The Devil’s Edge
by
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Don realized that when he threw the arm, he shifted in the mud and sank a bit further. He was desperate but still not sure what to think. He looked up at the fallen one and said, “You’re not the one I prayed for.” The Devil raised his eyebrows and smirked. “Pretty good chance I’m not, sir. Ready to listen?” Don looked down to see how consumed he was, looked back at Satan and nodded. “You’re a good man, Mr. LePelt. Uh, may I call you Don?” “No.” Satan rolled his eyes, “Fine, then you can’t call me Chuck, either. Mr. LePelt, you are going to die today unless you decide to make a deal with me.” “What kind of deal?” “Well, Mr. LePelt, as I said, you’re a good man. You have a hearty soul. I’ve seen some of the things you’ve done in this life and I am impressed. I’d like to have it as my everlasting trophy. Maybe over my mantelpiece.” “So this is still about hunting?” “Oh no, sir! Really! From the beginning, hunting was designed to be a means of human survival. Now, we both know that man can easily survive in today’s world without hunting, but I wouldn’t hold man’s instinct, or lack of evolution, against him, Ok? But, as a hunter, it should be very easy for you to understand my desire to have a trophy over my mantelpiece. I mean, displaying a good solid soul on my wall is as enriching to me as displaying a twelve point buck would be for you, understand?” “So I’d be condemned for eternity?” “Condemned is kind of harsh, Mr. LePelt, I would prefer to say…displayed.” Don looked down again at his situation. He was slowly being devoured. He could no longer feel his legs and torso. Maybe, somehow, God would answer his prayer. Maybe someone else would come by in time and pull him out. Maybe this guy really is from the hospital, and maybe the interns would find Don as they tracked down their patient. If that’s the case, then there is no harm in striking the deal! Then Don tried to imagine what a soul would look like on a mantelpiece. He shook his head. Twelve point buck? Don raised his eyes to the Devil and said, “Y’know, most twelve point bucks slip away from their pursuers.” Satan tilted his head and replied, “Mine is stuck in the mud.”
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About the Book
What would you do if Satan confronted you one day?
The Devil’s Edge is a sometimes witty, sometimes twisted collection of short stories by author M. L. Barrios that shows Satan doing his best to exact his pound of human flesh from everyday folks just trying to get through life with all their fingers and toes.
Take Allison, ready to jump and end it all, rather than face her problems, but for the dark man, who suddenly appears, turning something like simple suicide into a real mess. Or there’s Jeremy, the brilliant and greedy scientist who wants to know it all, literally, and he ends up knowing more than he bargained for, with the help of a dark stranger. And then there is Rex, the skeptical, but ambitious, reporter who doesn’t believe in Devils, even when they wear the right costume, but he learns a cautionary tale about humility—the hard way. Each challenges the Great Deceiver and faces his or her own Faustian bargain: some win, some lose, and some lose everything. Written with dark humor and masterful prose, The Devil’s Edge is pure entertainment that will keep you thinking while it surprises you with unexpected twists and turns.
About the Author
M. L. Barrios graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Business Management degree. He worked in the semiconductor industry, and he had his own art business. He currently resides in San Jose, California, close to his children and grandchildren. This is his first book of short stories.