Atrum/Midnight
the small town of Kekewey rests in a small river valley. it was a peaceful little town. no crime meant no jail house. something in the air made most anyone happy...but a few people wanted more then the little town could give...a lot more...
then a stranger came to town, making deals and contracts. soon, within' a few years, everyone had a contract with the nameless stranger. some promised money, some fame. still others were selfless, and there contracts were 4 the safe return of family members that had been sent to war or 4 a child to be safely brought into this world.
we are gonna focus on on deal. this was a very special deal made by a red haired girl at the very beginning. all she asked 4 was her older brother to come back safety, but what she got...was a whole lot more. her name...was Sussie.
"Atrum Virga come back!" A small child, about 10, yelps. off in the distance a black horse is running around. soon the horse gallops back 2 the girl and licks her face.
"of course i was coming back Sussie." the horse replies 2 the girl. "i wouldn't run away and leave u here."
"that's what momma said daddy said right b4 he left..." Sussie replies sadly.
the horse sighs. "but i'm not like him."
"no." Sussie agrees. "you're much nicer!"
"Sussie! is u talkin' to that horse again?" an older lady calls from the house.
"Grandma, i swear she talks back!" Sussie says, walking up with Atrum Virga right beside her.
"Girl you got a heck of a mind 2 be thinkin' a horse is talkin' 2 ya." the grandmother sighs.
"y don't they understand when u talk?" Sussie sighs.
"because you're special, Sussie." the horse replies, though all the grandmother hears is a normal horse sound.
"that horse does seem 2 like u, Sus'." the grandmother adds. "she was a wild thing till u came along, and i recken' she only seems 2 like u."
"she said when she was little someone shot her momma and she was right there. she said that the guy just ran off after he shot her 2. didn't do nuttin' other then shoot 'er." Sussie replies quickly.
"girl, is this all jus' cuz u momma died last week?" the grandmother sighs.
"no Ma'am!" Sussie replies. "jus' tellin' u what she told me."
"sure...she told u..." The grandmother rolls her eyes, walking back into the house. "how'd i get stuck takin' care of a mad girl?..." she mumbles 2 herself, but Sussie hears it, and takes off running the other way, with Atrum Virga right beside her.
she stops running in the middle of the forest. "y..." she sobes. "y don't they understand?"
"there once was a girl with red hair, who knew there was no one there. she sat and she cried, cuz they all thought she lied, and now she knows they don't care." a chiming voice calls, and a fairy shows up and sits on a flower. "i'm Grace." she adds.
"i'm Sussie." she replies.
"so, what happened?" Grace asks.
"u already seem 2 know..." Sussie sighs.
"yeah...i was tryin' 2 make u feel better." Grace mutters, then dissaperes again. Sussie looks around, but can't find her...
~6 years later~
"your grandmother died a few days ago." Atrum Virga mumbles as they walk 2 the old house.
"i know." Sussie replies absently. "i heard them talking about it back there as we walked by." she adds, replying 2 Atrum Virga's questioning stare. they walk back out of the house as a mid-aged man walks into town. suddenly Sussie remembers her older brother, James. *i don't understand...i haven't thought of him in so many years...not since mom died...* she thinks 2 herself as they guy walks over 2 a younger guy in a corner and starts talking. Sussie watches even though Atrum Virga keeps saying they should leave. after a while, the man pulls out an old looking scroll. the younger man nods and pricks his finger with a needle, then writes on the paper with the blood. Sussie decides 2 stay in the old house and, over the next few days, she hears about this new guy making deals with lots of people and how they r all coming true slowly. one asked 4 fame and a producer was looking at his CD 2 days after he made the deal...
"hello!" the man says cheerfully 2 Sussie about 3 days after he showed up. "i can c somethings bothering u...what's wrong?"
"i've been wondering about my brother and if he's ok..." Sussie replies honestly. "he's out fighting in a war as we speak..." she sighs. something about this man...something in his eyes...it seems he could make anyone trust him...
"oh u poor girl." the man says sympathetically. "oh, where r my manners, my name is Mephistopheles, i'm just passing through here."
"u seem 2 have gotten quite comfortable here." Sussie smiles. "the people here r nice 2 strangers."
"they r." Mephistopheles agrees. "they r even helping my business quite a bit."
"wha?" Sussie says confused.
"i make deals and make sure they come true." Mephistopheles smiles slightly. "i can help u." he offers.
"u can get my brother back unharmed?" Sussie questions.
"oh, sure." Mephistopheles nods.
"can u get him back within' a week?" Sussie questions again. "i haven't seen him since i was 5..." she sighs.
"oh of course dear girl." Mephistopheles smiles warmly, pulling out an old scroll. "i just need u 2 sign this and it'll b done."
"i don't have a pen..." Sussie mumbles.
"u don't need one." Mephistopheles replies, pulling out a pen with a needle at the tip. "it needs 2 b signed...in blood."
"wha?!" Sussie exclaims.
"u c, the contract doesn't work when the paper has been tainted by ink. it's a strange thing, actually." Mephistopheles explains, handing her the pen.
"ok...if u say so..." Sussie replies, pricking her finger and signing her name at the bottom.
"good." Mephistopheles smiles. "i'll get your brother back here tomorrow." her adds.
"unharmed." Sussie adds.
"yes, my dear, unharmed." Mephistopheles chuckles, leaving. true 2 his word, the next day her older brother showed up at the front door. after a few years everyone in the little town had a contract with the stranger known as Mephistopheles. if they had known what his name ment...maybe they would have been less willing...
eventually they realized that Sussie wasn't aging, though she was supposed 2 b 20, she still looked 16...
after a while, Mephistopheles left, and soon after that, the town fell apart and was swallowed by greed. everyone died except Sussie who, unknowingly, was kept alive by her contract. her and Atrum Virga and her newest friend, a red hawk named Ruby, r all that's left of the town. they say the souls of the people r still there...still restless.
the little town consumed by greed and drown in the blood of it's own people...it's been stashed away in folk tales and songs.
the Midnight Rider and a contract said 2 b barried with the soul surviver, who was presumed dead after 50 or so years.
Sussie the Black Sapphire, the one lasting gem. she rode on a horse just as black as her heart.
she signed the contract that got rid of them....
a few lines of one of the many songs they have made about her. eventually, though, the tale faided. after 20 years she still looks 16...and few even remember the erie tale.
now, Kekewey wasn't the real name of the town. it used 2 be Dewa, meaning morning. it was renamed a word meaning darkness after all the people died...or were killed...u deside.
Sussie as a five year old!
Mephistopheles
