Bet, The

A cloud of smoke and the heavy smell of burning brimstone filled the
air as he appeared. Lucifer was once again before God's throne.

"Lucifer, where have you been?" God asked.

"Throughout the Earth and among your human children." Satan said with
a smoky hiss.

"What do you want?"

"Another wager with you regarding a human."

"Was not Job enough for you? Which of my faithful ones have you chosen
to test this time?"

"My Creator, he is not a believer. That is the essence of the test
this time. Which one of us can make him believe?" An evil smile spread
across Lucifer's face.

"A challenge to make someone choose between you and me?"

"Yes, that is the bet."

"Done!" God said with a voice that clapped like thunder.

"Who is your choice?"

"I have been watching a young man for some time now. He is a typical
mortal. Average in most every way. The only reason he interests me is
his diligent searching for the meaning of life and a reason to live. He
is ready to believe in one of us."

"His name?"

"James Darkman." Satan hissed.

"Ah, yes. I know him well. A very good choice I might add. Solid
thinker. Tenacious in his pursuit of the truth. Solid morals." God said
immediately displaying the young man's image for all to see.

"Limits?" Satan asked

"You have full access to him to include revealing yourself to him;
however, you may not kill him."

"Done! And the wager?" Satan's voice hissed with greed.
"No more access to schools."

"My Creator, you know that is where I recruit most of my followers!
What will I be compensated with if I win?" Satan asked.

"More access by your followers to the Internet and increased influence
over politics." God said firmly.

"That is all?" Satan replied with a hiss.

"That is all." God said with finality.

Satan attempted to stare God down but his eyes fell to the ground
after only seconds. Realizing he should take what he was offered he
replied, "done!"

Satan was gone in a flash of fire and smoke. Heaven was returned to
order. All the angels were talking about Lucifer and his recent
visitation. The citizens of heaven were glad to see him go and very
much interested to see how James Darkman fared during the next few
days.

"I don't believe in ghosts or spirit's or none of that hokey stuff."
James said to his friends.

"C'mon James we set this s?ance up for you. You're the one who's
always talking about God and Satan and supernatural stuff. We need you
to help us." Mike said.

"Yeah, we need you man." The new kid from down the street said.

"OK, but let's make it quick 'cause I got to get home by five." James
agreed as he walked through the creaky front door frame.

The boys all stopped just inside the door and looked up the stairs. It
was dark and their movement stirred the dust until it clung to cobwebs
everywhere.

"Uh, guys? Do you think we really want to do this? Isn't this house
supposed to be haunted? What if we call up a bad ghost or something?"
Roy asked, looking around quickly as if something was going to jump on
him any second.

"What are you chicken, Roy?" Mike taunted.

"I ain't scared of nothing. Just making a point." Roy replied.

"So should we do this upstairs or down?" James asked.

"Down." Said Roy quickly.

"You are scared." Mike persisted.

"Shut up!" Roy said.

"Guys lets do it in the kitchen. They say that's where they were
killed." James said with emphasis on the "killed" part.

There was muffled agreement only because they did not want to go up the
dark stairs and because the kitchen had door for a hasty exit if
needed.

They set up the candles, and Mike started reading from the spell book
he had stolen from his older sister. Roy looked on with eyes wide open
for any potential danger or supernatural happening. James just
patiently listened and occasionally glanced at his watch.

Suddenly a form appeared right behind Mike. It was a man. Dark suit.
Evil grin. Carrying a large brief case.

Roy screamed and bolted for the door. Mike wheeled about and upon
seeing the man could only muster a small squeak. He dropped his book
and candle and ran out the door as well.

James stood still. No screams. No fear.

"Who are you?" James asked.

"Lucifer, The Devil, Satan, take your pick." The dark one said.

"What are you doing here?"

"Come to strike you a deal. Interested?" Satan said with a grin.

"Depends. What are you offering and what is the cost?" James said
coolly.

"I'm offering you money, power, and Earthly happiness. All you have to
do is recognize me as your god." Satan said in his best car salesman
voice.

James was interested. Interested in the fact that Satan or someone
claiming to be Satan was standing in front of him.

"Does that mean that there really is a God? From Satan came only
silence.

"How much money?" James asked.

"As much as you want." Satan replied.

