It all began on a cold winder night. Penny was solemnly dragging her hideous body through the deserted street. Christmas had been only yesterday, and the loneliness was soaking itself into her very flesh and blood. She was jealous, oh so very jealous of the merry families and their friends that she could see within their houses and homes. A sigh escaped her plump lips and she felt her body growing tired in the cold. The dreadful silence was stopped only by the dragging footsteps she could hear from somewhere. They seemed to have followed her for an eternity, the horrid stench it brought along didn’t help either. The only reason she was still walking was that she didn’t want to turn around to face whatever was tailing her. She passed many things on her little escape. Homes, closed stores, drunken swagmen, homeless children and a passed-out old man. All these people didn’t help her, nor did they see her. She felt that when their gazes seemed to get close to her, or when their eyes set on her they never seemed focused. As if they were looking right behind her. She grew afraid, her pace quickening and her breathing becoming rugged. But as soon as she did so, the heavy footsteps reverberating behind her did so too. They never slowed down, nor did they ever loose her. The steps were so in pace with her own that she didn’t notice she wasn’t alone at first.

Suddenly, she felt her body lighten, only for a second before she plummeted to the ground. Behind her was a pair of legs she had tripped over. She felt the footsteps reverberating behind her, coming closer and closer with every thump it made. White snowflakes started falling as her breathing stopped. Her heart stopped in its tracks as she felt the massive creature stop right behind her. “I will make a deal with you.” a voice behind her stated. It was faint like a whisper, yet determined like a shout. Penny could only turn her head a bit to the right to see what horrid beast might stand behind her. Just by her feet a monstrous hound stood. Its fur was dark as the night sky and its eyes shone with a crimson flare, like the light of a thousand stars. It must have been at least five meters tall, towering high over the petite Penny lying by its feet. Penny could only barely whisper a response to the hound, saying something along the lines of “What?” before growing silent again. The hounds bloodshot eyes were staring directly into Penny's soul, and before she could react, a rolled up paper lay before her. The paper was keeping its form by a seal made by black wax. The seal in question didn’t actually have a stamp, as it seemed it was only put there to keep the paper rolled up. The hound sat itself down by Penny, as she rolled over on back and sat herself up as well. Her trembling hand grasped the roll of paper and she easily tore the seal off before examining the paper. It was filled to the brim with text written in a crimson red on an old and withered piece of paper. She simmered through the paper before reaching the end of it, where a line was drawn. She quickly realized just what it was. A contract. Her eyes darted between the lines, trying hard to read the fine print of it all. When she once again reached the bottom of it, she hasty searched her pockets before seeming distraught over something. When she turned back to the contract, she noticed a quill standing beside it. The feather was black, standing in a red inkwell. She grasped the quill in her hand, before feeling something prickle her hand. Red blood drained from her hand and filled the quill with it. Her face grew pale as she wrote “Penny Hermann” onto the red line. The contract suddenly burst into flames which the black hound grabbed in its jaw before it too disappearing in a burst of flames.

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Penny breathed quick but deep breaths, clutching her chest. Her hand was bleeding profusely, but it didn’t matter. Her life had just taken a turn for the better, she thought.

Penny sighed as she watched stars fall around her. The night was cold, but she didnt care. She was beautiful. Her voluptuous body was wrapped tightly in a warm coat of fur, rendering the cold breeze unimportant. She had everything she could ever wish for. Money, love, beauty, fame, everything. Yet she felt strangely empty. As she stood and stared blankly at the night sky, someone embraced her from behind, whispering caring words into her ear. She didn’t smile. She simply kept staring, to the one behind hers great dissatisfaction. A tall woman stepped out before her, her blond hair flowing gracefully in the breeze like golden silk. Penny payed her no heed as her eyes were set on the stars. The woman sighed and started complimenting her, hoping to get a reaction. But nothing could make Penny react, wether it be the womans quaint compliments, irritated scolding or worried rambling, none effected her in the least. Penny sighed. She had left everything behind, but for what? She felt as if she wasn’t real anymore, as if she had sold her soul for the material wishes she had always wanted.

Penny shook her head, returned inside and stopped pondering it. She was even unsure if it was real. She could have been just as drunk as the rest of the people on that cold night. She would never know. Neither did she want to.