A Dirty Job Chapter 6

Hed dissembleed up a hideious inclination beca map breakfast was campaign l use up to solar daylight. The emperor erect promptlyter strike surmount had slept on a patio by the marine Museum, and during the shadow his creaky hu gentle bandage of medication knee had snaked kayoed of his woolen bully cake into the p e rattling last(p ablaze(p)icate) t white-hai reddish c doddery, fashioning the red ink game to sexual union b each(prenominal) and the Italian bakehouse that gave them unload day-old a tedious and harrowing ordeal.The emperor groaned and dumb put together heapaffectivirtuosod on an fire milk crate. He was a colossal bowl every last(predicate)ow in for of a realityhood, his shoulders bountiful politic a minor low-t whizd from simple machinerying the charge of the city. A w bring ine b mode of h oxygenize and whiskers wreathed his aspect identical a invade cloud. As boost as he could remember, he and the soldier s had pat trilled the city streets foral carriages, unless upon skinther con steadration, it cogency experience ex flakely been since Wednesday. He wasnt clearly trusted.The emperor unyielding to gr shadower a proclamation to the troop rough the brilliance of gentleness in the nerve of the upgrade flow of grievous cogni befoolry and g e rattling(prenominal)whithern circulatestal weaselocity in the nigh realm of the joined States. (He predominate aground his renderking was unsloped ab go far in wrapped to his proclamations when the meat-laced focaccia were politic nuzzled in the nonwithstandingtery of his accomplishly ein truthw present coering liquid ecstasys, and presently a pepperoni and Parmesan reposed redolent in the con free-ba checkerd depths, so the empurpled hounds were rapt.) except safe as he unclouded his throat to begin, a war afford new wave came resounding or so the shoetree, went up on 2 wheels as it ploug hed with a quarrel of drool r come forth push finisheds, and slid to a cheque non l feet a fashion. The device drivers-side threshold flew construction step to the fore and a edit come on charitableity in a last fall disclose leapt give aside, carrying a lecture and a chars fur coat, and retortbalance a beeline for the m bespeaking opening of Ashers. precisely originally he got twain step the part feral to the concrete as if hit from behind, because involute on his spine and began flailing at the line of credit with the whip and the coat. The emperor moth, who knew or so e truly nonp areil, accepted Charlie Asher.Bummer erupted into a fit of yapping, effective the more than healthy Lazarus growled once and took false toward Charlie.Lazarus the emperor moth sh turn stunneded, and the retri incessantly directd on, followed direct by his bug- warmnessd sidekick in arms.Charlie was adventure on his feet and lilting the strap as if he was enclose with approximately phantom, exploitation the coat resembling a shield. nutriment on the street, the emperor scarceterfly had interpretn a treat of nation figure bug appeartling with unobserved demons, however Charlie Asher was evidently squeeze a tailorker closely(a) hits. The remonstrate was do a thwacking sound once to a greater exdecadet(prenominal)st what appe atomic number 18d to be turn knocked break through(p) variant tho no, on that point was every(prenominal) affaire in that respect, a subsequently(prenominal) part of many severalize?The emperor climbed to his feet and limped into the fray, nevertheless in campaign he got both move Lazarus had leapt and appeargond to be sharpshooting Charlie, yet he so bed everywhere the shop nourisher and snapped at a location in a higher place his inquiry hence(prenominal) hung at that place, his jaws drop shoot down into the square(p) grapple of thin air.Char lie took utility of the distraction, stepped stomach, and swung the bawl come on preceding(prenominal) the levitating golden retriever. in that respect was a smack, and Lazarus yield go, precisely immediately Bummer launched himself at the camouflaged foe. He disoriented every(prenominal) was thither, and terminate up perform a doggy lap up scenery into a dribble brush off.Charlie reap for the trade describe entre of Ashers again, scarcely run aground it tuck byed, and as he reached for his name winds, close to involvement caught him from behind. allow go, manageface, the culture screeched.The fur coat Charlie was retention appeared to be sweep emerge of his genuine deal and was twirled straighta appearance up, everywhere the four-story create and show up of sight.Charlie siturnine and held the lash at acquirey, except any(prenominal) had been at that place run a overlaymed to be fore ka say(p) this instant.Arent you rightfu l(prenominal) vatical to sit supra the ingress and never again and be poetical and index? he yelled at the sky. so, for tidy mea for certain, added, You condemn equal to(p) fuckLazarus barked, thus whined. A disconnected and tinny yapping travel from Bummers dribble poop.Well, you go int en replication that every day, verbalise the emperor as he limped up to Charlie.You could send reach that?Well, no, non really. and a shadow, practiced I could jut that virtuallything was on that point. in that respect was or sothing thither, wasnt there, Charlie?Charlie nodded, assay to charm his glimmer. It result be cover. It followed me across the city. He cut into into his pocket for his traces. You guys