Lilieana was so overwhelmed. Everything he had told her, all the time they spent together, all the expensive vacations, and all the romance. All of it had been a lie. No truth, no love. She was going to lose her dreams. Having a family with the one she loved was the only dream she had. Death lingered near and somehow she could feel it. “Who are you really?” she was terrified of the answer but needed to know who had destroyed her dreams.

“I have many names. Adversary, chief of the demons, deceiver, destroyer, enemy of righteousness, evil one, father of all lies, mammon, old serpent, prince of darkness, prince of devils, son of the morning, tempter, devil, Lucifer, accuser, also many more.” The devil formed a smirk across his features. Lilieana could feel the overwhelming fear come over her. This couldn’t be true. The devil walked out of the corner to confront the girl. “don’t worry ill take great care of our son.” Son? How did he know already they just found out she was pregnant. “I only take males for children.” He answered almost reading her mind.

“This can’t be. You’re crazy and this is all a dream, I’m just at home having a nightmare. I’m not really pregnant and I’m not really going to die in a few short months. This isn’t real and ill be fine.”

The devil rolled his eyes at the girl. He thought of all the things every previous woman would say. There’s no way I refuse it! No I cant have a baby with the devil its against everything I've devoted my life too! The please the devil got from hearing such phrases. “There’s no way out of this sweetheart.” The words rolled off the devils lips and slapped Lilieana in the face. The devil continued,”There’s no way you can get out of this. You will have my son. But I can make a deal with you.”

A deal? Lilieana couldn’t even fathom any further business with this monster. But her curiosity got to her. She listen further for anything useful. “I will let you live after my son is born, if you sell your soul to me.” thoughts ran through her head. There wasn’t anything in this world she would do for her son but this was a lot. There had to be a catch.

“Alright, but whats the catch?” Her voice was full of anger and disgust.

“No catch.” The devil lied through his teeth. There was always something to his plans and she would never find out. She would die and he would be able to have his son.

Lilieana could almost feel herself slipping into relief. There had to be a catch! Making a deal with the devil always included something else. Something that would hard to find.

“Alright, fine but I want to keep my son for at least 8 months.”

“Of course, he needs his mother for a short period of time.” The devil could make this deal. She would die in childbirth anyway. She wouldn’t be able to find the one thing that would keep her alive.

“You can leave now. I want time alone to prepare for my son.”

“Of course. Ill be back in 13 months for him. Use your time wisely.” And with the statement the devil disappeared in the dark. Lilieana was alone, hurt, broken, soulless, and pregnant.

A few hours past. Lilieana was beginning to process the previous events. She sold her soul to the devil. She was pregnant with his son. Lilieana ran out of the house. She was determined to fin d a way to survive this and prove the devil wrong. The library was just around the corner from her home. Anything and everything she could get her hands on would be her mission for the next 5 months.

Entering the library she could not help but feel excited. She was having a baby. But she could not weight on the thought for long. This was going to take countless hours of research. She came to a library computer. On the search engine she typed into the subject browser “the devils deals” a selection of books came up on the scene. Lilieana wrote down the first 5 books authors. Going through the hall ways of books she found the first. Then down the book shelf the second. The third was on the shelf high above on the next isle. The fourth book had already been checked out. Lilieana laughed at the person who would willing check out a book about the devil. The fifth book was located in the back of the library. In a corner where no one seemed to go looking for a book. It was an old book, dusty and warn with damage of what seemed like hundreds of years. Lilieana came to the corner. Reached out a hand. Hesitated for a slip second, thinking of the things she would find in the book. Overcoming her hesitation she pulled the book from the shelf. Blowing off the dust from the cover of the book, accidentally breathing in some dust she coughed to relief her throat. She looked around to see if anyone had seen her. No one around, of course no one came over here.

The title of the old book took Lilieana by surprise. “The devils handbook”, dating back all the way back to the time of the black death. If any of the book are going to tell me something about this deal it should be this book.

Sitting down at a table near the corner where she collected the old book, Lilieana pushed the other three books to the corner of the table. Opening the old book it cracked and squeaked with old age and ware. Opening to a page that stated “deal with the devil” Lilieana knew this is what she was looking for. Reading all 50 pages of the chapter she came to the last page. A picture of a jewel. the 2D picture of the jewel was beyond anything she had ever seen. Shining colors filled the page. The cut of the jewel was unique, looking natural but finely cut with no flaws. The old book stated that first off any woman should never had made this deal. Lilieana rolled her eyes at the text. No really? I didn’t know that at all. Streaming sarcasm through her thoughts she continued. Apparently this jewel could only be found deep within the caves of Thailand. She paused, of course its somewhere far away and somewhere no one would go looking. The irony! The old book said that the only thing that could keep her alive during childbirth was the jewel. Selling the soul was only half of the deal, and the devil never wanted any of the mothers of his children to survive. Go figure, she thought. Lilieana gently put the other three boos back on the shelf where they belonged. Carefully taking the old book to the front counter she waited in line. Finally coming to the counter, the lady checked out the old book. “That book is old and wise. Be careful on your journey.”

“How did you know I would be going on a journey?”

“Every woman who checks out that book goes on the journey.”

Lilieana had to think for a moment. There are other woman. What if this jewel has already been found? What if there isn’t anything left for her? How is she going to find this jewel?

Heading back home she watched a happy couple walk by. She looked at the floor she was walking on. Memories were a horrible curse for her. Nothing was real and anything they planned wasn’t going to happen. All the anger came flooding back, isn’t there any kind of a break for me? Finally inside she began to pack her bags.

Sitting in the uncomfortable seat on the first plan she could get on to Thailand she put her headphones in to drown out the other noisy passengers. The flight was long and annoying. The majority of the passengers were probably Thai and heading home after a vacation where they spent way to much money in America.

Eventually after 25 long hours on several different planes she arrived in Thailand. There was a mining crew waiting for her. They spoke fluent English to make communication easier for her. Traveling through Thailand she could not help but admire the beauty of the country. No wonder the jewel could only be found here. No place else in the world would be able to hide a jewel as rare and precious as this one.

After the game plan was set up, crew members were given their jobs and other given leadership positions Lilieana couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. This jewel was going to be hard to find and the crew members might get restless and irritated with her but she didn’t care. She needed to find this jewel no matter the cost. Everything is going to be centered on taking care of this baby. Determination doesn’t even come close to describing Lilieana anticipation.

After three weeks in a remote area, one of the crew members announces he has found something. Taking out the old book from the custom designed case to make exactly sure that the jewel he found is the one she needs. Placing both items on the table she examines them carefully. “How many did you find of these?”

“Hundreds it was beautiful to see”, he explained with righteous enthusiasm.

“This isn’t it. They are similar but its not the one I need.” Lilieanas hope died slowly with that statement.

This same event continued in a little more then 56 caves in Thailand. Hope was running thin and so was time. By now Lilieana was 8 months pregnant. She couldn’t get very far without feeling ill. Crew members took care of her but mostly the midwife. There wasn’t any hope left after the last cave was totally empty. There’s no way I'm going to find this jewel. Other woman have already found it and used it. There’s no hope. We should just pack all the equipment and head home to face the inevitable.

One of the crew members who had been working deep within the cave came rushing out. Once again Lilieana pulled out the old book for examination. This jewel was harder to compare then the others. Everyone had hope lite up in the eyes waiting for the final yes or no to claim the jewel. Lilieana looks up at the crew.

Many jewels are found in caves. Its up to you. Did she find the precious jewel needed to survive the deal with the devil?