The Mark

So you don’t believe in God? That’s okay. They say this is a free country after all. I don’t have much of a choice. He’s my employer. We are like this. I’m the cashier at the fast food chain and he’s the director of the conglomeration that owns my burger joint along with twenty-three other companies, burgers, biotech, defense yada yada ya. Most people think my boss, Satan, is all against God. Not true. Like me, Satan is an employee. Yeah, he’s higher up than me. When one of you mortals really offends God, he calls Satan. Satan calls Beelzebub (a guy named Bill Barker who lives in the deep south). He in turn, makes a few calls and I’m sent out to do the dirty work. But I think it is fun! I’m a tool of Karma, you might say. I’ve got a little job to do. Why don’t you come a long and see what it is all about? 

Great! Glad to have you along. My name is Sam Fallen, at least for this little job. I also happen to be the president of this area’s largest employer, for today anyway. I can be many things for my line of work. It just depends on the need. We are all tools of God and I'm no different. It takes a lot to offend him and earn a visit from someone like me. Do you know who really, really pisses God off? Those who harm others in his name are high on the list. Bonus points if they harmed children. Sooner or later, they feel the terrible wrath of God. Just keep this in mind. I have a small but important role to play. Speaking of roles, did I tell you I love acting? I really do! Today, I get to play the part of some big rich corporate type who is used to pushing people around and getting his way. It can be funny sometimes. Who knew a demon cashier would like to enroll his kids in Catholic school? I’ve got the expensive Armani Suit, a Maserati, gold Rolex and a small bar code neck tattoo just to get their attention. All of that plus drop-dead good looks make for quite a character. I should have a few shelves of Oscars by now but that's not one of the perks. Now, let's set the stage if you will. I don’t know about you but I love wet, cold, cloudy, fall days. The school looked normal enough, four levels with a sort of Gothic Church off to the left. They kept the place nice. Evil shows up in the damndest of places I’ve noticed. Well, let’s go meet our mark, the reason I'm here today.

The young red head behind the counter felt an unexplained pang of terror as I walked up.

Better let her know I’m only human. “Good morning, I’m Sam Fallen. I have an appointment with Mrs. Mitchell,” I said with a big grin.

“Good morning... Oh, yes sir. Just a moment please,” she stammered. 

She bolted up and rushed to a back office. “Nice bottom,” I thought. Yes, it's true, even demons have desires.

Mrs. Mitchell was a dumpy older woman with glasses and an oversized power suit that did not hide her forty extra pounds. “Whatever works for you," I thought.

“Hi, you must be Sam,” she said extending her hand.

“Mr. Fallen please.” I gave her an icy cold, strong, handshake she would never forget. After all, she had hired the mark. Intentional or not, that had lead to a lot of suffering and even a few deaths by suicide. But she was not why I was here. She could be a job for someone else but not I. That’s up to those much further up to figure out.       

“Okay, Mr. Fallen. Let me show you around. Please follow me.”

I winked at the pretty redhead who had returned to her desk as I followed the old battle-axe out. She blushed involuntarily with intense desire. I can't help that I'm charming. I followed Mrs. Mitchell down a short hallway to the library. I gave her a good case of the creeps just for fun. Had I been just some sucker off the street, she would have tried to toss me out. My fancy job title and expensive toys made her endure my uncomfortable presence. Now little kids are a different story. I can be quite fun and engaging when I need to be. In a round about way, I’m to protect these very kids at all costs. She introduced me to the librarian, a pleasant middle-aged woman with impeccable honesty and a love of children. Why can't more of you be like her? She asked Mrs. Mitchell about something or other and I eased to a class of little kids sitting on the floor waiting for story time. Oh, the stories I could tell!

“Hey! How’s everybody today!”

“Good!” Most shouted back.

I knelt down. “Learning a lot?” I smiled the way only little kids can make me.

“Yes, “ a few answered.

“Do you like school?”

One little girl answered in the affirmative. A few followed.

An honest boy said, “NO!”

I could not help but throwing by head back with a big belly laugh. His honesty caught me off guard.

“Don’t worry young man, it does get better. Just give it a little time. I want all of you to have a great day! See you around.”

I rejoined the librarian and Mrs. Mitchell who looked horror struck.

“Aren’t kids great? I love it! Where too next , Mrs. Mitchell?” I was in such a good mood.

“Let me show you the cafeteria and the gym.”

“Please, lead the way.”

I gave the librarian a thumbs up as I left. The cafeteria looked like any school cafeteria but with better food. The gym looked nice with a full sized basketball court. Not a bad facility over all. I met one of the gym teachers or coaches, Mr. Randal. He had a dirty mind. Let’s just say he had an unhealthy admiration for young bodies. We all have dark thoughts from time to time. As long as we don’t act on them God will not send someone like me. Still, just a reminder would not hurt.

“Hey Tim (the guy’s first name) I’m always watching you. Keep your hands and eyes off or I’ll take you to the darkest and loneliest place in the universe, ”I said as I pointed his mind’s eye to a darkness he never thought possible. I don’t always know how it works but I can tell when someone gets the point. He got it. I like when that happens. "A nice bonus for today," I thought. 

A disturbed man checked himself into psychiatric care that night. He got the help he needed before it was too late. But Coach Randal was not the mark, just a little extra. I was getting closer. From the gym we went upstairs to check out a few classrooms. I felt a shiver, as I got closer to the true evil that lurked here all wrapped up in the cloth of God. I shook hands with a few teachers and high-fived some students, none of whom felt anything out of the ordinary. Mrs. Mitchell had one more room to show me. My blood ran cold and I had to struggle to keep composed. The time had come to face my mark, Brother Gallagher.

