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Katie sat in the waiting room of the hospital, fiddling furiously with the end of her sweater. It was doing absolutely nothing to ease her ever-growing anxiety. Her mind was a tangle of panicked thoughts. What was going to happen? Would he be okay? If he wasn't… she didn't want to think about that.
That's when the doctor walked in. Katie stood up quickly, ignoring the dizzy feeling it gave her. "How is he?" she asked, hating how hoarse her voice was.
The doctor didn't answer for a moment. He just looked at her, with immeasurable pity in his eyes. That look told her everything. Hearing him say it made it even worse. "We've done everything we can," he said finally, slowly. "I'm so sorry."
Katie felt something inside of her break. Her whole world crashed down around her. Her life was over.
"I'd estimate he has a few weeks," the doctor continued.
"Can-" Katie began, struggling to find words. "Can I see him?"
"Yes. Follow me."
The doctor led her down the hall, to one of the hospital rooms - Room 204. When she entered, she nearly started crying. There, in the bed on the far side of the room, was Lance, hooked up to a machine. His skin was pale. He turned his head to her slowly. "Hey, Pidgeon," he said weakly. That old nickname.
"Hey, babe," she said, trying desperately to sound like she wasn't dying inside. She walked, willing herself not to crumble to the floor with each step, until she was next to him, and sat down in the chair beside his bed. "How're you feeling?"
"Like I've been infected with a deadly virus," her husband replied. "Did the doc tell you the news?"
She nodded.
There was a silence, and Lance spoke again. "You know, of all the things that could've killed me over the years, I never thought this would be the one to do it."
Katie sniffed. "Well, what did you think was going to?"
"You, after I did something stupid."
She laughed. It was a sad laugh. The laugh you laughed when you knew it would be one of the last laughs you'd laugh with a person.
Lance held out his hand and she took it, gripping it tightly. "It's going to be okay," he said.
"No," she said. "It's not. I can't lose you, Lance. I can't."
"You have to."
"No! I'm not giving up! There has to be a way to save you."
"You heard what the doc said. There isn't."
"Then he's wrong!" Tears threatened to stream down her face, blurring her vision. "There has to be a way. I'll find a way. I'll save you, I swear!"
Lance didn't respond. He just looked at her. When he finally spoke, he said the last thing she wanted him to say at that moment.
"I love you."
He said the words as though it was the last time he would say them. Hearing those words made her break. All strength left her, and the dam that had been holding back the tears collapsed. She sobbed into her husband's chest.
What am I going to do?
• • •
Shivering in the cold night air, Katie came to where two dirt roads crossed each other. She thought about what she was about to do. She had no idea if it would work, or if any of the stories were true. But she had run out of options. She had to save Lance, no matter what it took, and if this was the only way to do it, then that was what she had to do.
She set down the small box she was carrying and opened it. Inside was a picture of her, a spade, some dirt from a graveyard, and the bone of a black cat. She had gone to some interesting places to get that last one, but it was necessary. She took out the spade and dug a small hole in the middle of the crossroads, then placed the box in it and covered it back up with the dirt.
And then she waited.
A few seconds passed, and then a woman appeared. She had long white hair, dark skin, and red eyes, and she wore a long black dress that trailed behind her. A Crossroads Demon. It had worked.
"Hello, Katie," the demon said. She spoke with an English accent. "My name is Allura. What can I do for you?"
She was about to ask how she - or it, she supposed - knew her name, then decided that it wasn't important enough to bother asking.
"I need your help," she said, doing her best to keep the fear of the creature before her out of her voice.
"Yes, it sure seems like you do," Allura said. "Poor Lance. He must be scared out of his mind. You are, too, I'd reckon."
She didn't respond. How did she - or it, or whatever - know about Lance already?
"Let me guess," Allura went on, "you want me to save your hubby's life in exchange for your soul. That sound about right?"
"Something like that," Katie said.
"I see. And does he know you're here doing this?"
Again, she didn't answer.
"Oh, he doesn't, does he?" Allura said. "Tsk, tsk. How do you think he's gonna feel about you making a deal like this behind his back? I can't imagine he'll be too happy about that."
"He should be," she shot back. "I'm saving his life."
"Well, yes. But you're saving him because that's what you want. Have you, at some point in your thought process, considered the possibility that that's not what he wants?"
"Can we just get along with it?"
"Well, alright," the demon said huffily. "I can see to it that your sweetie gets well and his life is spared. In return, your soul will belong to Hell. In a year, I'll come to collect it. How's that sound?"
Katie hesitated only for a brief moment. "Fine," she said.
"Alright, then. Looks like you've got yourself a deal," said Allura, extending a hand to her.
She shook it, and like that, the demon was gone.
The next day, she received a call from Lance's doctor. "Mrs. McClain? I'm calling about your husband. I can't explain it - the virus has completely left his body!"
A grin broke across Katie's face. "What? How is that possible?" she asked, as if she didn't know the answer.
"I don't know! I don't know how, but he's perfectly healthy and ready to check out."
"I- oh my- I'll be right there to get him."
When she arrived at the hospital and entered Room 204, Lance was standing there, waiting for her. As soon as she saw him, she ran to him, and he caught her in a hug. They held each other tight, purely happy to be able to.
"I love you," Lance said, and it wasn't sad this time.
"I love you, too," said Katie. "I thought I was going to lose you."
"So did I. The doc doesn't understand it. I guess it's some kind of miracle."
"Yeah… a miracle."