Samael stops. Looks at me.
“There’s nothing you can do about any of that at the moment. You really need to concentrate on your current situation.”
“The one where I’m dead.”
“Yes.”
“Well, fuck me.”
We walk out onto the Tenebrae’s endless cracked plains. On one side are the ruins of the ghostly L.A. where I woke up. On the other side are the mountains. Decision time. I have to choose to be nowhere or somewhere.
“Any wisdom you care to throw my way would be much appreciated.”
“Just be yourself. It’s what you do best.”
“That’s it? You sound like a high school guidance counselor.”
Samael sighs.
“Death has never stopped you before. Why should it stop you now?”
The door to Hell opens in the side of the mountain.
Nowhere or somewhere?
My Malediction went out on the long walk over. I take out the pack to get another one.
It’s empty.
I ball up the pack and toss it away. Samael watches it roll to the horizon on the light breeze.
“Littering. What a classy way to start eternity.”
I look at the mountains.
“I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
“You’re going in, then?”
I shrug.
“Can’t spend eternity without smokes.”
“I’ll walk you over.”
It always takes a while to reach the mountains.
I look at Samael in his suit.
“Just the two of us walking along like this, it would be a perfect time to make a Casablanca joke.”
“Please don’t.”
“‘Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’”
“I take back what I said. Don’t be yourself. You’ll make everybody else in Hell miserable.”
“That’s the idea. And when they’re good and sick of me, they’ll kick me out and I’ll go home.”