The Devil's Lair

'I got it from my dream. I woke up & just innately knew it was the place.'
'Where?'
'I work in the richest place in the city.'
'How glamorous. You should be excited.'
'I am, but it's not all it's made out to be. I don't know what it's like in other mega-cities around the world, but here the people aren't good. I never thought much about it, I've only been a few times to the neighborhood, previously. Now that I go there daily, though, I see things with different eyes. I haven't run into anyone or had a spat, but can see the people aren't good. They're hard. Evil. They don't see goodness and are shocked when they do.'
'And goodness meaning like you?'
'Precisely! I'm fresh meat. Pure blood. The new kid on the block. Fresh off the boat. However you wanna put it. It's my love for money that has taken me there and now that I can earn it, I'm scared.'
'D, you need to chill out and be realistic about this. You've been looking for a job for just under 2 years now. You've had at least a hundred interview invitations. You've been hustling to get a job all across the city. You're not getting younger and still live with your mom. Now that you've finally landed a high-paying job, be grateful for it and just make money!'
'That's the problem, though. Make the money, don't let it make you. But in the process everybody converts. You value money above everything, you respect those who have more than you, even though you don't like them. When you dance with the devil, the devil doesn't change, he changes you. I don't wanna be evil, I'm evil enough. That's what England was there for.'
'Let go that place, will ya? It's been 6 years now. Move on!'
'I have but what scarred me, I can't forget. God gave me that message in the dream to make me aware of where I'll be going into. And that He'll continue to protect me, but that I know in my heart that the area I'm working in isn't Godly: they're satanists!'
'How do you know & can speak with such conviction?'
'I don't claim to be clairvoyant or understand the language of dreams but there are certain elements in my dreams that have a profound effect on me and those are the parts I remember & those are the parts I think about and try to figure out. You wanna know why I know they're satanists? In my dream, the people of the area threw the Holy Bible onto the floor or into a toilet, can't really remember which one it was for sure. But they did it! Rich people make a lot of money but they don't live righteously. They value the human way and love living in this world with all the benefits of society. They create their own heaven while on Earth and don't want to leave. I know there's an after-life after here & try to make it to Heaven. I'm almost always conscious of my actions since their consequences affect the probability of me making it to Heaven or going to hell. Just today after I knocked one out without remorse, I realized how I'm changing again and becoming more integrated into this human world.'
'...'
'Don't get me wrong, I love making money and am happy I can now do it. But I just know, innately, that I will become darker as I go. The process has already begun even though at this point it's not much. But most of it will happen while I don't even know, because I'll be so wrapped up in my world of work that I won't realize just how much I've changed since I first started looking for work. I don't wanna be a monster. I'm scared, man, that's all.'
'D... I know with you being sensitive means feeling things deeply... but you must disassociate yourself from your environment... otherwise you'll go crazy.'
'I already am crazy, that's why I'm talking to you, the shrink!'
'Then you'll stay crazy.'
'Mental illness cannot be cured. Once you're crazy, you die that way.'
'Look, I know you know what I mean so I'll just leave it at that.'
'Alright, doc. I'm just messin' with ya. Trying to work out this conundrum I'm in again.'
'Life is a conundrum, you'll never find a way out of your problems, they'll always re-appear. But life can also be a great experience that you consciously seek and protect, no matter how bad the world is. And it would be a great shame if you choose the former!'
'...'
'Life happens anyway. In the end, we're all gonna die. The devil is everywhere, endangering everything... but that doesn't mean you should throw your life away. I don't think even God who you believe in so much, would be happy if you just gave it up. Be strong. You will find your happiness!'
'... yeah... I hope so, doc. I'm just tired of getting confronted by evil. I want a break. Ain't got the heart to fight anymore.'
'You won't have to! The crisis of the past is behind you and you've healed! You're entering a new stage now and you're much stronger, much better adapted the gritty reality of this world. You should be proud! Or at least confident to face the future.'
'... dunno, doc... maybe I'm just tired of getting chucked off a cliff and being forced to fly. I'm tired of screaming. Even when I land unscathed, I'm still exhausted of yelling and flailing all along.'
'You're an excellent flier. And every warrior is scared shitless before battle. Think about it!'
'... alright! You made it, doc... cheered me up again.'
'It's getting harder and harder. I don't know if I'll have the skills anymore...'
'I think you got me pretty figured out. Love you, doc. God bless you!'
'God speed, son. Go make God proud!'


This story is dedicated to everyone who works in The Devil's Lair: a place where money is abundant, but the people are bad!




(The above story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters herein to any person, living/dead, is purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features herein are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if I use one of these terms, although I do think they're very cool.)