“They are here,” Katrina whispered.
Gail eyes flickered around the dark living room searching for some sign of them before she jerked forward on the sofa. From a far corner came a grim male voice. “Over here,” it stated flatly.
Gail stared into the corner. There was definitely someone, or maybe something there, as a shadowy but clearly defined image was silhouetted in the darkness. The image, most ominously, possessed a pair of red glowing eyes spelling danger in large capital letters.
Katrina put a hand on Gail’s arm whispering, “Let me do the talking.”
Turning to address Ali-shad-bar, in a loud voice full of confidence, “So you are and are you prepared to bargain with us Almighty One about releasing the boy from your servitude.”
The confidence Katrina was showing was utterly lacking in Gail, probably thanks to those menacing eyes which appeared to be totally fixated on her.
“Hmm, right to the point, I like that. OK so let’s not dilly dally shall we. This is what I offer. I will allow William to pass peacefully to the other side but only if the pretty mommy can pass a series of challenges over the course of the next year or so.”
Gail was about to speak but before she could Katrina touched her lightly on the arm. “Let me do the talking for now hon.”
Gail nodded her head in silent agreement, relieved actually Katrina was taking the reins in bargaining with the demon.
“How many challenges must she pass?”
“A total of at least three, maybe more, depending on how she does would be adequate.”
“OK let’s hear about them,” Katrina quickly replied.
“I shall only inform you of the initial challenge for now. Pass it and you shall move on and only then will you learn about the second challenge. Agreed.”
“If she fails the first challenge or any challenge for that matter what then and will the standards of passing or failing be clear to us?”
“Very clear and if she fails any of the challenges the boy stays with me. It is that simple. With this in mind are you prepared to hear what scant details I shall impart to you regarding your initial challenge, Gail?”
“We are,” Katrina replied for the both of them.
“Fine. The first of her challenges is simple. Sometime within the next two months I shall send William to his mother with the terms of her challenge. If she accepts the challenge she must fulfill its terms fully in order to consider it passed. More I cannot or will not say. There is a couple of things though. While waiting the allotted time for William to come to you Gail you must remain utterly chaste. No dating, no flirting with other men at work, no anything including self-pleasure. Also, no speaking with your witch friend Ms. Katrina. In fact, limit your contact with anyone to the barest of minimums. Basically, I am expecting you to abandon everyone in your life until your beloved William returns to you to offer your challenge. After the challenge is over, only then can you reach out to anyone. Trust me, if you disobey I shall know and it will not go good for young William. So do you accept Gail?”
Gail looked at Katrina. Dropping her voice to a low whisper, Katrina told her, “He is being tricky as usual by withholding as much information as possible and I don’t like the fact you can’t communicate with me. Of course, he wants you to limit all contact with people so you will be both desperate and lonely by the time your son actually visits you and I doubt it will only be two months. I expect it might be quite a bit longer.”
“I’ll be fine. I can do this,” Gail whispered back. “I wanna do this.”
Katrina smiled at her friend before turning to the demon. “We agree.”
The witch was right: it was much longer than the stated two months as a full five months passed with no sign of William. Then another two months and still nothing. Again, just as before her meeting Katrina, Gail was growing desperate and lonely. She was beginning to think maybe the demon flat out lied to her and William would never return. She badly wanted to seek the advice of Katrina but, of course, contact with the witch was strictly forbidden.
Finally, one night, after a hot bath before bedtime, Gail wrapped a towel around her naked body and entered her bedroom. She let out a small gasp. Her bedroom was awash in soft candle light. Finally, he is here! Gail whispered to herself.
Glancing about the room, she searched for further confirmation her son was here.
At first, nothing broke the deathly silence in the room. Time seemed to stretch out forever as her bedroom remained entirely silent and empty but then, just as she was starting to get discouraged, she heard the telltale sign of her closet door gradually swinging open.
She turned toward the soft creaking noise, but in the dim candle light she could see nothing but darkness beyond the partially opened closet door.
“Maybe he needs a little encouragement,” she whispered to herself as she strode across the room, to the small bar in the corner. She could sense him tracking her as she moved across the bedroom.
After pouring herself a glass of champagne, she took several generous sips before refilling it and making her way over to the scene of her earlier misadventure with the ghostly spirit of her son: her now– tainted with wickedness– vanity table.
Gail took another large swallow of champagne before sitting down to put on some makeup. She took her time, applying her makeup carefully while continuously sipping on her champagne until it was nearly gone.