Flickering Souls

Chapter Eighteen: Kurt and The Author

The Author sat quietly in his Bayville office. He was staring out the window absently.

Not doing much of anything.

Just … chilling out.

Not doing … anything at all.

Someone wretched in the bathroom and That Author made a sympathetic yet disgusted face.

The sound came again, this time accompanied by the sound of a semi-solid flow and the flush of a toilet.

"There's mouthwash in the cabinet." The Author called in to the room.

Someone groaned appreciatively.

A few moments later Kurt came stumbling out of the bathroom, holding his stomach.

"I can't believe what I did this week." He began.

He spoke the words slowly and with great care. " I killed a man. "

He met The Authors eyes. "It seemed so … logical." He shook his head.

The Author looked upon him with a sympathetic stare. "You see where you went wrong, don't you?"

"I think so. I vas justifying things. Making excuses to do what I wanted"

"In order to punish the people you thought were guilty." The Author added.

"Ja." Kurt put a hand to his stomach and it made a noise.

"Instead of what you normally do – protecting people from exactly that kind of punishment."

"That is a part of vat we do …" He sounded astonished. "I never saw it that way." He shook his head.

"And you notice how, when you were evil – no opportunities to be good arose? It was all about being bad, wasn't it?"

"It vas." He said thoughtfully. "It vas a dark … path …It only led to … dark places."

Kurt seemed lost in thought and The Author imagined him back on the forked path behind the mansion.

"Now, let me ask you." The Author made a face, as though he didn't want to bring it up. "Do you think you'll be able to face Scott in the morning? Or Jean?"

Kurt searched The Author's eyes. "Mein Gott!" he exclaimed before slowly breathing the name "Jean."

He looked exasperated.

"How can I go back there?" He looked imploringly across the desk. "After what I did with Jean." He was shaking his head in disbelief. "How could I be so selfish and … callous?" He shuddered. "I can't go back. I just can't."

"You did it because you thought no one would ever know. And they wont know once you get back. Cant you just pretend it didn't happen?" The Author asked cautiously.

"I'll know!" Kurt exclaimed in anger. "And it'll be like dat forever. Wont it?" He swallowed. "I violated their trust. Both of them. I …"

"But you do see how – when facing a situation like this – someone like your mother might just ignore it away, right? How darkness, be it real or of the soul, provides concealment, but not cover? And how it traps you on that path when you know your actions can't stand the scrutiny of the light?"

"Ja." He cast his eyes to the floor. "You may be invisible, but you're totally exposed."

Kurt nodded slowly with a distant look in his eyes. "It's like you're living a hopeless life." He sighed.

"Then I don't think you need to worry about this anymore." The Author smiled and pushed a button on his phone. "Send her in." He told his assistant.

The door behind Kurt opened, and Jean came in, casting a series of suggestive glances at Kurt.

"Kurt," The Author began. "I know you are familiar with her, but please allow me to introduce Ms. Madeline Pryor."

Kurt looked like a marionette that had been jerked up by the head. "Vat?" He said, suddenly hopeful.

"I'm a look-alike." Her eyes twinkled as she spoke. "He recruited me from a few dimensions over."

"So I didn't …" Kurt looked between the two of them.

"You didn't betray anyone." The Author told him. "Least of all yourself."

Kurt sighed in relief.

"Too bad for this 'Jean' of yours." Madeline smiled. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything."

Kurt flushed and looked embarrassed.

Maddie took a deep breath in through her teeth as she stretched. "But, I tell you, you might have ruined me." She smiled coyly. "That tail is sexy." She hissed.

Kurt swallowed sheepishly and shot her a knowing glance as his tail tossed itself idly behind him.

"Like when you wrapped it around my waist and held the spade in the small of my back?" She seemed content to recall every detail.

""Okay." The Author stopped her. "We've all had our fun with embarrassing Kurt." He told her. "Ready to go home?" He asked her.

"Sure." She smiled. "But ahhh…"

The Author raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Can you put me near my world's Kurt?" She smiled slyly. "Men with prehensile tails are a little hard to come by." She told him flatly. "And I guess I'm still in the mood." She smiled broadly at Kurt.

"Sure." That Author smiled and clapped his hands once. She disappeared in to a cloud of red dust.

Kurt looked crestfallen.

"Oh, come on Kurt – She was evil." He paused for a moment. "Evil. Totally, man."

He still looked wistful and depressed.

"Want to hear something funny?" The Author asked.

Kurt drew his head up attentively.

"Her world's Kurt?"

"Ja?"

"Gay." The Author nodded several times.

A smile played about the corners of Kurt's mouth for a moment before breaking in to a rather serene smile.

"Thanks. Vheather it's true or not."

"Oh, it's true. He's flaming."

They exchanged amused smiles.

"He even plays Frank at the Rocky Horror Picture Show." The Author said quickly.

"Vat?"

"Nothing." The Author smiled.

"So vhere was my worlds Jean?"" Kurt asked cautiously.

"Hawaii. With her parents." The Author supplied. "Christmas Vacation."

The Author checked his watch. "Your time is almost up." He told Kurt. "Your sister's due here anytime."

Kurt smiled brightly. "No vone here ever really calls her that."

"It's how everyone in my world thinks of you two." The Author told him. "We all think it was very cool the way you took to the role."

Kurt smiled wide. "You know …" He said slowly. "I never thought …"

Kurt took a deep breath and almost looked like he might cry. "Just … thank you." He said softly. "That's a cool thing to know."

The Author leaned attentively on his desk. "Do you know where you would like to go?"

"Ja." Kurt smiled slowly. "It's Christmas Eve, right?"

The Author nodded with a knowing smile. (See Chapter One)

"Then drop me downtown. Near First Street." Kurt straitened himself in anticipation.

The Author raised his hands. "Kurt." He said. "Merry Christmas."

He clapped his hands once, and Kurt bamphed away, in a cloud of smoke and brimstone, leaving only his voice echoing around the room as he said "Ja, and you too!"