Musical Graves, Page 2

  David entered the mausoleum with as much speed as he could muster. Running, he knew was out of the question. The only way he could catch up to the pair before the door closed was to float. What took him by surprise was the way his body began to solidify as he moved down into the depths of Hell. When he ran into the demon, it was more an accident then anything. He had entered the realm with every intention of begging for the girl’s soul, but when he became entangled with the Kazul and the demon began to fight him with a furious rage washed over his face, David knew for certain that a fight would suit him just fine.

  When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs and came to a clearing where the surrounding dead trees glowed like the burning embers of a fire place log, Kazul wrapped one of his tentical-like fingers around David’s throat and the ghost could actually feel his breath being cut off in his windpipe.

  With some effort, David pulled back from the demon and brought his fist down, smashing the creatures half smoked cigar into his teeth. The ghost was surprised to see a spray of blood erupt from Kazul’s bottom lip.

  The demon was able to knock David over and maneuver over the top of him. The tentacle around his throat tightened and David felt the cold wave of unconsciousness threatening to drown him in its black waters.

  Could he die again? Where would he end up if he could? The possibilities were to frightening to imagine.

  “You got alotta nerve, lil’ ghost,” Kazul growled.

  David’s vision was going black. He clawed weakly at the creature’s scaly skin, but knew that he had lost this fight. He supposed he should have expected as much when picking a fight with a demon. Vaguely, he could hear Sabrina pleading for the monster to stop.

  “EOUGH OF THIS!” a deep voice commanded from the edge of the fight.

  Kazul’s grip loosened and the long finger uncoiled from David’s neck.

  “Sorry, your lordship,” Kazul said.

  When David’s vision finally cleared, he could see that the demon was backing away in a low bow. Looking to the other side of the clearing he could see a handsome, well-dressed man approaching them.

  “It appears we have a small situation here,” the man said.

  “Me Lord Lucifer,” Kazul said. “If it pleases you, I can explain what is going on ‘ere.”

  “Please do.”

  “I was charged with bringing the girl down,” the demon explained. “David, the ghost here, took it upon himself to try and save the lass.”

  The devil turned his gaze on David. “Is this true, David?”

  “Yes,” David answered in a choked voice.

  Lucifer smiled. “What a noble gesture. Why would you attempt such a foolish feat?”

  David thought about this a moment. He looked back at Sabrina, who appeared to be frightened out of her wits, then he returned his attention to the devil and said with complete confidence; “I love her.”

  Lucifer’s smile faded and he looked closer at the ghost. “I know you, David. You’re the restless ghost from the graveyard above. How ironic your story has become. Here is a girl that was fated to have her life taken from her in a car accident in just eight months time. A girl that was fated to meet you and bring peace to both your uncomfortable death and her chaotic life. A girl that couldn’t wait that long and took the easy way out.”

  Lucifer looked at the two of them, David still on the ground and Sabrina now standing at his side, and he seemed to be considering his options for a moment. Then he looked back at Kazul as if he had forgotten the demon was still there.

  “I’m sorry, David,” he finally stated. “Rules are rules after all.”

  With that, Lucifer snapped his fingers and David found himself flat on his back in the dark. It was a dark he knew all too well. The all encompassing darkness of his coffin.

  He stood as he’d stood for the past fifty-plus years of his death, phasing through the dirt and rocks that covered his grave and crawling out onto the solid ground.

  He rushed over to Sabrina’s grave marker ignoring the cries of the other ghost.

  “David, what happened?” and “Are you alright, David?”

  He stopped on the still fresh mound that covered her grave and he knew that she wasn’t there. Falling to his knees, he dropped his smoky head into his hands and wept.

  It seemed like he was there for hours, crying for his lost love and his continued existence. One that would be forever restless without his Sabrina.

  Then, a hand came down on his shoulder. Slowly, he turned to see who the hand belonged to. He was surprised to see Sabrina staring down at him, as pretty as always in her white sundress.

  He stood and took her hands in his. Staring into her eyes his mouth sputtered, once again unable to express what he was feeling. Rather than trying any further, David took Sabrina in his arms and kissed her deeply. It was only then that he felt what the others must have felt all those years when they took one another’s hand and played musical graves.

  “Rules are rules after all.” That’s what he had said. Did anyone actually believe that coming from the Devil? It even sounded ridiculous to his own ears.

  Lucifer thought about this even as he stood in the darkened shadows of the graveyard and watched the two ghosts embrace. Since when did he ever follow the rules?

  Yet, some may wonder why he had let her go.

  Perhaps he had grown soft over the years. No, that wasn’t it, though he surely could not have done so in front of Kazul or he would have appeared to be soft. There were enough beings trying to claim his throne, he didn’t need to add to that list.

  Maybe he had done it for the simple fact that it was a rule. No one likes to break the rules more than he did. It had been a favorite pass time of his for eons. He supposed a shred of that might be true. But, still…

  Maybe (and please, bare with me here), just maybe, he had known such love before. Perhaps, in some long forgotten time before the world had grown to fear and despise him, he took some lovely creature in his arms and kissed her as David was kissing Sabrina there before him.

  The Devil smiled and turned away from the happy reunion, and as he walked back to the mausoleum door, he wondered what ever happened to the girl that he had loved so.

  The End.