Chapter 7 The Deal

Matt and Mark drove into a suburban neighborhood in Dallas. The address led them to a little white house. It stood in the middle of a green yard and was surrounded by a white wooden fence.

Matt tucked his lips as he wondered if truly, the woman in there, was going to give him the answers he so desperately wanted. Mark locked the car doors and walked to the front door with Matt leading the way.

Matt rang the doorbell and took two steps back. The door opened and behold was a man. His dark eye shadow stunned them. The man’s black lips twitched into a smirk. One side of his head had long hair that flowed down to his waist whereas the other side was shaved.

He flirtatiously pulled out a cherry lollipop from his mouth. He winked at Mark with a seductive grin. Mark stepped back with a slight cringe and averted his eyes.

"Well, hello there." the strange man purred.

“Uh, hi, I’m Matt and this is my brother, Mark.” Matt introduced.

“Nice to meet you, handsome. I’m Jericho.” Jericho eyed Mark from head to toe and licked his teeth, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Matt cleared his throat, “We’re here to see, mama –” he glanced down to the card, “Pragya. Yes, Mama Pragya.”

"Say no more." Jericho gushed.

He gestured for them to go in with his finger. Matt and Mark reluctantly followed him in. The house was warm and cozy. Jericho cheerfully lead them up a staircase. Mark tapped Matt’s shoulder and motioned his chin to Jericho swaying his hips side to side in his long black dress.

Matt only shrugged in response and faced ahead—not looking directly at Jericho. Jericho’s heels hit the wooden floor in a knocking rhythm. As he strutted, he hummed loudly to himself.

He stopped at the door and placed a finger to his mouth with a grin. With his eyes fixed on Mark, he turned the door knob. Jericho slowly opened the door to a dimly lit room. In it was a woman sitting at a table.

"Go in," Jericho whispered.

Matt breathed in and made his way in. Mark followed him behind but yelped when Jericho groped him. The next thing he heard was Jericho chuckling as he closed the door. Mark clenched his jaw annoyed. Matt raised his brow at him concerned. Mark waved his hand dismissively at Matt who took the hint.

"Come in, gentlemen." Mama Pragya welcomed in a thick Hindi accent.

The light in the room appeared greenish due to the closed green curtains. The smoky scent of incense filled the air. Mark coughed to it but his brother simply cleared his throat. There was only a round table and two chairs; one of which Mama Pragya sat on.

Spread across the table was a white cloth and resting on it was a crystal ball. Matt pursed his lips and pulled the chair back. Mark chose to remain standing at the door.

Mama Pragya's golden bangles jingled when she put her hands together. She smiled brightly at Matt. He noticed the gap between her teeth. Her head was covered by the maroon veil of her sari. Hanging on her ears were golden loop earrings.

"Namaste," she cheerfully, greeted.

Matt simply nodded his head in return. Mama Pragya put her hands on the table and tilted her head in anticipation. Matt couldn't understand her actions but soon got the gist when Mark placed $100 on the table. Mama Pragya grinned greedily and snatched the money. She quickly put it in her bra and adjusted it in place.

"I know why you are here." she began. "You want to find out the truth about your woman. No?" her eyebrows waved up and down.

Matt's heart skipped a beat. "I was told that you have answers to my questions." he anxiously blurted out and licked his lips.

Mama Pragya laughed softly. "I do not." she refused and Matt's shoulders slumped, puzzled. "All the answers you seek are in this crystal ball." she proudly said and twirled her fingers around it as if to show off her freshly painted nails.

"Tell me," Matt impatiently demanded.

Mama Pragya's eyes shifted to the empty spot on the table. This time, Matt knew what she meant. He looked back at Mark. Mark rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet again. This time around, he only threw $20 on the table. Mama Pragya's glared at the money.

"We have given you 120 bucks. Speak." Matt ordered her.

She grabbed the money. "Okay, fine." she said in defeat.

Mama Pragya relaxed her shoulders and gazed into the crystal ball. She twirled her fingers around it as she chanted a spell that neither Matt nor Mark could understand. She gasped loudly in the middle of her chant and startled Matt.

Her eyes stretched wide as she gazed into the crystal ball. She turned her eyes horrified at Matt who he furrowed with worry.

