all the other things don't happen by noon this Friday I still keep my soul. Right?"

Lou took back the signed contract and studied her signature with satisfaction. "Consider it a deal," he smiled, but this time the smile didn't seem quite so charming. It reminded Cindy more of a shark than of Nick.

End of Part 2.