Humans are fascinating creatures. They claim to be more righteous than the other, but one push on the right buttons will make them more sinful than a harlot. On Earth, the Supreme Ruler of Hell roams the land, searching for a man or woman to tempt. Violet eyes that shine like amethysts gaze upon the neighborhood, sensing any negative energy to intensify. 

 

The Devil surveys the people jogging along the sidewalks and the dogs sniffing every grass strand they come across. An Aspin meets the demon’s gaze, then it growls and barks loudly. The dog attempts to gain attention from the passersby, but no one came to investigate the root of the bark. The demon smirks and ignores the hound, continuing his search. 

 

Until the Devil halts.

 

The demon stares at the bungalow, with ivy vines climbing on the grey walls. Dry leaves scatter around the weedy land, and the Devil could see various insects living among the grass. However, the aura of the house is not of interest, it is the languid energy inside. The demon enters the abode with silent steps and is greeted by the dim living area. 

 

The dust lays like gloomy snow on the wooden floor. If a human were to walk inside the place, they would have coughed and smelled the musty dampness of the home. The entity floats, searching for the source of the negative aura until it reaches the kitchen. 

 

A scrawny boy with brown hair and tan yet pale, sweaty skin is tying a Hangman’s knot on the kitchen counter. His hands shake as it forces itself to move, and the demon could see the bruises on the forearms of the boy. 

 

A grin contorts the Devil’s face as it floats closer to the adolescent, soundless and unnoticeable. Once near, the entity whispers in a soothing yet malevolent voice.

 

“Lucas.”

 

The boy stiffens, squinting his hazel eyes in confusion, “Who…?”

 

The entity moves closer to his ear, "I am you, Lucas. I am your mind, your soul, your desires. And, I can see you are suffering."

 

Lucas’ hazel  eyes gaze down to the half-done noose and he sighs, “I am.”

 

"Then, you must be willing to end your suffering right here, right now, am I wrong?"

 

“No.”

 

“Well, what are you waiting for? Do it,” the Devil takes its monstrous hands out of its black, misty cloak and places them closer to the boy’s hands, inching closer and closer to the adolescent’s bony and slender fingers.

 

However, without a word, Lucas undoes the knot.

 

The Devil retracts his hand, and a frown replaces his grin, "Why did you stop tying the knot?"

 

Lucas gulps and says, “I- I haven't talked to anyone like this before. It's new."

 

The Devil starts to move away from the human, and its violet eyes narrow in confusion. It mutters, "Excuse me?"

 

"If you are in my head, then, why are you right beside me?"

 

The demon jumps back and floats to the archway separating the living area and kitchen, its instincts telling it to flee from its failed temptation.

 

“W-Wait, don’t go!”

 

The Devil stops in its tracks and looks back at the boy, who has his arm outstretched, “Why not?”

 

Lucas looks in his direction and searches the darkness, his hazel eyes squinting, attempting to find the entity’s black cloak.

 

“I just don't want you to... Please?" the boy pleads.

 

The request renders the Devil silent, his mind debating with itself on whether or not to fulfill the boy’s plea. Then, he comes to a decision.

 

The entity appears out of the dark. The brunette’s eyes widen as he is greeted with something inhuman. The Devil’s head and legs are of a goat’s and it has a human torso.  Its claws are long and sharp, and large demon wings enveloped its body with black bones and wine-colored wing membranes.

 

The demon smirks as it sees Lucas’ wide eyes and asks with a haughty tone, “Are you scared, human?”

 

"Is that your real form?" 

 

The demon’s smirk wipes off its face. Lucas’ head tilts, his eyebrow raised.

 

“I have many forms, human,” the entity answers with a tinge of annoyance in its voice.

 

“May I see some of them?” Lucas asks.

 

The demon contemplates the request. But, it shakes its head, “No, not now.”

 

“Why?” Lucas frowns at the rejection.

 

“It is not appropriate.”

 

Lucas nods slowly, then gives a small, yet weak smile, "Can you at least show me your human form? If you have one?"

 

The Devil stays silent. 

 

“Please?” Lucas gazes up at him with a  shine that glints, despite the dead realm that lies behind it.

 

The both of them stare at each other. Until the demon sighs.

 

“Fine.”

