The Devil's Shadow | The Empty World Sequence

Twenty-Three

Los Angeles, Halloween 2085 AD.

Daniel had been running quite a while, not really seeing anything, just running. He didn't know why he ran. Daniel just ran. And then Daniel thought he heard someone call his name and he slowed down. It was raining he realized, and he was wet.

He looked up. Someone was standing at the corner just ahead, suddenly reduced to a silhouette against the rain and streetlight, he wore a bulky jacket, boots, he was smoking. Daniel kept walking.

"Hey mahn," said the man on the corner.

Daniel jerked his head back. "I'm tripping," he said softly.

And Joey smiled at him.

He didn't speak, but crossed the street, looking back over a shoulder to Daniel, only when he was halfway across. Daniel jogged after him. "Joey?" He whispered. Joey was dead. Daniel knew Joey was dead, he'd seen him much thinner and sicker than this, seen him lain out in the coffin...but this looked just like him. An Angel, Daniel told himself. It had happened just like this in the story, the Angel appears as someone you know, even talks like him, and when things are OK, he just disappears.

Daniel liked to think that Joey might actually be in Heaven.

They walked several blocks, and after two Daniel could do nothing but think: why was it Joey who died? He thought he remembered several nights when he'd climbed into bed with Joey, John already there with him. Daniel had liked sleeping between the two of them; he'd always been so warm. Someone had always had money for food.

He saw Joey standing several yards ahead, waiting.

Daniel batted rain from his eyes. When Daniel looked up, Joey was gone, but Daniel realized he was standing in front of a familiar house.

Daniel rang at the door, then tried the knob found it unlocked. He pushed the door open and went inside. He remembered this tiny hall, the cramped stairs, and not much roomier elevator. He tried his luck with the stairs; walked two flights up to another tiny hall. The door was open.

There was music playing, not too loudly. Daniel didn't recognize the young man who sat on the low couch, though somehow Daniel felt he should. The boy looked up at him, blue hair, black eyes, friendly smile. "You've got to be Daniel," he said. The boy was wearing big black boots fastened with buckles a gauzy skirt and a large black shirt open at the chest.

"Usually," said Daniel. And then he walked inside and saw Opium standing holding a potted plant.

"Hi, Daniel," she said.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked. He noticed there were a lot of boxes lying about, lots of gauzy black clothing thrown in piles over furniture.

"We're moving," said Opium. She looked to the boy on the couch, "I could use some hands here. It's not like I know where to put Hyacinth anyway."

The boy blew midnight blue hair out of his eyes and looked down at his hand. Daniel saw something small and green moving against its back. "I'm taking a break. Hyacinth goes with Narcissus and the rest of my plants."

"Oh, Daniel, I'm sorry, you can come in and sit down, we're not moving for a few days anyway," Opium said. She set the large purple flower down near the window with some other plants. "Would you like some tea?"

Daniel was lost, wondering who he might actually be.

"Daniel," she called again.

"Thanks, yes please," said Daniel. He walked in, smiled at the blue-haired boy as he took a seat near the couch, on the mattress he had slept on a few days ago. He realized that it was a lizard crawling on the boy's hand.