It was a warm summer afternoon. A brilliant sun shone brightly in the sky. It seemed as if the light shone on every face of the earth. Each crevice filled with a ray of sunlight. The people that covered the earth were smiling faces filled with happiness. Joy seemed to wrap itself through each city; each soul content with what they had in life.

Now a world like this is not natural. There had to be some glitch in a world so perfect.

In a town far away, from the usual bustle of the city, was a mansion. It was the only house for miles and miles around and there was acres and acres of farmland there. In this mansion lived a girl and her dad. The girl's name was Jess, and her father's name, Andrew. Jess had a buff figure, at age sixteen. She was five foot, six, but very friendly looking. Very friendly, that is—until she made an enemy.

The sun was still brightly shining when Jess realized that she could never be happy in this world. So she went to the only man, or beast, in the world who could help her ever find happiness—the beast named Lorack.

Slipping through the ally, Jess headed to the beast's den. She showed no fear, because she had none. Jess had never met Lorack before, only heard stories, but everyone else hated Lorack, because he was evil. They had all the happiness in the world already, and did not need anything from him. So when a teenager appeared in his cave, Lorack knew that something big was going to happen and it was going to be his downfall or his moment of triumph. He had been waiting for this for years, this opportunity to arise once more in power and cast a cloak of darkness on this much too happy world.

“Hello?” Jess called through the darkness. Her eyes where still adjusting to the dimly lit room.

“You came.” a voice replied. An earthquake ran down Jess' back sending shivers through her body.

“That voice!” she thought.
`
“I've been waiting.”

“I came here to get something from you.”

“Did you really? No one ever leaves without getting something they want... Or they just never leave until I get something in return.”

“So what you're saying is that you want to make a deal, a bargain?”

“Hmmm... I guess you could say that, but no worries, I am a very fair deal maker.” Jess could finally see his face now.

“He's lying,” she thought, “but I don't have any other options, I have to do this.”

“Let's just get this over with,” she groaned.

“What is it that you wish?”

“Happiness, love, something to fill this empty void.”

“I see.”

“So what is your price?”

“I'm going to be extra nice. You don't have to worry about a price. You'll get your “bundle of joy” as soon as you get home. Me, I'll wait, I'll give you time. In exactly seven years, five months, three hours, and one minute, from the time you find happiness, you will return here. Then, and only then will I ask you to repay me. Do we have a deal?”

“What if I don't come back?”

“Then not only your happiness will be taken away from you, your life will be empty and forever a pit of longing will be in your heart. There will be no point in living anymore.”

“Oh.”

“Do we have a deal?” the beast repeated.

“Yes, yes, whatever it takes, I'll do it, I promise.”

“Then go home. You will find what you are looking for. Don't forget our deal...”

With that, his face disappeared and Jess was left alone once more in the darkness. Then she slowly retraced her steps back to the mansion. Jess crept up the stairs of the back door. Almost tripping over something, Jess looked down to see a blanket wrapped around a tiny baby's face. She hurried to pick up the baby.

“How did you get here?” she asked the child. The baby gurgled happily and slept on. Distant church bells chimed four times. It was already four o'clock.

She walked into the house with a puzzled look on her face. Her father was sitting on the couch watching a movie on their big screen TV.

“Hey, honey. Where were you? I thought you were in your room.” Then he turned around and looked at her.

“What is that?” he questioned.

“Who—and that's what I've been trying to find out. I found him on our doorstep.”

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Seven years, five months later...



It was a freezing cold winter evening. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains; a single spotlight shown dimly among hundreds of others, all stopped in traffic. Two figures sat motionless on the motorcycle. One, a tall figure, a young woman, the other, a puny boy.

“Jake, stay here. I'll be right back!” the twenty-three-year-old girl whispered. The boy's eyes were saucers, looking back at his sister as though she had just told him to jump off a cliff.

“And if you're not?” This had happened before and Jake was not about to let it happen again.

“Then go home and tell Dad... I'll be back, don't worry.”

Avoiding looking into Jake's eyes, the girl stealthily slipped off the motorcycle and walked away. Jake could hear the ticking of the looming clock behind him. It chimed once. Then twice. Three, four, five, six and three-quarter times. A silhouette of the sound resonated through the streets.

