Blood Money

An excited Grace Star ran upstairs to her one-bedroom apartment. She couldn't wait to open her package. It was a pre-owned tarot deck she found on the internet for only a penny. She knew this was the cheapest she would find a tarot deck anywhere. With being behind in her rent she knew a good tarot reading would be exactly what she needed.

As she approached her apartment, she saw a white piece of paper taped to her door. She feared the worse. Slowly, she pulled the mysterious document from her door. She unlocked the door to find her black cat awaiting her, meowing to be fed and loved.

“Hello, Tinker. Look what came in the mail today.”

The cat looked at the tarot box and growled and hissed at it.

“What's wrong, sweetie.”

The cat paid her no mind, took her claw, and swatted at the tarot box. Only the cat missed the box and scratched Grace instead.

“Ouch! What the hell?”

She dropped the tarot deck on top of Tinker. The completely freaked out cat, let out a screech, like she had been burned and took off towards the bedroom.

“What the hell got into her?”

She got up. She didn't draw blood, but still broke her skin, “Damn, cat,” she cursed.

After getting her dinner, noodles, and Tinkers's, wet cat food, she opened up the mysterious letter. It was a three-day eviction notice from her landlord. She had to make her payment in full to her landlord or leave in three business days. This was only Monday. She had until Wednesday night to get out according to the letter. Great, where was she supposed to come up with four grand? She needed a miracle. She looked at the tarot that laid on her floor. Or maybe a little insight.

She picked up the tarot box off the floor and opened it up. She looked through the small booklet that came with it. For a one card tarot reading, she needed to shuffle her deck and draw one card. She shuffled the tarot deck and drew one card. It was the Ace of Pentacles in the reversed position. She flipped through her learner’s guide. Basically, it meant that a plan was going to go through badly that had to do with money. The evil side of wealth.

“What the hell is that suppose to mean? So, much for clarity.”

She took the deck and slammed it on the table. The card she drew started smoking. It continued smoking until it caught on fire. Alarmed, she stood up and ran to her kitchen. She got a large cup and filled it with water. She quickly ran back to her living room to put the fire out. She threw the water on the fire, but the fire wouldn't go out.

Something about the flame hypnotized her. She inched herself closer to it. She put her face over the flame. The tarot card laid in the middle of the fire, untouched by the blaze. The painted hand in the card moved. She watched, as the hand, while still holding the large pentacle coin in it, came to life, and reached out of the card towards her. She tried to move, but her body was frozen.

Her mouth felt like it forced itself open. The hand covered her whole face, as the pentacle coin got shoved into her mouth. It tasted like metal, similar to the taste of blood. The coin blocked her airway. Between the smoke and the lack of oxygen, she felt herself buckle to her knees. Her vision became blurry. Just as she thought she was going to pass out, the hand removed itself from her face and the coin removed itself from her mouth. The hand disappeared back into the card, the flame with it.

A man appeared out of thin air. He didn't look human. He had the wings of an angel and the horns of a demon. His horns were hidden well, underneath his long blonde hair. His eyes looked as though flames danced in them.

“Good evening, Grace,” he spoke seductively to her.

“How do you know my name?”

“I know everyone who chooses to use my deck.”

“The tarot?”

“Yes. You made a wish upon it tonight. You need money to help you keep this run-down shack you call home.”

“Yes, but the card I drew didn't make any sense. It said I would make some sort of deal that would not end well.”

“Oh, but it does. It makes perfect sense. Let me ask you this simple question. What would you do to get that money? How badly do you want to keep your wealth?”

“I would do anything. This is my home. I have nowhere else to go.”

“Would you sell your soul for it?”

Grace giggled at his question, “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“Done.”

That same metallic taste rose in her mouth. She felt like something was in her throat. A wave of nausea rushed over her. She felt like she wanted to vomit. The lump in her throat rose upwards until whatever was in it entered her mouth. She spit it out. It was a pentacle coin. She looked at the mysterious figure that stood before her.

“It's worth a grand. There are three more”

Three times that same metallic taste rose in her mouth, causing her to vomit three more coins. It was exactly what she needed to pay off the landlord.

“There it is. The money you need to stay wealthy. Do you accept it?”

“Yes.”

“Than take the coins in your hand.”

She did as he asked of her.

“Now, it's time for your half of the deal. The Ace of Pentacles was warning you about me. Never make a business deal with someone you never met, especially when it comes to your soul.”

He flew in front of her so fast she didn't have a chance to move out of his way. He placed his hands upon her head. Her head felt hot. She felt like her head was on fire. The overconsuming heat made it down her whole body. However, there was no pain and no flame.

He released his hands off her head. Pain engulfed every muscle and every nerve in her body. She collapsed to the floor. She couldn't scream, she couldn't even move. Darkness took her over.

“The wealthy are never satisfied. They would do anything to save themselves. Your soul is mine. Now you will die.”

He snapped his fingers. Every bone in Grace’s body broke. He took the tarot deck and disappeared like he was never there.