Throughout the course of the meal Mr Fast found out that Mr Fishbane used to be in the Insurance industry but had retired, however he did of business whenever he wasn’t busy. After the soup they had some port and toasted to good business deals. After a glass of port the old man got quite affected he grew quite sentimental and affectionate and started calling Mr Fast, Dennis (which was Mr Fast’s first name) or Sonny, Mr Fast was at first wondering who Mr Fishbane was calling Dennis, then he realised it was him. Time went by and the Mr Fishbane became quite drunk. Mr Fast starting court jokes, and as Mr Fishbane didn’t get them, he sang a song. Mr Fast was quite was quite pleased with himself as social hit with this old man, he thought if he could just persuade Mr Fishbane to drink more port he could use gentle persuasion for the old man to give him some money. Mr Fishbane controlled his thoughts and tried to turn the conversation to money. But at very moment Mr Fishbane said that he would like to give Mr Fast something and asked him what his hearts desires were. Mr Fast’s heart missed a beat because of joy and coincidence. Mr Fast trying to contain his joy politely refused, but the old man insisted and asked didn’t he want to get rid of his loneliness and envy? Mr Fast refused and said he wanted property. The old man scorned property and said that he could give him all the riches in the world. Mr Fast gasped and wondered how drunk this man was. Mr Fishbane then offered health, wealth and happiness. Mr Fast being obsessed with money naturally refused the offer.
Mr Fast looked back at the picture, the detail to be standing out now, there seemed to be figures, naked on a street all the faces looked empty and there was an aurora of sadness around the picture. Mr Fast looked away and was about to take another glass of port when Mr Fishbane spoke. He was asking if Mr Fast would be interested in a policy of his. Mr Fast smiled grimly and Mr Fishbane went to get it. He returned with a piece of paper a pen and some ink. He passed the paper across to Mr Fast and said that the only think Mr Fast had to do if he agreed to the policy was to sign. Mr Fast read it and nodded. He however insisted that there must be some sort of payment on his part. Mr Fishbane and nodded and agreedand they begun to draw up a bargain, Mr Fishbane’s said he would give Mr Fast’s heart’s desire if Mr Fast gave him his soul. Mr Fast gasped in astonishment then agreed thinking of the money. Mr Fishbane then asked what sum of money required, the finally agreed on a sum of one million pounds. The part of the bargain was that Mr Fast agreed to cut his life seven years before he died in order to pay back his part of the bargain. The both signed the contract, and Mr Fast left not believing his luck.
Chapter 3
The next day Mr Fast woke up expecting to find a cheque with a large sum on it hidden behind a cushion or under a pillow, however he was disappointed to see that Mr Fishbane hadn’t left anything. However in these circumstances he seemed to trust Mr Fishbane entirely, and knew that in due course the cheque would come.
He was walking to work and was thinking that he would approach Mr Fishbane and ask him for the money, when he found himself in the middle of Lamb Square, he had tread this path so often that his feet carried him automatically to Lamb Square. As he entered and sat down one of his fellow clients asked him why he was so vacant, Mr Fast answered hastily that he was valuing an artefact which he had recently acquired and wished to sell, this however was a lie, he was really dreaming about what he would do with all the money he would get. He really hoped that Mr Fishbane would get in touch; Mr Fast had given him the address of his workplace. Mr fast then thought that this had been some sort of trick Mr Fishbane had played on him and he was never going to give him the money, and then he thought that he was going mad and this was all a figment of his imagination. A cold blooded fury coursed through his veins. Suddenly the door opened a man with grey hair and serious eyes stepped in. Mr Fast jumped and immediately asked if he was a representive for Mr Fishbane, the man shook his head slowly and enquired where the owner of the firm was, and he was shown through to the office of Mr Fast’s employer (Mr Morris). A few minutes later he was called in and he had done something to offend the visitor.
It transpired that he had not and the man was called Mr John. They were telling something he could hardly believe, his father had died and left a small amount of property to his son, and the land a diamond mines. Mr Fast knew at once that Mr Fishbane was behind this; his father had owned no such land in Africa as the men were telling him. Mr Morris said that if he was to sell this land, it would be in worth about a million pounds; Mr Fast nodded and left the room. He took a cab back to Highbury Square and found Mr Fishbane waiting for him. Mr Fast jumped out of the cab and looked at Mr Fishbane and asked him if e did read the small, Mr Fishbanes slowly shook his head
Chapter 4
Mr Fast found himself standing in the cemetery of old Dr. Herz, Mr John he needed a bit of calming down, he was going mad. He was thinking of going to a doctor, because now he could afford the very best, or maybe a priest and tell him that he suspected that the devil in the flat below and maybe then tell them about the contract he signed. Then he saw something that shocked him, Mr Fishbane was standing behind him. Mr Fast gasped turned round to see that Mr Fishbane was wearing an impassive expression. He told Mr Fishbane that he was impostor trying to rob his father of his million pounds, Mr Fishbane replied that he wasn’t robbing Mr Fast’s father of money, he was merely giving it to Mr Fast. Mr Fast cried out in anger, and told Mr Fishbane to read the small print.
