Lucifer's Gift

Chapter 2 – The Food

We arrived at the hotel.

It was beautiful and gold colored. Everything in it just radiated rich and powerful. Not a place for someone like myself, a homeless destitute.

I held onto his arm as we walked through the lobby. I was a little too weak to hold myself up completely, but he didn’t seem to mind.

He put his hand over mine and escorted me into the elevator. Even the buttons he pushed were made to look like gold.

‘Thank you,’ I whispered, looking down at the floor at my hole-filled shoes. He adjusted his shoulders and gave a small sigh. I can tell that he had not been told that very often.

The elevator took us to the top floor. The doors opened into a large open room with just a fireplace going. What little bit of light it provided was enough for me to make out a few items: A chair, a large couch, a fuzzy rug on the floor. He walked in and motioned one hand up and the room was lit up by small torches, all lined along the walls. I flinched at this sudden shock and hesitated to walk in.

‘Oh, don’t be shy. Come in.’ He motioned a hand towards me, and I felt a sudden push from behind, making me fall on all fours. The doors shut behind me as the elevator dinged that it was on its way back down.

I was here. I was in Lucifer’s home.

What have I done?

I found my feet and steadied myself.

It started to hit me. I was in Lucifer’s place.

‘Come, sit. You must be hungry from being on the streets for so long.’ He walked into a small off-set kitchen and turned on the lights. Fluorescent lights? No lamps with flickering flames? I heard him open the fridge and a few plates clanked on the countertop.

I still had not found the courage to move. Was there fire and brimstone all around me but this was all an illusion to get me to step into the pit of Hell? He peeked from around the corner at me.

‘Oh, come on. I’m not trying to deceive you.’ His head vanished as more sounds could be heard from the kitchen. ‘If I wanted to fool you, I’d have done it by now.’

Hesitantly, I took a step onto the hardwood floor. It was wood. Not fire or lava, but actual wood. I took another step and then another. I made my way to the kitchen area where Lucifer was putting a plate of food in the microwave.

‘Ah, so you finally decided to trust me.’

‘I don’t.’ I said, starting to get my voice back. He grinned.

‘That’s alright, I wouldn’t trust me either.’ I ran my hand over the granite topped counter. It was cool and smooth. The feeling was almost addictive.

The microwave went off and he pulled it from the microwave. Steam came off the food as he placed the plate in front of me.

The smell was amazing. Turkey with stuffing. Glazed ham and vegetables. Mashed potatoes with gravy.

‘Go ahead. Eat.’

I was drooling but I had to keep my resolve. I looked at my host with desperate eyes.

‘No gimmick?’ I asked. He chucked and let out a sly grin.

‘No gimmick.’ He repeated. ‘Now eat.’

I dug my fingers in and started to shovel food into my mouth as fast as I was able to. The elegant tastes that filled my mouth as I felt my belly become full were exquisite. This was levels above the boxed sandwiches from the shelter and dumpster scraps.

He watched me with an odd smirk as I licked the plate clean. Embarrassed, I set it down. Why would the devil want to help an angel?

As he took the plate away, I placed my hand on his wrist. ‘Thank you.’ He gave a small smirk and pulled away to place the dish in the sink. Wiping his hands on his pants, he turned to me and sighed.

‘Now, you know I didn’t just bring you here for a meal.’ Here is comes. The deception. I knew it was all too good to be true. ‘I did offer you a bed for the night and warm clothes.’