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warning ! All of my writing is intended for adults over the age of 18 ONLY. narration may contain strong or even extreme sexual content. All masses and events depicted are fictional and any resemblance to mortal living or dead is purely coincidental. Actions, situations, and answer are fictitious ONLY and should not be attempted in real life.

If you are under the age or 18 or do not empathise the departure between fantasy and reality or if you reside in any land, province, res publica, or tribal territory that prohibits the reading of acts depicted in these report, please intercept reading immediately and incite to somewhere that exists in the twenty-first century.

Archiving and reposting of this story is permitted, but only if reference of copyright and statement of limit of use is included with the clause. This write up is copyright ( c ) 2012 by The Technician ( Technician666 @ Gmail.Com. )

mortal readers may archive and/or print individual copy of this story for personal, non-commercial use. Production of multiple copies of this story on composition, record, or early rigid format is expressly forbidden.

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Normally Estevan loved Halloween. It was his favorite vacation. He had watched it change through the centuries from a annual cultic purification of hearth and fervour as practiced by the Kelt ; to a harvest time festival as practiced by the Romans when they took the fete back to the Mediterranean area ; to a child 's nighttime of dramatic play intended to dispel our basic fear of vicious magical creatures ; to its current, modern-day excuse for raunchy costumes and alcohol-fueled parties.

As he thought about it, he could not avail but compare the modern font debauchery with the Roman fecundity celebrations. The Romans combined the Celtic language `` shadow night '' rituals with their own `` Feralia '' practices, both of whom involved the spirits of the dead. By putting it on Nov first, however, the Romans removed the '' public fasting '' required by Feralia. The new appointment replaced the public fasting of those terminal, Louis Harold Gray mean solar day of Feb with the `` public festivity '' of harvest clip at the end of October. The result was basically a drunken orgy, and the roman letters really knew how to throw an debauch - especially if you mixed in religious overtones that made alcohol and sex an acceptable role of the cultic birthrate ritual.

'' Just like old times, '' he said aloud as he remembered the wild party he had attended finale Halloween with Alicia. But then he glanced down at her motion-picture show in his mitt and said softly and sadly, `` Just like old times. ``

This year was to be a `` Kalend of Kalends. '' Literally that meant a month of month, but it was used by the Romans to refer to a tenner. Somewhere in the ancient past it may give birth originally meant thirty months or perhaps XXX years, but that was before Estevan 's time.

Not a unit lot was before Estevan 's metre. Once at a dinner company, when person had asked him how old he really was, he replied, `` I was n't around to sell the Oliver Stone to Cheops for his pyramid, but my company poured the concrete for Flavius when he built the amphitheatre. '' Everyone laughed - those who heard it because of how his outre answer avoided giving his genuine age, Estevan, because he was telling the absolute truth.

No, Estevan was not immortal. He was an ordinary bicycle, deathly man, who one Feralia - before they even called it that - just happened to have struck a business deal with the keeper of the dead. Today most the great unwashed call him The Devil, or Satan, but he truly has no public figure, just as he has no face, or for that subject just as he has no body. He can assume various mannequin, from bull to goat to human to god or goddess or strange combination in between, but all such forms are just illusions.

'' His promises are also magic trick, '' thought Estevan. `` Eternal life-time .... but at what cost ? ``

Then he spoke aloud to himself `` Is it truly living when you know that once every ten years you must give away someone who loves you dearly to buy another ten years of life ? ``

How many had he betrayed over the C ? How many had gone down into the region of the custodian of the deadened so that he could continue to walk the land ? Would this be the class that, on the festival of the dead, he would refuse, and would himself be embraced by the formless arms of the keeper of the dead ?

Alicia was different. With his young charm and physically pleasing body, it had always been easy to get cleaning lady to fall in love with him. He enjoyed their charm while it lasted, and they benefitted greatly from his extreme point wealth and power. He had always justified things to himself by saying that if they had known what they were doing they would hold gladly traded their lives for the ten years of absolute bliss which he bestowed upon them. Women - and men - gave up their liveliness for much less.

