Karmic Station

I never believed hell existed. I must admit that I was beginning to doubt my belief. I looked around and noticed that I was driving. It was dark. I didn’t know the time. I could not find my cell phone. I knew something was wrong. I don’t ever leave my cell phone. It is usually attached to me as if it was a part of my body. As I look around, I also notice that the road was empty. Just flat lands on either side of me. I looked up to the sky and it was pitch black, with only the moon to guide me.
To where? I wonder as I tried to remember the last thing I did.
Nothing.
Then I heard something. What was that? It sounded like a voice? No, maybe a sound. Could it be music? I could not decipher what it was. I listened. It was a sound coming from the radio. At first it was as if static was erupting from the speakers. A song was trying to come from within the static. It hummed beautifully, almost as if it was soothing me. I felt at peace.
Nancy, can you hear me?
Huh? I thought. Did I hear that right?
“Hello and welcome back to Karmic Station 6.66! I am your host, Lilith.”
I stared down at the radio. I had never heard of this station before.
“I have here tonight someone who is willing to give up anything in order for karma to subdue their enemies, now, rather than later. Please introduce yourself?”
“Hi my name is Nancy.”
What! My mouth dropped in awe. That was my voice! What was going on? How was this possible?
“Can you please tell the audience why you contacted me.”
“I want my professor to suffer. He thought it was okay to break my family apart.”
I looked straight at the road and tried to remember how my family was broken. Yet, nothing seemed to emerge from my memory. I decided to listen.
“Ooh, what is your professor’s name?”
“He’s name is Mr. Marcus. He is my professor at my local collage. At first, I thought he was a great guy. A little too flirtatious. But who could blame him? He is such a babe. Especially with his big green eyes. But then I found out about his dirty little secret!”
I shook my head as if I was trying to remember the secret before it was exposed.
Nancy, why?
There was the voice again. Where was it coming from? It definitely was not coming from the radio.
“ I was failing, you see. I don’t come from a wealthy family. Mother decided that it was time to talk to Professor Marcus. I never realized how far it had gone.”
“This is getting juicy.” Lilith cooed with excitement.
“I mean, I never bothered to ask. One moment I was failing, and then the next moment I was a straight A student! I should have known. Everything has its price! Poor Daddy…”
Daddy?
Daddy found out! I gripped on the wheel as I remembered how daddy cried in my arms. Mother had betrayed him. My life was over when daddy had announced he was leaving for good. Mother was not hurt by this notion. She had a new man in her life.
I remember that part!
I felt anger rise from my gut. How could I have forgotten.
“Daddy left my Mother. Mother swore it was only to help me out. But I could tell she enjoyed being Professor Marcus’s side piece. Lust got the best of her and now my family is shattered! And it’s all my fault!”
I could hear myself through the radio, sobbing.
I was angry.
Everything was coming into place. Finding mother and Professor Marcus in the classroom, doing extra curriculums! I remember watching daddy come from out of nowhere and interrupting their little “meeting.”
“I remember daddy screaming at my mother that she was gonna die for what she had done!”
That was right. Daddy had pulled out a gun! Aimed it directly to my mother’s face.
“Go on!” Lilith stated as she giggled with glee, almost as if she was enjoying the carnage that was manifesting right before her.
“I remember screaming for daddy to stop and then… then…”
I gasped with anticipation. I could not remember. What had happened?
Why, Nancy?
There was that voice again. It was coming from somewhere, but I could not figure it out.
“Nancy, now is the time to do what is right! What will you give in order to set things right?” Lilith asked.
There was silence for a moment.
“I want him to lose everything! His job, his image...everything!”
I could hear the anger, the hatred in my voice. “In return I will give you my worthless life!”
I stared down at the radio for a moment before focusing back on the road.
My life?
Lilith’s laughter brought me out of my thoughts. “Oh honey, I must deny this from you.”
“Why?”
I sounded confused as much as I felt it.
“That was already given. I cannot take that away from Death.”
What?
“You really don’t remember, do you? That tends to happen as you are transitioning from the living and wondering through purgatory. Your guilt has brought you to me. You still have a chance before your transformation is completed.”
