= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

WARNING ! All of my composition is intended for adult over the age of 18 ONLY. Stories may check firm or even extreme sexual content. All citizenry and case depicted are fictional and any resemblance to person living or dead is purely coincident. Actions, situations, and reply are fictional ONLY and should not be attempted in literal life.

If you are under the age or 18 or do not realize the difference between phantasy and world or if you reside in any state, province, nation, or tribal district that prohibits the indication of acts depicted in these stories, please stop over reading immediately and move to somewhere that exists in the twenty-first century.

Archiving and reposting of this fib is permitted, but only if citation of copyright and argument of limit of use is included with the article. This history is copyright ( c ) 2012 by The Technician ( Technician666 @ Gmail.Com. )

someone readers may archive and/or print single copies of this account for personal, non-commercial use. product of multiple transcript of this level on paper, disc, or early pay off format is expressly forbidden.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
* * * * * * * * * * * *


Normally Estevan loved Halloween. It was his favorite holiday. He had watched it change through the 100 from a annual cultic purification of fireside and flame as practiced by the Kelt ; to a harvest festival as practiced by the Romans when they took the festival back to the Mediterranean Sea area ; to a children 's night of play intended to dispel our canonic fear of evil witching creatures ; to its current, modern-day excuse for raunchy costumes and alcohol-fueled parties.

As he thought about it, he could not help but equate the modern debauchery with the Roman fertility jubilation. The Roman combined the Celtic `` dark night '' ritual with their own `` Feralia '' practices, both of whom involved the strong drink of the dead. By putting it on November first, however, the roman letters removed the '' public fasting '' required by Feralia. The new date replaced the public fast of those final exam, gray days of February with the `` public celebration '' of harvest time at the end of October. The solvent was basically a drunken orgy, and the Romans really roll in the hay how to hold an saturnalia - especially if you mixed in religious overtone that made alcoholic drink and sex an acceptable theatrical role of the cultic birth rate ritual.

'' Just like old times, '' he said aloud as he remembered the tempestuous parties he had attended last Halloween with Alicia. But then he glanced down at her characterisation in his hands and said softly and sadly, `` Just like old meter. ``

This year was to be a `` Kalend of Kalends. '' Literally that meant a calendar month of month, but it was used by the roman print to refer to a decennium. Somewhere in the ancient past it may birth originally meant thirty calendar month or perhaps thirty eld, but that was before Estevan 's time.

Not a whole lot was before Estevan 's prison term. Once at a dinner party, when someone had asked him how old he really was, he replied, `` I was n't around to sell the stones to Cheops for his pyramid, but my company poured the concrete for Flavius when he built the Coliseum. '' Everyone laughed - those who heard it because of how his freakish reply avoided giving his admittedly age, Estevan, because he was telling the absolute truth.

No, Estevan was not god. He was an ordinary bicycle, soul man, who one Feralia - before they even called it that - just happened to have struck a deal with the steward of the dead. Today most citizenry call him The dickens, or Satan, but he truly has no gens, just as he has no face, or for that matter just as he has no body. He can take over various forms, from Bull to goat to human to god or goddess or strange compounding in between, but all such forms are just illusions.

'' His promise are also illusions, '' thought Estevan. `` interminable life .... but at what monetary value ? ``

Then he spoke aloud to himself `` Is it truly living when you know that once every ten old age you must betray mortal who loves you dearly to buy another ten years of life story ? ``

How many had he betrayed over the century ? How many had gone down into the realm of the keeper of the all in so that he could continue to walk the earthly concern ? Would this be the year that, on the festival of the beat, he would reject, and would himself be embraced by the formless arm of the keeper of the dead ?

Alicia was different. With his youthful appeal and physically pleasing torso, it had always been promiscuous to get women to fall in love with him. He enjoyed their charm while it lasted, and they benefitted greatly from his utmost wealth and force. He had always justified things to himself by saying that if they had known what they were doing they would have gladly traded their lives for the ten years of absolute seventh heaven which he bestowed upon them. Women - and men - gave up their lives for very much less.

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

It was not just her physical appearance that made her special. Her voice was almost musical ; she knew her history and the intricacies of the artistic production and skill ; and she was eloquent in as many language as he was. At to the lowest degree, she could speak and realize all those languages which he currently used. He had never tried to speak with her in antediluvian Phoenician.

There had been others as beautiful. Carla had breasts that were the complete size of it and physique, and her sex was perfectly formed, both for beauty and to caress and transfix his cock as they thrust together. She had the perfect natural admixture of grip and lubrication so that it was like sliding through beloved into that tight shaft.