'' What was it that made Alicia different ? '' He thought to himself. It was n't just that she was rich - nowhere near as plenteous as Estevan, but moneyed enough to be rich even among the rich. And it was n't just that she was beautiful. He remembered how her naked consistency had shone in the moonlight on the beach. And, when she paused and looked at Estevan, it was as if a statue from the Temple of Aphrodite had come to life.

It was not just her physical appearance that made her peculiar. Her vox was almost musical ; she knew her history and the elaborateness of the artistic creation and science ; and she was fluent in as many languages as he was. At least, she could speak and understand all those languages which he currently used. He had never tried to speak with her in ancient Phoenician.

There had been others as beautiful. Carla had breasts that were the stark size of it and figure, and her sex was perfectly formed, both for smasher and to caress and transfix his cock as they thrust together. She had the gross natural intermixture of grip and lubrication so that it was like sliding through dear into that pixilated shaft.

There had been others as rich. Suzanne had been almost richer than he, coming as she did from royal parentage in a time when royal house reigned supreme in Europe. She was born to extreme wealth, and had taught him subtleties of using your wealth to maintain magnate over others that he would never have dreamed of on his own.

There had been others as intelligent. speedwell was the most intelligent of them all. She actually had surmised his hugger-mugger, but her beloved for him kept her from fleeing. When her Kalendra came, she peacefully looked him in the eyes - without fearfulness - and said `` I wondered when this day would arrive. I knew it would. The defrayment for life is always life. Despite what you must do, I thank you for the nine years of your dear that you have given me. ``

Estevan grimaced remembering those discussion. He had not loved her. She only thought he loved her because he had acted like he loved her. But it was, after all, an act. get it on requires that you truly, faithfully and sincerely put the one you love above everything else in your life-time. As the old caper goes, `` Once you can fake that, you have it made. '' Estevan could fake love very, very well.

That is why Alicia was different. This meter it was n't postiche. After centuries upon the earth and after innumerable women chosen, used, and discarded, Estevan had finally, truly and completely fallen in love.

The bargain with The Prince of Darkness was that once every ten years on the fete of the dead, he had to denounce someone who truly loved him and plough them over to the keeper of the dead. Could he do it this year ?

Betraying someone who loved you is leisurely - as long as your making love for them is a shammer. But could he cheat on soul whom he truly loved ? Could he send Alicia into the blazonry of the steward of the bushed ?

The answer would come at midnight on the night of the absolutely. The demand day for that had varied through the centuries, but in today 's Earth ..., in this nation ..., in this polish ..., that would be at midnight on Halloween.

Alicia was rather quiet all day on Halloween. This year, the political party would be at their the three estates. Perhaps she was preoccupied with the point of final exam planning for the celebration. They had decided on a Greek theme for the decorations. Alicia designed and had supervised the grammatical construction of a relatively accurate replica of the temple of Hestia, the Greek goddess of open fireplace and home.

The Romans borrowed many of the cultic practices of the Greeks, including the sanctified fire of Hestia, which on the dark of the dead was brought to full fire so that masses could have glowing ember rest home to relight their fireside with `` purge fire '' - of course for a fee. There always had to be an offering of silver to the goddess in restitution for the sacred fire. Alicia 's pseudo-temple was the perfect setting for a large bonfire for the party.

'' Have all cultures always combined fire ... and purity ... and death ? '' thought Estevan when he saw the temple sitting in the garden. It was n't exactly as he remembered it when he had walked between its tower in capital of Greece, but the dispute were minor. Alicia 's pattern looked almost more primitive ... more ancient that the temple he remembered. `` This will be perfect. '' he told Alicia. He then added silently to himself, `` Now I do n't feature to arrive up with some way to create a bonfire. ``

The secret that Estevan had discovered so many Kalendra ago was that for everything sacred there was also the un-sacred. Perhaps both were sacred, but not on the Same end of realness. There was `` beneficial '' sacred and `` bad '' sacred. There was the `` holy place '' firing and the `` un-holy '' firing. The idol came forth from the holy place fire. The custodian of the utterly came forth from the un-holy fire.

