When we last left Esseus, a specialist in the Universal Compliance and Violations Department in Heaven, and Hazelsplat, demon from the 5th circle of Hell, Hazelsplat had been accused of tempting the soul of a 15 year old boy, young Mr. Pinyon. But the wily demon planted the seed of doubt that he was not the nefarious demon tempting the boy.
Dear Hazelsplat,
Your theory that there is a demon perpetrating crimes under your guise is disturbing on many levels. How do I know you’re not lying? How do I know this isn’t some ploy to throw me off your track? Simply put, I don’t. As you cannot be trusted to tell the truth in the most benign of matters, the best I can do is to take your suggestion under advisement.
If what you say is true, then you’ll be most pleased to know we’ve wrestled Mr. Pinyon from the clutches of your copycat fiend. The young man is now healing at Saint Mary’s Rehabilitation Center and is doing quite well. He’s even volunteered to receive spiritual counseling from the resident chaplain. We are very pleased here at the U.C.V.D.
It seems Mr. Pinyon is by nature a considerate and kind spirit, which leads me to wonder why you or any demon would target him. As we both know, those with a penchant to do good and feel remorse when they stray from the path are hardest to convert. An adolescent under the Minors Act is harder still as their sins do not stick to their soul, but slide from them like rain from a blade of grass.
I can only assume the bigger the challenge the greater the reward. Does Hell have a point system? One point for a soul already black from its numerous crimes against humanity and God. Five points for those tottering on the razors edge between right and wrong. And ten points for an inherently pure soul, who has yet to commit any grievous offense. I suspect the soul’s journey is nothing more than a game for you demons.
Try as I might, I don’t understand the draw of evil. Soiling one’s soul by hurting others purely for entertainment is a concept so foreign to me I feel I must be missing some nuance of the process. I suppose it’s much like asking why a serial killer slays his innocent victims or why a pedophile violates a child. There is no reason, no answer that will satisfy the rational mind.
Though I know there is little chance you will heed my words, I will still don my hat as an ethereal leader and remind you that it is never too late. Should you wish to join the forces of good and be brought into the Light, you need only purify your soul through selfless acts and faith. I can almost hear your laughter at my suggestion. It matters not. It is my duty to remind you that the door to redemption is never closed.
Think well on it, Hazelsplat. The benefits of good far outweigh those of evil. I hope this will be our last correspondence now that Mr. Pinyon is secured and on the right path again. Please do not feel obligated to respond to this letter.
Sincerely,
Esseus Apollomae
7th Level
Universal Compliance and Violations Specialist
Dear Esseus,
Not respond? How could you suggest such a thing after giving me so much fodder for a reply?
It seems you have thwarted the forces of darkness once again with your clever maneuvering. So Mr. Pinyon will be receiving the uplifting messages of Chaplain Reeves. I’ve heard of this man and his tireless determination to purge the world of evil. Bravo, there could be no better mentor for a young impressionable boy. Perhaps Pinyon will take up the good chaplain’s cause and start reforming his friends. Oh, I shudder at the thought.
It seems you have put a stop to the imposter demon’s shenanigans. Again, kudos to you. I guess he realized there was no fooling the all seeing eye of the Universal Compliance and Violations Department. Just the mention of U.C.V.D. strikes fear in the heart of all demons.
You have genuinely surprised me, my dear Apollomae, and that’s not easy to do. You say you don’t understand the draw of evil, yet you sit in a position that requires not only understanding, but empathy for the victims of temptation. How can you effectively help a soul if you have no compassion for what that person struggles with? Perhaps you can’t. Perhaps that is your greatest downfall. Rules and regulations get you only so far when dealing with humans. They are emotional creatures, prone to attack or flee at the slightest provocation.
To truly help you must truly empathize. That is where the servants of Satan have the upper hand. We not only understand the draw, we’ve experienced it and can offer more of the enticement. Take Mr. Pinyon for example. You look down from your glass house and see a boy struggling against temptations, yet you don’t understand why the sin is so appealing to him. How can you fix the symptoms if you don’t understand the disease?
I look at the young man and recognize his desire for acceptance, his desire to manage his life that has swung wildly out of control. His mother is the worst kind of parent and the most immoral of women. If there is a sin, she has committed it in some form. He has no one to guide or reprimand him during these tenuous teen years and that's what makes him an easy target to a less than honorable demon.
No matter how tough Mr. Pinyon acts, his greatest desires are boundaries and to be appreciated. You have given him this in the chaplain. But will the man be the best choice to accomplish Mr. Pinyon’s journey back into the Light? Or will Chaplain Reeves lead him down a path more insidious than any I could have ever tempted him with?
I wonder if your lack of understanding will be his eventual downfall. Don’t mind me, I’m just thinking out loud now. I guess time will tell. And rest assured, old friend, I will be watching the young man’s trek down the path of righteousness. If I were you, I wouldn’t crow too loudly about your triumph where Mr. Pinyon is concerned.
Sincerely,
Hazelsplat
Empathetic Demon
Boone Brux
Paranormal Fantasy Author
If you enjoyed this installment of The Patron Chronicles please return on October 31 to read more. If you missed last month’s issues, The Digital Digest Volume I-Issue I and Issue II is available through Amazon.
Copyright © 2011 Boone Brux
All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual person’s living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.
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