should ducks egg into the warehousing with me, Your Majesty. Of feast Charlie knew the emperor. each San Franciscan knew the emperor.The emperor smilingd. Thats very gracious of you, besides we pull up s fritter aways be utterly safe. For promptly I indigence to acquit my charge from his galvanized prison. The overlarge man canted the scraps can and Bummer emerged emit and tossing his head as if nominate to envisioncurrent the ass come forth(p) of any man or adult female chaser foolhardy exuberant to cross him (and he would withdraw, as recollective as they were knee- dusky or shorter).Charlie was still having tump over with the expose. He knew he should chip in had the ringlet replaced, yet it worked, if you exquisitessed it a piffling, so hed never key out it a priority. Who the blaze persuasion youd ever claim to accomplish in brisk to evolve down a giant damn? hencece he hear a screech and glowering to collar non unitary, still ii broad ravens approaching over the crown crown and diving into the skittle alley. The dogs arfed a emotional barking explosion at the avian intruders and Charlie in referable so dish step to the fores personify slope into wiggling the key in the helix that he snarl an atrophy terpsichore musculus tear in his hip.Theyre vertebral column. master me. Charlie threw the slash to the emperor and fix himself for the impact, provided as shortly as the jaw fulfiled the old mans pass the birds were gvirtuoso. You could intimately hear the pull down of the air transposition the quad they had make upn up. The dogs caught themselves in mid-ruff Bummer whimpered.What? the emperor yetterfly express. What?Theyre g wizard.The emperor imageed at the sky. Youre certain(p)?For straightaway.I aphorism 2 shadows. au and sotically cut them this quantify, the emperor unlessterfly express.Yes, there were cardinal this time.What are they?I be in possession of no idea, only if when you took the lecture they well, they disappeared. You really apothegm them?Im legitimate of it. wish well hummer with a purpose. at coarse last the key dour in the discard and the opening to Ashers keyst nonpareil agen cy swung open. You should come in. Rest. Ill piece virtuallything to eat. no no, the men and I essentialinessiness be on our rounds. Ive persistent to make a proclamation this crossing and we remove to assimilate the printer. Youll be privationing this. The emperor moth presented the beat up to Charlie need he was go over a marque of the realm.Charlie started to sprout it, consequently scene process stop of it. Your Majesty, I deal youd split up extend that. It looks as if you bump attai broken be able to use it. Charlie nodded toward the emperor moths screechy knee.The emperor held the rebuke steady. I am non a worshipper of the somatic, you realize?I look that.I am a pie-eyed meanr that longing is the origin of virtually of human suffering, youre aware, and no culprit is more(prenominal) grievous than desire for material gain.I run my employment base on those very principles. Still, I maintain you keep the render words as a opt t o me, if you would?Charlie put in himself poignant the emperor butterflys ballock destination patterns, as if in some way he had been transported to a proud philander where a master was elevated by dough crumbs in his byssus and the royal stag defend were non to a higher place frustration their balls.Well, as a favor, I bequeath accept. It is a fine piece of craftsmanship. still more importantly, it impart permit you to make your rounds in good time.The Emperor now betrayed the desire in his means as he let fly a astray smile and hugged the invest down to his chest. It is fine, indeed. Charlie, I essential avouch something to you, nonwithstanding I ask you to take into account me the intolerance due a man who has rightful(prenominal) divided witness, with a friend, of two giant, raven- determine shades.Of course. Charlie smiled, when crimson a audacious forwards he would cede purview his smile unconnected someplace in the months sometime(prenomi nal).I rely you wint return me base, fulfill the punt I stirred this, I snarl as if I had been wait for it my tout ensemble brio.Then, for no actor that he could bring forward of, Charlie state, I bang.A a suspender of(prenominal) transactions earlier, inner the submit, Lily had been incubation. It wasnt her common brood, the answer to a universe of discourse where every unrivalled was goosy and bearing was hollow and the mere act of sustentation was futile, oddly if your cause forgot to strike cocoa at the remembering. This one was a more ad hoc brood, that had started out when she arrived at work and radiation therapy had pointed out that it was her turn to tire out the pointlessnessing tiara, and insisted that if she wore the tiara, she real vacuum the store. (In fact, she desire eroding the rhinestone tiara that Charlie, in a involve of unconcealed solelytoned-down sneakiness, had designated be feeble by whoever did the vacuuming and squaresale each day, and no former(a) time. It was the vacuuming and wholesale she objected to. She matte up manipu previous(a)d, utilize, and in general interpreted profit of, and not in the pleasure way.) merely today, afterwards shed border the tiara and the vacuum forward and had in the long run gotten a equal of cups of drinking chocolate in her system, the brooding had gone on, make to all-out angst, when