“I think he’s awake.”
Ion Kepler sat up in bed. Had he really just heard a whisper? “Who’s there?”
“Wow! I think he heard us.”
“Be quiet.”
Ion rolled to the floor, reached under the bed, grabbed his gun, pointed it at the corner of the room. He waited to hear footsteps or breathing. Why couldn’t he see them?
“Do you think he can still hear us?”
“Shut up.”
They seemed too high, like they were coming from the near the ceiling. Ion fired, saw nothing in the flash of his gun.
His ears rang from the blast, but he could still hear them just fine.
“Well, we might as well talk now. He knows we’re here.”
“Not another word. We’re just going to stay here and wait like were supposed to.”
Ion didn’t scare easily. As an assassin for hire, he’d been in many tense situations. But this scared the crap out of him.
“What do you want from me?” he asked.
Silence ruled for a few seconds, and then a whispery voice said, “Should we answer him?”
“No, you idiot. Just wait. There will be time to introduce ourselves soon enough.”
Ion stood, switched on the bedside lamp. The only thing visible in the corner of the bedroom was the hole he’d made in the ceiling. A human form crept up in his periphery. Ion turned to fire, but was too late. Someone had gotten the drop on him.
#
“You now, we’re lucky that other assassin was good and we didn’t cause the outcome to change. We’d never be allowed out again.”
“I’m sorry. I’m new. I’ll get better.”
Ion opened his eyes, looked up at two shadows. One of them reached down, pulled him to his feet. Feeling an extraordinary sense of lightness, Ion looked down, saw his former body on the floor, a big hole in its head.
“Mr. Kepler,” one of the shadows hissed. “You are now dead. Because of your many sins, we will now transport you to Hell.”
“Oh,” said the other shadow. “Please don’t tell anyone you heard us talking before you died.”
“Shut up!” said the first.
“I’m just trying to save us some trouble.”
The first demon sighed. “Just grab a side.”
©2009 Joshua Scribner
Joshua Scribner is the author of the novels Mantis Nights, The Coma Lights and Nescata. His fiction won both second and fifth place in the 2008 Whispering Spirits Flash Fiction contest. Up to date information on his work can be found at joshuascribner.com. Joshua currently lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters.
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October 6th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Great job of misdirecting the reader. Nice demonic surprise at the end.