Jake watched his sister until she became a shadow on the pavement. Catching sight of something, Jake looked down at his shaking hands to find his sister's bag lying there.

“Jess!” Jake called. “You forgot your bag!” But Jess was already too far away to hear.

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Jess had picked up her pace. Her long streaked brown hair was up in a bun, out of the way. This time, she was ready. Jess' senses were keen, and she had grown in agility. Aware of her surroundings now, she crept down Greyhound Ally.

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Jess snapped her around. A shadow had fallen behind her.

“Who are you and what do you want?” she growled.

“Coral?” said a voice.

“Who are you?” Jess asked.

“It's me, Philip.”

“What are you doing here? It's getting late, you should be getting home.” The boy was thin, very thin; his eyes were open, but he wasn't looking at Jess. He was looking past her, blankly. The boy was blind.

“You're not Coral, are you.”

“No, I'm not.”

“I was taking a walk, when I got lost. A girl came up to me, her name was Coral. She told me she would take me back to the orphanage. She seemed really nice so I agreed. I'm not exactly sure where we were, but it was almost like we were in Greyhound Alley.” the boy shivered.

“How do you know where you were?”

“Greyhound Alley is the only place in the entire world that just doesn't—feel right. When I was walking with Coral, I got all cold and clammy. It's never like that anywhere else; it's sunny and warm, during the day other places. When I asked Coral where we were, she disappeared. I haven't heard her since, but I'm starting to think that she wasn't taking me back to the orphanage.” Philip shivered just thinking about it. While Philip was talking, Jess had started to form an idea of what was happening but it was a crazy thought.

“I'll get you back to the orphanage, don't worry.” Quickly, she glanced at her watch. It was seven minutes until seven o'clock. She needed to hurry.

“How about a piggy-back ride?” she asked.

“Really! I haven't done that in forever!”

“Yeah, hop on.” Walking at a fast pace, Jess went to the orphanage with Philip on her back. A woman was waiting at the gate, anxiously looking for a sign of someone. When she saw Jess with Philip, she looked relieved.

“Oh my goodness!” she cried, “Philip! I've been worried sick! Thank you so much, Madam. What were you thinking of running off like that, boy? I really appreciate it Miss. Is there anything I can do for you in return? The Mistress will be furious, Philip!” Jess hurried away from the angry woman, feeling sorry for leaving Philip there. Not bothering to stop, she looked at her watch. She had exactly five—

“Oops!” she exclaimed. Looking up at who she had collided with, she now looked into the eyes of her ex-boyfriend.

“Dylan?” she asked.

“Jess! What are you doing here!”

“The question is what are you doing here? You're an orphan?! Another secret you kept from me I suppose. Well if you will just excuse me, I have important business to attend to.” Leaving him bewildered and slightly offended, Jess stomped away. Then she ran. She ran like never before, faster than the wind that wrapped itself around her and bit at her red face.

“What was he doing so close to the orphanage? Suspicious.” Jess thought.

Somewhere far away, she heard the clock strike seven.

“One minute!” she thought, “Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster!!!!” Then she was falling, and she felt the bruise forming on her knee. She tasted the blood in her mouth and heard a crack as her wrist snapped. She had to get up—she had to! Slowly she moved her left leg. It was sore, but she could use it. Picking herself up, she counted each second that passed, trying to ignore the waves of pain that shot up and down her wrist that hung limply.

“...thirty-two seconds, thirty-three seconds, thirty-four seconds, thirty-five seconds, thirty-six seconds, thirty-seven seconds...” She was almost there. Then a voice dragged her into the void of blackness.

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Back on the motorcycle, Jake sat in solitude, frozen. It was the bag that Jake was told never to look into; the one he now held in his hands. The seven-year-old was not curious. Instead he was worried. Jake was no longer concerned that he was freezing cold, nor did he care that his sister had left him all alone. He only cared about what had happened to his sister. She seemed worried. Anyone who had not know her as long as Jake did, would not have noticed, but Jake could tell. He was already planning to follow her. Leaving the motorcycle, Jake hurried after the trail of his sister; the bag in his hands remained unopened.