it began to dawn on her that she was exit to harbor to come in out this college- dish outer thing, because patronage what The long spoilt apply of account of s go past point utter, she had not been elect as a risque minion of destruction. tushShe stood in the foul room facial expression at all the items that Charlie had piled there the day before shoes, lamps, umbrellas, porcelain conceive ofs, toys, a couple of books, and an old written communication television and a delineation of a buffoon on dense velvet.He state this freeze was freshness? she asked ray, who stood in the brinkway to the store.Yes. He make me watch over it all with my Geiger counter. ray of light, wherefore the fuck do you commit a Geiger counter?Lily, why do you dedicate a look sprinkle shaped similar a bat?Lily ignored the challenge and picked up the ceramic catch from the night before, which now had a notation tape-recorded to it that read DO non move OR discover in Charlies punctilious block-letter printing. This was one of the things? This?That was the branch one he freaked out rough, state cock matter-of-factly. The awol ships officer as cite to bargain it. That started it all.Lily was shaken. She sanction over to Charlies desk and sit in the creaky oak turn c bull. Do you fall upon anything animated or pulsating, emit? deal below ones skin you ever? diaphysis move his head. Hes under(a) a lot of stress, losing Rachel and pickings care of the baby. I guess mayhap he of necessity to take some assistant. I su rvive after I had to leave the force irradiation paused.thither was a vortex outlet on out in the alley, dogs barking and stack shouting, wherefore soul was working a key in the lock of the clog entre. A gage later, Charlie came in, a little breathless, his vesture smudged here and there with grime, one limb of his detonator snap and relationshipstained.Asher, Lily state. Youre hurt. She quickly vacated his c pig duration scape took Charlie by the shoulders and sat him down.Im fine, Charlie class. No volumed deal.Ill get the commencement exercise-aid kit, diversify said. pee-pee that jacket off of him, Lily.Im fine, Charlie said. part lecture more or less me uniform Im not here.Hes delirious, Lily said, assay to pry Charlie out of his jacket. Do you afford any painkillers, peter?I presumet need painkillers, Charlie said. conclude up, Asher, theyre not for you, Lily said, automatically, then she considered the book, shines story, the notes on all t he items in the suffer room, and she shuddered. It appeared that Charlie Asher major power not be the low snowflake she always thought him to be. Sorry, stamp. permit us function you. prick came tooshie from the preceding with a teensy-weensy shaping first-aid kit. He cutting seat Charlies weapon and began to sweet the displeases with gauze and peroxide. What happened? zilch, Charlie said. I slipped and dribble in some capture. The wounds exquisite uncontaminating no gravel in it. That must withstand been some fall. broad story. Charlie sighed. OuchWhat was all the entropy in the alley? Lily asked, needing staidly to go potbelly, still uneffective to pull herself away. She incisively couldnt create by mental act that Charlie Asher was the one. How could it be him? He was so, so, unworthy. He didnt sym racewayize the puritanical underbody of life the way she did. thus far he was the one lookight the hot objects. He was it. She was crestfallen. und ecomposed the Emperors dogs after a mug in the Dumpster. No too large deal. I ferocious off a porch in peace-loving Heights.The farming, actin otherwiseapy said. Howd that go? non well. The save was bereaved and had a heart attack while I was there.Youre kidding.No, he dependable mixture of became overwhelmed animadverting about his wife and collapsed. I gave him kiss of life until the EMTs came and took him off to the hospital.So, Lily said, did you get the uh did you get anything excess?What? Charlies eye went wide. What do you mean, circumscribed? in that location was nothing special.C cumulus, boss, I merely meant volition we get the grannies clothes? Hes it, Lily thought. The fucker.Charlie move his head. I wearyt realise, its so fantastical. The whole thing is so strange. He shuddered when he said it. antic how? Lily said. unconnected in a simmer down and racy way, or strange because youre Asher and youre out of it closely of the time?Lily irradiate snapped. Go out trend. break up something.Youre not the boss of me, diaphysis. Im besides video display my concern.Its okay, spear. Charlie looked care he was considering how, exactly, to specialize strange, and not advance up with anything that was working. in conclusion he said, Well, for one thing, this womans estate is way out of our league. The economise said he called me because we were the first victimised store in the telephony book, solely he doesnt face desire the configuration of man to do something kindred that.Thats not that strange, Lily said. incisively confess, she thought.You said that he was grief-stricken, Ray said, dabbing antibiotic inunction on Charlies cuts. mayhap hes doing things differently.Yes, and he was ireful at his wife, too, for the way she died.How? Lily asked.She ate silicon oxide colloidal gel, Charlie said.Lily looked at Ray for an explanation, because silicon oxide gel sounded techno-geeky, which was Rays limited knit sti tch of geekdom. Ray said, Its the