Devil's Temptation
Part One
By Christine Demerath

"Mr. Lebeau." I feel his presence, he standing over me looking at me.

"Go away." Don't want ta be bothered, just left alone least of all here. I'm sitting in the rain on my knees in front of my wife's mausoleum. I hear nothing, but I know he still there, for more den one reason.

"I could bring her back to you." I think I heard a little sadness in his voice, but that just my mind playing tricks on me. I get to my feet, but not to leave. Much as I hate these above ground graves I'm staying with my wife one more night, saying good bye. He ain't helping. Ain't right ta wake da dead, even though my heart leaps at the thought.

"Go away." I keep my voice flat, as if I don't care `bout what he said or anything else for dat matter. I walk up to the mausoleum (crept) and pick the lock slowly, I enter, he follows.

"Is that what you really want?" I walk to the place where Belle lays inside stone walls.

"Oui," wasn't convincing anyone. My voice was low; my head lowered as I slid my hand crossed Belle's grave. I feel his eyes watching my hand, but can't help it. He's moving, he sees the expression of loss on my face, quickly I slap on my pokerface and straiten up.

"I doubt that." Hate da way he keeps lookin` at me.

"Don't care what ya think, just leave me be." I know he's trouble. Those people, non animals, I gathered for him just proves that I be right. But what da make me? I mean I betrayed my friends to work for him. So what dat make me? Wish I could go ta see Henri, but I ain't even suppose ta be in New Orleans. One more sin for da record books.

"Who are you trying to convince?"

"You don't need me, ya got the most psychotic murderers working for ya, remember?"

"But it is you I need."

"Told ya I ain't doing anymore jobs for ya." Hate ta admit it but, he scares me. And I ain't scared of nothing. I don't know what part scares me the most is it his power or is it that I'm afraid of what I might do `cuz of him. Which makes me three times more appalled to anything he has to say.

"Even if it is for your wife's life?"

"Oui." He takes da wind from my sails, again. I don't know what I want, except a reason ta live. And he knows it.

"I'll give you until tomorrow night to decide." I see him disappear out of da corner of my eye.

"Oh, Belle, what I'm ta do?" I pray ta heaven.

******

I wake with a start, how long I been sittin` here? I look down to my watch, only a few minutes. I feel the wind breeze bye me, must of fell asleep while I was smoking. Oh god, that dream, it was too real. Belle, coming out of her grave, and opening the doors of the mausoleum. She asked me why I'd taking her peace away, and bring her back ta this cold world. I was overjoyed to see her before she asked me and before I saw her sad tortured eyes. "But didn't ya miss living?" I asked disappointed. "Didn't ya miss me?"

"Oui, you, my father, but the rest, non. How could I miss da war that surrounds me, all the death, da hurt. And what is the price you had ta pay to bring me back? Far too much, Remy." This ain't Belle, she love life yeah she wants peace, but…. I don't know. Maybe it me. I just hope I'm not missing the warnings. What the hell, who be out in the graveyard in the middle of da night? Duh, Remy, night watchman. Gotta hide, and quick. Great a tree. Dat was easy enough. Night, Belle, I'll be seeing ya soon.

*******

He's been standing there watching me for the last ten minuets, wonder why he so interested in me? "So?" You're doing it for Belle, you're doing it for Belle.

"I'll do it." There is something in the back of my mind screaming at me. So I shut it off.

"Excellent." His voice seems to purr. And I think I just made da biggest mistake of my life.