If you believe in one thing, mustn’t you also believe in its opposite?
The prompt is:
THE DEVIL’S COVENANT
The room smelled of old books, worn leather, and expensive cigars. I looked around in awe at the framed maps, mounted hunting trophies, and other artifacts hung on the paneled walls and tucked into niches around the room.
“Welcome to the Explorers Society,” Walter intoned in his best James Earl Jones voice. I turned and saw my college roommate smiling in the arched doorway.
“Damn, you look good,” I said as our handshake morphed into a heartfelt bro-hug.
“Thanks. So do you.” His tone and eye flick toward my waistline, though, told me what he really thought of the ten pounds I’d added on top of my “Freshman Fifteen.” For his part, Stan looked as fit and tan as he ever had.
“This place is amazing. Thanks for inviting me inside. I hear it’s a pretty exclusive club.”
Walt nodded, but didn’t smile. “It’s become too exclusive, actually. That’s what I need your help with.”
“Too exclusive? I don’t know what you mean.”
He sighed. “Well, simply put, our members are dying at an alarming rate, and I think it’s because of this.”
He pointed to a book lying on a worktable. He knew of my occult beliefs, born of ancient manuscripts written in forgotten languages. So when I saw it, I was intrigued. When I read the title, though, I became ecstatic.
The Devil’s Covenant was written in gold in ancient calligraphy above the image of Lucifer tooled into the rich leather. Beneath the visage was written, Believe and Worship or Perish.
I looked at Stan. “Your friends didn’t believe when they opened it?” He shook his head. “Do you believe now and are you ready to worship and receive the gifts of the Fallen One?” He nodded, and I said, “Good,” and reverently opened the book.
THE END
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