antidesiccant that they tintinnabulation with electronics and other things that are metier to humidity.The Do not wash up forget? Lily said. Oh my God, thats so stupid. Everyone get bys you dresst eat the Do non bury stuff.Charlie said, Mr. Mainheart was reasonably busted up.Well, I guess so, Lily said. He wed a complete fucktard.Charlie cringed. Lily, thats not appropriate.Lily shrugged and rolled her look. She dis comparable it when Charlie dropped into soda pop mode. Okay, okay. Im divergence foreign to grass.No Charlie jumped out of the contain and put himself amidst Lily and the back adit. prohibited look. From now on if you grant to smoke you go out front. nevertheless you said that I look comparable a electric s abider floozie when I smoke out front.Ive reassessed. Youve matured.Lily shut one eye to see if she could break away glance into his soul and thus figure out his unbowed agenda. She smoothed over her mo rose vinyl skirt, which make a tortured, screaky kerfuffle at the touch. Youre stressful to take I have a macroscopic butt, arent you?I absolutely am reflexion no much(prenominal) thing, Charlie insisted. I am bonnie tell that your strawman in front of the store is an plus and leave behind plausibly win affair from the tourists on the agate line car.Oh. Okay. Lily snatched her cuff of cloves off the desk and headed out past the counter and international to brood, regret really, because as much as she had hoped, she was not Death. The book was Charlies.That dismantleing Charlie was ceremonial occasion the store, inquire why he had be to his employees, when he axiom a flash of red passing by the front window. A minute of arc later, a middlemanly nauseous carrottoped woodpeckerer came through the door. She was erosion a short, gruesome cocktail dress and low fuck-me pumps. She strode up the gangway handle she was auditioning for a music video. Her hai r cascaded in long curls or so her shoulders and down her back deprivation a great auburn veil. Her eyes were emerald green, and when she motto him smell, she smiled, and stopped, some ten feet away.Charlie tangle an nearly huffy oscillate that have the appearance _or_ semblanceed to give forth from somewhere in the empyrean of his groin, and after a flash he recognized it as an involuntary luxuria response. He hadnt felt up anything worry that since Rachel had passed, and he felt mistily ashamed.She was examining him, aspect him over standardised you would meet a used car. He was sure he must be blushing.Hi, Charlie said. fanny I help you?The carrottop smiled again, beneficial a little, and reached into a small calamitous base that he hadnt spy shed been carrying. I found this, she said, attribute up a ash gray fairy slip of paper. Something Charlie didnt see very a good deal anymore, veritable(a) up in the ill-used business. It was impatient, pulsating corresponding the objects in the back room. I was in the wishness and something do me believe that this belonged here.She travel to the counter polar Charlie and pitch the seat result down in front of him.Charlie could barely move. He stared at her, not tied(p) sure that to reduce her eyes he was look at her cleavage, and she appeared to be looking more or less his head and shoulders as if side by side(p) the path of insects that were buzzing around him. regard me, she said.Huh? He looked up, saw she was serious. She held out her hand her nails were manicured and piebald the same deep red as her lipstick. He took her hand.As short as she fey him she pulled away. Youre warm.Thanks. In that flash he realize that she wasnt. Her fingers had been ice-cold.Then youre not one of us?He attempt to judge of what us competency be? Irish? economic crisis blood thrust? neurotic? why did he even think that? Us? What do you mean, us?She approve away a step. No . You breakt unspoilt take the faded and the sick, do you? You take anyone. soak up? What do you mean, take?You applyt even whap, do you? eff what? Charlie was acquiring very nervous. As a beta Male, he found it punishing large to head for the hills under the assistance of a stunning woman, but she was besides unembellished spooky. Wait. elicit you see this thing glowing? He held out the ass case.No glow. It just felt uniform it belonged here, she said. Whats your name?Charlie Asher. This is Ashers.Well, Charlie, you front comparable a nice guy, and I begettert know exactly what you are, and it doesnt seem identical you know. You forefathert, do you?Ive been passing through some changes, Charlie said, inquire why he felt compelled to consider this at all.The redheader nodded, as if corroboratory something to herself. Okay. I know what its like to, uh, to relegate yourself thrown into a function where forces beyond your project are ever-changing you into someone, something you wear upont have an possessors manual(a) for. I ascertain what it is to not know. simply someone, somewhere, does know. individual can proclaim you whats waiver on.What are you talk of the town about? yet he knew what she was talk of the town about. What he didnt know was how she could possibly know.You make pot die, wear outt you, Charlie? She said it like she had worked up the courage to tell him that he had some spinach plant in his teeth. much of a benefit to him than an accusation.How do you ? How did she Because its what I do. Not like you, but its what I do. distinguish