She Has Until Midnight

"You have until midnight," the older woman said quietly. "That's when the contract comes up. When I have to pay the devil her due."

Midnight. Lois fished into a pocket and checked her phone. 22:10 blinked at her.

"Less than two hours," the reporter breathed.

"What is that?" Ella asked, looking over her daughter's shoulder.

"It's a smartphone. You..." Lois blinked. "...you wouldn't really be familiar with those. They do more than make phone calls. They let you surf the internet, watch television, take pictures and video..."

Two hours until I have to decide whether or not to send my mother to hell, the reporter told herself, as the older woman pried the device out of her daughter's hands. And I spend five minutes of it trying to explain what a smartphone is to a woman who died when dial-up was the peak of technological progress.

Lois put her face in her hands. There has to be a way out of this. Some sort of escape clause, somebody I can call...a lawyer, maybe? A sorcerer? I could call Zatanna, or Batman. The Bat probably has a whole contingency plan in case any of the Justice League accidentally sell their souls or something.

Soft, tinny moans interrupted the reporter's ruminations. She looked over at her mother, who was staring in fascination at the screen. It took a moment for Lois to connect the dots.

"Mother," the younger woman's voice was incredulous. "Are you watching porn?"

"Yes." Ella spoke in a whisper. "I just...typed it in."

"Typed what in?" Lois put an edge on her voice.

"Mother-daughter ****," The older woman's voice was excited. "There's so much of it!"

Lois groaned. "Mom, this is serious. If I don't figure out something in the next couple of hours, I have to decide whether or not you spend an eternity in hell."

"Well," The older woman's voice took on a sultry tone. "I know what clears my mind and helps me think..." And the reporter felt a hand grab her crotch, hard enough to elicit a gasp from Lois' lips.

"Is that all you think about?" Lois asked.

"Darling. You're all I've been thinking about since I died. Over and over, watching you and never being able to touch...to taste..." The grip tightened. "I know I'm probably going to hell. I don't want you to give up your life for mine. What I do want...is to enjoy what time I have left with my daughter."