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Put some Windex on it.

I didn't do much editing this time around so be aware of the increase in errors. I'm going off on a bit of a digression-- or tangent if you like that better-- in this section in all honesty, but it's kinda pointed in it's own way, it also gives me a bit of time to think about the future of this story. It's probably going to end prematurely but that's not how I'd like it to go, well I'm rambling so I'd better stop.

Door 11: Road to Ruin

“What is that stench?†Callum retched and covered his face in his shirt leaving his only his squinted eyes visible through the heavy mist. Church wrinkled his nose and wore a distasteful expression of knowing something but not wanting to talk about it for it turned the stomach.

“It’s None.†Daniels replied somberly. He’d long ago pulled his bandanna about his face and pulled down his hat to protect his eyes from the occasional dusty breeze. “It’s called None, because that’s it’s working population, no one goes there who isn’t about to die. What you’re smelling is the towns only landmark.†He paused as the mist became thin enough and the distance small enough to see the dark column for what it truly was.

It was many hundreds of feet wide and it burned louder than the screams that issued from it, drowning them out before they could reach any onlooker. Not more than a thousand feet before the three stood a monolithic pyre on which the population of a small city could‘ve easily burned and still had room for more. The stone column was the column of black and grey smoke that issued from the fire that never seemed to falter. It was a grave marker for those that the place killed, a burning symbol of the enigma that was Escher’s core. “See it? The Gate of Hell it‘s called.†Callum got sick all over the ground in front of him, the stench overpowering by now, and the sight even more grisly. But with horrified fascination he returned his eyes to the bizarre wonder as he stood hunched over, so small in comparison.

“I thought you said this place was a town Daniels.†Church said sharply.

“None is on the other side of here, it’s always upwind of the fire.†Daniels said hoarsely the heat drying his throat and the pyre searing his eyes.

“Let’s go then.†Church replied softly. With that final word they fell silent and followed the brown coated figure as it trudged on with a defeated look across it’s shoulders. Callum trailed behind and thought to himself about the world he’d just entered. Even the world of war hadn’t brought on this much death and misery, this place was really Hell.

What could only have been called that night by their own reckoning the three journeying men sat in a rundown old restaurant at the front of an inn in similar condition eating in silence. There were no other people there besides the bartender and the cook. They kept to themselves and held forlorn looks on their faces. Church kept his eyes ever shifting from person to person never stopping for longer than enough to discount a threat. Daniels sagged in his chair as if he was wearied from age and pain. Callum simply let his eyes find the greatest interest one could find in a mound of some unidentifiable manner of food. His thoughts had become disjointed and his vision phased out of focus against his will, soon he stood up and relocated himself to a surprisingly comfortable bed in one of the inn’s three rooms. There he simply lay awake as he was wont to and allowed sleep to come and go as it pleased.

-

The next day Callum rose to the sounds of his two companions bickering, it was a welcome change from the day before, anything was a welcome change from that though. He dragged himself sleepily after the voices out into the restaurant where he saw the two shoving each other and making a scene, well they would be anywhere else, it was almost entirely ignored by the three would be spectators.

“We’re going north right? Then why in fuck’s name do we have to go all the way to nowhere land?†Church raged as he gripped Daniels collar and looked up at him through angrily squinted eyes, his breath harsh though his grit teeth.

“I have my reasons. It may be a bit out of our way--†Daniels said brushing away the smaller mans hands and attempting to turn away.

“It’s fifty fucking miles Daniels. On foot.†Church countered replacing his hand on the larger man’s shoulder and turning his face to his own.

“I’ll go myself if you two don’t want to follow.†Daniels insisted defiantly without moving an inch.

“Don’t fuck with me. I’m serious, we’re here because of a common interest not your own pleasure trip. I’m sure Callum would agree and I don’t see why you’re acting too damned blind to see it yourself. There is no room for sentimentality here, you showed us yesterday.†Church glared intensely at his blonde counterpart.