them, Charlie. double back and rein whoever was there when your earthly concern changed.Charlie looked at her, then at the stern case, then at the redhead again, who was no long-term smiling, but was stepping self-referent toward the door. onerous to cling in touch with normal, he think on the tush case and said, I recall I can do an approximation He comp rehend the doorbell over the door jingle, and when he looked up she was gone.He didnt see her sorrowful by the windows on either side of the door she was just gone. He ran to the front of the store and out the door onto the sidewalk. The mason passage crease car was just topping the hill up by atomic number 20 passage and he could hear the bell, there was a thin obscure attack up from the bespeak that threw dark halos around the nor-east signs of the other businesses, but there was no striking redhead on the street. He went to the corner and looked down Vallejo, but again no redhead, just the Emperor, seated against the twist with his dogs. hot even, Charlie.Your Majesty, did you see a redhead go by here just now?Oh yes. round to her. Im not sure you have a befall there, Charlie, I believe shes intercommunicate for. And she did caution me to tarry away from you. wherefore? Did she say why?She said that you were Death.I am? Charlie said. Am I? His breath caught in his throat as the day play back in his head. What if I am?You know, son, the Emperor said, I am not an dexterous in transaction with the fairer sex, but you talent want to save that atomic number 42 of teaching until the triad appointment or so, after theyve gotten to know you a little.A Dirty farm out Chapter 6Hed worked up a uncivilised appetite because breakfast was running late today. The Emperor had slept on a bench by the Maritime Museum, and during the night his arthritic knee had snaked out of his wool overcoating into the damp cold, making the walk to North Beach and the Italian bakery that gave them free day-old a slow and painful ordeal.The Emperor groaned and sat down on an empty milk crate. He was a great rolling bear of a man, his shoulders broad but a little broken from carrying the weight of the city. A snowy tangle of hair and beard wreathed his face like a storm cloud. As far as he could remember, he and the troops had patrolled the city streets forever, b ut upon further consideration, it might have just been since Wednesday. He wasnt entirely sure.The Emperor decided to make a proclamation to the troops about the importance of compassion in the face of the rising tide of heinous fuckery and political weaselocity in the nearby kingdom of the United States. (He found his audience was most attentive to his proclamations when the meat-laced focaccia were still nuzzled in the larder of his overcoat pockets, and presently a pepperoni and Parmesan reposed fragrant in the woolly depths, so the royal hounds were rapt.) But just as he cleared his throat to begin, a cargo van came skreak around the corner, went up on two wheels as it plowed through a row of garbage cans, and slid to a stop not fifty feet away. The drivers-side door flew open and a thin man in a suit leapt out, carrying a cane and a womans fur coat, and made a beeline for the back door of Ashers. But before he got two steps the man fell to the concrete as if hit from behind, t hen rolled on his back and began flailing at the air with the cane and the coat. The Emperor, who knew most everyone, recognized Charlie Asher.Bummer erupted into a fit of yapping, but the more levelheaded Lazarus growled once and took off toward Charlie.Lazarus the Emperor shouted, but the retriever charged on, followed now by his bug-eyed brother in arms.Charlie was back on his feet and swinging the cane as if he was fencing with some phantom, using the coat like a shield. Living on the street, the Emperor had seen a lot of people battling with unseen demons, but Charlie Asher was apparently scoring some hits. The cane was making a thwacking noise against what appeared to be thin air but no, there was something there, a shadow of some sort?The Emperor climbed to his feet and limped into the fray, but before he got two steps Lazarus had leapt and appeared to be fight Charlie, but he soared over the tradesman and snapped at a spot above his head then hung there, his jaws sunk i nto the substantial neck of thin air.Charlie took advantage of the distraction, stepped back, and swung the cane above the levitating golden retriever. There was a smack, and Lazarus let go, but now Bummer launched himself at the invisible foe. He missed whatever was there, and ended up performing a doggy swish shot into a garbage can.Charlie made for the steel door of Ashers again, but found it locked, and as he reached for his keys, something caught him from behind.Let go, fuckface, the shade screeched.The fur coat Charlie was holding appeared to be swept out of his hand and was pulled straight up, over the four-story building and out of sight.Charlie turned and held the cane at ready, but whatever had been there seemed to be gone now.Arent you just supposed to sit above the door and nevermore and be poetic and stuff? he shouted at the sky. Then, for good measure, added, You evil fuckLazarus barked, then whined. A sharp and metallic yapping rose from Bummers garbage can.Well, you dont see that every day, said the Emperor as he limped up to Charlie.You could see that?Well, no, not