There had been others as full-bodied. Suzanne had been almost richer than he, coming as she did from royal stag origin in a time when royalty reigned supreme in Europe. She was born to extreme riches, and had taught him subtlety of using your riches to exercise index over others that he would never bear dreamed of on his own.

There had been others as intelligent. Veronica was the most reasoning of them all. She actually had surmised his undercover, but her erotic love for him kept her from fleeing. When her Kalendra came, she peacefully looked him in the optic - without fear - and said `` I wondered when this day would come. I knew it would. The payment for life is always life. Despite what you must do, I thank you for the nine year of your lovemaking that you have given me. ``

Estevan grimaced remembering those speech. 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. roll in the hay requires that you truly, faithfully and sincerely put the one you love above everything else in your liveliness. As the old jape goes, `` Once you can fudge that, you have it made. '' Estevan could fake make out very, very well.

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

The deal with The hellion was that once every ten long time on the festival of the dead, he had to betray someone who truly loved him and turn them over to the keeper of the dead. Could he do it this class ?

Betraying someone who loved you is easy - as long as your dearest for them is a pseud. But could he betray someone whom he truly loved ? Could he send Alicia into the weapon system of the keeper of the dead ?

The response would get at midnight on the night of the dead. The demand day for that had varied through the hundred, but in today 's macrocosm ..., in this Carry Nation ..., in this culture ..., that would be at midnight on Halloween.

Alicia was rather calm down all day on Halloween. This class, the party would be at their estate. Perhaps she was preoccupied with the details of final preparation for the festivity. They had decided on a Grecian musical theme for the decorations. Alicia designed and had supervised the mental synthesis of a relatively accurate replica of the temple of Hestia, the Greek goddess of hearth and home.

The Romans borrowed many of the cultic recitation of the Greeks, including the hallowed flame of Hestia, which on the night of the dead was brought to full fire so that mass could take glowing ember household to relight their hearths with `` sanctify fire '' - of course for a fee. There always had to be an offering of silver to the goddess in riposte for the sanctified fire. Alicia 's pseudo-temple was the thoroughgoing scene for a large bonfire for the party.

'' Have all polish always combined fire ... and sinlessness ... and death ? '' thought Estevan when he saw the tabernacle sitting in the garden. It was n't exactly as he remembered it when he had walked between its pillars in capital of Greece, but the differences were minor. Alicia 's design looked almost more primitive person ... more ancient that the temple he remembered. `` This will be perfective tense. '' he told Alicia. He then added silently to himself, `` Now I do n't give to come up up with some way to create a balefire. ``

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 realism. There was `` full '' sacred and `` bad '' sacred. There was the `` holy '' fire and the `` un-holy '' fervidness. The graven image came forth from the sanctum fire. The keeper of the dead came forth from the un-holy fire.

It was an stroke when it happened .... well, not exactly an stroke. Estevan was supposed to enkindle the sacred attack for his household, but being a typically rebellious teenaged boy of any polish or 100, he intentionally reversed the phrasing of the rite. He was alone by the folk sacred hearth when he began the task of building a new fire so he was resign to cut up the ritual lyric. Had his father or mother been there, such disrespect would have brought a severe beating, but he was alone, and so he showed his despite for what he considered the useless and hole speech of a totally stupid ritual. He reversed all of the Holy Writ as he labored to make the right spark to inflame the desiccated Gunter Grass and kindling that would commence the flame for the sacred fire.

But it was n't a dullard rite ..., and they were not useless, hollow words. With his rescind ritual, he created an un-sacred fire and when the family gathered, the custodian of the all in came forth from the flak and consumed his father and his mother and all who were gathered around the fire ... except Estevan. Then the custodian of the absolutely offered him eternal life. He could live forever, but that eternal lifetime required a steady defrayment of life.

What would Estevan say when The daemon came forth from the fire this yr. Would he say the right words, `` I give you life for life, jazz for honey, that which is not mine for that which is not yours. '' Or would he say simply, `` I withhold lifespan for sprightliness and give you my life as your own. ``

There had never been any question about the choice of dustup in all the one C of year of his existence. Why now ? Why this prison term ? Why with Alicia ?

The client began arriving shortly after sundown. It was a sullen dark, and the extensive garden was dimly lit with the flickering flame of torches which surrounded the area and lined each of the course. The torches had been intentionally placed so that there were large, grassy area of add together darkness where masses could line up seclusion in the thick of the gathering. If the party had been inside, several of the bedrooms would stimulate been available, but the dark-skinned areas would be almost as private.

The invitations had specifically said `` Greco-Roman subject, '' but had also indicated that `` traditional Halloween costumes are also acceptable. '' So, as the eventide began, there were toga and tunic clad men and women standing around drinking with witches, hob, wizard Wars character, and of course, a plethora of gamey nurses, teachers, pig, robbers, and whatever.

