You can’t judge a book by it’s cover.

Those words were never so true until now.

All your life, you grew up having a certain image stuck to certain icons. unicorns, vampires, fairies, angels, demons,  Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, even Jesus Christ. There was always an image that is associated with them. Whether or not they were real, how different do you think they end up being if you get the chance to meet them?

I can’t answer for most of those people but I’ve met the devil. That person can be energetic. She can be bossy. Sometimes she is very playful. The most mischievous person I have ever met is living with me in my apartment.

But would you be surprised if I described the devil with these words?

I had these thoughts as I sat in front of my computer for the whole night. It was just now that I noticed that dawn had long passed. Judging by the sun, it is about seven in the morning. I was so occupied playing this game the whole night that I didn’t care about waking Lucy up.

She woke up by the time the sun went up. Lucy did not look grumpy so it seems that I did not interrupt her sleep at all. She calmly walked around half asleep. She moved slowly as if she were a zombie.

I was too focused on playing HellsCraft Online to be bothered with her wandering around the room.

I was in the middle of soloing a dungeon. It was the tenth time I faced the final boss.

When a guildmate went online, he immediately sent me a message.

‘Woah David, you’re still awake?!’

That was Colin. My guildmate and my neighbor. He is only five doors down the hallway. He works full time at some office so he’s barely on this game.

But when he does play I help him out. Colin is so grateful that I help him out that he does favors for me. Sometimes it’s small gifts like getting a bag of chips or coffee on his way home.

I’ve spent the last week helping him catch up since he missed a whole month of playing. Now that he has more time he could finally play HellsCraft Online.

‘I’ve been grinding this dungeon the whole night.’

I responded as soon as possible. The conversation continued as I fought the boss in the dungeon. I’ve been in this dungeon enough times to play without thinking. It doesn’t matter if I slip up a few times.

‘Woah. You’re still doing that dungeon?’

‘It’s pretty easy.’

‘No way! That dungeon takes at least an hour to run.”

‘I have a lot of time on my hands. After doing it for so long I’m used to it.’

The final boss only has half of its health left.

‘Help me catch up tonight so I can join you.’

‘Sure no problem.’

‘How many times did you clear it?’

‘About 15 times.’

‘What?! Don’t you ever take breaks? You’re gonna die from starvation or something.’

Well…

‘lol I’ll be fine. I just needed to do this all nighter to catch up.’

‘Oh yeah, you haven’t been playing as long as you usually do.’

Because of a certain demonic presence.

‘Don’t you have work in an hour?’

‘Anyways I’ll be passing by. I have leftovers from my sister’s cooking.’

‘Oh oka-

I stopped typing half way.

A simple paused caused me to slip up and take unnecessary damage from the dungeon boss.’

At first I was fine with it but then I remembered something.

It was then I glanced at Lucy who was still walking around half asleep.

Of course there was no way I’m letting Colin see Lucy.

I tapped on my backspace and retyped.

‘I’ve been up all night so I’ll be getting some sleep right after this.’

‘Ah okay.’

Colin went offline.

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Phew…

Now I can finally finish this dungeon. The dungeon’s final boss was close to defeat. I slipped up a few times but I’ll make it.

“Watchu doin’.”

Lucy peeked over my shoulder and leaned on me. She seemed to be more awake right now. Although her weight on my back is a bit distracting.

I ignored her because I was focused on the game.

“You’re still playing this game? Jeez David. Get a life.”

Says the freeloader devil who is more worthless than I.

With a few more hits I can finish this dungeon and hit the hay.

“Hey you’re almost dead!”

Lucy pointed at the screen, blocking my view in the process. I couldn’t see the game properly and ended up getting myself killed.

“…”

“Hahaha!”

This damn devil…

Frustrated from failing to finish the dungeon, I exit the game and shut down my computer.

“Ugh…”

Without any effort I immediately fell to the ground. I forced my eyes to stay shut but I could not stay asleep. Anyone would feel terrible when the devil laughs at you.

When she was done, I could hear Lucy humming as she walked over me.

“My turn!”

There was a slight creak from my chair. The computer starting up was too loud. It doesn’t help that I was lying down right next to it on the floor. There was only one assumption on what she was doing but I was too tired to even bother.

I can only imagine what she could do on my computer knowing she’s just dealing with her boredom.

“Don’t you dare mess with my games.” I warned her.

“No promises.”

“At the very least don’t overwrite any save files.”

“I won’t play any single player games. That’s no fun.”

Then again, I don’t think I can imagine what kind of trouble she would do online…

“Ugh…”

“Hahaha!”

Her annoying laugh followed a long period of typing. I hope she isn’t playing what I think she is playing. There was only one MMORPG installed on that computer. Knowing Lucy, she’d definitely be playing that game. It’s a setting that might be familiar with her.

“You can’t possibly be having that much fun.”

“Of course I am. This game hasn’t changed at all this years. It’s just as fun as it was on launch.”

