The dark oblivion was here. The nightmare was engaged. The south side felt the oblivion coming forth shrieking like a banshee. The moon was a deep blue , as the sky song with horror unknown to all. This was Halloween. On the south side this was the hell that people feared and loved. This was the demon's night to reek forth the profit of the souls of men on the south side.

Zuljin sat on the bench his left arm moving slowly towards his face as he took a drag off his cigarette. He blew forth the smoke with a relaxed motion. His dark aura, shown through his personality as if a hellion of the underworld. Which wasn't far from the truth. His hazel eyes looked like they could pierce any ones soul and recover any secrets need be. His looks remained that of a mortal but he was something more then any mortal could be. There he saw his prey move in and out of the shadows. His hazel eyes piercing the old mans movement. Zuljin moved with speed towards his intending target.

There walked a old man his movement slow and without health and no pride shown. He was feeble and with pain he breathed. His bald head and leather like skin scorched from so many years working out in the sun. Nothing to show for it other then a bad back and sore feet. He moved and breathed hard as pain seized his heart. He hit the ground as his body gave to toture, more so then ever before. He screamed in agony as his body went into a seizure and he started to shake violently.

"Your dying old man" said Zuljin as he stepped from the shadows like so many times before.

The old man not speaking, feeling far to much pain. unable to open his mouth for fear of swallowing his own tongue. He looked at Zuljin with disgust. The pain stopped. The seizure was gone completely. His back felt stronger and his sore hands and feet felt more vibrant , like a young child.

"Who are you? What did you do? Are you Satan?" said the old the man as he felt the dark aura of Zuljin's body.

"My name is Zuljin. no I am not Satan. I am older then you , I know some stuff" said Zuljin with a amused smile at the old man's bluntness. "You are the first to ever ask me if I was Satan, thanks. I am honored that you think I have that much power"

"Your not from heaven are you?" asked the old man.

"I know no heaven or hell, I have never been to either" said Zuljin "you have a strong mind old man, I cant pierce your thoughts. So I must ask you. What is your name?"

"George"

"Well George, I am offering a unholy alliance with you. You become similar to me, a tad less powerful but pretty much the same. You serve me for a few years then you can go off on your own. I stopped your death to ask for this term of service. What do you say George?" as Zuljin offered his hand to shake to finalize the agreement.

"No I rather go to heaven, you make me sick. I would never serve a guy that dresses like a woman. Go to hell" yelled George.

Zuljin growled with a mild display of anger then touch George's head. George's body started to convulse and blood oozed forth from the orifaces of his face. George screaming as he started choking on his own vomit. He tried to run, he failed as he hit the ground in agony. His hands starting to snap and break as if made of twigs , blood rushed from the open wounds as his screams died down and there he laid dead.

"George, I forgot to tell you one thing, your soul is mine" said Zuljin as he fed on the corpse , ripping off deep pieces of flesh. Sucking them dry as he mowed on them slowly and swallowing them down with pleasure until there was nothing left but bones and he sucked on his fingers getting the flesh that was under neath his finger nails.

Zuljin moved his hands to touch his cigarette, which was still lit and not getting any smaller from before or now. He smiled and got up walking back over to the bench that he sat on. Looking at the night sky. He smiled.

"That is the last time I ever eat a old person , they suck. No meat what so ever. Now I am just going to stick with fat people"

cases of anerexia have been attributed to the reading of this story.

Short Story By Joe Marquis e-mail him here