The Patron Chronicles - Part Three

When we last left Esseus, a specialist in the Universal Compliance and Violations Department in Heaven, and Hazelsplat, demon from the 5^th 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

7^th 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

5^th Circle

of Hell

Boone Brux

Paranormal Fantasy Author

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Entangled Publishing 

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.

The Patron Chronicles - Part 2

 When last we left Mr. Esseus and the demon, Hazelsplat, the two were discussing the demise of Mr. Pinyon, a fifteen yr. old boy, and Hazelsplat’s involvement

Dear Hazelsplat,

I received your rebuttal letter and passed it onto my supervisor for review. I have also placed a copy in your file. Where the matter goes from here, I do not know. But please be aware that the issue is in no way resolved, as there have been further complaints.

It seems Mr. Pinyon’s antics have escalated since last I wrote. I can’t help but be struck by the parallel between your analogy of him selling the test as opposed to simply cheating, and his new demise into selling drugs as opposed to simply using them.

Am I wrong in thinking his leap from arrant teen to drug pusher smacks of your influence?

I’d be remise in my duties to blindly accept your explanations. What is the saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. My gut instinct tells me this may very well be the case.

In your last letter you bragged about your keen analytical mind. It is exactly that kind of boasting that started the wheels in my head turning. You’re much too clever and devious to come directly at a problem. No, you would wind your way through the maze of deceit, creating false twists and turns to throw your enemy off the scent. But all the while, your eye would be fastened on the prize.

I must commend you, drugs are a powerful tool. To mix the high of making money with the high of the drug is a bond strong enough to last far beyond the protection of the Minor’s Act—far beyond loved ones’ tolerance—far beyond what the physical body can endure.

If you indeed have a hand in Edgar Pinyon’s demise, I will personally see you prosecuted to the highest extent of the ethereal law.

Thank you for the congratulations on my promotion, no matter how sarcasm-laced your conciliatory comment was. I’d expect nothing less from you. You are incapable of feeling true happiness for somebody other than yourself.

Always the sentiment must be polluted with mockery and condescension.

At least I am able to look at myself in the mirror and be contented with what I see. Though you regard me as a bureaucratic pencil-pusher, I know I am making a difference by keeping soul-sucking vermin like you away from humans like Edgar Pinyon.

Watch your step, Hazelsplat.

Sincerely,

Esseus Apollomae

7^th Level

Universal Compliance and Violations Specialist

Dear Esseus,

You can’t imagine how relieved I was to know you have put a copy of my letter in my file. Who knew I even had a file? I must be quite important indeed.

I was, however, saddened that you believe my congratulations to be less than heartfelt. Au contraire, mon ami. I love nothing more than to see predictable sheep climb the ladder of success. It let’s me know there will be no major changes on the horizon.

When the overly enthusiastic do-gooders, who are unafraid of change, get into the higher positions, that’s when I begin to worry. No, I’m genuinely happy with the status quo.

Now, onto more pressing matters, Edgar Pinyon. I could try to convince you that I have not meddled with young Edgar, but what is the point? You wouldn’t believe me. Wisely so. I’m untrustworthy to my core. But please allow me to make clear a few observations that will surely prove my innocence.

Mr. Pinyon’s decline into the drug world is exactly what I would have done if  I was manipulating him. However, from what I can tell, the lad is making very little money and supplying a large amount of drugs to a certain young lady, Miss Jennifer Green, I believe. Though I also endorse the use and manipulations of others, if I had set my efforts on Edgar I wouldn’t allow him to waste his energies on a girl.

Love is fleeting and not strong enough to sustain him until his eighteenth birthday, which would be my ultimate goal.

So, this drug endeavor, while effective for demise, does not possess the traits of my thoughtful scheming. Their unpolished and rather half-assed attempts are an insult to my evil prowess.

This revelation stopped me in my tracks. Call it my suspicious nature, but I can’t help but wonder if I am being set up. A copycat demon, if you will.

Which led me to another question. Where are you, oh diligent pencil-pusher, getting your information? Am I being observed or is your organization being force-fed information? Is some nefarious demon in angel’s clothing stringing you along, guiding you down paths that always lead back to me and away from the true fiend?

The prospect both angers and intrigues me. On the most base level this dastardly demon garners my respect. Overall, I want him stopped. Receiving your weekly reprimands is a new level of Hell I am not willing to endure for eternity.

As you know, there is no code of ethics between demons. For eons this has served me well. Now I find I quite dislike the prospect of being manipulated. Ironic.

So I will close by simply saying, turn your gaze to another. You might be unpleasantly surprised by what you find.

Hazelsplat

Misunderstood Servant of Satan

5^th Circle

of Hell

Please return on August 11, 2011 for the next installment of The Patron Chronicles.

