"Fate, I cannot change one moment in my life. I've realized that many people need my inventions. I am science, I cannot deny that, it's the reason I live. Mephistopheles will never get my inventions or cancel out my accomplishments." He states powerfully, more alive than he had been for the last 20 years. Fate looks upon him admirably in the low light of his lab that they have returned to.

"But…I don't want to lose my soul to the devil." His voice dwindled to a low whisper.

IN EVERY LIFE
IT HAS BEEN SAID
THERE COMES A TIME TO JOIN THE DEAD
ADMIT THERE IS NO SECOND CHANCE
AND JOIN DEATH IN A FINAL DANCE

ACROSS THE FLOOR ETERNITY
UNTIL THE FINAL MOMENTS BLED
AND IN THE DARK TO TAKE HIS HAND
ACCEPT THAT IT IS TIME TO WED

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING
BECAUSE ALL THAT I SEE
IS HIS FACE GRINNING
MEPHISTOPHELES

I NEED TO FIND AN ANSWER
FOR THIS ONE CANNOT BE
WITHIN THE WORDS OF MEPHISTOPHEL...

He turns toward Twist. And demands an answer.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW
DID YOU REALLY THINK
THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EVER AFTER

DO YOU THINK I'M SCARED
TELL ME DOES IT SHOW
WHEN INSIDE THIS DEAFNESS
I CAN ALWAYS HEAR HIS WHISPERING

Frantically he turns toward the ghosts who have surrounded him, tugging at his cloths.

THERE COMES A TIME YOU DECIDE
WHAT FROM YOUR LIFE WILL BE REAL
WHAT SCARS YOU WILL KEEP ALIVE
WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO HEAL

BUT CAN I GAMBLE THIS NIGHT
WITH EVERYTHING THAT I AM
AND CAN I ERASE MY LIFE
OR DO I STAY HERE AND BE DAMNED

Turning to Twist once again, he demands the same question as before.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW
DID YOU REALLY THINK
THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EVER AFTER

DO YOU THINK I'M SCARED
TELL ME DOES IT SHOW
WHEN INSIDE THIS DEAFNESS
I CAN ALWAYS HEAR HIS LAUGHTER

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING
BECAUSE ALL THAT I SEE
IS HIS FACE GRINNING
MEPHISTOPHELES

I NEED TO FIND AN ANSWER
FOR THIS ONE CAN NOT BE
WITHIN THE WORDS OF MEPHISTOPHELES

Half of the ghost began to chant.

DON'T NEED THIS PATH BEFORE ME
DON'T NEED FORGOTTEN GLORY
DON'T NEED THESE THREATS OF VIOLENCE
DON'T NEED ETERNAL SILENCE

DON'T NEED THESE MIDNIGHT VISIONS
DON'T NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS
DON'T NEED TO BE UNCERTAIN
DON'T NEED THIS FINAL CURTAIN

More ghost join in with a new taunting chorus.

SOMEWHERE OUT THERE
HE STILL GAZES
AS I WANDER THROUGH HIS MAZES

DEATH AND LIFE HERE
TRUTH OR LIES
EVERY THOUGHT IS WELL DISGUISED

Now all the ghosts are chanting at once, driving Jimmy to the brink causing him to sink to the floor with his head in his hands.

NOW
IT IS TOO LATE
THIS PATH TO TAKE
DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY LIFE THIS WAY

MEDUSA DREAMS
THE DEAD STILL SCREAM
DON'T WANT TO SEE MY LIFE BETRAYED

ALL THESE THINGS ARE NOW BEFORE ME
ENDLESS DEATH OR TIMELESS GLORY
ON THIS NIGHT OF GHOSTS RETURNING
TO THE LIGHT OF BRIDGES BURNING

NOW IT IS TOO LATE
THIS PATH TO TAKE
DON'T WANT TO SEE MY LIFE BE...( TRAYED )

He erupts up from the sea of ghosts, once more troubling Twist.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW
DID YOU REALLY THINK
THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EVER AFTER

DO YOU THINK I'M SCARED
TELL ME DOES IT SHOW
WHEN INSIDE THIS DEAFNESS
I CAN ALWAYS HEAR HIS LAUGHTER

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING
BECAUSE ALL THAT I SEE
IS HIS FACE GRINNING
MEPHISTOPHELES

I NEED TO FIND AN ANSWER
FOR THIS ONE CANNOT BE
WITHIN THE WORDS OF MEPHISTOPHELES

THE COST OF PATIENCE
WHEN THERE'S NO TIME BEFORE ME
OF HESITATION
ALL FOR THIS TWISTED GLORY

AND MY SALVATION
THE COST OF HOW IT'S GOTTEN
THE COST OF WHAT'S GAINED
ALL FORGOTTEN
ALL FORGOTTEN

For the second time in the night the floor is broken by the flames of Hell.

"Well Neutron, have you made your decision?" Mephistopheles questions casually, after all he has eternity.

"You cannot have my music." Jimmy states defiant, pumped up by his ranting with the spirits.

"Alright you," Mephistopheles growls, "give me the Life Extender 2700 and we'll close the deal with you keeping your soul. That's my final offer."

Once again Jimmy finds himself immersed in indecision. Suddenly, the ghost of Einstein appears and tells him that it is the greatest invention to be created. Jimmy is further encouraged to keep his science alive.

However, Mephistopheles hatches another negotiation. He points out the basement window.

"There is a child outside, she is sleeping in a gutter. You own that girl's life," Mephistopheles continues with a list of long and horrid sufferings that the child will have in her short life.

