Foreword
Would you go to hell for the sake of your family? That was the question asked by the demon that suddenly appeared inside a mirror that I found stored in the cellar of my home.
The creature was creepy to say the least, its bright yellow eyes made my body tense and the silhouette of its grotesque carbon-black body made me want to escape as far as possible, but sadly my body did not respond to my wishes. If I had to describe its silhouette, I would say that it looks somewhat humanoid, it has a broad chest and it almost seems that its mouth draws a macabre smile full of sharp fangs; it's as if his entire body is armored with some kind of chitin coating that resembles some kind of armor.
I really didn't know what to answer and even less when I was completely paralyzed, I wanted to run, hit the mirror, even with being able to scream I was satisfied, even so, I couldn't do any of that while I watched the creature watching me from inside that mirror.
It all happened very quickly, I was looking for some old clothes to sell in the warehouse when I heard an annoying and terrifying screeching of claws scratching a glass, attracted by the sound I approached a small blanket that covered an object. It was the moment I removed that old blanket that covered what appears to be an old mirror that brought me to my current situation.
-So? What do you answer to my proposal? —The demon asked again as he turns his head at an angle that makes him look even more creepy. Even if I wanted to answer, the truth is that I'm having trouble even breathing —Your family suffers from hereditary cancer, doesn't it? —The creature probably decided to just continue talking after realizing that he was completely paralyzed —Your mother probably has less than two months to live, your little brother is starting to get worse and your little sister can barely walk, right?
Hearing him say that out loud hurts me deeply, regardless of the truth of his words it's still painful to hear someone mention this out loud.
"H-how do you know that?" I asked nervously. I don't know if it was the discomfort I felt or some other factor that allowed me to answer you; the only sure thing is that I was finally able to speak even though my tone sounds fearful and pathetic.
-That matters? Now the really important thing is that I can heal them if you do me a small favor, what do you say?
"Assuming this isn't a dream or a hallucination, who can guarantee that a creature like you isn't fooling me?"
"You recovered pretty quickly from the shock, didn't you, Lion?" Anyway, I chose you because you have a particularly strong spirit and I need you to do a job for me.
"H-how do you know my name?" —I don't understand what happens, I tried to pinch my leg to see if I woke up, but it was useless. The uncomfortable pain that he expected to feel came just as expected and it doesn't look like he's going to wake up anytime soon from this damned nightmare.
"Again, does that matter?" What I want is a yes or a no," she announced emphatically.
"What if I refuse?"
"I'll just find someone else." Either way, it's not like you're particularly special.
"Can you swear that you can really cure my family?"
-I am a demon; Demons don't usually lie to us, especially when they make contracts.
"So... do you want my soul in exchange for healing my family?"
"What I want is for you to do me a small favor, as I said before." Ah, just in case you start jumping to unnecessary conclusions, the truth is that I want you to take my place; basically we will change bodies and so I promise to take good care of your family in your place. Either way, it's not like you can currently do anything to help them, am I wrong?
-What will happen to me?
"Well... you'll fall into hell." If you ask me it's a fair trade, I get a body and you get what you want.
"Even if you tell me that, things are not that simple…
—They are, I tell you that you decide between staying here with them and watching your family die slowly in terrible suffering or accept my proposal to allow them to have a chance to live, although without you obviously. So what to answer?
The actions of this subject are quite similar to finding a warning sign on a pack of cigarettes or liquor, they know that, even if they warn you of the evil that these items cause, you will end up buying them anyway.
I say this because we really are at the end of the rope right now. In reality, we are an extremely poor family living in the slums of one of the many cities in Latin America. The truth is that after discovering that we had this disease, we often thought about throwing in the towel and as proof of this, my mother keeps a certain medicine to quickly end her suffering when the time comes.