What happened next nearly made Mr Fast faint, he saw a shadow that was not Mr Fishbane’s next to Mr Fishbane, he ran flat out back along the path he had entered by. Mr Fishbane called out and asked who Mr Fast was running from. Mr Fast didn’t answer the question, but a mental battle was happening in his head. Why was he so scared? Because he’d seen a shadow that wasn’t either his or Mr Fishbane’s. So, it must have been a trick of his eyes. Then why not go back? Because he didn’t like the aurora that Mr Fishbane had around him. He ran back to his home, he calmed down, nothing about stupid old Mr Fishbane mattered now, he was a millionaire.
The next morning Mr Fast was walking into the city, he was thinking about the shadow he had seen the previous day, and had come to the conclusion that the shadow was an eye of a child however he wish he knew what it meant, the shops no longer attracted him. Suddenly a man pushed into him, Mr Fast told the man to be more careful, and to Mr Fast’s surprise and annoyance, saw Mr Fishbane standing in front of him, and there was a shadow that was not Mr Fishbane’s, and yes it was becoming even more clearer. Mr Fast told Mr Fishbane to leave him alone. And still the shadow was scaring him.
To Mr Fast’s annoyance he kept on unfortunately meeting Mr Fishbane. On one such occasion, Mr Fishbane told Mr Fast that he had read the small print and told him that he was very crafty, selling him the first seven years of his life instead of the last few years of his life. And Mr Fishbane said he would take Mr Fast up on that offer.
Part 2
Chapter 5
The ghost of his child appeared, it was neither true flesh nor vapour. A sudden hatred coursed through Mr Fast, Mr Fishbane had swindled him, taken what was not his. Then sadness hit him, the rich clerk forget about all the dreams and fanaticises about the money. He followed the child; he could feel all the child’s movements, the child walked through the gates of a church. The place he remembered so well, he could even smell the carpet drifting up at him. The boy shuddered and left, Mr Fast left instinctively with the child it was there was some sort of bond between them. They walked out onto a hill were the poppies and the daises grew, there was a winding stream that twisted from side to side, a group of children stood on one side of the stream, talking, as they saw the shadow of Mr Fast they started laughing and pointing at the sailors suit he was wearing, Mr Fast felt as a lump in his throat came up. The Mr Fishbane’s voice rang in his head tormenting and jeering at him. There were a gaggle of geese in the water and a old man and a little boy were feeding them. The shadow of the child next to Mr Fast vanished, Mr Fishbane turned round from the stream and told Mr Fast to look after the child. The three of them walked down the path together Mr Fishbane offered Mr Fast, if he would like anything, but from experience Mr Fast refused. As they walked down into town, people looked curiously at the boy that was clutching Mr Fast’s arm. A lady came up to them and asked the boy what he would like to be when he grew up and the boy replied that he would quite like to be and engine driver. As soon as the lay had gone, Mr Fast was trying to persuade the child, who he realised again was himself as a child, to be a solicitors clerk, saying he had a million pounds to spend. The child’s eyes widened in amazement. At this point Mr Fishbane took the left turning and Mr Fast took the right turning and the child was left alone with Mr Fast. They went past the grandest buildings in London, and Mr Fast said he could buy anything the child wanted. The came to Saint Paul’s Cathedral, and Mr Fast asked the child whether he wanted it or not. The child gasped in amazement that this man could afford anything. The child shook her head. They continued until they got to a market place were Mr Fast lead the child to a metals store. Mr Fast asked a rough looking man who was standing behind all the goods, if he had any gold. The man looked back at Mr Fast in sheer annoyance, then shook his head but said nothing. Mr fast then decided it was getting late, so they headed back off to Highbury Park. When they arrived in there destination, they found Mr Fishbane standing in the middle of the square. Without saying a word, he took the child and led her down to his basement flat; the ghost of Mr Fast’s childhood was gone.
Chapter 6
The house was quiet as Mr. Fast woke. Where had the phantom child and old Mr. Fishbane got to? He had a strange idea that Mr. Fishbane’s basement was emitting a strange smell. Tears ran down from the clerk’s eyes, he had sold his own childhood for one million pounds, how stupid was he? He could’ve lived perfectly well without a million pounds and not have to suffer this torment. But the prospect of such a fortune had been unbearable to refuse such a splendid offer. He realized he was not contented, he knew that much, he repented his actions now.
