140. If You Lose, the Devil'll Take Your Soul
Against her better judgment, Amy picks up the violin and bow and begins scratching out a few notes. She's never really played the violin before, so it sounds not unlike somebody is strangling a cat.
There's a bright flash and a puff of smoke. Out of the smoke emerges a sinister man with red skin, horns, a goatee, and a black cape. His chest is bare, and his waist and legs are covered in fur, ending in cloven hooves.
“I see you've decided to take me up on my offer for a fiddle contest,” the mysterious stranger smiles, his words dripping with oil.
“Um, I think this is a violin, actually, and I didn't agree to any contest.”
“Oh, but you did!” the man emotes melodramatically, “By picking up the fiddle and playing it, you agreed to the standard fiddle-contest-with-the-devil contract. If you win, you get the fiddle, if I win, I get your soul.”
“Now wait just a minute! I had no idea that-”
“I'll stop you right there. I'm afraid your actions are binding and there's no getting out of it. You could try to fight me in court, but I'm afraid I've got all the lawyers on my side. Now” he grins, “let's start.”
He grabs the violin from Amy and proceeds to play an utterly mellifluous tune, the beauty of which nearly brings her to her knees. When he finishes he hands the violin back and Amy hacks out a scratchy version of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Satan looks appalled. “That was pathetic! Why on Earth would you challenge me to a fiddle contest?”
“I still think it's a violin,” retorts Amy, “And I told you, I didn't agree to any contest! I had no idea!”
Satan rolls his eyes. “Well, whatever. Your soul belongs to me now.” He snaps is fingers and, with a flash of light and a puff of smoke, Amy finds that the scenery has changed. She's now standing in a red-tinged cavern. Molten pits and flames are everywhere. All around her, red-skinned demons torture various naked souls. A demon approaches Amy.
“New arrival, please prepare for processing.”
“But this is a mistake! I shouldn't be here!”
“That's what they all say.” With a snap, Amy's clothes are violently stripped off of her. She makes a futile attempt to protect her modesty with her arms.
“Bend over.”
“Huh?”
Another snap, and Amy's legs are spread and she bends over at the waist, grasping her ankles. The demon produces a hot poker and sticks it in some embers. Amy tries to run away, but finds her feet glued to the floor and her hands glued to her ankles. The demon brandishes the red-hot branding iron, moving it closer and closer to Amy's unprotected butt.
“YEEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWWWCH!” Amy screams as the demon brands her. He removes the iron to reveal Amy's new skin art: A forked tail in a circle.
“There, now you're branded. Proceed to Window 23 for your first punishment assignment.”
Amy stands up and slowly shuffles off, head hung low, rubbing her sore right butt cheek. She mentally resolves herself to an eternity of torment in the bowels of hell.
“Maybe I can get some time off for good behavior...” she thinks.
Amy is in no condition to continue this adventure or her life.