The Crossroads (A Short Story) By Kataryna Denna

 

        On March eighteenth 2012 Marnie went to sell her soul to a crossroads demon. Some would trade for wealth, power, love, or wisdom. Marine wanted to trade her soul for her sister. 

        Marnie's sister, Anna, had leukemia, and was give three months to live. Out of desperation, Marnie went to her town's well-known witch that dabbles in black magick. The witch, having connections, refered Marnie to a crossroads demon who goes by the name Azrael. 

     Meredith-the witch- had told Marnie to drive out to Wedlock Grove, an old settlement the early pilgrims abandoned due to the nearby tribe of Cherokee indians. When Marnie arrived, she was to walk to the worn down stone path until she got to the edge of the forest. Since the path was now overgrown by various species of plants and wildlife, Meridith told Marnie to count six steps and turn left. She was then to take six more steps and make a right. Meridith told Marnie to continue on forward for six miles. At the end of the six miles she would find Azrael.

        Over the length of this six miles Marnie ran into three people. A fisherman, a shepard, and a homeless man. The first person she ran into was the fisherman. "What brings ye way out yonder?" he questioned in a strong Irish wilt. "I seek the crossroads demon, Azrael." she responded. The fisherman's blue eyes widened with fear, "What business do ye have with a hetchman of the devil? he asked. "I'm trading my soul, so that my sister may have life. She has leukemia and was given three months to live." The fisherman shook his head in dismay and replied, "Don't ya know Lassie? The only one who can give life is Christ." Marnie's heart grew cold at the mention of God. He's the reason Anna is dying. Marnie thought. She angrily shoved the fisherman out of the way, and continued walking. 

        The fisherman watched her stary back on the path. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, and when Marnie looked back the fisherman had vanished.

        She thought nothing of it and continued on her way to meet Azrael. Two miles down the path, and she ran into a shepard. He asked her in a panic if she had seen his small sheep. When she shook her head no, he collapsed into a ball and began to weep. "I'm a shepard!" he cried, "I'm supposed to keep watch over my sheep!" Humbled by the shepard's love of his sheep, she tried to comfort him. "It's just one sheep! Why waste so much time and energy searching for one when you have hundreds?"

        The shepard looked up at her from the ground and said, :You have much to learn child. A shepard never gives up on his sheep, just like Christ will never give up on you." Again angered, Marnie scoffed and stepped around the shepard to continue back on her journey. This time, however, Marnie began to think about what the shepard had said. Too engrosed in her thoughts, she didn't see the shepard disappear in a white light behind her.

        Maybe God hasn't given up on me. Marnie thought, the she sighed, Then again, if He was still here, my sister wouldn't be as sick as she is. She walked on until she saw an old man in dirty clothes sitting on a stum of an old rotted oak tree. 

        Gently, Marnie tapped the man on the shoulder to get his attention, "Are you well sir?"Marnie asked in concern. "Yes, perfectly fine dear. The real questions is truly about you. Are you well?" he responded. Marnie's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. Am I well? she asked herself. I don't think I am. Tears sprung into her eyes as she answered the man, "No, I suppose I'm not."

        The mans eyes softened, and he took her small hands into his large ones. Sighing he said, "You are troubled. The only reason young souls such as yourself come out her for is to meet the demon Azrael to make a deal." he paused. "Am I correct in assuming that is your quest as well?" the man asked. Marnie shook her head up and down anwering his question. "Are you knowledgeable about crossroad demons, or their deals?" he continued questioning. "No I am not." Marnie admitted shamefully.

        "Well, than I'll tell you." he said. "When meeting a crossroads demon the first thing they will do is ask what your business doing there is. As if they don't already know your reasoning. After explaining your story, and what your request is, he'll make a deal with you. For ten years you will be free to live your life, if you choose to make the deal. On the last day of those ten years, the demon will send hellhounds to collect what is rightfully his. Your soul." he paused, "hellhounds are violent, evil creatures that will tear you to pieces and drag your soul to hell." Marnie's heart beat began to quicken in pace, "as for how to make the deal." he paused again, "If you do continue on with the deal, the demon will have you sign a contract. To seal the deal completely, you and the demon must kiss."

        "My suggestion," the man continued, " is to turn your mind, and heart, to God. If you trade your sould, even for the most noble reason... you will be eternally damned." Marnie sucked in a shaky breath, and ran her hand through her dark locks. The man patted her soft hand with his rough, calloused hand as a sign of comfort. When Marnie looked down at their hands, she saw a prominent scar in the middle of his hand. Looking at the other hand, she found an identical scar there too.

        Marnie looked up at the man to observe him. This stranger that had shown so much kindness and compassion for a person he did not know. His face was aged, but not with time. It was aged with wisdom, and thick, white hair grew from his head down to right beneath his collar bone. He had a long beard, also white, that reached down to the bottom of his chest. Looking up at his eyes, she found them to be a bright blue. The same color as the fisherman, and shepard. They were so calm and soothing, that she found herself beginning to change her mind about meeting Azrael. 

        Marnie looked down at his clothes, worn and dirty. Older looking, as if he had came from Israel during the biblical times. Glancing down at his feet she saw sandles, worn down by time and use. Yet, that was not what stood out to her. It was the third noticeable scar in the center of his feet that caught her attention. It seemed so familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

        "John 6:33-35." the man suddenly said. Marnie jumped in surprise and turned to look at him as he continued, ""For the bread of God is He who comes from heaven and gives life to the world. " then they said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."" A tear slipped down Marnie's cheek as she thought of her sister, "You see Marnie? The only one who can give life is Christ."

        A sudden urge to pray brought Marnie to her knees onto the dirt floor of the evergreen forest. For hours Marnie prayed to God. When she had finished, the man was gone. In his place on the tree stump was a lily growing from inside of it. Without a second thought towards Azrael, Marnie got up and walked back to her car, thanking God for giving her the strength to turn back. 

        Two years later at church Marnie thought back to that day. Interupting her thoughts was her sister, who slid down into the pew next to her. 

        When Marnie had returned from the forest two years earlier she had found a great newfound faith in Christ. A week after her encounter with the men in the forest her sister had gone in for more testing. When she had come back to the room with tears streaming down her face after the test, Marnie feared the worst.

        That was until a grin that could rival Cheshire the Cat's spread across Anna's face. Marnie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she asked Anna to elaborate on her elated mood. Anna then explained that when the tests came back, all traces of cancer cells had seemingly vanished. As soon as the words came out of her younger sisters mouth, Marnie cried out in joy, and thanked the Lord. 

        Ever since that day in the forest Marnie has dedicated her life completely to God. She recieved her degree in youth ministries, and another major in music ministries. She now works as the youth pastor and music director of her local church. Marnie also got married a year ago to a man who equally shared with her a great love of Christ. They're even expecting a little one. 

        Marnie often wonders what her life would be like now if she had continued down the path to meet with Azrael. She wouldn't trade any of what had happened for the world. All she wished, was to say thank you to the three men in the forest who helped her realize that God was the answer. Little did she know, that the man already knew how thankful she was. 

                                                                                                                  The End.