tthhee oddiissee Chapter 47

Ro rolled over, waking up to see Sean lying in his bed next to him, about an arms length away. Ro studied Sean close. He had a nice, slim body, somewhat toned, but nothing too crazy. He was also very pale; it seemed as if he hadn’t seen the sun in a very long time.

Sean started to stir awake as well, staring back at Ro. He could hardly believe all eight feet of the man stretched out in front of him, especially when observing the clear skin over various parts of his body, showing off the gold understructure that made up so much of Ro’s internals.

“Do you ever wonder if someone will try to strip the gold right out of you?” Sean said, half-asleep.

“That’s a ridiculous thing to ask,” Ro said in return, amused.

“I just woke up, give me a break,” Sean said, somewhat defensively.

Ro just laughed. “Not ready to face the day yet?”

“I don’t know,” Sean started, inching a little closer to Ro. “This is a really comfy bed. Besides, after last night, I might be walking funny for a while.”

“Hey, you gave just as good as you got.”

“Yeah, but I don’t have a baseball bat between my legs, do I?”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“It got me here. That’s good enough.”

They both laughed a little, followed by a little silence.

Sean was suddenly a little more serious. “You’re sure Ian’s all cool with this?”

“I already told you, it’s fine. We have an understanding. It’s like how Samuel Delaney had a long-time partner the whole time he was giving anonymous blowjobs in the porno theaters.”

“Well that sapped the romance right out of the room.”

Ro laughed a little. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I do like you, Sean. But Ian’s my man. If we ever broke up, you could fill that role.”

“Always a bridesmaid, never the bride,” Sean said jokingly. “I’ll settle for these encounters for now. As long as I can be close to you, every now and then.”

“Yeah?” Ro asked, propping himself up on his elbow. “What do you like about me?”

“Well…” Sean thought for a moment. “I love your touch.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Your hands drive me wild. They’re just so… big. I’ve always had a thing for big hands,” Sean said.

“Hands. Never heard of that one before,” Ro said, examining his free hand. “I always thought they were clumsy and inelegant.”

“Are you kidding? They’re lovely. They drive me wild, Rogue,” Sean said with lust in his voice.

Ro brought his hand over towards Sean and glided over his body, caressing his legs. “Oh yeah? This is enough to do it?”

“I’m serious,” Sean started saying, turning red as he dick started to stiffen, and Ro’s hand moved up over his arm and towards his face. “You’re going to make me lose it.”

“I don’t mind staying in a bed a bit longer if you don’t,” Ro replied as his member also began to rise.

Ro rotated the mask around in his hand, looking over the front and back. It was completely smooth on both sides with only three half-ellipses for the eyes and mouth. “It’s a bit… simple, isn’t it?”
“You mean ‘Iconic.’ That’s how you approach it from a marketing standpoint, as far as I know. And I have to say for my first attempt at making a mask, I think it’s damn good,” Sean replied.

“I wasn’t saying it was bad, it just struck me at how… I don’t know, it’s so nondescript. Eerily so. I wouldn’t put any ornamentation around it or anything but… I don’t know,” Ro said handing the mask back to Sean. “I think it’ll be fine, regardless. As long as it helps you get into character.”

“Thank you. That’s more what I was hoping to hear, now then…” Sean shuffled around his workspace looking for the right props. As he did, Ro looked around the studio space that Sean had made for himself in the clocktower, a series of drawings in a pile to the side catching his attention. “The cards are coming along nicely, but I’m still not a hundred percent with it…” Sean started saying as Ro looked through the drawings. He was particularly taken by one showing a stylized version of Sean with a heavy line weight and engulfed in heavy black shadows. He was hanging by one foot tied in a snare in a tree, his other leg crossed crossing over the trapped leg resembling a “4” and his arms sticking straight out to either side.­

Sean came back with the playing cards in his hand. “Now then,” he started before noticing Ro going through his stuff. “Oh, you found them. That’s just some stuff I’m working on in my free time, it’s not for the show. Don’t worry, I’m still focused on your piece.”

“I’m not worried,” Ro said. “I like these. I don’t want to use them for the piece, but I like them.”

Sean wasn’t quite used to the compliments. “Well… thank you. They’re pretty personal.”

“I can see that. This piece of you hanging upside-down really draws my eye. There’s something strangely familiar about it.”

“It should be, it’s Tarot. Maybe you’re not as familiar as I expect. The Hanged Man. I don’t remember what number.”

“Are you into fortune-telling?”

Sean let out a laugh. “No, no, far from it. I don’t believe in anything that can’t be proven. I have bad enough luck as it is, why try influencing it? That being said, I’ve always liked the Hanged Man. The symbolism of it all speaks to me.”

“Yeah? What does it mean?”

“Well, it means…” Sean closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Helplessness. In a word, anyway. Swinging from a tree, unable to get yourself down, subject to the will of the world. Will it snow? Will it rain? Will a bear come along? It’s not for to him to decide. The only things that can get the Hanged Man down is a force of nature like a lightning strike or a fire, both with disastrous immediate consequences. The only other path to freedom comes from the passersby. That is, if they take pity on him. They usually don’t. They don’t hurt him, either, they just ignore him and pass like they didn’t see him there.

“Despite this, the expression on his face is plain. He is not in pain, but he’s certainly not pleased either. He’s gotten used to it. And from the halo of light around his head, you can tell he’s at least gained some insight. Although what he could possibly do with that knowledge remains to be seen.”

Sean opened his eyes again. “At least, that’s the way I see it,” he said with a sad smile.

Ro wasn’t expecting to be so moved by the description. He placed his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Is that really how you feel?”