"In return all I have to do is recognize you as god, right?"

"That's right."

"It's a deal. So do you have some money for me now?" James asked
looking at the brief case.

"Your first million Mr. Darkman." Satan said handing the briefcase
over to James.

"Call me when you need more." Satan said just before he
disappeared.

James was a bit surprised by his vanishing but the weight of the
briefcase and the thought of a million dollars steadied his mind. He
sat the case on the counter and opened it carefully. Stacks and stacks
of hundred dollar bills filled the case. He picked up a package of the
bills and fanned it like they do in the movies. He smelled it. The
aroma of money overwhelmed him and it was at that moment he realized
that he could treat the Devil as a god as long as the money kept
coming.

"Back so soon?" God asked Lucifer as he appeared before him.

"Have you not seen? The boy is mine!" Satan danced gleefully before
the King of the Universe.

"Maybe you should take another look Lucifer. Often my children can be
reached by more than money." God retorted with a booming voice.

Satan stopped his dancing and in his heart he knew that God was right.
He quickly vanished from Heaven to counter God's actions.

"I'm sorry son. There is nothing we can do. Your mother is a strong
woman, but she lost too much blood in the accident and there was so
much internal damage. She only has about an hour to live." The doctor
said with as much compassion as he could muster to the son of his
patient.

"No! She can't die! Not my mom! She is the only person who I ever
thought deserved to live! She was always going to church and praying
and stuff." James replied franticly.

He was still carrying the briefcase.

"Here, doctor, I'll give you this money. It's a million dollars cash.
Just please save my mother." James said as he tore the briefcase open
and offered it to the doctor.

"Son, I'm not God. No matter what you paid me I could not save your
mother." The doctor said.

The doctor's comments rang in his ear.

"He's not God." James thought to himself.

"If there is a Satan there truly must be a God!" He whispered.

Right there in the hospital waiting room, James looked up to the
ceiling and spoke to God.

"God, I know your there. I know you can help my mother. Take the
money, take my life, take whatever you want?just don't take my mother!"
James yelled to the ceiling tiles.

He slumped into a chair. A scent of brimstone filled the room. Lucifer
appeared next to him.

"So quick to leave me, James?" Lucifer said with an angry hiss.

James didn't even look at him.

"Take your damn money back!" James said as he flung the briefcase
toward Lucifer.

The briefcase vanished. Lucifer's eyes twinkled with a red
flash.

"Already praying to the one who caused the accident? No prayers for
me, James? I give you money, He takes your mother and you pray to Him!"
Lucifer hissed through his teeth.

"Can you make her better?" James asked as he raised his head to stare
Lucifer in the eyes.

"No, only the Creator can, but I can make your life full of wealth and
power." Lucifer said.

"Then I don't want to deal with you anymore. Only with the Creator.
Get out of here!" James hissed back at Lucifer with a flash of red
showing in his own eyes as well.

Lucifer left when James started praying again.

"God, I have really messed up. For a long time I have looked for some
kind of purpose or meaning to my life and the only one who ever
believed in me or loved me was my mother. Now you are going to take her
from me. Please! Please! Please! Don't take my mother from me!

The tears flowed down his cheeks.

"God, I believe in you. Money is not the important thing. I have
learned that lesson. The devil is not God?you are. From now on I'll
believe in you. Not just because you have the power of life and death
but also because you took the time to teach me things even when I was
working for the devil. You remind me a lot of my mother."

The tears flowed and his whispered prayers ascended to heaven.

"James Darkman?"

The grief and shock had caused James to respond slowly.

"Yes?" James said with his head still hung low.

"The doctor sent me out here to tell you that your mother is doing
much better. In fact, he said her chances of recovery are much
improved. He told me to tell you to keep praying because he cannot
explain her recovery other than a miracle." The nurse said.

James raised his head and smiled weakly at the nurse.

"Thank you," was all James could manage to say in response.

James lowered his head and continued to whisper to God.

"God, I thought a million dollars was a lot of money. I thought fame
and power was the ticket to happiness. You showed me my greed and my
heart's true desire all in just a few moments. Your power is great, and
your wisdom is beyond my understanding. You are what I have been
searching for all this time, aren't you?"

James listened quietly for a few seconds?in his soul he heard the
voice of God.

"Welcome home, my son."