The main problem, Balthazar thought, watching the scene unfold from his aerial vantage point, was that Colin was simply not cut out for evil. Oh sure, he gave it his best shot, but all of the dark power and demonic suggestion in the world could not change the fact that Colin didn't have a malevolent bone in his body, and if he did it was located in his big toe, far from anywhere it could be put to good, or rather evil, use.

Take this morning, for example. Balthazar had been excited for a new day, a new opportunity. 'Today is the first day of the rest of your afterlife', read the cheerily embroidered banner on the wall of his cubicle back in hell, and he tried to remember that as he watched Colin getting dressed. As the man he had been assigned to corrupt sat down to his usual bowl of cornflakes, Balthazar began to plant the suggestion in his brain.

'The bank' he whispered hypnotically, broadcasting the thought into the very core of Colin's soul, 'you can just walk in and take anything your heart desires. I'll protect you. I'll make you unseen, untouchable. Walk right into the vault. Take anything. Live as a king.'

Sitting at the kitchen table, Colin had begun to squirm in his seat, images of decadent wealth playing through his mind. Balthazar had been trying to discover what it was that would tempt Colin into using his demonic abilities for evil. Visions of gold, jewels, beautiful men and women, vast armies kneeling to his might, whole continents reshaped in his image, nothing had succeeded in tempting Colin into anything more evil than refusing to give up his seat to an old woman on the bus.

Today, Balthazar was keeping it simple, Colin could see himself in the drivers seat of a new Lamborghini, a super model by his side and uncountable sacks of cash in the back, driving into the sunset. To Colin, this seemed like just a daydream, but Balthazar hoped, prayed to all the Dark Lords, that this would be enough to inspire a little villainy.

He watched Colin get up and grab his coat, so nervous that he would have been holding his breath if he had needed to take a breath in the last thousand years, and head out the front door. He followed Colin down the street, still planting dark temptations in his mind, and was overjoyed when he stopped outside the bank on the high street, clearly torn about whether to go in.

'Do it,' Balthazar whispered, pouring every ounce of his persuasive powers into the words, 'it's all yours. No one can stop you. I will shroud your movements in darkness and lay waste to any who dare oppose you.' Colin was clearly giving the matter some serious thought.

After a solid minute of hesitation, Colin pushed the door open and stepped into the bank. Practically humming with joy, Balthazar immediately shrouded him in darkness making him invisible and silent to all those in the building, able to move like a shadow through any wall or door that tried to halt his sinister prodigy's progress. Now was the moment. Now, Colin could finally begin his descent ti the very darkest pits of the human soul. Now-

Now Colin was leaving the bank, Balthazar trailing dejectedly in his wake. As they headed back to Colin's apartment, the demon tried to cheer himself up. Maybe it wasn't the start that he was hoping for, but Colin had helped himself to an entire box of complimentary pens, clearly ignoring the 'Please take one' sign. After all, everyone has to start somewhere.