It's funny how it's easier to get poison than the medicines my family desperately needs. The truth is that even if I accept, I have nothing to lose anymore and I'm pretty sure that when I die I'm going straight to hell anyway. I mean, I'm not exactly a good person, throughout my life I've done things I'm not proud of for the sake of helping my family. However, the other day I began to feel the first ravages of the disease, lack of energy and sudden fainting… even I who was responsible for taking care of my family have begun to languish and currently I am also dancing on the tightrope of life and death. death.
"Just one last question before answering.
-Speaks.
"Can you give me any proof that you can cure them?"
-Yes of course. Just put your hand close to this mirror and I'll show you.
As I go on, this seems more and more like a worse idea to me. That being said, at this point I'm desperate and I really don't lose anything by doing what he says, because either way me and my family have a maximum of one or two years of life to live being optimistic. On the other hand, if this creature really does play its part, I don't mind going to hell ahead of schedule if it allows me to save my loved ones.
The demon extended his hand and put his palm inside the mirror, while I imitated his gesture and put my hand in the same place as him. For some reason I closed my eyes nervously, at first this seemed like it was just some kind of scam and it was like that until that pain that started to appear on my right side began to gradually fade and finally disappeared.
"This has to be a joke..." I said incredulously.
"There's your proof." Now keep your part of the bargain and I'll keep mine.
I understand, I accept your proposal. Just one last question...
-Which is it?
"What will happen to my body?"
"Well, I said we'd switch bodies, right?" In short, I will finally be released into the underworld. Oh, and before you say anything, all I want is to lead a peaceful life, so you can rest assured, it's not like you unleashed the seven plagues of Egypt with my release.
"It's that simple?"
"Simple as that.
-I understand. I accept your terms.
-Perfect! —He yelled excitedly —I knew you were the right person and because of that, there is no time to lose —To confirm, you will take my place and I will take care of your family, right?
"Y-yes…" I said hesitantly.
"Then it's a deal."
It was the last thing I heard him say before I felt something violently pulling my body, after that the next thing I knew is that now it was me who was inside the mirror and from here I am able to see the interior of that warehouse and my body moving with emission.
"Ah, that's a really wonderful feeling.
-Hey! I yelled from inside the mirror without bothering to look around. "Are you really going to heal my family?"
-Cure? —He asked puzzled —No, I think you've made a mistake. I said that I would take care of them, didn't I? Now that I'm human, I don't have the ability to cure them of their disease, although I can take care of them as I promised," he announced with a gigantic smile.
-Damned! That was not the deal! I said while I hit that kind of glass that can be seen from this side.
"Oh, pitiful creature. I have not lied at any time. Either way, instead of worrying about people you didn't have the ability to care for in the beginning; you should worry about yourself… I mean, you're in hell and it won't be long before someone shows up to eat you, you know?
"Give me back my body, damn you!"
"Oh come on, no need to throw a tantrum," he said with a shrug.
-Brother? —From the outside of the door, my sister's voice was heard.
—Lia! I'm here in the mirror! Stay away from the guy in the cellar! -scream with all my might.
"Don't bother, she doesn't listen to you. Well, as you can see they're calling me, so I have to go now —he said while taking a cup that was in the cellar —If he survives, maybe we'll see each other again, child —was the last thing he said before breaking the mirror.
So I was stuck in hell, unable to do anything. I couldn't take care of my family, I couldn't help them and in the end I let myself be fooled and ended up abandoning them for no reason.
"Damn you, demon!" I yelled furiously as I hit that crystal that has begun to vanish in a futile attempt to cross to the other side. "Give me back my family!"
That bastard only healed me on a trial basis so he wouldn't be left with a sick body and he probably never plans to help my family. Most likely, as he promised, I will take care of them while he watches them die in agony and once my family is dead, that demon will finally be free to do whatever he wants with my body.
So I kept yelling and cursing the bastard for God knows how long. Once that crystal that connected hell and that mirror finally disappeared I finally lost hope and was stranded in hell.
I had just entered hell and already had my soul completely destroyed by repentance. Sadly, my torment was only just beginning.