ALBERT MEETS ASHERAL
The beach’s sands coalesced briefly around the tanned one. Slack jawed; Albert stared at massive man. The shadow of a name danced at the edge of his mind.
The man’s eyes were ablaze, fire literally burning within the empty sockets. Albert heard the faint lapping of the tide as it came to lick his feet. He was aware that sand and water were probably pooling in his socks and shoes, but the steam that rose from the near nude man’s contact with the same water demanded his attention.
“Asheral,” The name took on solidity as passed between cracked lips. Albert began to sweat as the god’s eyes shifted from the horizon. Was he raising an eyebrow?
“Yes Albert?”
“I didn’t expect to see you.” Actually, once he’d pulled himself from the ruins of the deli he hadn’t expected to see anyone. Here or elsewhere.
“You’re the Kink you know.”
“I’m sorry?” The distance between them was closing.
“You’re the Kink.” His voice was loud now, a low bass accompanied by an intensity that rivaled the heat of the sun. And yet, he seemed nonchalant. ”You’re the reason I was able to come back.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh.”
Silence. Violet and orange hues began to dance across the sky.
“You destroyed the world-“Albert was stiffening, his body growing rigid with anger. It was a first.
A gull alighted between them. “Looks like its still here to me.”
“What do you mean I’m the Kink?”
“You probably led a stationary life, and didn’t notice any form of advancement other than your natural physical development.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Time flows differently around people like you, or rather there is a period where it doesn’t at all. You prevent time from flowing properly until it can find a path around you. When it does it leaves a gap. Like when a sudden jet of water encounters a rock.
“I fell out of time proper long ago. When you created that gap, I was able to return through it.”
Albert’s natural slouch returned, “Well, crap.”
Asheral let out a brief chuckle, “An epoch has ended. There will be others. And did you really like the way things were?”
“No they were pretty miserable, but now I don’t have anything to do,” His stomach growled, “And at least I could make sandwiches.”
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