saw numerous awful things that living human beings could not even imagine. Many, many times he went close to those horrifying events and felt intolerable despair and terror.
The worst aspect of this experience was that just as he seemed to win the fight to return to goodness, just as he felt a sense of peace at getting over the horror, a strong hand would guide him back forcibly towards new and boundless nightmares.
***
Jerry opened his eyes, and in his groggy state did not understand at first where he was. Suddenly he sensed pain again. He felt bandages and catheters and realized he was in a hospital.
An unknown man was sitting close to him and looking at him very attentively.
“My name is Robert Noirson, Jerry,” the man introduced himself in a deep low voice. “How do you like the place that you just visited?”
“Which place?” Jerry asked. It took a lot of effort.
The man smiled. “It was Hell, Jerry. And you’re going to that place. And all those events are waiting for you. You’re dying, poor boy.”
“No!” Jerry licked his lips and looked around the ward. “Where are the doctors? Why aren’t they trying to heal me?”
“They tried their best.” The man snorted. “But they are just humans. Besides, why do you want them to cure you? You’re going to have a lethal injection or get the chair. Which do you prefer?”
Jerry wept. He cried like a child. He did not want to die.
“Oh, come on, Jerry, what did you expect? Did you think you would go to Heaven? Did the Devil force you to do such things?” Robert waited for Jerry’s answer with curiosity. And he was pleasantly surprised.
“You’re right.” The teenager sighed. “Nobody forced me. I chose this path myself. Shit, it’s funny, you know, but I have never thought that everything has an end. But it does, doesn’t it!”
“I like your way of thinking.” Robert smiled. “So, how do you like the place that you’ve seen? How do you like Hell?”
“How the fuck do you know, what I saw?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Robert shook his head. “I’m a respectable creature, boy! Don’t use such vile language when you’re talking to me!”
The room was filled with the menace in the voice.
“Okay, sir,” the teenager replied derisively. “Could you explain, how do you know, what I saw in my delirium?”
“Because, I’m the manager of that place,” came a reply in a casual air.
The teenager stared at him. “Are you the Devil?”
“No, I’m just His Son. I did not say I’m the owner of that place. I said, I’m just the manager here, on Earth and there in Hell.”
“And you wanna get my soul?”
“Don’t be so naive!” Robert laughed. “I already have it! With my abilities, I don’t need servants at all, but I don’t like to waste the Power. So, if something can be done without using that, I prefer that way. And, well, I must follow some rules. One of them is that before I ‘hire’ someone, I have to tell him this: you can release yourself from me if you sincerely repent or commit something ‘noble’, and…” Robert stopped for a second and said with visible effort and spite. “And I must tell you, unbelievable as it seems, it happens sometimes! But I don’t think you’re such a person.”
The teenager double-checked his feelings. He really was not sorry. Reading his thoughts, Robert smirked and continued: “Here is one warning: if you die in fire, voluntary or accidentally, you’ll not go to Hell, you’ll just not exist until the Day of Judgment, when we all will answer for our actions.”
The gloomy anxiety in Robert’s voice made the teenager smile.
“Well,” he said, “everything you do you have to pay for, right?”
“Oh, you’re such a brave boy, eh?” Robert’s eyes glinted. “I like the way you think, Jerry! I like your sense of responsibility! Here is my offer: I promise you my patronage and caring as long as you are faithful to me. I know, you aren’t suited to being a leader, however, you’re smart enough to be a good soldier. All that I ask for is your submission. So, what will it be?”
“I’m hurting.” Jerry responded dismally. “I don’t know when I’ll be back on form.”
Robert sighed. He touched Jerry and the teenager gasped. The pain was gone and the bandages and catheters fell off instantly.
Unbelieving, Jerry sprang up, raced to the mirror and threw off his gown. He stared at his beautiful, youthful body, his strong shoulders, smooth tanned chest and washboard stomach, all looking in top form. Overall, his body was healthy again and felt as rejuvenated as a blunt knife after a long session at the cutlers. And best of all, despite everything, he had no scars. That was enough for Jerry. Very, very slowly, the teenager walked to Robert and knelt: “My Lord! My life is in Your hands!”
And Robert smiled with self-satisfaction.
***
In a suite in the apartment block reserved for Noirson’s associates, Jerry laid on his bed, smoking. He was waiting for Ron, his head partner. He had not even taken off his shoes, and was lying on top of bedclothes that matched perfectly with every other fabric accessory in the bedroom. He observed the chambermaid – a curvy brunette, very tall and slender, in an indigo figure-hugging classic French maid outfit, embroidered with gold thread.
She was doing the room, and Jerry’s eyes moving from her rippling cleavage to her defined stockinged calves, back up to her strong, beautifully made-up face, before dwelling longingly on her white lace headpiece. Despite the vibes he was giving off as his gaze penetrated her clothing, the woman continued working, as if he were invisible.
Jerry hated to be ignored. He got up and moved in closer, focusing on her neck. He breathed in deeply through his nose.
“Mmmmm, señorita, cool perfume you have on it today.”
“Probably,” she grunted back, not even turning to face him, just getting on with her dusting.
“No need to be like that when a person is only trying to be friendly.”
She didn’t reply, and Jerry carefully placed his palm on her lower back, then slid his hand down and gently squeezed her buttock. He could feel the fabric of her panties move beneath the typical chambermaid issue dress. There was no reaction.
Determined to have his way, Jerry continued with the charm. “Nice rump you got there, girl!” He smiled and squeezed again, awaiting her response.
She calmly put down her duster, turned to him and looked right into his eyes.
“Maybe I have a nice ass, maybe I don’t. Maybe I would like you to do something with it – in fact looking at you now, yes, I would definitely like to fuck you too, pretty boy – but you know what?”
“What?” he teased her.
“While me and you are in the employ of Mister Noirson, fuck off!” She yelled, and stepped back, rearranging her skirt. Then she hissed, “Keep your hands to yourself, big boy. If you wanna boink someone, go to building C, fourth floor, and ask for any of the girls there.”
Jerry was smirking. He liked her spirit and thought he was on to something with her.
“Boink? Oh please, do me a favor, Miss Prissy. For a start this is about you, not some tart in C block. Besides, boinking you babe, is not quite what I had in mind.”
“Oh, I see. So what do you have in mind? Where you come from, does ‘boink’ mean buy flowers and treat me like a lady?”
“Not