It was an accident when it happened .... well, not exactly an stroke. Estevan was supposed to kindle the sacred firing for his house, but being a typically rebellious teenaged boy of any refinement or century, he intentionally reversed the wording of the rite. He was alone by the family sacred hearth when he began the project of building a new fire so he was gratis to mutilate the ritual row. Had his Church Father or mother been there, such disrespect would experience brought a severe beating, but he was alone, and so he showed his scorn for what he considered the useless and excavate word of a totally poor fish ritual. He reversed all of the parole as he labored to create the proper Muriel Spark to catch fire the dried grass and kindling that would lead off the flame for the hallowed fire.

But it was n't a stupid ritual ..., and they were not useless, hollow quarrel. With his invert ritual, he created an un-sacred fire and when the crime syndicate gathered, the keeper of the dead came forth from the ardour and consumed his founding father and his mother and all who were gathered around the fire ... except Estevan. Then the keeper of the dead offered him eternal life. He could live forever, but that eternal life required a fixture defrayment of life.

What would Estevan say when The Devil came forth from the fire this year. Would he say the proper password, `` I give you life for life, love for love, that which is not mine for that which is not yours. '' Or would he say simply, `` I withhold life for life and feed you my lifespan as your own. ``

There had never been any doubtfulness about the choice of words in all the 100 of years of his existence. Why now ? Why this time ? Why with Alicia ?

The guests began arriving shortly after sundown. It was a dark night, and the panoptic garden was murkily lit with the flickering flaming of common mullein which surrounded the area and lined each of the paths. The torches had been intentionally placed so that there were large, grassy country of total darkness where people could find privacy in the midst of the assembly. If the company had been inside, several of the bedrooms would have been usable, but the night orbit would be almost as private.

The invitations had specifically said `` Greco-Roman Theme, '' but had also indicated that `` traditional Halloween costumes are also acceptable. '' So, as the evening began, there were toga and tunic clad men and women standing around drinking with witches, hobgoblin, star topology war characters, and of path, a overplus of naughty nursemaid, teachers, bull, robbers, and whatever.

By nine o'clock several of the togas and adventitia had already been discarded and defenseless slaves walked among the merrymaker. Estevan smiled as he watched Dr. Reginald Carey Harrison and a au naturel nurse Buchanan slip into the dark. It reminded him of actual naked slaves being led into the darkness at a company in a setting very interchangeable to this a long, long meter ago.

He was n't drinking tonight. He was n't sure if it was because he knew he could n't get himself drunk enough to do what he had to do, or because he was afraid that if he was drunk enough he would be able to say the words and give Alicia over to the custodian of the dead. Alicia also was not drinking tonight, probably because, as stewardess, she needed to sustain her creative thinker realize to manage the party.

Midnight was fast approaching. Estevan and Alicia were the solely two mass there who were not seriously toast and disheveled. They were also among the few who were still totally clothed. Shortly before midnight, Estevan began maneuvering Alicia to the `` sour side '' of the fire. At his suggestion, there were no torches on this incline of the fire so that just a few substructure from the flames, you were in relative dark. It was the perfect background to receive the keeper of the dead for the once-a-decade treason ritual.

And then it was metre. Estevan and Alicia were standing in the perfect lieu. Others could not see them over the flames of fervency, and from the side they were just at the sharpness of being able-bodied to be seen in the flak 's glowing. At exactly midnight, Estevan faced the flak and watched as a well- dressed man stepped out of the fire and into the indulgent visible radiation of the ardor lit the area. He had expected Alicia to be startled, but she stood serenely adjacent to him.

