How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part4)

“What`s the matter”, I was just trying to say, as the fog disappeared and I saw Master and me standing before us a skyhigh building. 

A giant, grey with so many black windows, I couldn`t believe it.

It got a entry door, very small for such a huge building, I was surprised. 

“What is that supposed to be?” “Like you said, Tardiscleaner, that is hell!” Masters voice was filled with satisfaction.

 “HELL? Oh god, I mean, what? And you wanted us to visit hell?”

 “Sure”, Master smirked. I shook my head. “Why didn`t you told me. It would had save us some nerves, especial me!” “I couldn`t, it would have been against the rules of this place. We had to go and see what you created in your mind and to endure some adventures until the place took us as worthy.” 

“Worthy, blimey!” “Indeed, the right word, now let us enter.”

I opened the door, no smell of brimstone, only a little smell of some cheap floor cleaner. Seemed that the devil had no great taste for good cleaning. Moneyproblems in hell? Anyway..

There were two lifts and a desk. Behind it was a man sitting and reading a newspaper. 

Master went to him. “We like to speak with his highness.” He said very polite. 

The man looked up, I am not able to tell you, what face he had, strange as it sounds, he HAD a face but the moment I looked at him I could not see his face, it was like there and not there.

“Left lift, good Sir. He is expecting you two. Have a good day in hell!”

His voice was so strange, like a million different voices put together. Not a nice one, I can tell you.

So we went to the lift, it opened and showed only one red button. Master pushed it and the lift went down, down? Down! Well, what did I expect from hell, surely down!

“So you want to speak with the devil?” “Hm”, Master was in no mood to speak, I know him, when he is in such a temper, better don`t ask again. After all, he is Master!

The lift stopped, we stepped out and stood instantly before a door. 

A typical office door, grey and not framed with flames or another nice decoration, boring, if you ask me.

“Don`t knock, get in”, was written on a sign. “So we do!” 

Master opened the door and I followed. 

We stepped into a bureau, grey walls, what wonder. Here another man was sitting behind a grey desk.

He looked at us with a kind smile, his teeth were very white.

I don`t know what I had expected to see. 

He was an older gentleman, with grey hair and a grey beard, with grey eyes, wearing a grey suit. 

“Welcome, take a seat, please.” ”Thanks”, Master pushed me to a chair and took the other one. 

The man clasped his hands. “So and what can I do for you? You must know, I am a busy man, so much to do this days.” “I came to you to ask you a favour.” 

The old man nodded. “That is not unexpected, my dear. Most people, who come to visit me got something like that in their mind. So what`s your offer!” 

Master said: “I always heard the devil likes a good game. What about a poker game, just between you and me.” The devil raised his hand and grasped into his beard. I swear I heard something sizzle. 

I felt a cold hand grasping my backbone.

“And what is supposed to be the prize if I win?” “The soul of my Tardiscleaner here!

I was unable to say one word. I was so startled that my mouth was like a piece of unmovabel stone. 

“That is a little problem, my dear Lord Master. Normaly the one who pledges a favour from me offers his own soul!” Master looked at me. “Agree please. I win, I swear it and you will get the finest, most beautiful broom in the whole universe!”

I found my mouth back. “You swear?” Master smiled. “Certainly, by my two hearts!” 

“Agreed”, I said. I never could resist such an offer! And after all Master had a lucky hand with cards, so I was told by him some times ago. And if someone was supposed to have a poker face, then him. 

“The cards then, Tardiscleaner!” “Oh, yes, the cards, poker cards please.” A deck of cards was on the table, wrapped in a shinning foil. 

“Five card drew!” The Master said, the devil nodded. “Fine with me.” 

“Open the cards, mix them, and give five to each of us, the other cards lay aside!” 

Masters orders, I did what he wanted, trying to not spill them over ther table. 

“Now give each of us five cards and put the other in the middle of the desk, right between him and me!” Master ordered and I obeyed. 

“Then let`s start.” 

They took the cards and looked at them and I looked at THEM but the devil had his polite smile and the Master his emotionless face, that he is wearing when having big thoughts. 

Great. What`s now? 

“I take one!” Master put one card beside the tower of cards and picked one and placed her to the four he had. The devil looked at him, his smile changed. “I took two!” 

Great, that sounds great, he needed two, had to be a good sign! And now? I never played poker, I only saw it in western movies, when the game always ended in some violent shootings. 

“Show!” Master laid his cards on the table. “Straight flush,”, I heard a smile in his face. It was a set of hearts. “Oh”, the devils eyebrows raised and my hope to get that shinning new brooms raised too! 

But then the devil layed down his cards with a filthy giggling. “Sorry Timelord, mine is a royal one!” 

I saw aces black as the night. Master said nothing. He did not need to. 

Great, he lost. I never thought he would, but he did. 

“You know what they used to say on eaerth, the devils luck! Well, so it will be. Tardiscleaner, your soul is mine now.” I heard Masters voice somber wispering: “I am sorry.” 

“Me too, “ I said. “Seems to be boring to live in hell but Mister devil, I like to play with you too?” 

“YOU?” The devils eyes widened, then he begun to laugh. I don`t want to descripe you the sound of his laughter, well, it was…devilish, believe me. 

“And may I ask, what you can give me? I had your soul!” “Yes, I know that certainly but what`s about my body. As far as I know, they are different things after all, so we can play about my body. I can be very useful with a body. I can clean your hell, after all I am a good, a very good cleaner, either Master wouldn`t have taken me with him!” I took a firm stand on this. 

“Cleaning up my hell”, the devil raised his hand and touched his beard, again I heard this strange sizzling. “Why not, sounds like a good idea. I agree and what kind of play do you suggest?” 

“Nine Men's Morris!” Master gave me a strange look of disbelief. Devil too. 

The cards disappeared in a puff of smoke, a little smell of brimstone remained. And my favourite play was on the table.   

“You see”, I said. “If you like such a childish game”, the devil sighed. “I do, so it’s a bargain, I win, I got my soul back, I loose, you got my body too. So let’s get started. You may begin!” 

“You let him start?” Masters voice was sad. I smiled. 

“So let’s begin, I take the black ones.” As I didn’t expected that. So we started. 

I let him have his first mill, I always used them have them theirs first. 

I placed some stones here and there and then, I got my double mill, as expected. And not long the second one.  

“Won, Mister devil!” He gave my some infernal look, I tell you. 

And in the next moment the room began to twist around as, as if we were in the centre of a whirlwind, the walls disappeared and we found us standing before the doors of the Tardis.

Master opened the door. He gave me a side glance. “Hope you are not too mad at me?”

“Mad at you? Why? Come let us go in, I put the kettle on. A nice cup of tea will be good now!”

I put a bowl with cookies between us and helped me to one of my favourites. 

He stirred a long time with the spoon in his cup.

I thought of rising his spirit. “I know, loosing is a nasty thing, but there are not many, who can beat the devil.” He looked up. “After all, you did it!” 

I laughed. “Because I am just a little idiot, Master. God loves the fools, don’t you know that. But one thing!” “Yes?” Something in his eyes touched me, I don’t know why and what.

“You owe me something!”

And at least here I am, having the most splendid broom in the whole universe!