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As dawn broke, Death awoke, his head throbbing with a relentless ache. His gaze fell upon Vincent, still lost in the realm of dreams, his hand resting gently on Death's abdomen. A warmth radiated from his heart, a sensation that had been absent for an eternity. Suddenly, a realization dawned upon him - this feeling was not new. It was a familiar echo from the past, a yearning for affection that surged within him like a tidal wave, wrapping around Vincent like a sentient being, a chain of overwhelming darkness. This sensation seemed to spring from nowhere and yet, it was omnipresent, an inexplicable desire to possess and be possessed by Vincent.
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In his youth, when the world was still an enigma, Death had found himself wandering in the woods with an elderly man he believed to be his grandfather. The old man had shared tales of life, death, and love, of how with age comes the necessity to relinquish the materialistic pursuits of this life and focus on the journey ahead. Reflecting on these tales now, they seemed almost fantastical.
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However, he chose not to dwell on it. He decided to leave the past behind, to forget his youthful days and concentrate solely on the future. As he gently traced his fingers along Vincent's arm, the sensation intensified. Something was amiss. He withdrew his hand, but the sensation lingered, following him like a shadow. What was happening? He then placed his hand on Vincent's chest, encountering a peculiar sensation. It was more than camaraderie, a feeling he couldn't articulate, yet it brought him tranquility and solace. Gradually, he caressed Vincent's face and planted a tender kiss on his lips. His lips were as soft and inviting as their first kiss. It was an extraordinary sensation, surpassing any carnal pleasure he had ever known. He saw Vincent's eyes flutter open and knew, with a certainty that filled him with lightness, that he would never part from him again. This was his desire, his necessity - to have Vincent by his side, forever.
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Death is determined to treat him as a descendant who eventually will inherit his ability. Death got up early and prepared breakfast for both of them. He starts to cook a vegetable soup which is Vincent's favorite. Before that, he takes out Vincent's diary and reads it while waiting for food to finish cooking.141Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6qudcscDg
"This morning I found a book on the bookshelf in my room. Its title page reads A Short History of Madness. In the book there are some interesting pictures and descriptions of madness. Apparently, madness has been around since before recorded history.
According to the book, madness can be caused by many factors including age, drugs, disease, traumatic experiences, and even bad luck. According to the authors of the book, the common thread among those afflicted with madness is their lack of the ability to properly interpret reality or to grasp its larger context. They also believe that most people without the gift of madness have the potential to develop it.
" I don't know much about this subject, but after reading this book I think we should talk more about the meaning of life and how to cope with the stresses of this existence. For example, according to the book, many madmen lose perspective on the nature of their own existence and fail to appreciate the beauty of the world around them."
"I'm sure you must agree that there is a lot of beauty in our little world, Vincent. It seems to me that all of us here enjoy these surroundings. Personally, I've always been fascinated by the natural landscape. As far as I'm concerned, the sky is the limit when it comes to appreciating the wonders of creation. But you're right to point out that there is a dark side to everything. I guess that's what makes the whole experience so unpredictable. That's why we need to stick together through thick and thin. We might not have a choice anyway, because the world is changing fast and we may not be able to stop it."
"And that's another reason why I think we should talk more about the meaning of life. If we do nothing else, perhaps we can at least discuss the purpose of our existence and what lies beyond this world. Maybe the answers aren't in the books. Perhaps they're written somewhere in the hearts of men. Or maybe the answer is hidden in the past..."
"By the way, I noticed that you were reading a book called A Short History of Madness. Have you finished it?"
"Yes. I did," Vincent replies. "It was a very interesting book."
"Well, I read the last few chapters just now and learned about the connection between madness and religion. The authors of the book thought that religious beliefs provide protection against insanity. They believed that certain cultures had developed rituals to protect themselves from the forces of evil. The belief that the gods watch over us gives us the strength to resist the temptations of the devil. A well-known example of this is the Christian doctrine of salvation through faith. It's believed that accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior will save you from the fires of hell. The same goes for the Jewish notion of redemption through the sacrifice of an innocent animal. The Arabs claim that Allah is everywhere and so it's impossible to kill a human being without bringing him closer to God. Muslims are taught that killing is forbidden except in self-defence. Buddhists believe that the universe is composed of cause and effect. Thus, every action has a reaction and a consequence. As such, the act of killing is considered to be a grave offense. A person who kills is doomed to suffer in the afterlife. These religious beliefs help prevent people from losing their minds."
"Of course, I don't have much knowledge about this subject, but I think it's worth investigating further. I'll put the question to Mr.Grim whenever he gets back."
