One of my short stories in my book Flight of Destiny is called “The pact” it is about a desperate man, whose wife is dying, who is forced into making a pact with the devil.
History is littered with people who have taken this dramatic step.
There is even a Pope, namely Pope Sylvester II, who seemingly was way ahead of his time, and of high intellect. This French pope is credited with inventing the hydraulic organ, pendulum clock, and introducing Arabic numerals to Western Europe, on top of this he also wrote books on mathematics, natural science, music, theology and philosophy. Due to his incredible intelligence, highly tuned scientific mind, and ingenuity people suspected he had made a pact with the devil. He is not the only senior church figure to turn to the devil. Saint Theophilus the Penitent turned to the devil to make a deal, in order to gain a high ecclesiastical position. The contract signed in his own blood proved to be a heavy burden for Theophilus. German alchemist Faust also is supposed to have made a pact with the devil, in order to pursue his “boundless desire for knowledge” for the next 24 years.
It seems a recurrent theme that if you are highly talented, it seems there is the possibility you have formed a pact with devil, this was the case of virtuoso violin musician Nicolo Paganini. His great virtuoso performances led people to believe he had formed a pact with the devil, and that it was the devil who was aiding him during the course of his performances. He was refused the last rites, and it took a while before he was finally laid to rest. Paganini was not the only violinist to come under the microscope. It seems to be an Italian thing, Giuseppe Tartini, claimed that he dreamed that The Devil appeared to him and asked to be his servant, not only this, the devil composed piece for him, which Tartini transcribed when he awoke. The devil is also accredited for turning Robert Johnson a noted American blues artist into a genius. Rather than quash rumors he encouraged them. There are quite a lot of modern day musicans who it is claimed have a made a pact with the prince of darkness, Bob Dylan, Jay-Z? Led Zeppelin, to name but a few.
Below is an exert from Flight of Destiny as Jarret encounters a man who says he can save his sick wife and unborn baby and Jarret is forced into making a pact with the devil.
Suddenly, he became aware his was not alone. A well dressed
man with shiny patent leather shoes was walking purposefully
towards him, as if he had something important to say.
“Jarret Lamb?” the dapper man asked in a sweetly scintillating
voice, pausing before the distraught Jarret.
Jarret froze, astonishment momentarily replacing pain.
“I can see you’ve a lot on your mind just now,” the man said
calmly, examining Jarret minutely in profile.
Jarret eyed him suspiciously, not knowing what to say.
“It’s your wife and child, isn’t it? They’re in mortal danger,”
declared the man.
“And how could you possibly know that?” demanded Jarret,
stunned.
“I just know,” the man replied matter-of-factly. “And, what’s
more, I can help.” The man’s eyes had a chillingly hypnotic draw, as
did the mesmeric tone of his voice. The man’s clothes, posture and
demeanor echoed confidence. He also emitted an enchanting aroma,
rather like an orchard of ripe fruit trees.
“How?” faltered Jarret.
“Your wife and child will survive,” avowed the man, resting a
hand gently on Jarret’s shoulder, like a father might when consoling a
son. Then his voice dropped and took on a more cautionary tone. “But
only if you do something for me in return.”
“And what exactly might that be?” asked Jarret confused, but
desperate for any shred of hope.
“You need only shake my hand, and everything will be righted. In
a few days you will receive a letter with instructions. In exchange for
your wife and child’s lives, you must carry out the instructions exactly
as written.” The man’s voice lowered to a rasping whisper. “You have
no alternative, really.”
“I see,” replied Jarret. Though trembling, his heart racing, he
couldn’t help but think, What do I have to lose? This man is probably
just a lunatic, but regardless, he’s seems more purposeful and sincere
than the doctors, who’ve thus far offered no concrete solutions or hope.
Crazy or not, he’s all I have at the moment. Jarret shrugged his
shoulders and slowly offered the man his hand. The man’s hand felt
strangely cool, and Jarret felt an icy-cold electric spark jump from the
man to him as they shook.
“There. Done and agreed,” said the man with a sense of agreeable
formality, like some of the businessmen Jarret dealt with at work.
“Now finish your walk, and return to your wife and child.”
Creepy clowns come out of the shadows,
Licking our faces with razor sharp tongues,
Hide all the children, get them out of the way,
The clowns are out to get them,
as night turns from day
Suck on your toxic liquorish
Chew at your marshmallow brains
Yanking your hand to edge of the grave
As they kick you right into hell
Scaring you shitless, with a cackle of laughter
A machete in one hand and an axe in the other
With a shriek and a glaring expression
They mock you till you fall to the floor
Creepy clowns, I can’t stand them
These fuckers think their funny
Freaking you out is their only intention
They got weaned on horror films
And a pathetic need to grab attention.
Clowns: Our Fascination and Our Fear
By Tiffany Apan
Throughout the ages, many creatures have served as a fascination for our imaginations while terrifying us in the process. Vampires, werewolves, black-eyed children…and clowns. Yes, that seemingly innocuous person making balloon sculptures at many a children’s party. They simultaneously bring joy and terror.
Clowns are a morbid curiosity. They also have a long history, dating back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They have long been associated with the term, “rustic fool” and the concept of a circus clown didn’t even arrive until the 19th century. Until then, a clown was typically a “fool” character in theatrical productions. He was often lower class, dressed in a tattered servant’s attire, and often the comedic relief in an otherwise serious plot of a play. But if clowns were meant to bring humor and joy, how did they come to have such a sinister reputation?
There are many different theories, and an article on LiveScience.com suggest that perhaps this is partly due to that even as court jesters their comedy was often quite dark. There is also suggestion of long time association with being quite otherworldly. Some examples include how they seem to be able to cram themselves into a tiny car, twenty at a time before emerging seemingly unaffected by the cramped space. They perform acts of magic and are often unpredictable in their feats and actions. This can evoke strong emotions in different individuals, and sometimes, those emotions are negative ones. Perhaps it is these seemingly supernatural abilities and such unpredictability that gives reason for authors and filmmakers to feature the clown as a malevolent character, even a killer. Many individuals suffer from coulrophobia, or a clinically diagnosed fear of clowns. While this is not the average person, clowns tend to invoke feelings of disconcert among much of the population. Even Stephen King, author of the novel “IT” which features a demonic killer clown, is quoted as saying the clowns can be quite terrifying. According to the LiveScience article (along with a few interviews by King himself):
King admitted that seeing a clown outside of the character’s typical context, such as a circus or a birthday party, could be unnerving — yes, even for him.
“If I saw a clown lurking under a lonely bridge (or peering up at me from a sewer grate, with or without balloons), I’d be scared, too,” King said.
For me, clowns are mainly harmless. But I will also agree with King, in saying that if I saw some random clown standing somewhere in a field, under a bridge, or a street corner, I would be pretty unnerved myself.
For more of Tiffany’s work, check out her official website and blog:
http://tiffanyapanwritingproject.blogspot.com
Francis H Powell author 