Boone Brux

Paranormal Fantasy Author

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Entangled Publishing 

If you missed last month’s issues, The Digital Digest Volume I 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.

Patron Chronicles - Part 1

The following work of fiction is an epistolary, a story told entirely through letters. The Patron Chronicles were inspired by C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Screwtape Letters’ and documents the age-old conflict between good and evil. This is an ongoing series.

The Universal Compliance and Violations Department

Dear Mr. Hazelsplat;

It has come to the attention of The Universal Compliance and Violations Department that you are in grave violation of section 6, paragraph 6.6 of the Eternal Humanities Pact, which states:

No entity from the upper or lower realms shall interfere in the natural progression of life in humans under the age of eighteen.

From our records, you’ve racked up numerous transgressions concerning a human named Edgar Pinyon. At age fifteen, Mr. Pinyon falls well within the

Minor’s Act and is therefore protected from all outside interference.

This means you!

Please cease and desist!

Had you been unknown to me, and had this been your first pact breach, I would end the reprimand here. But this is not the case, as we both know. You are a consummate liar and a conniver. If you think to subtly convince young Pinyon to embrace the dark ways by virtues of drugs, sex, and rock n’ roll, you’re in for a rude awakening.

I’m keeping my eye on you and will not give you a moment’s peace until I am certain the young man is free from your toxic influence.

And please do not try to use the excuse, The Devil made me do it. As he well knows, tampering with the underage has been illegal for eons. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Please refrain from further manipulation or The Universal Violations and Compliance Department will be forced to take action. Consider this your formal warning.

If you wish to contest the allegations, please submit your statement to me within the next seven days.

Sincerely,

Esseus Apollomae

Violations and Compliance Specialist

7^th Level

Dear Esseus,

You can’t imagine my surprise upon receiving your letter. It did my heart good to know that you haven’t changed a smidge over the past three centuries and are still wound as tightly as the day we met.

I noticed you’re now a level seven pencil pusher. Congratulations. Either you have diligently climbed the heavenly bureaucratic ladder or puckered up and kissed some serious ethereal ass. No matter, you were always far more ambitious than me.

That brings me to the reason for this letter. Reassurance. I assure you, my dear Esseus, I have neither purposely nor did accidently partake in the corruption of one Edgar Pinyon.

There was no need to. That freewill your boss insists on has produced more desired effects and has served me better than any of my attempts at meddling ever could have. Even you can’t be so dense as to not realize the freewill of a teenager nearly rivals that of God himself.

Arrogant and all encompassing, teenagers act and believe they are the center of the Universe. If the sun rises, it’s for their benefit. If somebody falls ill and disrupts their plans, it’s a personal attack. Always the victim, they believe that surely no other human in history has endured such heavy burdens or suffered such grievous affronts.

When they love or hate, it’s with such single-minded focus that not even my skilled influence could sway them from their course. Though a huge blow to my ego, I must admit, I’ve yet to figure out the illogical and erratic thought patterns of the pubescent humans. They are as confounding to me as your do-gooder ways.

I will admit to being entertained by Edgar Pinyon, but merely as an observer, not a participant. If I had been involved in his affairs, I wouldn’t have found satisfaction with his mere transgression of cheating on his biology test.

No, I would have urged him to steal the test and make copies. My insidious suggestions would have urged him to sell the test to other students for a tidy profit. You would have recognized my delicate touch in the way Pinyon went beyond simply passing the test to actually profiting from his deception.

I would have whispered that there was no need to provide the answers when he had the test. As you and I both know, teenagers will spend ten times the effort trying not to do something they’re supposed to. A fortunate flaw in their character, and one I begin exploiting at the stroke of midnight on their eighteenth birthday.

With my influence, Edgar would have reaped more benefits with the least amount of effort. The situation would have been flawless, a refined ballet of deception and manipulation. Not some foot-pounding line dance performed by a group of unwashed, uncoordinated, beer drinking lumberjacks.

That’s, my dear Esseus, is how I would have controlled the situation.

And since you brought it up, let me take a sentence or two to boast about my position in Hell. The Devil rarely tells me what to do anymore. I have proven my effectiveness and he trusts my judgment in such matters. Perhaps one day you will enjoy the same freedom from your boss.

So, as you can see, Apollomae, your accusations and fears are unfounded. Relax in the knowledge that your rules and regulations are effectively keeping the young population safe from my nefarious hands.

Consider this my official reply to your allegations. I hope we can do this again real soon. Don’t be a stranger.

Sincerely,

Hazelsplat

Demon Extraordinaire and all around great guy

5^th Circle

of Hell

Please return August 11, 2011 for the next installment of The Patron Chronicles.

Boone Brux

Paranormal Fantasy Author

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Entangled Publishing 

If you missed this month’s issues, The Digital Digest Volume I 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.