“I’m not going to see a dead man or anything. It’s something else.†Daniels shrugged the hand away and glared back with equal determination.

“Then tell me. We’re supposed to be comrades, right?†Church spat through clenched teeth.

“A man is afforded his secrets.†Daniels said dismissively.

“Don’t give me that shit. If you’ve got to do something that involves me I’ve got the right to know what it is.†The effeminate man took on an almost demonic expression as his voice began to rise.

“That’s just it Church, it doesn’t concern your ass, so leave it.†The brown coated man remained phlegmatic and ignored the threatening presence before him.

“Hey guys. Nice morning chat I see.†Callum interjected before Church had time to slug the taller man. “So, where are we going?â€

“I’m going to the ruins of Nowhere. I’ve got business to attend to. I’m not going to make you join me, I’ll be back by the equivalent of nightfall tomorrow, roughly thirty six hours is all I need.†Daniels replied with a slightly perked up tone.

“I’d rather come with you and see what you’re so interested in.†Callum answered almost immediately. His curiosity was only half to blame for the impulsive decision. He was definitely not going to convince the man not to go through with his plan so it was most clear that he’d just have to go along with it so as not to create a schism of dislike with the one guy he was on moderately workable terms with.

“You can come if you want.†Daniels said with a kind of aloof disconnectedness hanging in his voice. Church scowled worse than ever and nearly growled as he spoke.

“Callum, you can’t be serious about this, every minute we stay in this world is another that we could be killed in, I don’t know about you but this is not my ideal situation.â€

“Okay, you hold down the fort, we’ll be back.†Callum said with an absurdly bright air about him.
“Stupid fuckers.†This time he really did snarl.

-

The two set off without another word. Daniels led the way over the barren misty wastes as they gradually gave way to gusting deserts. The day that began in a pearly white haze had given way to a brighter, more punishing climate. From the sun that could be seen through the clouds of sand it must’ve been from midday well into the afternoon that they walked the desert. All the while the itinerants remained perfectly tacit as they traversed to wide open lands. Eventually however, Callum broke the mutual silence with an inquiry.

“So Daniels, I know this isn’t my problem but I’d like a little insight if I’m going to follow you on this.†He spoke softly only just loud enough to be heard over the winds. When Daniels looked back to the following traveler and made a confused face Callum repeated himself, louder this time, getting used to using his voice again.

“Last time I was here I lost one fight, the guy spared my life under the condition I’d come back and challenge him when I next happened to be here. It’s simple as that. Church would say I’m being dumb and naïve but I have some pride unlike him.†He explained unexpectedly tersely before continuing on ahead.

“So that’s why you didn’t tell him.†Callum thought aloud.

“Not really, it’s just that if he wasn’t going to involve himself with it he really had no reason to know.†Daniels said without dropping his pace; Callum jogged up beside him and spoke again.

“Could you tell me something else, you knew about Church before we fought, what did he do to get so notorious?†They did not stop this time but rather kept perfect pace with each other as they conversed.

“He told you his names right?†Callum nodded slowly. “The Life Thief, doesn’t mean he takes lives like a killer, he’s literally a guy who can steal everything from a person. Identity, money, love, possessions, it’s all his for the taking. He’s never once been caught nor has he ever met a mark he’d been unable to hit.â€

“So he lied when he told me he was a killer.†Callum sighed instantly regretting it when sand entered his throat forcing him to cough for several seconds.

“Not really, he just does it to remove obstacles, nothing more. He’s not a guy that gets anything out of it if it’s not for his own gain, or another’s loss, he likes to see people bedraggled and weak rather than dead. Probably has an ego the size of the Central Enigma. He’s ruined or by his own terms “stolen†the lives of several really powerful people, it’s gotten him a big name around Escher. That‘s pretty much it for him.†Daniels explained.

“I see, seems like I hurt his pride a bit.†Callum replied, smirking ever so slightly.