There was noise from the street outside. Mr. Fast moved to the window and saw the phantom figure walking quickly along the pavement. Mr Fast cried for the phantom to stop, and Mr. Fast picked up a silver hoop that gleamed brightly in the morning sun. The child stopped and looked around and Mr Fast threw him the hoop which he told the child was worth thirty shillings and said it was the boy’s now. The phantom smiled as Mr Fast threw him the hoop.
Mr Fast getting exited said to the boy that he could have anything he wanted as they were so rich now. The boy stammered to ask who Mr Fast was. Mr Fast replied that he was the boy’s future.
At this the boy began to shake his head and stared to run from the window. Mr Fast was beginning to get desperate. He called after the boy, but he wouldn’t come. This was the end.
He walked back into the room, and out of the carpet came the familiar figure of Mr Fishbane, but not in flesh, but in a ghost form. This was too much for Dennis, what could he do?
He begged the old man to make this contract stop. But the old man merely shook his head and laughed mirthlessly.
Chapter 7
The next night Mr Fast felt as if the hoop he had given the boy suffocate him. He could see as eerily the silver hoop wrap round his body and felt a squeezing sensation. His night was not easy and when he awoke, he was welcomed to the smell of beetroot soup coming evidentially from Mr Fishbane. He sighed, he was not allowed to go to work, and he was alone. Why couldn’t he just die? Many tedious questions filled the clerk’s mind. Was his daily absence from work and from the society he belonged being noticed? Maybe his position at work had been taken up by some other eager candidate.
He decided he would lie flat on the floor, his ears pressed against the floorboards, and listen into Mr Fishbane’s basement. The plan was to stay as long he could hear noise coming from the basement. If the noise stopped he would go on.
At last there was silence and Mr Fast got up and walked out into the cold morning. He could see the old man holding the young boy’s hand. Mr Fast followed them keeping in the shadows and in about ten metres behind them. The boy was holding the hoop in his hand, Mr Fast smiled grimly, at least Mr Fishbane hadn’t taken that away from him. There was sudden hiss and fizz and instant something exploded. Mr Fast jumped back, thinking this was another illusion Mr Fishbane had set up. Then he sighed, a sigh of relief. Of course it was Guy Fawkes Day and a child had aimed a firework at him.
Mr Fishbane and the phantom, were making there way to St Paul’s Cathedral, evidentially for a service. Mr Fast followed quickly behind. As they reached the monument courtyard, Mr Fishbane vanished, and they boy started examining some of the statues. A priest walked over to the boy and blessed him and gave him sixpence. Mr Fast groaned and told the priest to bless him as well. At this the priest looked repulsed and walked away. The boy followed him, Mr Fast broke into a run to catch up with him. He felt a crunching noise under his feet and turned round to see Mr Fishbane.
He asked why the clerk had trodden on his glasses, an said for this he would pay, Mr Fast took out money, but Mr Fishbane shook his head and walked away. Mr Fast followed him, and saw him take the child by the arm and steer him out. As Mr Fishbane followed he realised they were heading for the railway station….
Chapter 8
He followed them expecting that there plan was to get on a train a make a runaway. Was Mr Fishbane that stupid not to look around and notice Mr Fast. Mr Fast smiled; this was not a very inconspicuous getaway. Instead of getting on the train, they just vanished into darkness. Mr Fast sighed and stopped a cab. He jumped in and smelled a very familiar smell, just then the hatch opened and Mr Fishbane’s ugly face starred down at Mr Fast’s. The clerk screamed for the child. Mr Fishbane merely smiled with an evil look in his eyes.
The old gentleman then asked the clerk, what Mr Fast had said to the young boy about ambitions. The clerk said at once that he had told the young boy that he had to be a clerk. Mr Fishbane told Mr Fast that the boy had refused the idea of being a clerk, as Mr Fishbane had suggested to him as he didn’t like people that forced him to be things. Mr Fishbane then asked what Dennis had wanted to be when he was a child. Mr Fast thought for a minute and then said that he had wanted to be an engine driver. Mr Fishbane cackled in a menacing manor. He told Mr Fast that his childhood was driving a train.
Mr Fast gasped the childhood figure of himself was on the train, and all the people had entrusted there souls to him. What could he do? There was only one thing for it. He begged Mr Fishbane to stop the train. Mr Fishbane shook his head, saying that he couldn’t stop a steam engine.
Mr Fast groaned, and Mr Fishbane agreed to take to the station. As soon as they reached the station Mr Fast hopped out ran over to the edge of the track and jumped onto the track.
The train was fast approaching; Mr Fast saw his childhood figure sitting in one of the cabins, smiling out to the darkness. Mr Fast screamed, but the noise was lost in the roar of the train.
The train halted, and the child jumped lightly off and walked over to Mr Fishbane, who was standing near the platform. The child took the old man’s arm and walked out into the darkness.