Sean looked up at Ro’s face; it was naked with concern. Sean took another deep breath and sat on a stool nearby, looking down on the ground, the same sad, bemused expression on his face. “I don’t know how else to feel, Rogue,” he said with a weak voice. He let out a sigh before continuing. “My whole life has been a struggle. No matter what I do, I keep coming up short, never quite making it. It’s the wrong time. It’s the wrong city. I’m the wrong person. Doesn’t matter why, nothing really changes. Maybe it’s bad luck. Maybe it’s fate. I don’t know, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it.”

Sean looked up at Ro. “You should understand. I was sleeping on the streets when you met me. And don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. Finally someone came and they took me off the tree. But I can’t help wondering…”

“What? What is it?”

“Are you going to be able keep me from walking into another snare?”

Ro stared at Sean, trying not to look as uneasy as he felt. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? ‘You can’t take everyone with you.’ Yeah, this art piece will get me noticed, maybe make me somewhat famous. But not for my work, for yours. When it’s all over, what happens? Will people really care about the work of a hanger-on?”

“Sean, don’t talk about yourself that way. I don’t-”

“I know,” Sean interrupted. “I know, Rogue. I can tell that you genuinely care for me. You think I’m really talented. But it isn’t up to you, is it?”

Ro was taken aback, a chill going up his spine. “I…” he started to say, but he couldn’t come up with any words, staring at the man in front of him, slumped over, looking like the saddest person in the world, even with that fake smile. Ro almost felt like crying.

Then in a moment, acting before he could think, Ro rushed over to Sean, embracing him tight. “I’ll take care of you,” he said softly. “For as long as I can, I’ll take care of you, I promise.”

Sean was caught completely off-guard. “You… you will?”

“Yes. I promise. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you thrive,” Ro said, pulling back to look at Sean in his face. He had a big smile on, and his eyes were nearly watering. He looked so much kinder than any person Sean had ever seen. “You’re my muse, after all.”

Sean had to keep himself from crying as he returned the embrace. “Thank you,” he said in a very weak voice.

Ro was hammering away with the Silver Star on another column of TV monitors when Sean came back with some paper bags in his arms, looking distressed.

Sean made his way over to the kitchen area, gently putting everything down on the island.

“How was the corner store?” Ro asked while tinking away at the display, not looking away from what he was doing.

Sean looked off into the middle distance, trying to think of what to say, not bothering to hide the disturbed feeling on his face.

“…Strange,” Sean finally said.

“Why’s that?”

Sean opened his mouth for a moment, but couldn’t find the right words. Instead he started heading towards Ro. “Rogue, I need to talk to you.”

Ro turned around, not anticipating the reaction, resting the Silver Star on his shoulder. “What’s up, man?”

Sean couldn’t help staring at the silver star, a little confused by it.
“Oh, this?” Ro said, picking it to show off for a moment, before putting it down beside him. “Figure I might use it as an actual hammer. Not much else I can do with the fucking thing. Anyway, what’s up?”

“Well… You remember a few weeks ago when you said that…” Sean stopped, trying to find the right words. “You said the streets seemed empty.”

“Yeah,” Ro said, suddenly with more interest and concern. “Yeah, it’s like no one’s around. A few people, but not much.”

“I think you might have been on to something,” Sean said, slight alarm in his voice.

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“I didn’t see…” Sean was shaking his head in disbelief. “Anyone. Not a single person on the street. I didn’t even see anyone in the corner store. There was no one behind the counter, I took all that stuff and just walked out.”

“You stole that?” Ro said somewhat flatly.

“There was no one I could pay, Rogue.” Sean said, grimly. “Not a single person to stop me, either. They’re all gone.”

A shiver went up Ro’s spine. “Don’t tell me that. I don’t want to hear that.”

“Rogue, it’s true. There’s no one out there.”

“Sean, I can deal with being paranoid. But I can’t deal with anyone else confirming my delusions.”

“I’m not thrilled, either. People are disappearing, Rogue. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but they are.”

“That can’t be true. It just can’t be.”

“Think about it,” Sean said with urgency in his voice. “When was the last time you saw Barry? Or Mack? Or-”

“Don’t say it. He’s out there. I know he is,” Ro responded, a grim look coming over him.

“Of course, of course,” Sean said, doing his best to console his friend, but failing to hide his darker thoughts.

The two stood in silence, both trying to hide the horror.

“What if…” Sean started, but trailed off.

Rogue immediately latched on. “What? What were you gonna say?”

“I shouldn’t,” Sean said, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t even think it.”

“If you don’t say them, the thoughts will torment you.” And that would make of two of us, thought Ro.
“What if I’m next?” Sean asked in a hollow tone.

The silence stood for a moment before either man could bring themselves to say anything.

“You won’t be,” Ro said.

“You don’t that, Rogue. I’m finally living something of a decent life, what if it’s just snatched away? What if I’m gone tomorrow? What does it even mean?”

“Don’t talk like that,” Ro said, doing his best to remain calm despite having the same alarming thoughts. “You won’t disappear. You can’t, I just know it.”

“I’m scared. I’m scared, Rogue. What happened to all those people? What’s gonna happen to me?”

“Please, Sean. Don’t,” Ro said a little too quickly. “You’ll be fine. As long as we’re both here, we can’t disappear on each other, right?”

“I don’t know, Rogue. I don’t know anything.”

“Neither do I. But I have to believe something. Just promise you won’t leave the clocktower without me, okay? I…” Ro didn’t want to finish his sentence, but it was one he couldn’t stop thinking.

I couldn’t bear to be alone again.