[ WP ] Three demons , Darkness , Silence , and Loneliness , are sent by the Devil to retrieve one man who has been evading death all his life .

Rob opened his eyes and shot upright in his bed. Then a mischievous grin spread across his face. 
 Rob was always special, ever since he was a young boy he could sense things, he could avoid trips, falls and other accidents. It was at his eighteenth birthday, however, that Rob sensed his own death. 
 He was due a party, a surprise party, which he already knew about because he sensed everything. He also sensed that attending his party meant his own death. On his way home some delinquent would stab him over petty change. This was averted by simply not attending. 
 His time had run out, and he had sensed Death, hovering persistently at his heels like a puppy dog. Everything Death tried to throw at Rob, he had avoided. This continued for several years until Death apparently threw in the towel and had disappeared. 
 Now something else was here, Rob could sense it. But not only that, Death had manifested himself personally to Rob earlier that night and told him to prepare for visitors! 
 `` I've almost lost my job because of you!'' Death barked angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Rob. `` Do you know how difficult it is to find a decent job in hell these days with this economy?!'' 
 Rob shrugged his shoulders impassively. Trying to stifle the grin that was persistently trying to spread across his face. 
 Death waited for an answer, after a few minutes of awkward silence Death brought his boney hand to his skull, which was obscured by the long draping hood of his cloak. `` Y'know what! I quit!'' Death threw his scythe to the ground like an infant throwing a teddy after not getting his own way. 
 `` I hear McDonald's are recruiting.'' Rob jeered and he burst into a fit of laughter. 
 `` You will be visited by three demons.'' Death said with a defeated sigh. `` Silence, Loneliness and Darkness.'' Death chuckled to himself, it was a dry chuckle devoid of any humour. `` Good luck!'' He said sarcastically, before disappearing into a cloud of mist. 
 Now Rob sat awake in bed, grinning with anticipation as Death's threats came to fruition. In the corner of the room stood a woman, she wore a white dress and her long black hair was matted in thick clumps that draped across her pale face like curtains. She was unusually thin and quite tall. 
 Rob did n't need an introduction, he could already sense the demon was Silence. What worried him, albeit only slightly, was the fact he had n't sensed her arrive. `` Ah! Silence! I did n't hear you come in! Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?'' 
 Silence shook her head. 
 Rob energetically jumped out of bed and turned his bedside lamp on. He could n't sense any weaknesses he could exploit. 
 He could however sense that if he screamed, she would drag him to hell. 
 He turned to face her. Her lips were stitched shut and her eyes were like two icey pools of water, they regarded him coldly with a murderous gleam. She held in her boney fingers a rolled up parchment, which she presented to Rob. 
'Dearest Robert Fairbrook. I understand that you have somehow avoided Death for an unprecedented amount of years and I would like to express both my congratulations and commiserations for accomplishing such a feat. This charismatic young lady is called Silence, the more placid of my trinity of sorrow. Take her hand and come willingly or I will be forced to invite Darkness and Loneliness to this party. And those two make Silence seem like a pussy cat. Sincerely your pal, Satan.' 
 Rob kissed his teeth and screwed the parchment up into a small ball and tossed it into the corner of the room. `` Sorry but no deal.'' 
 Silence did n't seem pleased by his refusal to comply. She grabbed his shoulder, her tight, contorted, decaying flesh creaked as she outstretched her arm. Her grip was ice cold on his bare shoulder. 
 `` Wait!'' Rob yelled. 
 She recoiled at the pitch of his yell and released her grip, provoking a devilish grin from Rob's lips that reminded her of her master. 
 `` Oh that's right! Silence, you hate noise. I'll tell you what lady, if you can beat me at a game of cards I'll come quietly, if not, you'll have to drag me out of this world how I came into it.'' He paused for dramatic effect. `` Kicking and screaming. Either way I'll be coming with you, deal?'' 
 Silence nodded reluctantly. 
 Snap was the game of choice, and of course, being Silence by name and Silence by nature the demon lost the game because of her inability to yell the important phrase when she wanted to call snap. 
 `` I win.'' Rob sighed. `` It's a hollow victory though. I do n't particularly have the energy to kick and scream.'' He walked over to the kitchen side, resting his hand on the handle of a kitchen knife resting on the draining board. He turned his head and as he predicted, Silence was stood directly behind him, her eyes now shone bright red and her hair flailed around wildly independently as if it was a separate being. 
 Perfect. 
 Rob sensed exactly how far he needed to slash with the knife to cut the stitches holding her lips together. Then he brought his foot down on her bare foot with all the strength he had. 
 `` OW! MY FOOT!'' Silence yelled in agony. 
 `` I win.'' Rob uttered coldly. 
 Silence screamed as light shone from her eyes and mouth and she was banished back to hell. 
 One down, two to go. 
 The second demon appeared exactly an hour later. His very presence radiated sorrow and misery that made Rob feel like he did n't even want to live any more. He resisted as much as he could and sat up in bed to face Loneliness. 
 Loneliness was a terrible sight to behold, his skin was blue and his eyes were permanently frozen wide open, his mouth was stretched open far beyond the limits of the human jaw. He looked sad, and Rob almost felt sorry for him. 
 `` I do n't even want to be here anymore.'' Loneliness cooed in an emotionless voice. His mouth did n't move as he spoke. 
 To Rob's horror he found himself muttering the same thing. Involuntary tears streaming down his cheeks. He reached for the knife, which he had brought back to bed with him. He put it to his wrist and felt the cold steel blade biting into his flesh. Droplets of blood started to appear as the blade bit into his wrist. 
 `` I seriously just want to die.'' Loneliness said in his monotonous drone. He hovered closer, his forlorn aura contaminating Rob even more intensely. 
 `` My friend!'' Rob yelled at Loneliness suddenly, he leapt at Loneliness and wrapped his arms around Loneliness' mishapen body in an awkward embrace. `` I promise you that if I ever come to hell, I'll forever be your friend.'' Rob glanced up at the horrifying face of Loneliness, tears welled in his dead eyes and streamed down his deformed cheeks. 
 `` You are sincere.'' Loneliness said in disbelief. Like Rob, Loneliness could also sense things, particularly emotion. Loneliness was touched. It had been several millenia since Loneliness had ever felt anything positive. `` You understand that by keeping your promise when you finally do come to hell, you will be condemned to an eternity of misery as my friend. I'm cursed by this aura of sadness and despair.'' 
 `` Friends are always there for each other in times of need.'' Rob sobbed, a result of being in such close proximity of Loneliness. 
 They spent an hour talking, Loneliness agreed to leave Rob alone in exchange for his friendship. But left him with a final warning. `` Beware of Darkness.'' He droned tediously. `` He is the Devil's favourite.'' With that, light shone from his eyes and mouth as he was banished back to hell. 
 Rob felt the relief of Loneliness' absence almost immediately. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. `` I meant it when I said I'd forever be your friend if I ended up in hell.'' Rob smiled, knowing Loneliness had sensed he was being sincere. `` And IF I ever do end up in hell I'll honour that promise! Unfortunately Loneliness, I do n't ever plan on going to hell!'' 
 Rob was quite lonely. And the terrible aura Loneliness emitted had amplified that feeling to the point where Rob could barely restrain himself from ending his life. Fortunately he had outsmarted Loneliness, even though he did relate to the pathetic demon on some bizarre level. 
 Two down.... One to go.
