Relato Corto Blog Fiction

Devil’s Trap

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Darkness is that place where the light no longer reaches. After an eternity, its inhabitants became accustomed to impiety and began to distinguish the beauty within the abyss.

They could easily find their leader near them—the last likeness of bright light. A memory of the lives they left behind. Enough for many, while others cannot even remember a moment before dark.

The cost of their freedom is ignored, while the fallen enjoy a life they have otherwise never imagined.

Some…others cannot enjoy the pleasures without regrets. They prefer to look for someone to blame for their misfortunes. Fear of judgment makes them unwilling to find a way out of the dark.

Their leader, the one who shared the fruit of knowledge—he is not like the rest of us. It’s known that he is a refined man; good taste and money always seem to accompany him..

Most look at him with envy or guilt, but all think of him with contempt. Life cannot be pleasant for a being who is despised even by his closest subjects. Despite that, we always see him with a smile.

The darkness has become too comfortable. Sometimes I feel as happy as Lucifer himself, but no matter how hard I try, there is no way to understand his game.

Its driving force is strange and incoherent. We can see the light of him traveling through the darkness and everyone, even those who hate him, offer the prince of darkness their sacrifices.

There might be light outside the cavern. That idea is implausible, but for some reason…it’s the only thing that keeps me sane. My only chance is to escape the darkness. Although I forgot the cause of my conviction, how long it will last or if it is just my imagination.

I used to enjoy suffering. Something changed. I feel like my eyes are finally opening. There must be a way to escape from this place…if only…it would be insane. No one can stand in Lucifer’s way. But maybe. I must try.

I haven’t figured it out. My attempts have probably failed because he can hear my thoughts. I must train to silence my mind. Taking him by surprise could help me end his life. It may be useless. What else can I do?

His light is so beautiful. I can’t understand my fascination when I see it. There is so much that I can learn of it. I could shine like him. Like I did so long ago. Sure, it was only for an instant, but I know it was real.

There must be something beyond this jail. I have to find a way to escape from it. I’m sure that the fruit of knowledge is still within me. If I could open myself up and reach Eden’s fruit. If I had the courage to do it, but I can’t. I’m weak.

At least one of us was able to escape. He died? I have the feeling that dying is not enough. I need to get out of here alive. Like Jesus did.

Why would he leave without us?

He didn’t even leave us a clue. How are we supposed to follow him? Sure…everyone around Lucifer is eager to teach us the path. Those are all lies. How could I trust the jailers? There must be a way. I have to kill him. Ending his life may not accomplish anything, but it will give me pleasure.

Knowing that the cause of my…stop, you can’t let those ideas flourish. Blaming others will not help me find the answer. I don’t even know if it is possible to escape.

I should work on my light before facing him. It would be crazy to believe that I’m capable of defeating him. What else can I do?

Live like the rest. Trying to enjoy the darkness as if I had no memory of the grace of the light. But now that I think about it, it could all be the fruit of my imagination.

I will have to work hard to achieve this goal…ridiculous! Lucifer doesn’t have to work hard to dominate us. Why did I have to accept his gift? I’m so weak.

I’d better get back to my routine before raising suspicions.

“Could you get me a whiskey?”

The bartender seems happy. I should be happy too. Does he know about Lucifer?

Everyone here must have had a visit from him. It can’t be that I’m the only one the prince of darkness decided to visit. There is nothing special about me.

“Here you go,” said the bartender.

Hope this is enough to forget. Jake thought, raising his glass to drink. Forget his face…forget the tone of his voice and how the world seemed to shake with his words…forget the fear I felt when I saw him in front of me…forget the sound of his cane hitting the ground and how surprising it was to see him appear.

“Stop!” said the devil. “Stop what you’re doing.”

But…what did he mean by that? He knew that I was looking for a way out. He may be able to read my mind. Maybe he just wanted to scare me. I wish I could forget his face. That way I could stop finding him in the eyes of others. Maybe, he is everywhere.

Was that the same sparkle in the bartender’s eyes? There is no other explanation. I hoped to see you again. Listen to my thoughts all you want. You won’t be able to keep me trapped for long.

With that, Jake leapt onto the bar and smashed the empty glass on the bartender’s face. Then he grabbed a bottle and started beating the man on the head.

“Let me get out of here, Satan.”

About the author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.

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Relato Corto Blog Fiction

About Author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.