Keira Knightley photogaphed by Mario Testino for Vogue, October 2012
Do you think that John would give up his soul to make you happy?
I wouldn’t be happy without John and his soul.
Honestly Sherly, there is nothing wonderful about your soul. Do you ever see it? Do you know what it does? When had it ever done something good for you?
I want John, all of him and with nothing taken away. Therefore I want the same for him.
You may as well give up now.
Me? Give up? Never? You know, I could make those horrible little scars go away for you. Make you as fit and healthy as… as the fittest and healthiest person alive.
Do you think that John would give up his soul to make you happy?
I wouldn’t be happy without John and his soul.
Honestly Sherly, there is nothing wonderful about your soul. Do you ever see it? Do you know what it does? When had it ever done something good for you?
Yes, but my dark side causes hurricanes and volcanoes to erupt, it’s a little different.
Are you scared of losing your soul? Seven utterly fabulous wishes for one piddling, little soul? Souls are so overrated anyway. It’s like your appendix. You’ll never even miss it.
You’re not human, it’s on a different scale.
Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. What would be the point in you taking something I would never miss? And why would all the tales of you be so negative? Don’t try to fool me, you know who I am and it doesn’t work.
Do you think that John would give up his soul to make you happy?
“My little angel,” she cooed, smiling at him. “Don’t you want to learn anything? I offer a mortal seven wishes, and then I get their soul.”
“Why…why would you want souls?” He had many more questions, but knew there was probably a line that he could over step here with a being of such power.
“Zuriel, souls are like my life source in a way, the more I have, the stronger I am,” she started to pull him along, her eyes glazing along the concrete, the grey men and woman who seemed to blend into the background. “But first, you must pick someone out.”
Alex annoyed me, she got what was coming to her. I’m not all peaches and cream, you know. I do have a darker side, and believe me, it’s not pretty. But you, you have a chance to make the right decision.
Don’t we all.
I am not taking what you offer, Pandora. I make my own decisions and this would not be a good one.
Yes, but my dark side causes hurricanes and volcanoes to erupt, it’s a little different.
Are you scared of losing your soul? Seven utterly fabulous wishes for one piddling, little soul? Souls are so overrated anyway. It’s like your appendix. You’ll never even miss it.
No no no. That’s practically the same as a deal, and no.
Oh why not? What are you afraid of?
You are the Devil. And I remember what happened with Alex.
Alex annoyed me, she got what was coming to her. I’m not all peaches and cream, you know. I do have a darker side, and believe me, it’s not pretty. But you, you have a chance to make the right decision.
“You can help me collect a couple souls, see me and the big man have a little bet going on, and I’m running a little behind,” she explained to him, any leaked emotions gone.
“Collect souls?” He shook his head slowly, shaking in his fear. “What do you mean by that?”
“My little angel,” she cooed, smiling at him. “Don’t you want to learn anything? I offer a mortal seven wishes, and then I get their soul.”
I see, well I feel for you My Holmes, really I do. How about a wish? Something on the house, a taster of what I could do.
No no no. That’s practically the same as a deal, and no.
Oh why not? What are you afraid of?
“Flattery with you, gets you know where - I know that. But you should try flattering some of the mortals. It gets you to very high places with very little work at all.” Alessia said, her lips twitching into a smile. Her shoulders shrugged gently. “Some are awful, some are useful. They’re interesting enough to pass the time. Because well as you know, I have quite a lot of that.”
“Oh I don’t need to, I promise them seven wishes and they are putty in my hands. Or should I say, souls in my collection. Or like you, I offer them a job.” The street on which Pandora had been fortunate enough to meet her little defender was getting dark and cold, and while Pandora herself didn’t feel the cold and prefered the dark, she felt so unprotected, even with her guard standing in front of her. “Come into my office,” she told her, an order rather than a question. A fading red door was poorly hidden down an alley next to them and Pandora opened it, stepping inside. An old style office sat inside, with a wooden desk in the middle and bookshelves taking up each side of the room, the back contained a large tv, or a wall made up of smaller tv pushed together. They each showed a different person or place and Pandora ignored them completely, sitting in her seat behind the desk and raising her feet to lay on the desk.
“Oh no you don’t,” Pandora smiled evilly, reaching across to wind her own arms round the angels. “Now that it’s just the two of us, we can have some fun,” her grip was strong, but not unkind.
Zuriel’s eyes widened, his hands gripping his trousers while he chewed a bit on his lower lip. “Fun? What…what do you mean?” His fight or flight instinct was leaning heavily toward flight and his wings were nearly bursting from their concealment.
“You can help me collect a couple souls, see me and the big man have a little bet going on, and I’m running a little behind,” she explained to him, any leaked emotions gone.
Shame, he had so much to give. But you don’t get shot at do you Mr Holmes, you prefer tall buildings.
In fact, I do both being shot at and tall buildings. And nearly bleeding to death.
I do like to keep a varied lifestyle.
I see, well I feel for you My Holmes, really I do. How about a wish? Something on the house, a taster of what I could do.
“My little doll, you will never fool me, and never presume you ever could, do you understand?” She didn’t turn back to the little woman, too busy in finding an appropriate door. That she had guessed, maybe that she was joking didn’t fool the Devil at all. “Promise not to tell, cross your heart?”
“I know, I know.” It was obvious that she won’t be able to fool the lady anyway. And besides, what’s there to trick? Calla nodded at the last question. “I’m good at keeping secrets, unlike other people…” She even made the gesture of the phrase, not even caring if she could see her or not.
Pandora span around, grinning an awful, horror film worth smile. Her eyes sparkled red, a promise of more madness and evil that Calla had ever met. “I am the Devil! Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the Prince of Darkness! Well, the Princ-ess of Darkness, anyway.”
No. It’s just a bit hard to believe, and I would say prove it but that would probably be a very bad idea if it turns out you’re telling the truth.
“Okay, make a wish, anything you want, free of charge!”
“Ah, no. Bad idea.”
“How do you even know? Have you ever tried? Sweetie, in a couple months you are just going to be a headstone, live a little while you are alive!”