"What do you see?" Matt blurted out.

"This is terrible!" she exclaimed and Matt's heart dropped.

"What is it? Tell me." Matt demanded.

"In the year 1932, Jacob Cleveland decided to join a cult after years of poverty. This cult worshiped Asmodues, demon of lust and prince of demons."

FLASHBACK BEGINS

"I will do anything to escape this horrid life of humiliating poverty. Anything." Jacob shakily declared.

He was in rags and on his knees. Standing before him was a high priest in a dark robe who had his face hidden by the shadow of his hood. The priest, held, in his hand, an ancient scroll and behind him was a statue of Asmodues.

It had three faces. The one to the left was that of a cow, the one in the center was of a man and the one on the right was a goat. Its legs were that of a webbed bird's feet and it sat on what appeared to be a lioness. Attached behind it were webbed wings like those of a bat.

Surrounding Jacob were dozens of men in dark robes but unlike the high priest, their faces were visible. They each held a flaming torch in their hands.

"I see your determination and I believe that our lord and savior, Asmodues, sees that you speak the truth." the priest replied as the other men in dark robs hummed in unison.

"Yes, oh high priest." Jacob humbly muttered with his fingers locked together.

"In addition to the human sacrifice of your virgin sister, you are to dedicate the 666th girl born into your bloodline to our lord Asmodues. She is to be his fated bride and from her, a child will be born. This child will be the host of our lord Asmodues. Through it, he shall dwell among us day and night." the high priest continued. "Do this and you will become one of us. Your descendants will reap your riches for all eternity."

"I agree to do it." Jacob decided without a second thought.

The high priest went to the statue to which the other men got down on their knees. They hummed as the high priest silently prayed to the statue with his head bowed. When he was done, the priest picked a dagger off the statue’s feet.

"Come, child of he who is great, take this dagger and stain our lord's feet with your blood and you make your oath." the high priest instructed.

The hums got louder and louder as Jacob nervously walked to the idol. He took the dagger away from the high priest. The high priest backed away with his head bowed and left Jacob alone at the altar.

Jacob stared down at the black dagger in his hand. He breathed in and closed his eyes. With a quick slash, warm blood filled his left palm. He clenched his fist and dripped his blood onto the feet of Asmodues.

"I, Jacob Cleveland, dedicate the 666th female to be born in my bloodline to the mighty and great Asmodues."

FLASHBACK ENDS

"What?" Matt whispered stupefied whereas Mark froze in shock.

"Yes, she was dedicated to the demon of lust." Mama Pragya nodded her head sympathetically.

"Is this why she didn't want anything to do with her birthday?" Matt asked, tensed.

"How can one surely celebrate their birthday when a demon visits them every year reminding them of their impending fate?"

Matt's heart dropped even further as he processed everything. "She should have told me. I mean I would have… This can't be happening."

Mama Pragya slowly shook her head at Matt's denial, "Oh but it is. She is to be his bride."

Matt abruptly stood up, knocking his chair back. "Where is she?" he asked, desperate.

Mama Pragya stared deep into her crystal ball. She chanted another spell while Matt impatiently waited for an answer. The floor beneath their feet violently moved and knocked Mark down. Matt tried his best to maintain his balance.

Mama Pragya picked up the crystal ball and looked even deeper into it. Her eyes widened in terror.

The crystal ball turned bright red to Matt's astonishment. Mama Pragya bellowed. The ball exploded with a bang so fierce that not even the windows were spared. The impact slammed Matt against a wall. Mama Prayga fell on her back with a thud.

Matt’s could only hear ringing in his ears. He caught sight of Mama Pragya groaning on the floor. Matt's eyes then searched for Mark. He heaved in relief at him rolling over. Matt pulled himself up and crawled to Mama Pragya.

Matt cringed at the pieces of the crystal ball in her bloody eyes. He put her head underneath his hand, and she moaned in pain.

"G-go to the Amazon forest. That's where she is." she puffed. "Get to her before the lunar eclipse or else it will be... too late."

Mama Pragya's hand dropped and her breathing stopped. Matt got up and forced Mark off the floor. Together they rushed downstairs only to find Jericho, face down, in his pool of blood. Matt and Mark ran outside and quickly got into the car. Mark backed out of the driveway and sped down the road.