It's the thought that counts... Chapter five

Mayowa sat down anxiously at the waiting room of the hospital with her father sitting by her side. The events of that morning replayed in her head, the blood gushing out from her mother's neck, the devastated look on her father's face as he carried the body of her mother in his arm with her blood all over him and Luci's constant laughter that wouldn't stop echoing in her head. She bit her lower lips and held her right arm tightly, trying to stop its trembling, the shock from the whole ordeal still had its lingering effects on her.

"Dad, I'm sorry" she said to her father who was paying no attention to her, he had placed his complete focus on the door of the operating room where his wife had been led into for more than two hours now. Mayowa never would have thought it would take something like this to get her father concerned about her mother, ever since she could remember he barely showed at atom of caring for them both.

She reached for his hand but hesitated at the last moment, and then decided it was silly for her to be hesitant and reached in once more.

"Da-" she got interrupted by the door opening, her heart skipped a beat as she and her father rose from their seat only to be brought back down by the appearance of a nurse.

"Oh my! Someone is rather anxious" Luci said appearing right beside her. Mayowa dove out of her seat startled and as she did, he snapped his fingers pausing the entire hospital.

"You again!" she yelled clinching her fist, she launched it into his direction. Luci snapped his fingers once more causing her to stop where she stood, he waved his hand in the air sideways making her return back her chair.

"What are you doing to me?" she asked scared and trembling.

"Shhh!!! I'm the one doing the talking now" he said snapping his fingers, the hospital became active, "Now where were we?".

"What do yo-"

Luci snapped his fingers again this time sealing her lips, "I thought I told you to be quite, you don't want to repeat what just happened to your mother, do you?" he grinned.

Mayowa shook her head.

"That's better, now I didn't come here to fight, I only came with a preposition for you. You see, I know that the doctor is going to come out here and inform you that your mother lost a lot of blood and couldn't make it. That's if you don't accept my offer and if you do, I may just be able to help you. What do you think?" he said taking his seat beside her but Mayowa didn't respond as her lips were still sealed.

"Oh! My bad" he said snapping his finger, he released the seal on her lips.

"I don't deal with the devil" she said with an angry tone.

"Oh dear! That's a little bit harsh, who said I was the devil?" he asked.

"What do you call those horns and the rest?" Mayowa asked.

"These?" he said pointing at the horns on his head, "These are nothing just ignore them, besides they are not important right now, your mother's life is" Luci said.

"I still won't accept your offer" she said.

"Don't tell me you think she would survive after loosing all those litres of blood at home, the fact that she is still alive right now is only because I deemed it so, your stupid prayers won't change a thing".

"Let's say you are right and I believe you, what's in it for you?" she asked.

"You really don't trust me do you? All I want to do is help someone in need" he answered.

"You aren't fooling me with that" she said.

"Okay you got me" he said throwing his hands in the air "What I want from you is quite simple, I want you".

Mayowa paused and gave it a lot thought and said, "and if I refuse?".

"Well if you do, someone else will be joining her soon and by someone else I mean him" Luci said pointing at her father who was still lost in his palms.

"You wouldn't!".

"Time's running out dear, three, two...".

"Fine I accept" she said and just as she did, Luci disappeared into thin air. The doors to the room went open once more with the doctor coming out this time. Both she and her father rose to their feet and walked towards him.

"How is she?" Her father asked holding the doctors hand tightly.

"Calm down sir, she pulled through and is not under" he answered bringing relief to both Mayowa and her dad.

Mayowa turned back to look at the seat to see if Luci still sat there but couldn't find him, instead his voice rung in her head saying, "Enjoy this moment child, I'll soon come to collect on our deal".