Here I am, once again.

A soft breeze lightly grazed my cheeks. The wind carried the smell of cigarette smoke and depression. I scrunched my nose and wiped it as if to rub the smell out of my nostrils. I looked down below me, hundreds of cars zooming past, they looked so small that they could be toy cars. The people below me looked like ants, and soon they would scatter once they realized what was above them. I took a deep breath and turned my back on the world. All there was left to do was to let myself go. All my friends, family, enemies, let go of all the memories, let go of everything. I sighed and fell backward into the world below me.

Everything went black. I entered the void of whatever exists after death. A dim white light entered the void not too far from where I stood. "Is this finally it?" I thought to myself. I took a step forward and stopped when I heard a voice. "Aht, aht. You never learn, do you? Did you forget me already? It hasn't even been 6 months since you last saw me. What a shame. You know you can't leave here, not until I'm done with you." The voice echoed in the never-ending darkness. I tightened my fists and angrily shouted " Why the hell not?! Let me leave! Take me to hell or something, I don't wanna be here!". The voice chuckled and a being appeared in front of me. They smirked devilishly and stared me in the eyes. "Oh darling..." They caressed my face with cold long fingers.

"This is your hell. This is what happens when you dance with the devil. I won't allow you to leave until I've had my fun with you. Maybe you should think again before selling your soul to the devil, hm?" I removed their hand from my face and grunted. I stared them up and down, not wishing to piss them off anymore in fear that they'd play with my soul even more. "It's been 8 years. 8 long years, I was 11. Why would you-" They placed their index finger on my lips to shush me. "That's enough talking from you. You know I go by the rule "Old enough to read, old enough for me." I don't do refunds, hun. Now go on and get back in your mangled body before you make things worse. Now you have to live with even more problems than before, such a smart boy you are." They smiled and waved at me before sending me back to my bloody body.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

My name is Cozi, I'm 19 and I can't die. At least not yet. I sold my soul to the devil as a joke when I was 11 and I've been trying to escape them ever since. Keeping me on this god-forsaken planet longer than needed is pissing me off. I would've been dead by 13 if it wasn't for that damn shape-shifting devil.

I reluctantly entered my body.

My eyes shot open and I screamed in pain. People were crowding all around me, crying as if they knew me. The sound of screams and sirens wailing in the distance filled my ears as my vision started to blur and fade. "Shit...' I forgot that I'll feel pain when I return. How stupid of me. . Looks like I'll have to build myself up this time...my bones feel broken. There is no doubt in m mind that this isn't hell.To make matters worse, I'm the one who created it, trying to escape it, but, if I can create it, that measn I can destroy it, and I'll do anything I can to make that happen. I have to die somehow.