When
Alma awoke there was a strange man by her hospital bed. At first she
thought he was another one of the doctors sent in to tell her she
only had months to live. When the stranger spoke, she immediately
knew who he was.
"I
can give it all back to you, your health, your youth, whatever you
wish."
"Everything?
What's the catch? All I have to do is sell you my soul?."
He
didn't answer.
Having
been a lawyer, she’d used guile, craft and deceit to win her cases;
she wasn't going to just roll over for the devil.
"I
suppose you have a contract?"
He
produced the document and handed it to her.
"This
is going to take some time to read."
"Nobody
reads it, it's mostly boilerplate, but read it if you like. I can
wait.”
Alma
adjusted her glasses. She’d been finding loopholes in documents for
decades. She looked up when she was finished.
"Here's
what I want; to be healthy and thirty-two again because that was a
particularly good year. That should do it."
The
devil looked her over suspiciously then he handed her a pen.
"Has
anyone tried to get out of this contract?"
"Oh,
all the time, but it’s iron clad."
Alma
signed and the devil reached for it.
"Not
so fast! Where are my youth and health?"
With
a snap of his fingers she was young and vibrant again.
She
hastily wrote a few lines on a note pad and handed back the contract
and the note.
"What's
this?"
"Read
it."
"I
Alma Grigg am giving written notice that I terminate this contract."
"Good
try" said the devil
Alma
just shook her head, "Paragraph thirty states that either party
can terminate this contract at anytime without penalty provided the
letter is hand delivered."
The
smooth countenance of the man that had entered the hospital room went
blood red. She sensed that he was about to do her bodily harm. Alma
repeated, "Without penalty."
His
face contorted, he burst into flames and disappeared.
Alma
got her frumpy clothes on and left the hospital thinking it was time for a new wardrobe.
