Run Devil Run

It was just past midnight when Jake found himself wandering the damp streets of New Orleans. The French Quarter had a different kind of charm in the dark—something old and dangerous. Gas lamps flickered, casting long shadows across the cobblestones, and the humid air carried the scent of jasmine, sweat, and something faintly rotten.

Jake’s life had been a wreck for months. Nothing was going right—lost job, girlfriend gone, strange bouts of bad luck at every turn. Desperation clung to him like the humid air. He didn’t believe in magic, but tonight, after one too many drinks and stories from a local bartender about "protection charms," he thought, Why not?

The shop appeared almost as if it had been waiting for him. Tucked between two crumbling buildings, its crooked wooden sign creaked above the door: Madame Leveaux’s Curiosities and Remedies. A single candle burned in the front window, illuminating rows of dried herbs and dusty bottles. Jake hesitated, his hand resting on the worn brass handle.

Then he stepped inside.

The shop smelled of patchouli and old paper. Shelves lined the walls, crammed with jars of strange powders, bundles of dried roots,old books, and faded tarot decks. At the counter stood an ancient woman with eyes like black glass. Her thin lips curled into a faint smile.

"Are you lost?" Her voice was a soft rasp, like dry leaves scraping across pavement.

"I, uh… I’m looking for something. A charm. Something to... keep bad things away."

She tilted her head, considering him carefully. "You got trouble clingin’ to you, I see it plain. Bad luck’s heavy on you, no doubt. But maybe there’s a remedy." She reached beneath the counter and produced a small glass bottle filled with thick, dark liquid.

The label was a bit faded and cracked, but Jake could make out the words: Run Devil Run.

"Put a few drops on your doorstep at dusk," she said, her tone serious now. "It’ll keep the evil out. Keep you safe. But only at dusk—no earlier, no later. Understand?"

Jake nodded. "How much?"

The woman’s eyes glittered. "For you, just twenty dollars. A small price for peace of mind."

He handed her the cash, tucked the bottle into his jacket, and walked out into the night, a strange sense of relief washing over him.

Back at his small rented house, Jake had a tall glass of bourbon, then uncorked the bottle of Run Devil Run and sniffed the liquid inside. It smelled like burnt sugar and old wood. He waited until dark—and a short time after the sun disappeared—and dripped a good amount of the potion across his doorstep, the dark liquid soaking into the cracks.

For a while, nothing happened. Then a chill passed through the room, subtle but distinct, like the first hint of a coming storm. The air felt heavier, the shadows longer. The walls seemed to creak with anticipation.

He laughed nervously, shaking his head. "What am I doing? This is ridiculous."

But as night continued to fall something changed.

The temperature plummeted. The lights flickered once, twice, then died altogether. The hum of the city outside seemed to fade, leaving only silence—thick and oppressive. Then came the laughter.

It started as a faint chuckle, barely audible, rising from the dark corners of the room. It slowly grew louder, deeper, until it filled the apartment with a sinister echo. Jake stumbled back, his breath caught in his throat.

A voice, low and mocking, whispered from the shadows. "You opened the door, Jake. You invited me in."

"No," he gasped, backing against the wall. "I didn’t, it was supposed to protect me!"

The darkness coiled around him like smoke, cold and suffocating. Shadows twisted and faintly took shape—eyes glowing red, teeth sharp and vaguely glinting in the dim light.

"You didn’t read the fine print," the voice purred. "Protection comes at a price. You didn’t keep evil out—you gave it a key."

Jake bolted for the door, but it wouldn’t budge. The laughter grew louder, echoing in his skull, drowning out his panicked thoughts.

He tried to scream, but the darkness poured into his mouth, choking him, filling his lungs with cold fire. He collapsed to the floor, his vision blurring, the world spinning around him.

The last thing he saw before everything went black was the bottle of Run Devil Run on the floor, its label peeling to reveal a hidden text beneath the promise:

The door opens…and it will never close again.

With the rent overdue, Jake’s landlord pushed open the front door after receiving complaints from neighbors about a bad smell. He covered his nose with a handkerchief as he stepped inside. The air was thick, almost suffocating, and the room was strangely freezing despite the heat outside.

Then he saw Jake. His body lay crumpled near the front door, his face contorted in terror. His eyes were wide open, staring at something only he could see. The landlord stumbled back out of the apartment, dialing 911 with shaking hands.

A few weeks later, Jake’s younger brother James now also stood at the counter of Madame Leveaux’s Curiosities and Remedies, his eyes sunken and weary.

"I really need a good luck charm or something," he said, his voice cracking. "Something to protect me… so I don’t end up like my brother."

Madame Leveaux smiled faintly, her eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Oh I see, I’ve got just the thing." She reached beneath the counter and placed a small glass bottle in front of him.

Run Devil Run.

"Be sure to follow the instructions," she said softly, her gaze steady. James nodded, clutching the bottle tight. Outside, the wind picked up, carrying with it a faint whisper of laughter.

-Mark Gammill

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Run Devil Run

 

(Verse 1)

In the heart of New Orleans under a crescent moon,

a man seeks some kind of charm to end his gloom.

with money in hand to a voodoo shop he's led,

there he saw a bottle "Keep evil at bay" it said.

 

(Verse 2)

A few drops put on his doorstep should do fine,

a barrier against all evil, like a protective sign.

but as dusk falls and the stars start to spin,

the strange potion activates and the devil grins.

 

(Chorus)

Run devil run, you must heed this lore,

the potion’s the key that opens the door.

run devil run, maybe you're inviting it in,

the door only opens and can’t be closed again.

 

(Verse 3)

The old walls start to shiver, the air turns cold,

a sinister laughter and the darkness takes hold.

the man now realizes, the charm's twisted jest,

he's opened his door to an unwelcome guest.

 

(Bridge)

It's become obvious, no more creeping doubt,

the potion's promise he's definitely without.

a bottle of malice dressed up as a friend,

inviting the very devil himself to come in.

 

(SOLO)

 

(Verse 4)

Remember this tale about a man undone,

beware the potion called "Run devil run"

for the charm that promises to keep evil away,

might just invite it in forever to stay.

 

(Chorus 2)

Run devil run, like playing with a loaded gun,

he wanted protection but a curse has begun.

run devil run, too late the deed is now done,

the potion was a lie and evil has won.

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- Mark Gammill