Miranda nervously fidgeted at the sleeve of her long coat. It was her first day, she was waiting in a room with a large table and several chairs as office halogen lights hummed away. Smoothing the cloth over and over is something she's done often in school to the point it started to fray. The new patch sown on her shoulder felt a bit uncomfortable but she was proud to be part of "Lawrence & Reynolds & Gutgrob: Necromantic Services". LRG was one of the major players in Necromantic Services, ever since the 1996 Convention of Demons at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Part of those services allowed someone to come back from the dead almost as normal and continue living their life as if nothing happened except for the occasional memory lapse. How this happens is hidden behind NDAs, misinformation, disinformation, and some even say magic. Miranda had her ideas of course but today myth would become fact.

"You ready Mira?" a man wearing a fine dark suit and a red ornate goblin mask. It was turned into a extorted expression of pain and glee. This was her attendant. They wore masks to prevent demons from disturbing them too much. "Yes." she replied.

"What are you against the darkness?" the attendant asked.

"I am the stone, indifferent."

"What will you do when shadow swallows you?"

"I am unmoving. Lodged in the serpents throat."

"When the void is all you come to know?

"I will know nothing, unchanged and come to awaken."

The attendant using a pen with an elaborate ivory handle and golden feather scratched what looked to be blood on old parchment. The attendant broke the silence, "It's not lost on me how goofy this all looks in contrast to the savings management got on the building and location. Apologies it's not great but the job does have other benefits; casual Fridays for example, though I do have to wear the mask." Miranda forced a half laugh, "It's fine. I'm just nervous."

There was a knock on the door. The attendant stood up and opened the door to a person in a blue goblin mask with a blank expression who handed him a garment bag.

"Ah, your meeting robe, great." The attendant placed it on the back of a chair.

"Ok, last check list, be as specific as possible." The attendant pulled out another piece of paper, but this one seemingly normal white copy paper.

"Lawrence & Reynolds & Gutgrob hereto "LRG" is not responsible for any injuries or pacts made during "The Human Representative Miranda, hereto "THRM", time with your Partnered Spiritual Consultant, hereto "PSC". THRM will stay present with PSC for a period of 8 earth hours as designated by the 1996 Compact." The attendant paused for a moment, "Are these terms acceptable, Miranda?"

"Yes."

"Great, then by the 1996 Compact of Demons you are granted access to office 858 where you'll be working with PSC. Norl. Oh, he's a veteran so you'll be in great hands, good luck in there and hope to see you back tomorrow. Another attendant will conduct your exit interview for the day. You can leave your clothes here, someone will clean them and have them ready for when you leave, and you have a ten minute break before you head in. Need anything else?"

"No, the 8 series is last on the right, correct?" Miranda asked.

"You got it! Bye!" The attendant left Miranda alone in the room.

She was instructed not to bring anything in. She changed into the robe, upon exiting the blue masked goblin was waiting. Silently they motioned to the end of the hall. Following behind her quietly they walked past other doors and series of hallways. It was remarkably quiet.

Arriving at 858 the goblin attendant put their palm on a odd marking just below the door, opened it and motioned inside.

Miranda walked in with a bit of hesitation, it was pitch black but once she put her hand inside a light was reflecting off her. Taking a step into darkness her foot landed on something akin to concrete. She walked further in and the door to the hallway was surrounded in a void. Before being swallowed whole the attendant in the blue goblin mask stared in for a moment before slowly closing the door.

A distant voice from the darkness called out, "You're not supposed to be here, child."

Miranda stood silently. The voice spoke again closer. "You don't even know what your time is being exchanged for do you?"

A cruel gluttonous laughter erupted next to Miranda. Who jumped in response.

That same voice started to form in front of Miranda. "Got you..." it said playfully. The form it took had legs and hooves of a beast that transitioned mid belly into a humanish shape. Seven fingers on skin soaked like red wine. It's noseless face with three eyes and two mouths on each side of it's face loomed over Miranda. "What forms you give us," Norl remarked while looking over it's form curiously. "I like this though."

"It's my first day." Miranda stammered.

"You don't sayyy?" Norl remarked with sassy disdain. "I knew that child. I knew everything about you when you put those green painted toes on the feet of our domain. I will know everything about you now that we've met face to face, so no need."

"Then you know..." Miranda started, but Norl continued, "That your Grandmother was one of the first generations of the Relifed. That LRG made a contract for her with, me, for her time to continue. Of course." Norl looked at Miranda who seemed to be looking into Norl more than it was to her. Norl felt unsettled. "What is this, what are you?"

Norl didn't like these dealings with the humans, some were, unpredictable. Part of the pact gave them form in their domain, a necessary disadvantage to completing a pact. Demons can read the minds of those who enter in their domain but Mirandas mind was confusing and troubling to try and sort out.

"I know that confused look." Miranda said with a uncaring face that grew to rage. "It's the same one my Grandma used to give me. It's the reason why late at night, she would open my locked door, climb on to the ceiling and slowly press her face to mine, for hours, EVERY NIGHT. For so, so many nights and I would lay there frozen in terror. Then I watched her do it to my sister and my brother, and I was held still in rage. No one would believe me. They would disregard it. I would come to know this was an effect of your kind on ours. Part of the exchange to forget. I don't know why I remember, I don't know why you can't read my mind, but I know that confused look."

"You're not the STONE!"

"I am the spider. Calculating."

Miranda started to approach Norl.

"YOU ARE NOT UNMOVING!"

"I am a prison. Unescapable."

Miranda placed her hand upon Norl's chest.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF THE VOID, CHILD!"

"I know your form has pain, and I will come to know you."

Norl screamed out both mouths as his body wretched.

"And we technically have seven hours and fifty five minutes until my shift is over and LRG is not responsible for injuries. I have a few questions for you." Miranda placed her other hand on Norl's head. Norl, breathing heavy, body shivering, about to speak before Miranda said, "Please. No. You remember don't you."

Norl nodded, defeated. "Seven hours, fifty four."

The End.