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Tweak says, "OMG I so pwn the universe!!!!!"

dark_soul (dark_soul) wrote in forgotten_past,
@ 2010-12-01 19:05:00

Entry tags:

berith, horror

Who: Berith, Horror
What: A deal with a demon sometimes works out quite nicely.
When: Spring, 1946
Where: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Warnings: Surprisingly, none at this point in time

There were times when he didn’t want to bloody his hands. Well, maybe that phrasing wasn’t quite accurate….it would be better to say he sometimes wanted to experiment with words a bit more. With slowly but surely naming every fear that waited and worried inside a heart, with taking the nameless and giving it a name, causing it to cast a very real shadow over the person he pulled it from.

The fears of werewolves and ghosts, of vampires and things in the dark and blood and things gone wrong were all fears of deeper, darker things, things that really could harm people. Death, disaster, secrets, the unknown future. It wasn’t difficult to play them off each other, to use little touches and hints of one to drive home the point of the other.

It was, actually, quite fun.

This was how Horror came to be in a small, dark room, lit by lamps that just didn’t seem to illuminate as much as they should. Darkness cluttered the corners like spider webs, dimness covered everything like a fine layer of dust. He was in the room with a short, nervous little man, and what had gone on so far made Horror a very content god indeed.

It had taken some time to get to this point…..because he had wanted it to. He had enjoyed the slow build to this, had enjoyed every carefully chosen word and every horrible image he’d had to conjure up to cajole the mortal man into the state he wanted him in. Of course, to this man he was a saviour, he was a promise of great things, he was the only one willing and able to make incredible promises and back them up.

And if all he asked in return was a little promise of his own and maybe a signature or two, well, what of it? It was so little when what was to be gained was so much.

The pen he handed over to the mortal man scratched at the thick paper that sat between them, and all that was left was to send the man on his way. Not out the door, no, but through the lovely silk curtains at the back of the room, the lovely curtains that had framed Horror as he sat in his chair, a smile of good nature on his mouth.

A word of congratulations, a shake of the hands, and Horror’s part was played.

As he heard the curtains whisper as they parted, he smiled and waited for realization to set in. It was, perhaps, his favourite part.

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the_midas_touch
2010-12-02 10:58 am UTC (link)

Fear was a difficult tool to use to manipulate people with. Too little of it, and it would be laughed off as a joke. Too much and people became excessively paranoid, shut down certain parts of their brain and shut themselves off from the world. Like everything else, something moderate; a balance - that was most effective.

"You really had him there, with the Hell talk." Not surprising - this was one of the regions you could find the most devout, God-fearing men, women and children. Being a demon had its perks, from time to time.

Berith spoke and emerged when the action was long gone. It would not be right to interrupt a good show midway.

"Next one is a little more difficult," the demon said offhandedly, a short sentence hinting at a very small fragment of a picture his foresight could paint.

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dark_soul
2010-12-03 12:54 am UTC (link)

Horror was still sitting back in his chair, legs stretched out and hands folded neatly over his chest. He was smiling. He had an air of perfect contentment, replaced only with one of anticipation when the demon spoke.

“A little more difficult isn’t a problem. If they were all as easy as the next, where would the fun be?” Not to mention that difficult wasn’t impossible……Horror did not believe anyone would be impossible for him to get to.

As to how the demon would know such a thing…..well, he was a demon. He had a certain talent - no, he possessed several qualities which made this partnership immensely satisfying.

“Anyway, all I have to do is use what’s already there, don’t I? The notions of Hell and delightful beings such as yourself already have such a remarkable reputation. It’s quite nice to put to use, actually.” Sitting up and reaching for the tray he’d set aside earlier, Horror nodded towards the now empty chair across from him. “Unless I’m mistaken, we have some time. Would you care to join me?” The tray was set down on the table, a silver teapot and two pristine cups on it, as well as a small plate of something pastel and sugary.

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the_midas_touch
2010-12-06 07:09 am UTC (link)

Berith slid into the chair; a silent acquiesce to his companion's request. He might look dressed for the occasion but Berith had bad posture and a look that made even the most formal occasion seem like a summer's day at the beach on vacation. He simply exuded the kind of casual, blasé, anything-goes attitude without so much as having to sprawl out over the chair.

"This part of the country - they're all God-fearing people." For a figurehead that embodied faith, hope and love, God was surely someone who merited all the hype and fanfare. That didn't necessarily mean that all of it was not irrational - but it did make for easier targets.

"No one likes the prospect of being burned. I think that's all there is to it."

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dark_soul
2010-12-09 03:42 am UTC (link)

“Yes……for someone so forgiving and loving, there’s an awful lot of fear involved, isn’t there. Fear of him, fear of his wrath, fear of you and others like you, fear of temptation and, of course, people’s fear of themselves. Of others. Of anything that contradicts their beliefs. Of things that don’t. There’s no end to it.”

Horror placidly poured two cups of tea.

“Some people don’t like the idea of burning in hell. Others really are frightened of being bad people, of deserving hell after they die. Then there are those who only say they believe, those who want to believe but can’t…..those who think it’s all a joke. Truly, there are all kinds. If I was that god they prayed to…..why, I might even laugh over it all.”

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Sorry this is late. Work is eating me.

the_midas_touch
2010-12-16 09:20 pm UTC (link)

"People are afraid. It's in their natures." Fear was a natural response - kept people from doing stupid things like lighting themselves on fire or flinging themselves off of tall buildings - phobias, on the other hand, were irrational.

And phobias - the descriptor people chose to use might not be 'phobia', but those were far more rampant than mere 'fears'.

"I'm sure he's laughing all the time. Gotta stay young, right?"

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Holidays ate me.

dark_soul
2010-12-29 08:43 pm UTC (link)

"It is, indeed, much to my delight. And if it wasn't.....it would be a different world entirely without fear. Certainly not one I care to spend any time contemplating." Sitting back wit his cup, Horror chuckled softly.

"If he is, then that is most unkind. It is expected from beings like you or I....but the very one who should never laugh at another's misfortune?" A disappointed shake of the head and a resigned little shrug conveyed Horror's feigned feelings on that point.

"Do have something to drink. If the next is difficult, as you say, then a little refreshment is in order."

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