THERE IS A CHILD AND SHE SLEEPS IN THE GUTTER
DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SHE'S EASY TO SEE
SHE IS NOT YOUR CHILD
SHE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER'S
AND THOSE YOU ABANDON
THEY ARE LEFT TO ME

AND KNOW I WILL IMPALE HER LIKE A KNIFE
LEAVE HER TWISTING DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY OF A VERY SHORT LIFE WITH ME

LISTEN NOW CLOSELY AND HEAR HOW I'VE PLANNED IT
PLEASE LET ME TELL YOU JUST HOW IT WILL BE

SHE'LL FEEL THE PAIN BUT SHE WON'T UNDERSTAND IT
SHE'LL THINK IT'S HER FATE
BUT WE'LL KNOW IT'S ME

AND KNOW I WILL IMPALE HER LIKE A KNIFE
LEAVE HER TWISTING DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY OF A VERY SHORT LIFE
WITH ME

SO LET ME KNOW
HAVE I BEEN CLEAR
THAT I WILL MAGNIFY EACH CUT AND EVERY BRUISE AND EVERY SINGLE CHILDHOOD TEAR

I'LL PICK HER SCABS
CRIPPLE A HAND
PUSH A FINGER IN EACH WOUND I MAKE
NOW TELL ME THEN
DO YOU UNDERSTAND
YOU UNDERSTAND?
YOU UNDERSTAND
YOU UNDERSTAND?
YOU UNDERSTAND

AND KNOW I WILL IMPALE HER LIKE A KNIFE
LEAVE HER TWISTING DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY OF A VERY SHORT LIFE
WITH ME

"Give me the Life Extender 2700 and I will never touch the child for all eternity."

Jimmy grabs his lab chair and stands upon it, to peer out the small window. Sure enough a little girl sleeps in the road huddled for warmth. He turns toward the death angel, determined to give a firm 'no'. However, he takes another glance at the child.

"She means nothing to me." He whispers with his eyes clenched tight.

WHO IS THIS CHILD
THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE
WHO IS THIS CHILD
THAT I'VE NOT SEEN TILL THIS DAY

WHO DARES TO FALL ASLEEP
OUTSIDE MY DOOR
IF WE SHOULD WAIT AWHILE
I'M SURE SHE'LL GO AWAY

TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS
WOULD SURELY NOT BE WISE
FOR IN THE FINAL WORD
SHE MEANS NOTHING TO ME

I LEARNED THE TRICK IS
THAT WE JUST AVOID HER EYES
AND THE QUESTION
WHAT SHE MEANS TO ...

WHAT IS THIS LIFE
THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES
SOON TO ARRIVE
SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE
SHE IS BUT ONE
AND THERE ARE MANY MORE
EACH THE SAME AS ANY OTHER

WHO IS THIS CHILD
WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME
I CLOSE MY EYES
AND STILL HER FACE I SEE
SHE IS BUT ONE
HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE
CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE

I NEED A MOMENT NOW
I HAVE TO CLEAR MY MIND
THERE IS A LIMIT LORD
JUST TO BEING KIND

THERE IS NO WAY IN LIFE
THAT EACH CHILD CAN BE SAVED
SHOULD I BE LOOKING WITH REGRET
AT EVERY GRAVE

THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES
IN LIFE SHE SHOULD BE WARNED
I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS CHILD BEING BORN

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE
IN ANY KIND OF WAY
FOR EVERY CHILD THAT LIFE CAN GATHER

WHAT IS THIS LIFE
THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES
SOON TO ARRIVE
SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE

SHE IS BUT ONE
AND THERE ARE MANY MORE
COULD THIS ONE LIFE REALLY MATTER

WHO IS THIS CHILD
WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME
I CLOSE MY EYES
AND STILL HER FACE I SEE
SHE IS BUT ONE
HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE
CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE

CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT
CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE
IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE
AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR

THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES
AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW
IN MY HEART
I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO

THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY FOR ME
A WAY THAT LEADS FROM THIS INSANITY
A WAY THAT LEADS FROM MY DESTRUCTION IN THIS WAY

CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT
CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE
IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE
AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR

THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES
AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW
IN MY HEART
I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO

A painful hole rips through him nearly bringing him to his knees. All his life he had thought of no one but his petty self. From ending Cindy's love life to stopping his inventions. It was time to help someone other than himself. Besides, that could be the child he and Cindy never had.

Slumping into his lab chair, defeated he says, "You have a deal."

Mephistopheles begins to dance in glee as he picks up the toaster contraption, not noticing Twist whispering in Jimmy's ear.

"How will I know if you keep your word?" Jimmy asks Twist's question.

"Draw up a contract, if you want. Put it on the back of that Bible." The black angel replies not taking his eyes off his prize.

Fate nods toward Jimmy, urging him to write the binding contract on the sacred paper. If he does so, it makes the bargain unbreakable even by the devil's hand.

"I cannot write a damnation of my invention." He mutters almost incoherently.

"I'll write for you." Fate offers kindly sensing his discouraged ness.

She reads aloud as she writes.

"It is agreed upon this night, March 26th, 2025, between the undersigned, that the invention of the Life Extender 2700, created by James Issak Neutron, first born son of Hugh and Judith Neutron, of the city of Haydaytown, shall henceforth be the property of Mephistopheles, Lord of Darkness and first fallen from the grace of God. It is also understood that it is his intention to remove any signs of this invention from the memory of man for all eternity. In exchange for the destruction of the aforementioned invention it is also agreed that Mephistopheles and all his minions will remove themselves from the life of the child presently sleeping in the gutter directly across from the window of this room. This removal of influence is to be commenced immediately upon signing and to be enforced for all eternity.

James Issac Neutron

Mephistopheles

"Alright, sounds reasonable." He figures and signs. Without looking, Jimmy signs it too. The pain increases in his chest.