“Yeah, you beat him and stole his lock, it’s pretty much that, that’s kept him around, he wants to get you back for that but he doesn’t know how yet.†Daniels looked up at the sand clouded sky and paused for a moment. “At least that’s how I see it.â€

“Seems I’ll have to find my way around it before he does.†Callum answered calmly.

“That’s just like you.†Daniels scoffed, he probably smirked too beneath that bandana of his.

“What do you mean?†Callum queried.

“I haven’t known you very long but I can see it very clearly, you’re always the one asking the questions, never the one giving the answers. Always the one working the tables but never the one playing them. I wonder why that is.†Callum fell silent and did not respond with anything but a cautious look in the fading sunlight. “Would you like to tell me anything about yourself?â€

“No.†The black haired boy replied firmly.

“I know as much about you as Church, he’s satisfied with that much, you‘re nothing but a mark to him, once he‘s got enough info to take you out he‘s straight, but me, I’m curious.†Daniels said clearly ignoring the boy’s response and cleared his throat pointedly. “You haven’t told anyone anything real since you got here, nothing about you that we couldn’t figure out on our own. You just fake it when you’re talking to anyone about anything. Are you really that guarded or is there something else with you?†He shifted his glance over the boy for a moment, just to get his expression in sight for a bit.

“If you really want to know I could make something up just as easily.†Callum replied almost instantly.

“I’d just like to here something.†Daniels said with an over exaggerated understanding tone.

“I’ve never been much of a socially inclined person, no one in my family was, except for my mom. She was really outgoing and talked to anyone and everyone. But when my mom was killed by my neighbor, a serial killer who did in several other women in the area, my dad and sister couldn’t deal, the police didn‘t find the guy until I had the evidence in hand and was half done bashing his head in. My family still was broken but I just let them go it alone and concerned myself with only myself after that.

"Partly because I feel like my dad disapproved of my actions and my sister was afraid of me after the two of them saw me dragged into the house covered in blood, kicking and screaming, and partly because they still couldn‘t get over the death of mom and talking to them would only hurt them more. People pitied me for a while, both for my supposed psychotic break and my mother’s death,hat was nothing more than an act, a simple courtesy to a stranger out of nothing but good will. Happy now?â€

“How much of that was true?†Daniels asked with a slightly disinterested tone in his voice.

“I don’t care.†Was his disgruntled sounding reply.

“Most of it I’m guessing, with some embellishment.†Daniels smirked.

“If you want, it’s not like knowing about someone changes who they are or what they‘ll do.†Callum scoffed defiantly.

“Whatever you say kid, whatever you say.†With they fell silent and walked the rest of the journey into the desert in silence until Daniels stopped and held a staying hand in the twilight, they had arrived.

Who says we can't do both?

Needs more sex.

I want carrot top back.

I like the fact that everyone ignores that this is an illegal act. Get your own book if you wanna read it so damned badly.

Are you tired of sex?

Why bother?

Do you look like Buddy Holly?

Do I look like Mary Tyler Moore?

Is it in the photograph?

Have you got your hash pipe?

This dope nose?

Are you across the sea?

Is your name Jonas?

Say what ain't so?

Has the world turned and left you here?

What's the good life?

Is there no other one?

El Scorcho?

I use normal mechanical pencils and printer paper to draw these to answer the question.

On the back of the page there is another sketch set and yeah, you know what it is. I should actually edit out the bled through pictures but I'm not.

I was just kidding.

What is the probability of incest?

@DemonDays: Sword girl actually it's not cool and thus why I never posted it.

Seems that there's been a fair reception of the picture so I'll add another sketch I drew around the same time, because it'd be a waste of time to create a separate thread. Remember to always take note that I can't draw, never could never will.

In the world according to you, what is my real name?

Flat or bubbly?

I jest. I merely jest.

I don't suppose you would consider changing it to Man-Whore, would you?

Pi is a lie, it's an imaginary number without a pattern or end.