The Fine Print

Corporate, am I right? - 137 words

The pentagram glowed neon red. Arthur had prepared his demand carefully.
When the entity materialized, he blurted out: "I need more money!"
The creature nodded. "The standard fee is one soul-"
"Yeah, yeah. Spare me the whole shebang."
A canvas bag hit the table. Bundles of hundred-dollar bills spilled from the top.
Arthur laughed.
"Counting the summoning fee..." the demon murmured, tapping a glowing screen.
The bag twitched.
"Cross-realm currency conversion..."
The bag shrank.
Arthur grabbed for it.
"Wait—what is that?"
"The whole shebang."
The canvas folded inward like a collapsing star.
"What the hell?"
"Precisely, you see..."
The demon glanced up from his screen. "After deductions…"
He turned the screen toward Arthur. "That’s what you currently owe Hell."
Arthur counted the sixes and massaged his temples.
"I need more money."

The demon opened a fresh form.

Prompt: Write a story that includes the line: "I need more money."

Optional feedback questions for reviews:
1. Did the ending feel too predictable?
2. Did the demon and/or Arthur feel too generic?
3. Did the story rely too much on the standard “demon pact” expectation?
4. Which specific line or callback worked best for you?
5. Did the story feel complete under 200 words, or did it feel too much like a quick joke?
6. Did “Arthur counted the sixes” make sense?
7. Would you remember this story a day later?
Thank you!