#38 A Demon Dreams On

I know why I'm stuck down here
But I'm still occasionally the one who gets scared
Cause I'm constantly plagued by a single fear
It's unheard of, as a demon who dreams of nightmares

See I threw in my hand, way back many days
I had my reasons for my choices, I was mad
I gave in to Lucifer's temptations in a daze
But that was so long ago when I was barely a lad

And now I'm stuck here. Paying back my debts.
An infinity in which to think things through
And when you've so long to think, you'll sure have regrets
About what your life has lead you to

See I've been told many a time
That my work is for the good of mankind
That those that I'm torturing are guilty of crime
The greatest sinners you ever could find

So I put them through torture, I put them through pain
Basically, I'm a professional plying his trade
And don't get me wrong, like my clients, my skills are insane
Out of millennia of practice, such skills can't help but be made

But my victims they scream, loud and unbound
And though I'm deaf to every word they say
And though worse scum could nowhere be found
And though they deserve whatever comes their way

There's a couple come through that have silver tongues
Their tales can reach even my devil's heartstrings
They scream their innocence as I pull out their lungs
As payment for all of their sins

But even as their screams stop still as they turn silent
Their words can hang in the air
They follow me round, no rest for the wicked and violent
Because apparently justice is fair.

Their claims of innocence ring in my ears
Their pleas will borrow into my skull
As they attack the worst of my fears
They're the iceberg striking my hull

Cause it's possible life and decisions ain't always so clear, it's not fair
That my victims are mentally unstable and torn
But what does it matter what I feel and fear, when I dream of nightmares?
After all, I'm just a demon, and the devil's own pawn.


Context: Recently, a good friend introduced me to the Mechanisms. And I have to say, everything else aside, they write some amazing lyrics. One lyric in particular inspired this, from the song broken horses - http://themechanisms.bandcamp.com/track/broken-horses-2#lyrics

The line is "I wonder if devils get nightmares//Of all of their victims as well". I don't think it's difficult to see how I used this line. I may have taken minor liberties with Christian doctrine here, it was intended merely as a setting for an interesting character viewpoint.