By nine o'clock several of the togas and tunica had already been discarded and raw slave walked among the revelers. Estevan smiled as he watched Dr. President Harrison and a naked nanny Buchanan berth into the darkness. It reminded him of actual bare slaves being led into the darkness at a company in a setting very exchangeable to this a long, foresighted fourth dimension 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-bodied to say the words and give Alicia over to the keeper of the beat. Alicia also was not drinking tonight, probably because, as air hostess, she needed to keep her mind net to supervise the party.

Midnight was fast approaching. Estevan and Alicia were the only two masses there who were not seriously drunk and disheveled. They were also among the few who were still totally clothed. Shortly before midnight, Estevan began maneuvering Alicia to the `` dark incline '' of the fire. At his suggestion, there were no Aaron's rod on this side of the fire so that just a few human foot from the flames, you were in congeneric iniquity. It was the perfect setting to satisfy the keeper of the dead for the once-a-decade betrayal ritual.

And then it was time. Estevan and Alicia were standing in the perfect place. Others could not see them over the flaming of ardor, and from the slope they were just at the sharpness of being able to be seen in the fire 's lambency. At exactly midnight, Estevan faced the ardour and watched as a well- dressed man stepped out of the flames and into the soft twinkle of the flame lit the area. He had expected Alicia to be startled, but she stood serenely next to him.

The hellion was dressed like a riverboat gambler from the American west. He even had on one of those bootleg, flat-topped western lid preferred by such no-account. He was continually flipping and catching what appeared to be an old-fashioned silver dollar sign. `` I have come for my Kalendra testimonial, '' he said with a smooth, abstruse voice.

Estevan stepped slightly forward. As he spoke the silver buck spun past The Prince of Darkness 's hand and slowly - very, very slowly - dropped toward the priming coat.

Estevan stepped closer to him and said clearly, `` I withhold life for animation and hand you my life as your own. '' He was actually surprised to hear himself say those words. He was even more surprised to pick up Alicia speak the very Lapp words as she stood alongside him.

He quickly turned to depend at her. Her center were astray with shock, as probably were his own. The keeper of the dead began to laugh. When Estevan turned back to look at him, the silver medal coin was sitting on the ground at his feet ... upright.

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

Alicia and Estevan continued to stare at him, and at the coin. He continued. `` I never renege on my wad - ever ! ! But I do n't always give out all the details of every peck. Only I know ALL the point of the deal. For this exceptional deal - which was the same for both of you - each prison term I come, you have a choice, headland or tush ... generate me your life-time or the life of someone who loves you. ``

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

He smiled a very cruel and evil smile. `` You return to my family with me, because by willingly giving yourself to me, you have become my eternal striver and toy. ``

'' I make my deals very carefully knowing that eventually, you will go down in love. Eventually, you will determine someone whom you can not bewray. And when that happens, you will feed your aliveness for theirs and you are mine. It 's just a matter of prison term and the odds as I keep flipping the coin of choice. Sooner or later it comes up tails. ``

He laughed once again. This sentence it was the sound of honest laughter. `` But there is always that infinitesimal opening that the coin will not be heads or tails. unsufferable as it seems, a coin can shoot down on edge ... and bide there. The chances of that are very, very, very low, but the impossible will happen occasionally when you flip coins through all eternity. Tonight the coin has landed on bound. 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 lifetime for Alicia, I can not take her. Alicia, because you have given your life for Estevan, I can not hire him. That means that you are now both free people from your agreements. The deal is off. ``

He shook his headspring and smiled a wry smile. His voice took on an unusually delicate step. `` You will now age like normal people, and the day will eventually arrive when I will once again come to collect you to the nation of the dead, but that is where you will go. You will not accompany me back to Hell ... because the coin of choice has laded on boundary. ``

He picked up the silver clam from the ground and tossed it to Estevan. `` observe this as a remembrance that one Halloween, one duad very much in love with each former beat the Devil at his own biz. ``

He laughed again and said, `` That does n't happen very often ... about as often as a coin landing on edge and staying there. '' Turning back toward the ardor he concluded. `` Now I must leave alone. Even I can suspend clip for only a poor while and I have many other appointments for tonight. I have trade to make, lives to collect, and maybe even a soul or two to contain back with me to the bass profoundness. ``

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

When Estevan looked puzzled, she added, `` I did n't deal Oliver Stone to Khufu either, but I did occasionally watch from beneath a silk canopy as the slaves sweated to campaign them into station. ``

Estevan took her hand and led her slowly into the darkness away from the temple. Within their buckle deal, still warm to the cutaneous senses from coming through the fire, they held the coin of selection which this Night had determined their fate.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
END OF STORY
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =