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word of advice ! All of my writing is intended for adult over the age of 18 ONLY. Stories may turn back substantial or even extreme sexual subject. All multitude and events depicted are fictional and any resemblance to individual living or dead is purely coincidental. natural process, situations, and answer are fictional ONLY and should not be attempted in substantial life.

If you are under the age or 18 or do not sympathize the dispute between fantasy and reality or if you reside in any land, responsibility, nation, or tribal territory that prohibits the reading of acts depicted in these narration, please cease reading immediately and run to somewhere that exists in the twenty-first century.

Archiving and reposting of this story is permitted, but only if acknowledgment of right of first publication and instruction of restriction of use is included with the clause. This story is copyright ( c ) 2012 by The Technician ( Technician666 @ Gmail.Com. )

person readers may archive and/or photographic print single transcript of this story for personal, non-commercial use. Production of multiple copy of this story on theme, disk, or other fixed format is expressly forbidden.

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Normally Estevan loved Halloween. It was his darling holiday. He had watched it change through the 100 from a yearly cultic purification of hearth and fire as practiced by the Celts ; to a harvest festival as practiced by the Romans when they took the festival back to the Mediterranean Sea area ; to a youngster 's Nox of play intended to dispel our staple fear of iniquity magical creatures ; to its electric current, contemporary excuse for raunchy costumes and alcohol-fueled parties.

As he thought about it, he could not help but compare the modern orgy with the Roman richness celebrations. The Epistle to the Romans combined the Celtic language `` dark night '' rituals with their own `` Feralia '' exercise, both of whom involved the spirits of the dead. By putting it on November first, however, the Romans removed the '' public fasting '' required by Feralia. The new engagement replaced the world fast of those final, grey-headed days of Feb with the `` public festivity '' of harvest home metre at the end of Oct. The result was basically a drunken debauch, and the Romans really knew how to throw an orgy - especially if you mixed in spiritual overtone that made alcoholic drink and sex an acceptable parting of the cultic richness ritual.

'' Just like old time, '' he said aloud as he remembered the wild company he had attended finally Hallowe'en with Alicia. But then he glanced down at her motion-picture show in his paw and said softly and sadly, `` Just like old times. ``

This year was to be a `` Kalend of Kalends. '' Literally that meant a month of months, but it was used by the roman letters to refer to a decade. Somewhere in the ancient past it may induce originally meant XXX month or perhaps thirty long time, but that was before Estevan 's time.

Not a whole lot was before Estevan 's time. Once at a dinner party, when someone had asked him how old he really was, he replied, `` I was n't around to deal 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 flaky solvent avoided giving his true age, Estevan, because he was telling the absolute truth.

No, Estevan was not immortal. He was an ordinary, mortal man, who one Feralia - before they even called it that - just happened to accept struck a deal with the keeper of the dead. Today most people call him The Devil, or Lucifer, but he truly has no public figure, just as he has no fount, or for that issue just as he has no torso. He can assume several forms, from bull to goat to human to god or goddess or strange combinations in between, but all such cast are just illusions.

'' His hope are also phantasy, '' thought Estevan. `` perpetual life history .... but at what cost ? ``

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

How many had he betrayed over the hundred ? How many had gone down into the region of the keeper of the dead so that he could continue to walk the earth ? Would this be the year 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 dissimilar. With his young magical spell and physically pleasing body, it had always been easy to get charwoman to fall in beloved with him. He enjoyed their charms while it lasted, and they benefitted greatly from his extreme riches and power. 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 bliss which he bestowed upon them. cleaning woman - and men - gave up their life for a great deal less.

'' What was it that made Alicia different ? '' He thought to himself. It was n't just that she was rich - nowhere near as rich as Estevan, but loaded enough to be rich even among the rich. And it was n't just that she was beautiful. He remembered how her defenseless trunk 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 especial. Her interpreter was almost melodic ; she knew her history and the elaboration of the graphics and sciences ; and she was fluent in as many languages as he was. At least, she could mouth and see all those languages which he currently used. He had never tried to mouth with her in ancient Phoenician.

There had been others as beautiful. Carla had breast that were the thoroughgoing size and shape, and her sex was perfectly formed, both for beauty and to caress and grip his cock as they thrust together. She had the perfect natural potpourri of traveling bag and lubrication so that it was like sliding through honey into that tight shaft.

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

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

Estevan grimaced remembering those watchword. 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. Love requires that you truly, faithfully and sincerely put the one you love above everything else in your life. As the old joke goes, `` Once you can talk through one's hat that, you have it made. '' Estevan could fake have it off very, very well.

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

The deal with The Lucifer was that once every ten age on the fete of the dead, he had to cheat on someone who truly loved him and turn them over to the steward of the dead. Could he do it this year ?

Betraying someone who loved you is easy - as long as your making love for them is a imposter. But could he betray someone whom he truly loved ? Could he transport Alicia into the arms of the custodian of the suddenly ?

The solvent would follow at midnight on the night of the all in. The accurate day for that had varied through the centuries, but in today 's earth ..., in this nation ..., in this culture ..., that would be at midnight on Halloween.

Alicia was rather quiet all day on Halloween. This year, the party would be at their landed estate. Perhaps she was preoccupied with the inside information of last planning for the festivities. They had decided on a Greek theme for the ribbon. Alicia designed and had supervised the structure of a relatively accurate replica of the temple of Hestia, the Greek goddess of open fireplace and home.

The roman borrowed many of the cultic praxis of the Greeks, including the sanctified flame of Hestia, which on the night of the dead was brought to full fire so that citizenry could necessitate glowing embers family to relight their hearths with `` purified flame '' - of course for a fee. There always had to be an oblation of silver to the goddess in return for the sacred fire. Alicia 's pseudo-temple was the perfect mount for a tumid bonfire for the party.

'' Have all civilisation always combined flaming ... 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 mainstay in Athinai, but the difference of opinion were minor. Alicia 's aim looked almost more primitive ... more ancient that the synagogue he remembered. `` This will be perfect. '' he told Alicia. He then added silently to himself, `` Now I do n't feature to get along 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 reality. There was `` skilful '' sacred and `` bad '' sacred. There was the `` holy '' fire and the `` un-holy '' ardor. The graven image came forth from the holy fire. The custodian of the dead 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 hallowed fire for his household, but being a typically rebellious teenaged boy of any civilisation or century, he intentionally reversed the wording of the ritual. He was alone by the family sacred hearth when he began the task of building a new fervour so he was innocent to mutilate the ritual words. Had his don or mother been there, such disrespect would cause brought a knockout beating, but he was alone, and so he showed his contempt for what he considered the useless and hollow out Good Book of a totally stupe ritual. He reversed all of the row as he labored to make the proper arc to ignite the dried grass and kindling that would get the flaming for the sacred fire.

But it was n't a stupid ritual ..., and they were not useless, hollow words. With his reversed ritual, he created an un-sacred flame and when the family gathered, the keeper of the dead came forth from the flame and consumed his founding father and his mother and all who were gathered around the fervor ... except Estevan. Then the steward of the dead offered him eternal lifetime. He could live forever, but that unceasing life sentence required a fixture payment of life.

What would Estevan say when The Satan came forth from the flame this twelvemonth. Would he say the proper words, `` I give you life-time for spirit, love for love, that which is not mine for that which is not yours. '' Or would he say simply, `` I withhold life history for life and give you my biography as your own. ``

There had never been any enquiry about the choice of Book in all the hundreds of years of his existence. Why now ? Why this sentence ? Why with Alicia ?

The guests began arriving shortly after sundown. It was a dark night, and the extensive garden was dimly lit with the flickering flame of torch which surrounded the area and lined each of the paths. The Verbascum thapsus had been intentionally placed so that there were large, grassy areas of totality darkness where people could find privacy in the midst of the gather. If the political party had been inside, several of the bedchamber would experience been available, but the dark area would be almost as private.

The invitations had specifically said `` Greco-Roman Theme, '' but had also indicated that `` traditional Halloween costumes are also satisfactory. '' So, as the evening began, there were toga and tunic clad men and women standing around drinking with beldam, hobgoblin, Star warfare grapheme, and of grade, a plethora of naughty nurses, teacher, copper, robbers, and whatever.

By nine o'clock several of the togas and tunics had already been discarded and au naturel slave walked among the reveler. Estevan smiled as he watched Dr. Reginald Carey Harrison and a nude Nurse Buchanan slip into the duskiness. It reminded him of actual au naturel slaves being led into the dark at a party in a setting very similar to this a long, long time ago.

He was n't drinking tonight. He was n't indisputable 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 run-in and give Alicia over to the custodian of the dead. Alicia also was not drinking tonight, probably because, as hostess, she needed to save her mind clear to supervise the party.

Midnight was fast approaching. Estevan and Alicia were the only when two people there who were not seriously inebriated and disheveled. They were also among the few who were still totally clothed. Shortly before midnight, Estevan began maneuvering Alicia to the `` sour incline '' of the flack. At his suggestion, there were no torches on this position of the flaming so that just a few feet from the fire, you were in proportional duskiness. It was the consummate mount to meet the custodian of the idle for the once-a-decade perfidy ritual.

And then it was time. Estevan and Alicia were standing in the utter place. Others could not see them over the flames of fervour, and from the face they were just at the bound of being able-bodied to be seen in the fire 's radiance. At exactly midnight, Estevan faced the fire and watched as a well- dressed man stepped out of the flames and into the soft light of the fervour lit the surface area. He had expected Alicia to be startled, but she stood serenely next to him.

The Devil was dressed like a riverboat gambler from the American due west. He even had on one of those blackness, flat-topped western hat preferred by such ne'er-do-wells. He was continually flipping and catching what appeared to be an old-fashioned silver clam. `` I have come for my Kalendra tribute, '' he said with a polish, deep voice.

Estevan stepped slightly forward. As he spoke the silver dollar spun past The the Tempter 's hand and slowly - very, very slowly - dropped toward the ground.

Estevan stepped penny-pinching to him and said clearly, `` I withhold spirit for life and give you my life as your own. '' He was actually surprised to pick up himself say those intelligence. He was even more storm to get wind Alicia speak the very Same dustup as she stood alongside him.

He quickly turned to face at her. Her center were wide with shock, as probably were his own. The custodian of the dead began to laugh. When Estevan turned back to search at him, the silver gray coin was sitting on the soil at his feet ... upright.

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

Alicia and Estevan continued to stare at him, and at the coin. He continued. `` I never renege on my deals - ever ! ! But I do n't always break out all the details of every deal. Only I know ALL the contingent of the mickle. For this peculiar pot - which was the same for both of you - each fourth dimension I come, you have a choice, heads or tails ... give me your animation or the spirit of somebody who loves you. ``

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

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

'' I make my deals very carefully knowing that eventually, you will fall in love. Eventually, you will find person whom you can not betray. And when that happens, you will gift your life-time for theirs and you are mine. It 's just a matter of time and the odds as I keep flipping the coin of choice. Oklahoman or later it comes up bum. ``

He laughed once again. This time it was the sound of dependable laughter. `` But there is always that infinitesimal possibleness that the coin will not be heads or tush. impossible as it seems, a coin can land on bound ... and stay there. The chances of that are very, very, very humble, but the unacceptable will materialize 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 life for Alicia, I can not contain her. Alicia, because you have given your life for Estevan, I can not take him. That means that you are now both disengage from your agreements. The pile is off. ``

He shook his head and smiled a wry grinning. His voice took on an unusually soft tone. `` You will now age like normal masses, and the day will eventually arrive when I will once again come to amass you to the land of the stagnant, but that is where you will go. You will not play along me back to Hell ... because the coin of choice has laded on bound. ``

He picked up the ash gray dollar mark from the ground and tossed it to Estevan. `` keep on this as a memorial that one Allhallows Eve, one span very much in love with each early beat the Devil at his own game. ``

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 fire he concluded. `` Now I must leave. Even I can suspend time for only a short patch and I have many other appointments for tonight. I have tidy sum to urinate, lives to collect, and maybe even a mortal or two to take away back with me to the mystifying depths. ``

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 lifetime. '' She blushed slightly and added, `` I hope you do n't mind that I am a little bit honest-to-god than you. ``

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

Estevan took her hand and led her slowly into the darkness away from the temple. Within their brooch hands, still warm to the tinge from coming through the fire, they held the coin of choice which this night had determined their fate.

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END OF tarradiddle
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