Page 10 of The Devil's Dilemma
I stepped into the store, and my eyes gradually adjusted to the dim interior.
The shop was cavernous, much bigger than it looked from the outside. Tall cabinets containing glass bottles of every hue lined the walls, and the wooden floor bore scuff marks and scratches from shoes and boots.
Old tomes piled on bookshelves full of cobwebs threatened to topple at the slightest breeze. I sneezed as a cloud of dustspiralled in the air, floating down to settle again on the glass counters.
The smell of incense filled the air, a heavy, cloying fragrance reminding me of a childhood spent at Mass in ancient churches.
“Can I help you, son?” I whirled around, almost losing my balance, but a firm hand steadied me. Where the hell had he come from?
A strangely dressed man had appeared at my side, towering over me. His top hat added inches to his already impressive height. His origin was unclear. Clean shaven with obsidian eyes that glinted in the store spotlights and jet-black hair, he looked Asian but, on closer inspection, gave hints of a Mediterranean heritage.
He was like no one I’d ever seen.
A jolt of electricity surged through me, and I jumped. A knowing smile flitted across his face. He released me, walked to the counter, and pulled out a box from beneath it.
He rummaged around inside it, mumbling, digging out knickknacks of all shapes and sizes. He inspected each one meticulously, then shook his head and put them to one side.
I’d still not said a word, mesmerised by the man and what he was doing. Was he The Owner?
A steady pile of items grew on the smooth wooden counter.
“A-ha!” He held a shimmering object aloft. “Here it is.”
He offered it to me, and I took it, a little anxious about what it might be.
“What’s this? A casino chip?” I flipped it over and over in my fingers until it finally rested in my palm. Well, if this wasn’t a sign, I didn’t know what was.
The chip pulsed, and the heat radiating from it warmed my hand. It glowed, getting redder by the second, and the heat became too intense, unbearable, but as much as it burnt, Icouldn’t let it go. Panic set in and my heart raced, fear slowly turning to relief as it cooled.
I looked pleadingly at the shop owner, who regarded me with a grin.
“Yes. I knew it. That’s what you came for.”
Honestly, I’d come here with no idea what I was looking for other than help. Curiosity had driven me to seek the shop and step inside.
I’d assumed I’d need to explain my wants to The Owner, but it seemed he’d known my needs before I did.
“What do I do with it?”
Was it priceless? The casino chip looked old, covered in scratches, with a small nick on the edge.
“Use it. What would you usually do with a casino chip?” He frowned.
“Gamble with it?”
He tilted his head. “Maybe? Or maybe it’s just an amulet. Protection? Assurance? What do you think you need it for?”
What did he mean by that? I’d come here on a whim, not expecting anything. Grandpa had been right, but he’d said nothing more.
“How much do I owe you?” Did I need to pay?
The chip couldn’t be worth much in its current state.
The man shrugged. “You’ll pay when the time is right.”
I looked down at the chip sitting in my palm. It no longer glowed and was now cool to the touch. As much as it had burnt my skin, it had left no marks.
“But wait. I have something else.”