The Satan was dressed like a riverboat gambler from the American Benjamin West. He even had on one of those contraband, flat-topped western hats preferred by such ne'er-do-wells. He was continually flipping and catching what appeared to be an old-fashioned silver dollar. `` I have come for my Kalendra tribute, '' he said with a smooth, deeply voice.

Estevan stepped slightly forward. As he spoke the ash gray dollar spun past The Devil 's paw and slowly - very, very slowly - dropped toward the dry land.

Estevan stepped penny-pinching to him and said clearly, `` I withhold life for life and generate you my life as your own. '' He was actually surprised to get word himself say those words. He was even more surprised to take heed Alicia utter the very same Christian Bible as she stood alongside him.

He quickly turned to depend at her. Her middle were all-encompassing with daze, as probably were his own. The keeper of the dead began to joke. When Estevan turned back to appear at him, the Ag coin was sitting on the ground at his feet ... upright.

The Satan continued to laugh. `` If you flip a coin often enough, for long enough, eventually it will land on edge. ``

Alicia and Estevan continued to gaze at him, and at the coin. He continued. `` I never renege on my wad - ever ! ! But I do n't always hand out all the details of every deal. Only I know ALL the contingent of the plenty. For this particular good deal - which was the same for both of you - each time I come, you have a pick, heads or tail coat ... give me your aliveness or the life of mortal who loves you. ``

'' Those whom you have given over to my keeping are utterly, but they are only dead. I take them to the place of the utter, like all others whom I escort from this realm. But on the day that you give me yourself, you come with me to the profoundness of what you like to name 'Hell .'''

He smiled a very cruel and evil grinning. `` You return to my home plate with me, because by willingly giving yourself to me, you have become my eternal slave and plaything. ``

'' I make my pot very carefully knowing that eventually, you will come in love. Eventually, you will find someone whom you can not shit. And when that happens, you will cave in your life story for theirs and you are mine. It 's just a thing of time and the odds as I keep flipping the coin of alternative. Oklahoman or later it comes up tail end. ``

He laughed once again. This time it was the sound of true laughter. `` But there is always that infinitesimal possibility that the coin will not be heads or tails. Impossible as it seems, a coin can land on edge ... and stay there. The chances of that are very, very, very small, but the unimaginable will go on occasionally when you flip coins through all eternity. Tonight the coin has landed on edge. You have each given your lives for the one whom you love. ``

Looking at both of them, he smiled and continued, `` Estevan, because you have given your life for Alicia, I can not take her. Alicia, because you have given your life for Estevan, I can not take him. That means that you are now both innocent from your agreements. The deal is off. ``

He shook his foreland and smiled a wry smile. His voice took on an unusually soft tone. `` You will now age like normal hoi polloi, and the day will eventually arrive when I will once again come to collect you to the land of the absolutely, but that is where you will go. You will not accompany me back to underworld ... because the coin of choice has laded on edge. ``

He picked up the silver dollar from the ground and tossed it to Estevan. `` keep on this as a commemoration that one Halloween, one pair very much in love life with each other beat the daimon at his own biz. ``

He laughed again and said, `` That does n't materialise very often ... about as often as a coin landing on edge and staying there. '' Turning back toward the fervour he concluded. `` Now I must impart. Even I can suspend clip for only a myopic while and I have many other appointments for tonight. I have mass to earn, lives to collect, and maybe even a soul or two to get back with me to the deepest profundity. ``

As he disappeared into the fire Alicia turned to Estevan, kissed him and said, `` It looks like we have a lot to enamour up on about each other 's biography. '' She blushed slightly and added, `` I hope you do n't take care that I am a small bit one-time than you. ``

When Estevan looked puzzled, she added, `` I did n't betray stones to Cheops either, but I did occasionally see from beneath a silk canopy as the striver sweated to push them into place. ``

Estevan took her script and led her slowly into the darkness away from the synagogue. Within their clasped work force, still warm to the cutaneous senses from coming through the fervency, they held the coin of alternative which this night had determined their fate.

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END OF STORY
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