“You’ve played Hellscraft Online before?” I slowly sat up in surprised.

“Yeah. Who do you think designed the boss with my name on it?” Lucy pointed a thumb to herself but then lowered it. “Er… not me, but I knew the guy who did.”

“So you’ve lived with other people?” I asked without thinking.

“I had to stay somewhere you know. You expect me to be out in the streets?”

Lucy continued playing the game. Although there was more typing than actually playing. Knowing her kind, she could be bothering other players by trolling or something. I kind of feel bad…

“You must have been with a lot of people then. Only a few would tolerate you for long.” I joked.

“Yeah…”

Lucy had her full focus on the game so I stopped conversing with her.

As a fellow shut-in, I’m proud of her. They grow up so fast.

My eyes shut once more.

—

Then all of a sudden I was being shaken. Not even five minutes since I went to sleep and Lucy is bothering me again. If she keeps this up, I’ll really kick her out.

Please leave me alone Lucy.

The shaking continued.

If you have a problem with the game then just google it.

But the shaking did not stop.

Damn it Lucy, there’s a wiki for the game!

“Wake up.”

“Let me sleep for five more minutes please.”

Muffled words barely left my mouth. I’m too tired to be mad at her.

“WAKE UP!”

My eyelids were heavy but it was a miracle I was able to open them. I forced my eyes open because I heard another person’s voice. It was definitely not Lucy’s.

“Colin?!”

I’m lying down on the floor with my neighbor standing by me.

I look over at the front door and see Lucy standing by there.

“Oh honey, I let your friend in. I hope you don’t mind.”

…

Is this necessary?

She had a feminine pose and a innocent expression. I can’t tell if she’s trying to show off or increasing the impact of this situation she created.

Whatever it is, the devil’s deception is terrifying.

“David, you shouldn’t hide people like her from me! I would’ve been cool with it.”

You are definitely not cool with that face of yours…

“You don’t understand Colin, she’s just-”

“It’s fine. It’s fine!” Colin cuts me off. “I understand. You’re a man and you still have your youth. A college kid like you can fool around with girls all you want. Unlike some middle aged man like me.”

Don’t say that when you’re holding back your tears.

Come on man. You’re only twenty seven… You still have a whole life ahead of you. There is so much you can still do!

Colin tried to keep a straight face but I can hear his nose dripping. Plus his constant blinking is obvious. You know, for a man who has an office job and takes care of me from time to time, he makes me look like the mature one.

“Hey you made a grown man cry.” Lucy laughed.

“Shut up…” I sighed.

It’s these kinds of headaches I try to avoid.

Lucy may be a girl. She even ‘appears’ as a normal human being. Setting up chaos seems fitting for someone called the devil. I shocked that I’m even surprised that she would even bring me these kinds of problems.

I dragged Colin out in the hall…

“Maybe we can-”

…and closed the door on Lucy’s face. This is the best course of action to avoid any further damage done by her.

“Okay David. I was busy with work for almost a month and you already got yourself a girl?” Colin asked then he got closer. “How’d you do it?”

“Colin.” I tried to calm him down.

“Oh come on man. You’re like the only other loner out here that I could ever relate to.”

Loner?

“No one just lazes around all day and play HellsCraft Online all day and night and gets a girl all a sudden.” Colin continued.

That hurts a bit…

“And I’m mostly shocked on how a girl would ever be into a lazy piece of-”

“Hold it right there Colin.” I interrupted him. “I may be lazy but I’m no lone- Whatever, you get the point.”

Colin’s expression is still asking me for an answer. So I make one up on the spot.

“Lucy is- uh…just my relative’s friend. She was around the area and she needed a place to crash for a while. Happy?”

“Huh.” I could tell Colin didn’t buy the story.

“Don’t you have work?” I noticed he had his suitcase in hand. “You’ll be late.”

“Oh yeah.” Colin said skeptically. “Tell your girl that I’m sorry for barging in.”

‘She’s not my girl.’ I said under my breath.

I saw Colin leave for work. I exited the hallway and back into my apartment. There a little brat was having the time of her life.

“Haha! That was funny.” Lucy laughed.

“How in any way was that funny? I don’t want to deal with my neighbor being involved with you.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to meet your friend?”

“First of all he’s just my neighbor-”

“And guildmate.” Lucy added as she stuck her tongue out from the corner of her mouth.

This nosy devil…

“Anyways, I don’t want to involve other people with you.”

“Why is that?”

She asked with curiosity. There was no way to tell if it was genuine or not.

“Because you’re the devil.”

Lucy just tilted her head.

With a final heavy sigh, I open the door again.

This girl is unpredictable. She can be annoying and mischievous. She can act all high and mighty while deep down she’s like a child.

I can never tell if it’s an act or maybe this is what Lucifer is really like.

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. But playing with the devil is dangerous.

For now it is a story I won’t be reading.