What exactly had this stupid mortal done to get me out of bed this morning and make me run this little errand on behalf of Bill Barker and other higher-ups? I will not offend you or myself for that matter with the sordid details. All you need to know is he had an unhealthy desire for both little boys and little girls. He acted on his impulses. He had been doing so for quite some time. He could have been stopped a long time ago if just one person would have done something other than pass the buck. A sin of omission, I think the church calls it. I call it being a piece of shit, too selfish to be bothered. As a result, he had a long line of victims. Some of whom were right here in this very classroom forced into a lonely self-loathing and utter hopelessness not of their own making. They would not be forgotten.

The good brother knew the game was up the moment I saw him. I gave Mrs. Mitchell a small case of the creeps. Not so for Brother Gallagher. In an instant everything changed. The nice, warm classroom fell away and was replaced with a small, rocky, pedestal on which he stood. Cold, red flames shot up all around him from a sea of red lava. Contrary to popular belief Hell is not hot but cold, a special cold that is hard to describe to mortals. Think of it like this, the coldest you have ever been along with knowing you will never, ever be warm again. He looked across the lava lake at me. I was no longer Mr. Fallen. I was more my natural self, a hundred foot tall pissed off demon with thousands of years worth of scars both seen and unseen.

“See you in the twilight,” I said directly into his thoughts. I wanted to shred his mind right there laughing as he unhinged from reality. He felt my power over him. I could hold him here for as long as I wanted. But I kept him just long enough to make my point. What felt like an hour or so to him was less than half a second. You all have a strange sense of time. It is not what you think. The classroom reappeared and he knew the real reason for Mr. Fallen’s visit but could say nothing. I saw to it his last afternoon on Earth would be long and lonely. I looked around said hello to a few of the kids, shook a few hands and got a few high-fives. I don’t think they picked up on what had happened but children can be very perceptive. They sure seemed excited. I made a few mental notes before leaving, Lisa, Anne, John and Trey; his current victims, suffering all alone because of this piece of shit. They needed help. There’s more to justice than punishment, as you will soon see. I followed Mrs. Mitchell out and back down to the front lobby. She knew nothing. I’m a good actor. The red haired woman looked away as I headed out the front door, all the sudden finding something really of interest in her bottom drawer. She was young. I left her alone.       

When will you silly people ever learn? Hope always springs eternal, even when there really is none. Good Brother Gallagher was no exception. By sunset he had almost forgotten our little meeting. Hideous visions of little girls and boys danced through his head as he strode confidently out to his little, red convertible. I did not bother to stand up from my position sitting on the trunk. I was almost giddy with excitement as I watched the color drain from his face.    

“Get off my car!” He tried to sound strong and confident.

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows, a look that said, "are you talking to me motherfucker?"

“I said, GET OFF MY CAR!”

“This? This, is yours?” I fought to contain my laughter at his bluster. 

“I’m going to call the police.”

“You’re going to do no such thing,” I said calmly and grinned the only way a demon on a mission can.

He started to back away. It was time to let him know who was boss. I took over his motor control and stopped him in his tracks.

“Have you already forgot our previous meeting? And I really put on a good show. Come on, you know why I’m here. I work for Bill Barker. You may know him by his older name, Beelzebub. You knew I was on the way.”

I knew the good Brother’s next move even before he did. He pulled out a crucifix and held it out towards me, like it was a six-shooter. Had I been a malevolent demon and he a true priest, I would have left on the spot. We cannot fuck with God like that. Unfortunately for him, neither was the case. I worked for God and any goodness Gallagher once had was long gone.

“Oh, please,” I rolled my eyes and melted the metal cross burning his hand in the process.  

He looked at me shocked and hurt, his lips quivering with fear. I waived a finger, making his mouth grow over. He trembled in place.

“Ah, yes. That’s better. ‘I’m going to call the police’ what fine last words. Too bad someone did not do that a long time ago. They too will be held accountable for their inaction but not today. Had someone acted,  that would've made my little errand today unnecessary. But here we are, just you and I. Oh, you’re already dead." His eyes got really big.  I had his full attention.

I continued, "No, I’m not going to impale you or see to it you are gang-raped. That’s someone else’s job. I’m here to inform you your life here is over, you wasted it hurting the defenseless. Welcome to the afterlife.” 

I slid off his car and got up in his mouth-less face, “You will now face divine justice. We cannot completely undo the damage you have done. This is another reason for your punishment. Your computer will soon be examined by the police and many of those you hurt will come forward. Your sick trophy collection will become public knowledge. Very soon your name will be synonymous with evil here. So long, Gallagher. Take him away.”

      Four demons appeared and each took a limb. I laughed loud as thunder as he was dragged away across the green lawn, shattering his mind. The body was just a crumpled heap face down on the pavement with several front teeth knocked out from the fall. He would be found the next morning next to a rather mysterious small mound of melted metal. There was also a curious burn mark on his right hand. Neither detail made the news. The other details did. Massive aneurysm, these things happen. There was a little more work to be done.

For those he hurt, no he did not get off lightly. I can assure you. And one day he will have to face his all of his victims. But that's later and beyond my roll. I did have one last thing to take care of. Lisa, Anne, John and Trey soon got help from a new school psychologist hired by a grant from a Mr. Fallon who had visited one day but then decided to keep his kids in the public schools. Despite being deeply scarred, they managed to live out long, productive and relatively happy lives. It was a nice day's work. Hint. My days are longer than yours.  

Later that night my smart phone rang from an unknown number, “Hello?”

“Good day, Sam. I have another job for you.”

“Nice to hear from you, Bill. How can I help?”