Just Deserts

Just Deserts

         The man slunk between a few rows of parked cars, stashing his crimson stained switchblade in the back pocket of his jeans. Somewhere off in the night, a police car’s siren wailed. “No one will know it was me,” he thought to himself smugly. The evidence he had planted would be more than enough to lead the police to a dead-end and away from him.

         This wasn’t his first armed robbery, and he had executed it with practiced ease. “Hehe, that old man screamed real good,” he thought, cold satisfaction written all over his face.

         He was almost to his car now, and by morning he would be sitting safe at home counting the thousands of dollars he had scored on this night’s break-in. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. “What the hell was that?” he thought, “Could have sworn something moved over behind those trees.” After staring into the shadows for a moment, he put it off as an effect of the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

         His car was right ahead, parked on the corner of 1st Street where he had left it. Just as he thought everything was going to go perfectly, he stopped again.

         There it was! Something was definitely skulking through the darkness after him. He had only caught a glimpse, but it looked as if it had wings!

         Nervously, he stuck his hand into his pocket, searching for his keys. “Where the hell did I put those,” he grumbled, his voice containing more than a hint of panic. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, he remembered that he had stashed the keys in his backpack with the money. Sighing with relief, he proceeded to unlock the car door.

         Only after jumping in and starting the car did he notice that the seat was soaking wet, as was the rest of the interior of the car. It also stank, reeking of . . . gasoline! He gasped and tried to push the car door open, but it wouldn’t budge.

         Then he noticed the message carved across the dashboard of his car. “Judgment awaits your tainted soul,” it read.

         A tittering laugh came from behind him. Heart pounding, he slowly turned his head to face what sat in his backseat.

         A small, winged creature sat stooped in a leisurely position.  It roughly resembled a human child, but its skin was a dull grey and two horns protruded from its forehead. It cackled again, revealing a set of jagged yellowing teeth.

         “I suppose you thought you would get away with this, eh?” it teased, producing a small plastic object.

         The criminal’s eyes widened, the imp was holding a lighter!

         “Let me give you a hint, this heat isn’t going to be anything compared to where you’re going.” Without another word, the imp flicked the lighter, producing a miniscule flame. However, it was all that was needed to light the gasoline.
         
Word Count: 490