"Thank you. I really appreciate it," Vincent says.
After breakfast, Death decided to take Vincent outside for a walk, so that he could get some fresh air. He takes him to the garden where he usually works on his projects. While walking, he shows Vincent all the recent improvements. There were new flowers, a new lawn, and freshly painted doors.
"I'm glad to hear that you like it. I've been working hard to make this place beautiful. I hope you'll enjoy it."
"I certainly will. Thank you for making the effort."
On the way to the garden, they pass by the library. For a moment, Death decides to show Vincent his latest project with Sally: the time teller. However, he quickly changes his mind and decides instead to tell him about the other stories he's been writing. First, he tells him about The Second Coming of Cthulhu, and how it's a follow-up to his earlier novel, The Call of Cthulhu.
"In this story, I created a character named Doctor W. H. D. Gaster who is described as the ultimate mad scientist. He has used his vast scientific knowledge and evil genius to create a powerful entity from pure chaos. The creature, whom he calls Hastur, is a monstrous hybrid of a god and a demon who is capable of destroying the entire world. All that remains in the aftermath is a barren wasteland filled with magic, horror, and madness. I based Hastur on a concept presented by H. P. Lovecraft in his famous poem, "The Call of Cthulhu". This poem describes a terrible monster who descended upon the land during the dark ages. To fight the monster, a group of heroes banded together to form a society called the "Cthulhu Cult". These cultists worshiped the great beast as a deity and used its powers to protect mankind. But as time went by, the cultists began to lose their grip on sanity and thus became corrupted by the monster."
"As you can see, I took the basic ideas of this poem and turned them into a different kind of story. Instead of a hero, I created a villain. I wanted to write a story that would be fun to read and exciting to imagine. It's a story that deals with the possible consequences of humanity's growing mastery over nature. The story ends with a warning: mankind should fear the unknown because it contains a danger that we cannot comprehend."
"Doctor Gaster is the main character in this story. The reader learns about his background and how he came to be. He appears to have been born insane but was able to hide his madness until his death. He was able to conceal his madness by using science to control and dominate others. His mad schemes are revealed when he summons Hastur and begins to use it as an army of destruction. In the end, Hastur destroys everything in its path, leaving only a desolate world behind."
"At the end of the story, Hastur is destroyed by a group of heroes led by Professor Lazarus Long. They use a machine called "the Time Teller", which allows them to travel through time. Their plan is to destroy Hastur before it is even conceived. But just as they are about to succeed, Hastur disappears and vanishes into time and space. At the end of the story, the heroes use the Time Teller to send a message to the future asking for help. They know that unless they receive a reply, Hastur will return to destroy the world."
"That sounds really interesting!" Vincent exclaims. "Do you think it will happen?"
"I don't really know, but I suppose anything is possible. There's no telling what the future holds."
They continue walking and finally reach the garden. Death places his hand on Vincent's shoulder and invites him inside.
"I'm hoping you'll like my new workbench design. It has wheels, so I can easily move it anywhere. It's also equipped with a light system that illuminates the area around me. It's very handy for working at night."
"I like it very much," Vincent replies. "It looks sturdy and easy to operate."
"Good. That's exactly what I wanted. Now, let's go inside."
Death takes him to the living room and puts him on the couch. Then he sits beside him and offers him a cup of tea. While he waits for the water to boil, he looks around the house and admires the fine furniture that he purchased recently. Then he looks at the calendar and sees that it's almost Christmas. He starts to wonder if Mr. Grim would be home soon, but decides not to worry about it until he hears from him. He returns to the kitchen and pours Vincent a cup of hot tea. After he finishes preparing the tea, he brings it to Vincent. Vincent accepts the cup and thanks him for his hospitality. Then he asks about his plans for later on.
"I was thinking of introducing everyone on the team to you and Sam. And set the main plan in motion, it might take a month or even years, depending on the circumstances. I'm afraid we won't be able to enjoy our day to day slice of Life after this. On the bright side, it will probably take less than two months to complete the Time Teller, so we'll all have plenty of free time to ourselves. Do you want to be on board with the mission?"
"Sure, if it's alright with you."
"Great! I'm glad you're willing to join us. When all is ready I'll introduce you to everyone and explain in detail what we have planned. So please stay tuned."
"Are you going to talk to Mr. Grim about your idea?"
"We'll speak about it later when he is done with his task."
"All right. Thanks again for everything."
"You're welcome. By the way, do you have any plans for today? Would you like to play chess or something?"
"No, thank you. I'd like to rest and relax."
"Okay then. Don't worry about anything. I'll look after everything."
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