A/N: I apologize ahead of time to any readers who may be offended by my use of the golem in this story. A friend of mine thought some people might get angry about it since it comes from Jewish religion. I'm not mocking Jews, I was just looking for a good comparison and found this on the internet. So, I'm sorry! Please review and let me know what you all thought!

Deals, Chapter 2

"And how do you plan on creating one?" I sneered.

Lou continued stirring and spreading out the mud. "Do you know what a golem is?"

That was an odd question. I shrugged to hide my confusion. "Um, isn't he the guy from The Lord of the Rings?" I answered uncertainly.

A flash of humor crossed his face. "No, golem: g-o-l-e-m. Long story short, once some very holy men were able to attain the power of creation because they spent their whole lives being goody-goodies. By using a certain type of mud from a certain type of place and speaking certain words, they were able to create a servant which they called the golem. There were a couple of problems, though: the golem didn't have the ability to speak and it was rather difficult to control.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet, what I'm making here is something similar to the golem, only way better. I added a few extra ingredients to that special mud I told you about so that the creature will have free will. It'll be able to think for itself and decide what's right and wrong. But first, I need something from you."

My mood veered sharply to anger. I shot him a cold look. "I thought you said there wouldn't be a price?"

"Oh, it's not a price," he assured me. "It's more of a requirement. I need a bit of your blood. By adding it to this mud, you will be connected to the 'golem.' You'll be able to feel what it feels, know what it knows. Kinda like being in two places at once."

My mind was spinning with doubts. Feeling restless, I began wandering around the room. "So what you're saying," I began, showing my disbelief in the tone of my voice, "is that you're about to create life from mud like those holy guys in your story. So does that make you a holy guy?"

He turned his head towards me and stopped stirring. A devilish look came into his eyes. "Honey, I'm holier than the Big Guy Himself."

I rolled my eyes slightly. "Right," I muttered. I shook my head slowly and continued. "And through this creature, I will be able to experience emotions."

"You'll experience everything it experiences," he said amiably, not taking his eyes off me as I moved around. "Emotions, feelings, mood swings. And so much more."

"To connect us, though," I said, trying to keep my tone cool, "you need my blood. Why does it have to be blood? Why not something else?"

"Because that's how it works," he responded curtly. His expression was taut and derisive. "What's the big deal? It's not like I'm asking you to slit a wrist. Just get a needle and prick a finger." He shot me a sardonic smile. "Unless you're scared."

I felt my temper rise in response. Suppressing my anger under the appearance of indifference, I gave him a bored look. "Whatever," I said. "You got a pin?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." He pulled a small safety pin from his back pocket and tossed it towards me. I watched it fall to the floor a few inches from my feet.

I picked it up and opened it, taking a moment to study it to make sure it was normal. A cold knot formed in my stomach. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to relax. With the thumb and middle finger of my left hand, I squeezed the tip of my index finger until it turned red. I gave a quick jab and a soft gasp escaped at the flash of pain. A moment later, blood began to well up from the wound and trickle down my finger.

"Now that wasn't so bad, hmm?" His voice was courteous but patronizing. I shot him a withering glance. "If I can have you add it to our concoction here," he continued, "we can get this show on the road."

I stepped over cautiously, my mind still congested with doubts and fears, and knelt down beside the mud on Lou's right. Yet, a part of me reveled at the thought of being able to experience strong emotions. I held out my hand, shaking slightly, and began to turn it over to allow the blood to flow freely from my finger when Lou interrupted.

"Last chance to ask any questions," he said hurriedly. "The moment your blood touches that, there's no going back. Any concerns?"

I pulled my hand back. "How do I get rid of it?" I asked quietly. He stared at me blankly. "I mean, if it turns out this doesn't work out, is there a way to kill it?"

"You can't kill something that isn't born," he pointed out.

"You know what I mean," I said in irritation.

He grinned with amusement. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It will function as a normal mortal, so I suppose you could get rid of it the same way one gets rid of any mortal." It was my turn to stare blankly. "You know: shooting, stabbing, drowning, car accident—"

"All right, I get it," I said, feeling somewhat nauseated.

He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment. "Or," he continued, "you could just wait out the week and it will cease to exist on its own. It's your choice, of course."

A flicker of apprehension coursed through me. "What do you mean after a week?" I asked softly, my eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You didn't say anything about that."

He looked at me in surprise. "Must have slipped my mind," he said easily. "Oh, well. I would have remembered sooner or later. With this model, you're only given a week with it. It's kinda like a test run. If it doesn't work out, you don't have to worry about getting rid of it because it gets rid of itself. No messy cleanup. If you decide you want another one, I'll come back and make you a new one that'll last longer. Okay?"

I sighed in exasperation. "I guess," I muttered bitterly. "I just wish you had brought it to my attention earlier."

Silence enveloped the room for a few moments. Finally feeling ready, I held out my hand again and turned it over. I had to squeeze my finger to reopen the small wound and allow a few drops of blood to drop to the mud.

"That's good," Lou said and began stirring again. I took my hand back and watched him work. At first, it looked like a kindergartener's version of a clay person, but then, without leaving his spot, Lou began mumbling something as he stirred and the mud began to take form. It was like watching a loaf of bread rise as its being baked.

After a few minutes, he sat back, panting slightly. The body looked good: it was clearly female, average height, somewhat on the thinner side with smaller breasts than I would have liked. As I looked it over, I noticed it had no fingernails or toenails, nor did it have any hair. The face was blank with only a hole where the mouth should be. I looked at Lou expectantly.

"I'm getting there," he told me tiredly. "I don't create someone everyday, okay? It takes a lot out of me."

He came around to my side and knelt beside me. He made more holes where the eyes, nostrils, and ears would be. Taking a deep breath, he leaned over the creature and placed his mouth to the mouth hole and began to breathe into it.

The creature began to glow bright red, like it was becoming really warm. I watched in amazement as fingernails and toenails began to grow. The chest rose and fell with every breath Lou sent into it. I couldn't see what was happening with the face since Lou's head was in the way.

The glow continued, even after he was finished. We sat back and waited, watching in anticipation. Eventually, it faded, leaving behind a pale white young woman. Shock flew through me when I saw the face. I could only sit there and stare, tongue-tied.

"So, what do you think?" Lou asked, sounding very pleased with himself.

I slowly turned my head towards him. "That's...me," I breathed. My eyes widened. "That's me naked."

"Not exactly," he corrected me. "That only looks like you. Big difference."

"No," I moaned. Shock yielded quickly to fury. "You never said she...it...would look like me."

He looked at me in confusion. "I fail to see the problem with this," he said. "Was she supposed to look like somebody else?"

"Yes," I retorted tartly. "Everyone knows me here. I can't send her...it...out when it looks like me."

"So, send it somewhere else?" It sounded more like a question than a solution. At that moment, the creature opened its eyes.