Better Life

Market place — buy all you want…Stuff for any taste, even the most picky one! But what about opportunities, a new life, is there any chance to find something like that? And how much are you ready to pay?

“Fresh meat! Fresh meat! Buy fresh meat!” — simply dressed elderly man has been shouting these words for about a thousand times a day, but who knew that this time he is heard. He spent most of his life working and trying to make his wife happy…as the years passed the hole between them became bigger. She is afraid of getting older, he is not, she wants to bring all back, he doesn’t. She keeps complaining about a lack of money, life, energy, everything around bothers her more and more with each second, he takes it all for granted.

In spite that he loves her as much as it was in their first meeting, and if he could he would probably repeat it all again without a single change.

“Good day!” — a short man appeared from nowhere, he was wearing an old-fashioned suit with frill and high-heeled shoes, black sunglasses and a hat completely hid his face.

“Hello! What! Want to buy something for dinner pal?” — an old man tried to smile brightly, although this stranger made him shiver.

“Thank you, but actually I’m looking for something else, as the matter of fact I was intended to make you an offer” — he cunningly smiled.

“Oh! No offence but I’ve got all I need, and I can only except the offer to buy all my meat” — an old man tried to sound funny and defuse, but in the depth of his soul he was terribly frightened.

“All you need, what if I say that this life is just nothing according to what I’m going to offer. Release from all the possible problems, material and non-material ones”- he smiled even wider, so his sharp teeth were slightly seen.

“I believe that’s not real, I’m not young and my life is not under any change, besides only God is in charge of any changes” — after these words shorty winced, but apprehension of his needs, made him smile again.

“Let’s not hurry up, maybe I’m your lucky chance, think old man, what did your God give you? You spent your life under the tight pressure of problems. No money, no children, no happiness. Your wife despises you, if you disappear no one will probably notice, your body is dying, slowly and sorely, this thing eats you up from inside, moreover you’ve got no one to leave your crumbs. Does your God take care of you? I don’t think so! Does he feel any mercy or make it better when you so desperately beg him to stop the pain? I don’t think so. He offers delusion, I offer reality, I can heal your body and soul, fill your pockets with money, give you children, a big house, thankful wife and all you’ve ever wanted” — it seemed that the world around suddenly froze, no wind, voices or any noise of a crowd. Nothing…

“How much does it cost?” — the old man swallowed hard.

“Just the trifle. The price for all these wonders is so trivial. It’s something that isn’t even seen or felt, you’re not even sure about its existence. You sign this document, that you give this trifle in my eternal possession. And it’s done!” — he took a big paper from nowhere, only one paper, old and stinky, but it contained the whole world.

“Do you mind if I read?” — the old man took the paper and started searching for glasses.

“Where are they? I hardly see something without them, just a minute…” he kept searching, shorty was calm, he knew that he wouldn’t find his glasses anyway.

“Ok, I’ll look through”- he peered into it, but it was in vain, two people were fighting inside of him, one was ready to sign without reading, another wanted to refuse. The second he was ready to make the next step, a young lady came to them. She tenderly looked at shorty and said — “Mister Gilbert, could you please give this document back?” — her voice was so convincing that he didn’t even think of hesitation, the old man gave it back. Shorty turned red from anger, he whipped out the paper and hissed- “It’s not over, I’ll be back, next time you won’t save him, he belongs to me”

“I’m always with him, with all of them, I think you better leave, before…” and shorty disappeared.

“Who was this guy, why didn’t you let me sign it, who are you? What the hell was that?” -the old man couldn’t catch his breath.

She took his hand and said quietly- “Go home Bruno, you are a good man, the trifle he wanted to get was your soul, don’t ever give it to anyone! Having a soul is a treasure that belongs to you, there is no such thing which deserves selling it. Keep it safe, it’s worth it” — he wanted to say something else but her touch was so peaceful that he couldn’t say a word. “ Go home, I’m sorry I couldn’t save her, I was late…”

He ran home, coming in he shouted- “Bella! Bella! Where are you?” No one, he rapidly searched in the other rooms, but the house was empty, then he suddenly saw a note on the table, he took glasses the pocket and read — “Dear, Bruno! I’m so sick of being old and poor, he promised new life and I was starving it. We made a bargain. I signed. Now I’m lost forever. I want you to know that I’m very sorry, but not for our life, no, for being such a fool! I love you to the moon and back. Your Bella. P.S. Money is in the chest of drawers, take it, this is the price of my soul, heal yourself, have a better life!”

He took money and burst out of crying. “Oh, Bella….”