 

A black shroud envelops the demon, and Lucas backs away with a hand in front. The dust surrounds the entity as the smoke spins around its body. Lucas gulps as he watches the dark smoke clear, however, his worry dissipates. Instead of an anthropomorphic goat, it is replaced by a man with horns and black demon wings, who loomed over the boy like a Baobab tree. He dons a sleek black suit and purple tie, and his posture is one of high status.

 

The Devil’s cold and deep violet eyes pierce through  Lucas’ soul. Yet, the boy smiles at him and gestures to the couch in the living area.

 

“Let us sit there, Mister.”

 

The Devil looks in the direction Lucas is pointing and shakes his head.

 

“Please? There are no bugs in it,” Lucas walks to the seat and wipes the dust away with his hand, then sits down.

 

The demon stares at him, before exhaling, exasperated. The Devil walks to the couch and flumps on it, maintaining distance between him and Lucas. 

 

The boy pays no heed and asks, "Uhm, may I know your name?"

 

“I have many names, but,” the demon purses his lips together, then crosses his arms, “You can call me Lucifer.”

 

Lucas blinks and clears his throat, “Th-The Supreme Ruler of Hell?”

 

Lucifer nods, his violet eyes avoiding eye contact with the human. 

 

“Oh, so,” Lucas pauses, before looking away, “You were trying to tempt me to commit suicide earlier?”

 

“I must tempt people to turn them into sinners so I can punish them in hell.”

 

Lucas sighs, "Oh well, it doesn't matter if I commit suicide or not. I'm slowly dying of leukemia."

 

Lucifer raises an eyebrow, and his eyes meet with Lucas’ dejected ones. He questions, "Leukemia? Why are you not being treated?"

 

"I don't have the money,” Lucas’ hands balls into fists. “My family abandoned me in this house because they think my disease isn't worth spending on.”

 

They are going to hell for that, Lucifer thinks as a frown forms on his pale face. 

 

"So, I have been stuck here, hungry and thirsty, and decided to just,” Lucas’ voice starts to crack, and he begins to choke on his words, “I decided to... or attempted to..."

 

Lucifer hears a small sniffle, so he squints his eyes and moves closer to the human. But, he stops as he sees tears fall on the teen’s fists.

 

"I lost hope. My cancer is currently at stage 2, and I'm afraid my immune system isn't helping me. I feel so weak, sick, and pathetic,” Lucas breathes out.

 

Lucifer swallows. Should I tempt this boy, or prolong his suffering? What is the most viable option here?  

 

"And then, I remembered that... Grandma told me to pray for my guardian angel if I'm feeling lonely or despairing, so I prayed. But,  they didn't come.”

 

Lucifer almost grins from glee at the boy’s distrust in the angels. He shall prolong this boy’s suffering.

 

"Being holed up in this house... I wanted to end it. That's why I... I..." Lucas could not prevent a sob from escaping, covering his eyes as he finally releases his bottled-up emotions.

 

Lucifer sighs and moves beside him. He asks the boy, "Do you wish to die now?”

 

Lucas swallows his tears down and coughs. Then, he shakes his head, "No. I don't want to, yet."

 

“Why?” Lucifer questions.

 

"Because I finally had... someone to talk to."

 

Lucifer furrows his eyebrows, "But I'm the Devil. The Ruler of Evil. I  tempted you to kill yourself earlier,” he shakes his head in disbelief. “How could you possibly think that I am someone you should be talking to?”

 

The brunette pauses, before replying, "I honestly don't know. I guess I'm just relieved that at least someone came here."

 

The demon cannot stop the incredulous stare directed at the child. His eye twitches as he could not tell if this kid is naive or stupid.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lucifer’s eyes attempt to detect any lie in the boy’s tone or expression, but could not find any sign. He groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. 

 

"Fine. I will stay."

 

Suddenly, Lucifer’s form begins to change. 

 

Lucas gasps and stares as the demon’s face morphs into one of a skull of a bull. His horns grow and his mouth starts to ooze with a black viscous liquid, and his eyes start to melt. What makes Lucas shiver was not the monstrous appearance of the Devil. No, it is the voice that came from him.

 

Lucifer’s voice echoes across the whole house, almost like the cries of a thousand souls in hellfire, begging for mercy and freedom.

 

“I will stay here to torment you, and you will wish you were never alive.”