Satan's Soul

I need to start this blog by stating the following story is based on something that did happen to me, it is not necessarily true.

“Satan's Soul”

Once again I was grounded, tired of the constant punishment, I went to bed in tears. How dare she ground me again? I had been grounded for not finishing my meal in a timely manner, coming home with dirt on my clothes, stepping in the stream in the field by our house and looking at her with anger. At least one of these was what I was currently grounded for, but who knows what the real reason was, it just wasn't fair and I knew it. I had already been hit with the belt too and now I couldn't go play with my friends outside my yard.

I heard the hag's voice from the other room telling me to say my prayers and it was the intention of my 8 year old mind to do so. Oh yes, I'd say my prayers, I'd ask for just retribution, I'd ask God to smite her evil soul. Sniveling, snot dripping from my nose, cheeks wet with tears and anger in my heart, I knelt to pray.

“Dear God, I hate her, why can't you take her away? Please God, I'll do anything, I'll be yours forever if you just take away my grounding. If my Dad says I'm not grounded in the morning, I know I'll be your soul forever and if he doesn't well then I'm not. Amen”

I climbed into my bed, but I couldn't sleep, it wasn't finished and I knew it. I had done the good side of things, now I had to do the bad side too. In my mind I opened the conversation again, but now I was talking to Satan.

“Satan, if you can fix this give me a sign tonight at midnight shake my bed, if you do I'll be your soul forever.”

I could now sleep because I had completed both halves of the spell. I drifted off to sleep and my dreams were fitful, I was burning in a pit of lava, I was in pain and afraid and I wanted my Dad to save me. Then I felt the bed shake a little, I woke in fear, looked to the old digital alarm clock on the nightstand. The numbers were like fire in my belly 12:00 the backlit pieces of cardboard read mocking my fear, I shook my head, maybe I just imagined the bed shaking. The bed shook violently as if in response to my thoughts. I pulled myself into the safe corner of the bed, the one against the wall toward the head of the bed. My legs to my chest my body rocking back and forth, I began to chant.

“No I won't be yours Satan, No I won't be yours”

The bed stopped shaking and I prayed again, but this time from the safety of my bed.

“Dear God, please don't let Satan take me. Amen”

It was a while later when I heard them come home from bowling league, I'm sure they had a few drinks after with their friends. They tried to be quiet, but adults had a way of speaking in a hushed tone that just made it worse. I heard their laughter, I felt my tears, I rolled over and pretended to sleep as the door opened slightly and then closed again. I don't know when I finally slept again, but eventually I dreamt, but this time it wasn't nightmares, it was a dream of nothing.

I awoke the next morning to the smell of breakfast and coffee brewing as I did most weekends. My father greeted me in the hallway to the kitchen.

“Morning son, hey we wanted to tell you last night, but you were asleep. You aren't grounded.”

Never again did I ask God for a sign and never again did I speak to Satan.