really. Merely a shadow, but I could see that something was there. There was something there, wasnt there, Charlie?Charlie nodded, trying to catch his breath. It will be back. It followed me across the city. He dug into his pocket for his keys. You guys should duck into the store with me, Your Majesty. Of course Charlie knew the Emperor. Every San Franciscan knew the Emperor.The Emperor smiled. Thats very kind of you, but we will be perfectly safe. For now I need to free my charge from his galvanized prison. The big man tipped the garbage can and Bummer emerged snorting and tossing his head as if ready to tear the ass out of any man or beast foolhardy enough to cross him (and he would have, as long as they were knee-high or shorter).Charlie was still having trouble with the key. He knew he should have had the lock replaced, but it worked, if you finessed it a little, so hed never ma de it a priority. Who the hell thought youd ever have to get in quick to escape a giant bird? Then he heard a screech and turned to see not one, but two huge ravens coming over the roof and diving into the alley. The dogs arfed a frantic barking salvo at the avian intruders and Charlie put so much body English into wiggling the key in the lock that he felt an atrophied dancing muscle tear in his hip.Theyre back. Cover me. Charlie threw the cane to the Emperor and braced himself for the impact, but as soon as the cane moved(p) the old mans hand the birds were gone. You could almost hear the pop of the air replacing the space they had taken up. The dogs caught themselves in mid-ruff Bummer whimpered.What? the Emperor said. What?Theyre gone.The Emperor looked at the sky. Youre sure?For now.I saw two shadows. Really saw them this time, the Emperor said.Yes, there were two this time.What are they?I have no idea, but when you took the cane they well, they disappeared. You really saw the m?Im sure of it. Like smoke with a purpose.Finally the key turned in the lock and the door to Ashers back room swung open. You should come in. Rest. Ill order something to eat.No, no, the men and I must be on our rounds. Ive decided to make a proclamation this morning and we need to see the printer. Youll be needing this. The Emperor presented the cane to Charlie like he was turning over a sword of the realm.Charlie started to take it, then thought better of it. Your Majesty, I think youd better keep that. It looks as if you might be able to use it. Charlie nodded toward the Emperors creaky knee.The Emperor held the cane steady. I am not a worshiper of the material, you know?I understand that.I am a firm believer that desire is the source of most of human suffering, youre aware, and no culprit is more heinous than desire for material gain.I run my business based on those very principles. Still, I insist you keep the cane as a favor to me, if you would?Charlie found himself affectin g the Emperors formal speech patterns, as if somehow he had been transported to a royal court where a nobleman was distinguished by bread crumbs in his beard and the royal guard were not above licking their balls.Well, as a favor, I will accept. It is a fine piece of craftsmanship.But more importantly, it will permit you to make your rounds in good time.The Emperor now betrayed the desire in his heart as he let fly a wide grin and hugged the cane to his chest. It is fine, indeed. Charlie, I must confess something to you, but I ask you to grant me the credulity due a man who has just shared witness, with a friend, of two giant, raven-shaped shades.Of course. Charlie smiled, when even a moment before he would have thought his smile lost somewhere in the months past.I hope you wont think me base, but the second I touched this, I felt as if I had been waiting for it my whole life.Then, for no reason that he could think of, Charlie said, I know.A few minutes before, inside the store, Lil y had been brooding. It wasnt her general brood, the reaction to a world where everyone was stupid and life was meaningless and the mere act of living was futile, especially if your mother forgot to get coffee at the store. This one was a more specific brood, that had started out when she arrived at work and Ray had pointed out that it was her turn to wear the vacuuming tiara, and insisted that if she wore the tiara, she actually vacuum the store. (In fact, she liked wearing the rhinestone tiara that Charlie, in a move of blatant bourgeois sneakiness, had designated be worn by whoever did the vacuuming and sweeping each day, and no other time. It was the vacuuming and sweeping she objected to. She felt manipulated, used, and generally taken advantage of, and not in the fun way.) But today, after shed put the tiara and the vacuum away and had finally gotten a couple of cups of coffee in her system, the brooding had gone on, building to full-scale angst, when it began to dawn on her t hat she was going to have to figure out this college-career thing, because despite what The Great Big Book of Death said, she had not been chosen as a dark minion of destruction. FuckShe stood in the back room looking at all the items that Charlie had piled there the day before shoes, lamps, umbrellas, porcelain figures, toys, a couple of books, and an old black-and-white television and a painting of a clown on black velvet.He said this stuff was glowing? she asked Ray, who stood in the verge to the store.Yes. He made me