The Gall of the Earth and Ophiuchus Serpentarius

*** “You know, music is beautiful because you listen to it in this moment. It makes you aware of the truth of being alive. You can’t ever lose this moment. To lose it is to fall from the infinite clouds of the heavens into the dark caves of the earth. Most men tread through these caverns for they are the home of humanity. We have been told since the times of the ancients to step out into the sun; the splendor of all truth. But men do not heed. They spend their mental capacity in the past and future not realizing that what they seek is obtained in the present. If only they could focus their passions internally instead of externally then the book of the tree of knowledge could be read, for it is our teacher, Lucifer; the bringer of light. His fall from Heaven brought the luminescent flame of truth to man. He is the origin of all; the wind that spread the seed of man across the earth.”

--- “Shut up!” Chach yelled, “You’re dead, I poisoned you!”

*** “Well I’m still here,” Adder whispered. “Besides, it is I that have poisoned you old friend.”

Just one more can of gasoline.

--- “There, that should do it Adder.”

*** “Chach… for better or for worse, mothers are the tyrants of men.”

--- “What about fathers?”

*** “I had a father once, but it was the world that taught me to be a man.”

The hair inside my nose is dissolving

--- “God I hate the smell of gasoline. Adder you got a light?”

*** “I don’t smoke Chach you know that.”

--- “Adder… do you have a light?”

*** “Yeah, yeah…

click!

*** "You see the light Chach? At the heart of the flame?”

--- “Of course I do, its filling the entire room.”

*** “No Chach, you can’t see it with your eyes, you have to see it with your heart.”

--- “You’re mad Adder, real mad.”

*** “I was born mad, don’t you remember? I was told God was dead”

---“That’s nice Adder, I don’t believe in God anyway.”

From the street you could see the glow of the dancing wisp, the flickering twitch of death, it fluttered in the window. It was lonely out, quiet and dark, everything was enshrouded in fog. Not even the light of the moon could breach the late night mist.
Chach stood on the abysmal street corner watching memories burn.
I can finally be free. I have slain the tyrant and may go in peace.
Smoke filled the area as it billowed out of a once remembered memory. Chach turned and disappeared into the dense, smoky night.
I was sitting in an old worn chair, regal-like in nature. It was against my wall just inside the doorway to the open balcony. Adder was across the room sitting on the couch

--- “A chair fit for a king,” I proclaimed as I watched the street outside.

*** “A king of shit.”

--- “I thought I told you to leave.”

*** “You did Chach.”

--- “God you’re mad. One mad bastard.”

*** “The world is full of mad bastards Chach.”

---“Adder, you got a light?”

*** “I don’t smoke Chach…”

---“Neither do I Adder, neither do I.”

The tip of the cigarette was emblazoned, reminiscent of a fading memory, all was quiet and only the crackle of burning paper resonated in my ears. I felt the smoke enter my lungs, I felt its presence within me, caressing and darkening my insides.

*** “Putrefaction, it’s all putrefaction, the crow spreads his darkness under the talons of the white eagle in the sun.”

--- “What are you rambling about again Adder? You are out of it today old friend.” He was smiling.

What an odd man.

*** “Truth is the seed that is carried on the wings of words.”

--- “What the fuck does that mean?”

Slouching in my chair, I pondered the ever-present bad company that followed me like a shadow.

--- “What time is it Adder?”

He just stared off into the distance, no reply.

Something stole my attention. The mirror laden door shifted and swayed as the wind’s kiss lifted its weighted tension off the hinges. I stared out the doorway into the distance as the fluttering and reflected peripheral reality consumed my senses in the low light of dawn. I saw the door within the door and sunk into a tessellated infinity.

There was a momentary lapse in reason. Chach and Adder went across the complex to Clod and Dolt’s room. Chach touched the cold brass of the knob and felt the vibrations of laughter resonate within the chilled metal. He twisted his wrist and the knob turned along its axis. He pushed the door open with his boot and it swung to the left on its hinges.
Hinges.

--- “What are you two fools doing?” said Chach.

They were rolling around on the ground laughing. There was a giant mirror on the floor with a film of white powder on it.
Crazy assholes.
Dolt quickly stood up and handed Chach a small glass bottle with a black lid. It read ‘Stick It. Brush-On Nail Glue.’

*** “You can stick it up your ass” said Adder.

Dolt quickly snatched up the bottle and said “look, like this.” He unscrewed the black cap and brought the bottle up close to his nose and began inhaling the fumes. He capped the bottle and tossed it to Clod who was lying on the floor. The most unnatural movements followed. Dolt began to walk around the room jumping into the air while shifting and shuffling his feet. Clod soon followed by rolling around on the floor like some kind of God forsaken retard.

Where the hell am I? Thought Chach.

He picked up the small bottle and inhaled all he could, switching from nostril to nostril. A familiar acidic burn singed his nose hairs and crawled into his lungs. He fell backwards onto the couch and sunk into the cushions. He stared at the two characters at the height of their antics. Dolt picked up his pearl white guitar and jacked into the amp. Then Clod rolled over to her left and grabbed some tiny shit plastic toy guitar with vibrant colored buttons. Chach just sat and stared at the two. Clod began tapping buttons bouncing her head and then Dolt jumped in. Electrifying licks poured out of the off-white guitar.
Music.

His mind was silent for a few seconds.

Fucking mad! Everyone is fucking mad, the world is going to complete shit! What kind of ungodly circus did I just walk into?
I woke up in a pool of sweat the next day. My guts wrenching, demons were scratching their way out of my lungs. I coughed up blood and collapsed back onto the pillow. It was dark when I came to.

--- “Adder what happened last night?”

*** “I fed you the poison of the earth and then we saw the light don’t you remember?”

--- “No… what did you give me?”

*** “Have you ever heard of the Akashic Library? It’s a library that exists within the astral dimensions. It’s made of pure ether and manifests itself in accordance with the perception of those who seek it. It holds the records of the past, present and future.”

--- “Have you ever been there Adder?”

*** “Once in a dream, but I only walked up to the threshold.”

--- “Why didn’t you walk in?”

*** “To give you the plague of not knowing. It is why I have been poisoning you.”

--- “I don’t understand, why are you telling me these things?”

*** “You must first putrefy yourself before you can purify. The plague must grab hold of you and pull you into the darkness; into self-annihilation. When you sink into the darkest part of your mind, then and only then will you see the light. This plague will eat away at your mind and then after some time you will be new. Not knowing will not bother you; it will protect you from the true sickness of knowing and knowledge. The sickness mankind buys into, the one that shackles the mind’s infinite potential. When you see the light you will hear the music of all creation, you will be aware of this moment, aware of now.

Knock! Knock! Knock! The hinges squeaked as the door swung open.

“Who are you talking to Chach?”

--- “No one mother.”