Lilith’s words echoed through my mind. I tried hard to concentrate. How did I get here? Purgatory? Why was I here? Guilt, that is what Lilith had said.
I remembered the argument in the empty classroom. The only one’s there were my mother, professor Marcus and finally, daddy. They did not see me in the back, watching the argument unfold before my eyes. When daddy had pulled out the gun and aimed it at mother I screamed for him to stop. And then… then..
I got in the way!
Right as daddy had fired. I felt the bullet enter me. Then daddy embracing me, tears in his eyes.
“Nancy, why? Can you hear me?”
Those were the final words I heard daddy say before I woke up driving on this dark and empty road.
“What do you want?”
My voice through the radio waited in anticipation, for a Lilith’s answer.
“The same typical thing that the devil wishes to take.”
“My soul? Is that what you want?”
I knew I was going to give it up easily since I never once believed in hell or any supernatural being for that matter.
“I’ll ensure your guilt is removed.”
There was silence for a moment before I suddenly had to shield my eyes from the bright light right in front of me! It was blinding. I tried to see what was happening but it was useless.
I could hear a phone ringing from a distance.
I opened my eyes and found myself laying on my bed. My cell phone was ringing loudly on the side of me.
“Hello?” I said. I looked around. Was it all a dream? I wondered.
“Oh my God, Nancy! Did you hear?”
It was my friend, Tina from college.
“I just woke up. I had this really weird dream.”
“Professor Marcus has been fired! He was caught with his pants literally down!”
This caught my attention. I sat up from bed. “What? What do you mean?”
“He was caught doing it with someone in the classroom! And get this, not just anyone!”
I felt sick to my stomach. Was it with my mother? Did I dream all this or was it my mother the one they caught with Professor Marcus.
I waited for the outcome.
“It was with one of the students he regularly tutored. Talk about extra curriculums!”
Tina’s laughter filled my ears. I felt relieved.
“Although the rumor was that he was actually with several students. But this is perfect!
“Yeah! Now I don’t have to worry about failing his class!” I said. I was happy.
“Why would you be failing his class? Nancy, you have an A in that class!”
I do? I felt dread slowly creep inside me.
“Quit messing around. Let's go get something to eat! I’m starving!”
Tina hung up and I wondered if what had happened to me, was a dream or was I really in purgatory. I got ready and went to the kitchen. I needed to see my parents, make sure everything was alright with them. It did not sound like it as I entered the kitchen. I could tell they were having a heated argument. But when I entered they became silent.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We need to talk,” daddy started.
“What is it?”
“Your mother and I have decided that the best thing to do at this time, is to separate.”
I could hear what daddy was saying but could not comprehend it.
“Oh, Tom! Why don’t you tell her the truth!” My mother interjected angrily.
“Your daddy has been having an affair for the past several months! He has decided that the best thing for him, is to walk away from his family.”
“Damn you, Darcy!”
“Damn me? NO! Damn you!”
I had enough. I walked away with tears in my eyes as they continued to argue, not realizing that I had left. I was getting into my car when someone came from behind me. I did not have to turn to know who it was. It was strange how I knew.
“I am going to assume that I was in purgatory and I gave you my soul.”
I turned to face Lilith. She smiled at me.
“Why? My parents were going to separate anyway!”
“But no longer by you. You are guilt free. I get your soul, end of story. Oh, and the professor gets what he deserves.”
I must admit I was impressed. Lilith manipulated the whole situation perfectly.
“So what happens now?” I asked.
“Now that you journeyed through hell and back, I have a proportion for you.”
My eyebrows shot with surprise.
“What type of proportion?”
Lilith once again smiled, yet her eyes carried a secret. A secret she was planning on holding for a while.
“Enjoy your life, Nancy. I will get back to you real soon. On that day we will discuss the terms of our agreement.:
Before I could ask any questions I heard a horn behind me. I turned to see Tina.
“Nancy, what are you doing? Are you ready?”
I turned back to Lilith, except she was gone.
I turned towards my house and I could hear shouts of anger.
“Yeah…”
I left then. As Tina spoke I could not concentrate on what she was saying. My mind continued to wonder back to Lilith and the proportion she would soon bestow upon me.








word count: 1798