It wasn't hard to find her, for she had a strong sent of perfume that smelled of lilacs. As soon as he had almost reached her, Jake was overwhelmed by the smell of the gutter. After all that he had gone through, it was for nothing.

“Young man, are you lost?” The voice belonged to a teenager boy. There was nothing abnormal about him—barring his hair. His hair was white with streaks of gray. Jake looked up at the stranger.

“Dylan?”

“Jake.” the teenager said less kindly, “What are you doing out here at this time of night? Jess send you here to spy on me?” Jake gave Dylan a look of pure hatred and terror. It was Jess's ex-boyfriend. He was a jerk to Jake and Dylan knew that Jake despised him.

“No, I'm—”

“Yes?” Dylan prodded with an evil smirk.

“I was wondering why are you here? Here in Greyhound Alley. No one ever comes here. Unless they need something so badly that they would die for it.”

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“You broke your promise.” Jess mumbled.

“Did I? Refresh my memory. What did you want again?” Lorack pondered.

“Happiness.”

“Ah, but you do have happiness. You just didn't realize it.”

“What so you mean?”

“Think back to the last time we met. What did I say?”

“You said that I would find happiness once I got home. What does that mean?”

“Think.”

“You said 'my bundle of joy' you didn't really mean...a baby, did you?” she realized.

“Yes, I did. Before you found your brother you were unhappy, because you didn't have anyone to love. Now, even though you do not know it, without your brother, you would be broken.”

“Name your price.”

“There is no price. You have taught me something. One act of generosity can change a cruel man's heart, to one of love. I owe you the truth, Jess. Your father and I had an argument many years ago. It was long and complicated. I turned to the dark side if that is what you call it. It was not until you came along that I actually realized that life is not about evil cooking up a potion to lore in young folk. Life is meant to be spent helping others. Your father probably never told you this. I'm your uncle.” He stepped toward Jess as if to give her a hug, then thought better of it and said, “I'm sorry.”


Jess was crying. This was too much. First of all, she was relieved, because she thought that she was going to die, then she was in massive pain, and she was confused of how she felt that this man was her uncle.

“Oh, goodness,” Lorack muttered, “I forgot about your circumstances. I can fix that up in minutes.”
He bandaged Jess' wrist and wiped her face with a cool rag.

“Will I live?” she asked.

“I think so,” he replied.

“Thanks—”

“Peter—that was my name before I—changed it.”

“Thanks, Uncle Peter” Jess whispered, smiling. For the first time, she could see his face. He was a pale old man, with wrinkle lines and baby blue eyes.

“You have light now!” Jess realized, looking around the dimly lit room.

“I'm not the lord of darkness anymore, so it only seemed natural...”

She left a few minutes later, whistling as she walked down the alley. Her heart was filled with joy.

“Jake,” she laughed, “How'd you find me?” There was her brother not more than twenty feet away from her. She was overjoyed to see him; he didn't seem happy. In fact, he looked scared out of his mind like he had just watched someone die.

“Jake, I'm sorry I left you alone by yourself—”

“Jess!!!!” He screamed. It was a bloodcurdling scream of pure terror.

“What's wr—”

Jess shrieked in agony. A knife was sticking out of her chest. Her body was screaming, blood spilled onto the road where she lay. Jake was there, and somehow, she could bare the pain for a moment longer. Her eyes were blurred with tears of pain. She felt Jake add his own to hers and she mumbled in her last moments of life—

“Love you...” Taking a last gasp of air, she said, “You are my life.” Jake was shaking all over.

“No! You can't—you can't leave me...” Jake was sobbing. His happiness was dying along with her. He would not leave her side.

The voice from the cave whispered, “Apprentice of Darkness...see? I always get my repayment in one way or another...”

The End

Epilogue:

Months after Jess' death, Jake remembered his sister's bag. It was time he opened it. Inside, he found her diary. It told only of the events that occurred after she had made the deal with Lorack, even though the first words written on the page were these words—“Today, I found happiness—a bundle of joy at my doorstep.”