Ever so slowly the brightness began to give. Blurred shadows began to emerge, which in time (though he knew instinctively time was meaningless here) became tall hulking buildings.

Glass exhaled sharply into the empty surroundings. Opening the barrier had been simple, crossing the barrier had proven considerably more difficult than he’d expected. Still, in the end he’d succeeded in doing what very few before him had.

A vile, loathsome grin spread easily across his face.

Glass: “Perfection.”

His surroundings continued to take shape as he stood pondering his next move. His original intent had been merely to see if it was even possible for a mortal to move into the Underworld, but now that he was here he didn’t see much sense in wasting the opportunity. After a few more minutes, he’d adjusted to his new surroundings enough to take a good look around.

It wasn’t anything like any of the mythologies he’d studied, and in fact it didn’t seem any different than any of the rougher areas of Deception Pass on any given Friday afternoon. Other than the seeming complete lack of people, of course. The streets were empty under a steel-colored sky, and deathly quiet. He found that if he concentrated he could just make out the sounds of a far-off city.

Xero: “Well if it isn’t Glass Akira! I haven’t seen you in ages!”

Glass whirled around quickly, startled by the all too familiar voice calling to him from a shadowed doorway.

Glass: “Xero? Is that you?”
Xero: “In the flesh. I can’t believe how long it’s been!”
Glass: “It’s been, what, nearly a year?”
Xero: “Longer than that. Why don’t you come in and have a drink? I’ve got beer in the fridge, or some Orange Crush if you’d rather have that.”

Glass looked around warily but didn’t see another soul on the entire block. While he wanted desperately to explore further, he also knew it would be foolish to pass up the chance to have a look at how the dead ‘live.’

Glass: “Sure, I’ll have a beer. Thanks.”
Xero: “Come on in. Good thing I’m off today or I’d have missed you completely.”
Glass: “Funny how that works out sometimes, isn’t it?”
Xero: “One of life’s mysteries!”

Xero: “So when did you get here?”
Glass: “Not that long ago.”
Xero: “Not what you were expecting, is it.”

It was more of a statement than a question.

Glass: “No, even though I was careful not to expect anything at all.”
Xero: “I was expecting fire and brimstone to be completely honest. It took me a while to work out what had happened, myself. I wandered around for probably a good four or five days before it hit me. I still can’t believe that bastard shot me! Sorry to leave you guys hanging like that. By the way, I hope you don’t mind Pike Pale Ale.”
Glass: “Sounds good to me.”

Xero: “So yeah, there I was looking like an ass thinking I was still alive. I mean honestly, can you blame me? This place looks just like Deception Pass. Finally it just sort of hit me one day, probably like it did you just now.”
Glass: “It’s disorienting, sure.”
Xero: “Lots of people never get it; they just go about their business like nothing happened. I guess it’s like The Matrix in that way.”
Glass: “And what, are you Neo?”

Xero laughed noisily.

Xero: “A bit, but I don’t have anything to do with helping people ‘see the light’ as it were.”
Glass: “You work for The Underworld?”
Xero: “Yep. Accounting, in fact; I have my own department. I can put a word in for you if you want.”
Glass: “Thanks, but numbers aren’t my thing.”
Xero: “I’m sure they’d have a lot of use for someone with your abilities.”
Glass: “Still, I think I’ll just bum around for a few hundred years if it’s all the same.”
Xero: “Sure, sure.”

Glass: “So what happens if you never get it, and you reach what you think is the end of your life-span?”
Xero: “They start over. You’d be surprised how many people end up that way, living out their afterlives just like their normal lives over and over again.”
Glass: “That’s sort of unsettling.”

Xero: “I guess. I don’t think about it too often anymore. So did he get you?”
Glass: “Pardon?”
Xero: “Stone! I’d heard rumors before I took the job, of course, but who the hell believes something like that?”
Glass: “No, it wasn’t Stone.”

Glass took a long drink of his beer as Xero narrowed his eyes and seemed to study him from across the small table.

Xero: “How did you get here?”
Glass: “I don’t think I’m ready to talk about that just yet.”
Xero: “I think that maybe you should start to open up a bit before you get yourself in trouble, if you know what I mean.”

Glass: “I didn’t ‘open up’ to you when you were alive, why would I start now?”
Xero: “You’re new here. Don’t fool yourself into thinking anything’s the same on this side.”
Glass: “I would be surprised to find otherwise. For now, I think I should be going. I appreciate the beer—“

Xero: “They’ll find you, you know. It took me a while to work it out, but there are a lot of people who’ll spot you instantly. In fact, I bet they already know you’re here.”
Glass: “I’ve taken plenty of precautions.”
Xero: “Didn’t stop me.”
Glass: “So what do you want?”

Xero: “Take me back with you.”
Glass: “That’s absurd!”
Xero: “Why? Some stupid ancient mumbo-jumbo about a balance of souls? I’ve seen their numbers and they do not always add up. What do you think ghosts are all about?”
Glass: “Doesn’t matter. I flat-out refuse.”

Xero: “Don’t tell me you’re scared.”
Glass: “I’m not scared, I’m just not stupid. Sorry, Xero. I won’t take you with me.”
Xero: “Can’t help but feel that’s a crock of shit, but whatever. If you want to be an ass, that’s your prerogative. Just watch yourself, Akira.”

Glass stood up and turned toward the door, intent on crossing back over as soon as he possibly could, even if it meant ripping open a portal right there in the kitchen. What Xero had said about others being able to sense him was probably all too true, especially given how quickly his story had unraveled. He glanced hastily back at Xero, and something in the dead man’s eyes set off an inner alarm.