What is this place?
I don't really know.
Two men stand on The Great Bridge, looking out across The City. There is a cold breeze blowing, but it is impossible to determine from which direction. The sky this time is burnt umber, the City sepia and grey.
Silence -
Time passing -
Am I dead?
No.
So at least this isn't hell....
Both men say "Ha."
Not hell, no. Maybe someplace worse. I don't know.
You know this place?
I guess. When I was a child I used to dream of it. At least I thought they were just dreams. It was much smaller then, it's grown over the years.
Time passing -
There has never been another person here before.
Never?
Almost never. When I was younger, I would just have thought I was dreaming you. Now? I don't know.
Time passing -
The Cathedral is new you see. It isn't something I would... I would dream. Have Dreamed. Thought of. Considered.
Not a fan of the church?
Never gave it much thought. One way or the other. It seemed... unnecessary to my life. Pointless really.
You don't feel like a priest.
No?
No. More like a soldier. Special Ops, SEAL, something like that. I've known a few of those, you... you have that... aura. confidence. Not very priest like at all.
Not even in the cassock?
No.
I was, for a while. Now I'm a soldier for christ.
Ha.
Old joke. - How far does it go? The City.
Sometimes I think by now it must go on forever. When I... when it was just a dream, when it started, it was just a crossroad, a few buildings on the four corners, some lights. Back then sometimes I saw people. I thought they were people. I would run towards the buildings, but, I could never get there. They were always one street away. I don't remember when the people disappeared. I used to think they were people. Now I'm not so sure. Then the lights went away.
Time passing -
Mostly it's night. sometimes it's like now, not night, not day, maybe all grey, or brown. Never any real color.
The City of Night.
The City of Night.
Were you afraid?
Afraid?
When you saw... it?
Ah....
Time passing -
I was in the sanctuary. Approaching the altar, just checking things out. The neighborhood isn't the best.
There had been a... death in the sanctuary.
Ah. A desecration.
Yes. An elderly parishioner. It was brutal. I found the body.
Time passing -
The detectives said there are... criminals... psychopaths, that collect... they called them trophies.
Like some soldiers in Viet Nam and Afghanistan.
Like some soldiers in every war. When you're fighting, the line between sane and crazy can get a little blurry. Especially if you don't, can't, understand your enemy.
What did this, criminal, collect?
Eyes.
Ah.
From somewhere, it sounded like it might have been underground, far beneath them, beneath The Great Bridge, came a sound like great hammers pounding, forging a massive billet for an unknown purpose.
I don't know what that sound is. I suspect The City extends down beneath the surface for miles. But I've never found an entrance. Or awakened there. It might happen sometime. I don't know.
So you say I... we're, not in either hell or heaven? Purgatory? Limbo.
No one can pray us out of here if that's what you're asking. Lighting candles won't help.
It was a thought.
they smile.
Well then, I'll take your word for it that I'm not dead.
No, I think I can guarantee you're not dead... Yet.
That's a small comfort.
Very small.
I don't really know.
Two men stand on The Great Bridge, looking out across The City. There is a cold breeze blowing, but it is impossible to determine from which direction. The sky this time is burnt umber, the City sepia and grey.
Silence -
Time passing -
Am I dead?
No.
So at least this isn't hell....
Both men say "Ha."
Not hell, no. Maybe someplace worse. I don't know.
You know this place?
I guess. When I was a child I used to dream of it. At least I thought they were just dreams. It was much smaller then, it's grown over the years.
Time passing -
There has never been another person here before.
Never?
Almost never. When I was younger, I would just have thought I was dreaming you. Now? I don't know.
Time passing -
The Cathedral is new you see. It isn't something I would... I would dream. Have Dreamed. Thought of. Considered.
Not a fan of the church?
Never gave it much thought. One way or the other. It seemed... unnecessary to my life. Pointless really.
You don't feel like a priest.
No?
No. More like a soldier. Special Ops, SEAL, something like that. I've known a few of those, you... you have that... aura. confidence. Not very priest like at all.
Not even in the cassock?
No.
I was, for a while. Now I'm a soldier for christ.
Ha.
Old joke. - How far does it go? The City.
Sometimes I think by now it must go on forever. When I... when it was just a dream, when it started, it was just a crossroad, a few buildings on the four corners, some lights. Back then sometimes I saw people. I thought they were people. I would run towards the buildings, but, I could never get there. They were always one street away. I don't remember when the people disappeared. I used to think they were people. Now I'm not so sure. Then the lights went away.
Time passing -
Mostly it's night. sometimes it's like now, not night, not day, maybe all grey, or brown. Never any real color.
The City of Night.
The City of Night.
Were you afraid?
Afraid?
When you saw... it?
Ah....
Time passing -
I was in the sanctuary. Approaching the altar, just checking things out. The neighborhood isn't the best.
There had been a... death in the sanctuary.
Ah. A desecration.
Yes. An elderly parishioner. It was brutal. I found the body.
Time passing -
The detectives said there are... criminals... psychopaths, that collect... they called them trophies.
Like some soldiers in Viet Nam and Afghanistan.
Like some soldiers in every war. When you're fighting, the line between sane and crazy can get a little blurry. Especially if you don't, can't, understand your enemy.
What did this, criminal, collect?
Eyes.
Ah.
From somewhere, it sounded like it might have been underground, far beneath them, beneath The Great Bridge, came a sound like great hammers pounding, forging a massive billet for an unknown purpose.
I don't know what that sound is. I suspect The City extends down beneath the surface for miles. But I've never found an entrance. Or awakened there. It might happen sometime. I don't know.
So you say I... we're, not in either hell or heaven? Purgatory? Limbo.
No one can pray us out of here if that's what you're asking. Lighting candles won't help.
It was a thought.
they smile.
Well then, I'll take your word for it that I'm not dead.
No, I think I can guarantee you're not dead... Yet.
That's a small comfort.
Very small.
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