I see. How's this then....
"Twenty years ago I was at the height of my fame and possibly of my powers.
If you moved in the right circles, my reputation was second to none, and my ability to get the job done, any job, was legend.
As Shamenoutre went, there were almost none who could touch me, perhaps one or two who could equal me, but I had the arrogance of youth, and I was more daring that the others.
With that arrogance came pride and I began to lean heavily on my powers to achieve what I wanted to achieve and get me into – and out of – any given situation.
I moved in the darkness so often I practically lived there. I used its power constantly.
I took on job after job; sometimes finding a lost soul, but more often, as I charged more and more for my services, and the people who could afford me tended to be of the less moral variety, getting rid of a rival or frightening someone into leaving a line of business became almost a stock in trade..
I used binding rites to stop people making decisions that would allow them to move on with their lives. Sometimes I just watched them die. Sometimes, more than occasionally, I confess, my role in their demise was more active.
When Loeb first came calling I was flattered. There was no fear in me at the time. There was little could shake my confidence.
So when this elegant and obviously ethereal stranger introduced himself to me (on my way back to my penthouse from a binding job, and half-in the dark) I was intrigued.
He had a very special job for me (you’d be surprised how often I heard THAT line – everyone thinks THEIR job is special) one that only I could do for him.
He wanted me to fetch someone out of Hell.
Even I smiled at that.
Hell?
I wasn’t even convinced I believed in Hell, but he was quite adamant. He stroked my ego in the right places.
Only I was strong enough; only I was insightful enough.
In reality, only I would have been arrogant enough to even try.
I was dubious about the job, but allowed him to talk me into it, not that I needed too much persuasion. Part of me – a big part of me – wanted to know if I could do it. I wanted to take on death and best it.
I asked him where we needed to go, and he told me that I’d need to rest up first and gather my strength a bit. Even I had to concede that using so much power regularly was starting to wear me out.
He smiled that thoughtful smile – the one that never, ever reached his eyes, and he said that now I was ‘on board’, he’d come back and get me nearer the time.
Apparently the ‘target’ wasn’t actually dead yet. I laughed at that, and said I could fix that too if he wanted.
Loeb looked at me with a solemn expression and I saw a flicker of colour cross his eyes, but just for an instant. Then he laughed with me.
“That won’t be necessary. It’ll be very soon though. In the next couple of days at the latest. Please keep yourself free for my call.”
“By the way Loeb,” I said. “You have never really told me what’s in it for me….”
This time he turned and looked at me full on, and there was no humour in his face whatsoever.
“Power,” he said. “More power than you can ever imagine coursing through your veins. You will feel what it is like to be a God.”
My eyebrows shot into my hairline, but he disappeared out the door and it banged shut behind him.
“Deal.” I said to the thin air."
Happy Christmas poppets!
Another lightweight
14 Jun 2009, 13:24
Happy Christmas poppets!
Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation - Alasdair Gray
, reviews with a below average mark 
, spiteful threads
and general despondancy of a market being squeezed by the credit crunch:omg:. It reminds me of what creative writing can do whether it is intended for the public eye or not. It lifts the spirits.