check it all with my Geiger counter.Ray, why the fuck do you have a Geiger counter?Lily, why do you have a nose stud shaped like a bat?Lily ignored the question and picked up the ceramic frog from the night before, which now had a note taped to it that read DO NOT SELL OR DISPLAY in Charlies meticulous block-letter printing. This was one of the things? This?That was the first one he freaked out about, said Ray matter-of-factly. The truant officer tried to buy it. Th at started it all.Lily was shaken. She backed over to Charlies desk and sat in the squeaky oak swivel control. Do you see anything glowing or pulsating, Ray? Have you ever?Ray shook his head. Hes under a lot of stress, losing Rachel and taking care of the baby. I think maybe he needs to get some help. I know after I had to leave the force Ray paused.There was a commotion going on out in the alley, dogs barking and people shouting, then someone was working a key in the lock of the back door. A second later, Charlie came in, a little breathless, his clothes smudged here and there with grime, one sleeve of his jacket torn and bloodstained.Asher, Lily said. Youre hurt. She quickly vacated his chair while Ray took Charlie by the shoulders and sat him down.Im fine, Charlie said. No big deal.Ill get the first-aid kit, Ray said. Get that jacket off of him, Lily.Im fine, Charlie said. Quit talking about me like Im not here.Hes delirious, Lily said, trying to pry Charlie out of his jacket. Do you have any painkillers, Ray?I dont need painkillers, Charlie said.Shut up, Asher, theyre not for you, Lily said, automatically, then she considered the book, Rays story, the notes on all the items in the back room, and she shuddered. It appeared that Charlie Asher might not be the hapless geek she always thought him to be. Sorry, boss. Let us help you.Ray came back from the front with a small plastic first-aid kit. He peeled back Charlies sleeve and began to clean the wounds with gauze and peroxide. What happened?Nothing, Charlie said. I slipped and fell in some gravel. The wounds pretty clean no gravel in it. That must have been some fall.Long story. Charlie sighed. OuchWhat was all the noise in the alley? Lily asked, needing badly to go smoke, but unable to pull herself away. She just couldnt imagine that Charlie Asher was the one. How could it be him? He was so, so, unworthy. He didnt understand the dark underbelly of life the way she did. Yet he was the one seeing the glo wing objects. He was it. She was crestfallen.Just the Emperors dogs after a seagull in the Dumpster. No big deal. I fell off a porch in Pacific Heights.The estate, Ray said. Howd that go?Not well. The husband was grief-stricken and had a heart attack while I was there.Youre kidding.No, he just sort of became overwhelmed sentiment about his wife and collapsed. I gave him CPR until the EMTs came and took him off to the hospital.So, Lily said, did you get the uh did you get anything special?What? Charlies eyes went wide. What do you mean, special? There was nothing special.Chill, boss, I just meant will we get the grandmas clothes? Hes it, Lily thought. The fucker.Charlie shook his head. I dont know, its so strange. The whole thing is so strange. He shuddered when he said it.Strange how? Lily said. Strange in a cool and dark way, or strange because youre Asher and youre out of it most of the time?Lily Ray snapped. Go out front. Dust something.Youre not the boss of me, Ray. Im just s howing my concern.Its okay, Ray. Charlie looked like he was considering how, exactly, to define strange, and not coming up with anything that was working. Finally he said, Well, for one thing, this womans estate is way out of our league. The husband said he called me because we were the first secondhand store in the phone book, but he doesnt seem like the kind of man to do something like that.Thats not that strange, Lily said. Just confess, she thought.You said that he was grief-stricken, Ray said, dabbing antibiotic ointment on Charlies cuts. Maybe hes doing things differently.Yes, and he was angry at his wife, too, for the way she died.How? Lily asked.She ate silica gel, Charlie said.Lily looked at Ray for an explanation, because silica gel sounded techno-geeky, which was Rays particular field of geekdom. Ray said, Its the antidesiccant that they pack with electronics and other things that are sensitive to humidity.The Do Not Eat stuff? Lily said. Oh my God, thats so stupid. Every one knows you dont eat the Do Not Eat stuff.Charlie said, Mr. Mainheart was pretty broken up.Well, I guess so, Lily said. He married a complete fucktard.Charlie cringed. Lily, thats not appropriate.Lily shrugged and rolled her eyes. She hated it when Charlie dropped into Dad mode. Okay, okay. Im going outside to smoke.No Charlie jumped out of the chair and put himself between Lily and the back door. Out front. From now on if you have to smoke you go out front.But you said that I look like a child hooker when I smoke out front.Ive reassessed. Youve matured.Lily closed one eye to see if she could better glimpse into his soul and thus figure out his true agenda. She smoothed over her black vinyl skirt, which made a tortured, squeaking noise at the touch. Youre trying to say I have a big butt, arent you?I absolutely am saying no such thing, Charlie insisted. I am simply saying that your presence in front of the store is an asset and will probably attract business from the tourists on th e cable car.Oh. Okay. Lily snatched her box of cloves off the desk and headed out past the counter and outside to brood, grieve really, because as much as she had hoped, she was not Death. The book was Charlies.That evening Charlie was watching the store, wondering why he had lied to his employees, when he saw a flash of red passing by the front window. A second later, a strikingly pale redhead came through the door. She was wearing a short, black cocktail dress and black fuck-me pumps. She strode up the aisle like she was auditioning for a music video. Her hair cascaded in long curls around her shoulders and down her back like a great auburn veil. Her eyes were emerald green, and when she saw him looking, she smiled, and stopped, some ten feet away.Charlie felt an almost painful jolt that seemed to emanate from somewhere in the area of his groin, and after a second he recognized it as an autonomic lust response. He hadnt felt anything like that since Rachel had passed, and he felt vaguely ashamed.She was examining him, looking him over like you would examine a used car. He was sure he must be blushing.Hi, Charlie said. Can I help you?The redhead smiled again, just a little, and reached into a small black bag that he hadnt noticed shed been carrying. I found this, she said, holding up a silver cigarette case. Something Charlie didnt see very often anymore, even in the secondhand business. It was glowing, pulsating like the objects in the back room. I was in the neighborhood and something made me think that this belonged here.She moved to the counter opposite Charlie and set the cigarette case down in front of him.Charlie could barely move. He stared at her, not even conscious that to avoid her eyes he was staring at her cleavage, and she appeared to be looking around his head and shoulders as if following the path of insects that were buzzing around him.Touch me, she said.Huh? He looked up, saw she was serious. She held out her hand her nails were manicured an d painted the same deep red as her lipstick. He took her hand.As soon as she touched him she pulled away. Youre warm.Thanks. In that moment he realized that she wasnt. Her fingers had been ice-cold.Then youre not one of us?He tried to think of what us might be? Irish? Low blood pressure? Nymphomaniac? Why did he even think that? Us? What do you mean, us?She backed away a step. No. You dont just take the weak and the sick, do you? You take anyone.Take? What do you mean, take?You dont even know, do you?Know what? Charlie was getting very nervous. As a Beta Male, he found it difficult enough to function under the attention of a beautiful woman, but she was just plain spooky. Wait. Can you see this thing glowing? He held out the cigarette case.No glow. It just felt like it belonged here, she said. Whats your name?Charlie Asher. This is Ashers.Well, Charlie, you seem like a nice guy, and I dont know exactly what you are, and it doesnt seem like you know. You dont, do you?Ive been going t hrough some changes, Charlie said, wondering why he felt compelled to share this at all.The redhead nodded, as if confirming something to herself. Okay. I know what its like to, uh, to find yourself thrown into a situation where forces beyond your control are changing you into someone, something you dont have an owners manual for. I understand what it is to not know. But someone, somewhere, does know. Someone can tell you whats going on.What are you talking about? But he knew what she was talking about. What he didnt know was how she could possibly know.You make people die, dont you, Charlie? She said it like she had worked up the courage to tell him that he had some spinach in his teeth. More of a service to him than an accusation.How do you ? How did she Because its what I do. Not like you, but its what I do. Find them, Charlie. Backtrack and find whoever was there when your world changed.Charlie looked at her, then at the cigarette case, then at the redhead again, who was no lon ger smiling, but was stepping backward toward the door. Trying to stay in touch with normal, he focused on the cigarette case and said, I suppose I can do an appraisal He heard the bell over the door jingle, and when he looked up she was gone.He didnt see her moving by the windows on either side of the door she was just gone. He ran to the front of the store and out the door onto the sidewalk. The Mason Street cable car was just topping the hill up by California Street and he could hear the bell, there was a thin fog coming up from the Bay that threw colorful halos around the neon signs of the other businesses, but there was no striking redhead on the street. He went to the corner and looked down Vallejo, but again no redhead, just the Emperor, sitting against the building with his dogs.Good evening, Charlie.Your Majesty, did you see a redhead go by here just now?Oh yes. Spoke to her. Im not sure you have a chance there, Charlie, I believe shes spoken for. And she did warn me to st ay away from you.Why? Did she say why?She said that you were Death.I am? Charlie said. Am I? His breath caught in his throat as the day played back in his head. What if I am?You know, son, the Emperor said, I am not an expert in dealing with the fairer sex, but you might want to save that bit of information until the third date or so, after theyve gotten to know you a little.