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The desert sand was harsh and hot, clinging and burrowing into his every dark tanned pore. At least he had his umbrella though. Even with what seemed like a fluctuation of space where time simply did not exist, he still became famished and parched and exhausted. At least the cacti and the oasis water tasted good.
He would often sit in the shade of his umbrella and call his boyfriend back in Nightvale at the shore of the Oasis. If he was lucky, coconut would just fall and he could have that instead of cacti or palm leafs. “Hey, how is it back there?”
“Oh, same old, same old.” Cecil smiled and nodded. “How is it there? Any new advancements?”
Carlos frowned, “Not really, no. I haven’t seen another door in days, but at least there is a cool breeze from the small lake and the food is decent.” He offered a smile at the end, but he knew he wasn’t convincing Cecil the least bit.
“Please be okay, dear…” Carlos heard the faintest of whimpers through his tablet’s speakers. “We are trying to find a way back for you too on this side. Your scientists are free from StrexCorp control, so they are back to finding out how to get you home…”
“I guess that’s good news.” He breathed out a sigh of relief. “I can’t wait to have a stove again and a real bed… with you in it.” He tried to make things as light hearted as possible during this time.
Though, he knew Cecil was overly-emotional. He could see tears forming at what he said. “Y-Yes… I would very much like th-that. That would b-be… neat. Yes. Neat.”
It hurt to see him like this and he shook his head, “Don’t worry. I’m a scientist. I will be fine. A scientist is always fine.” Carlos grinned when he noticed Cecil’s faint smile. “See? We’ll be together again so-“ He stopped talking to look around. He swore he saw something.
“Carlos?” Cecil asked and his voice shook just barely with fright. “Carlos, what’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry Cecil. I need to hang up on you. I need to find out what that was. I’ll call as soon as I can, but it might be a while, you know, with the time flux and everything. Anyway, I love you, stay safe.” He hung up before he could get a reply from Cecil and pocketed his small tablet.
“Who’s out there?” he called and stood, his black, umbrella like object hanging over him to shield him from the sun. Had it gotten brighter?
No… It hadn’t. There was a figure a short distance from him. It was blinding bright to even glance at. He closed his eyes tightly and shielded himself with the umbrella like object.
“Do not hide from me. My light penetrates all. From the sky, to the sand, through your fabric to your eyes, your skin, each cell, your heart and soul shall be inflamed with my light and it will fill you with a burning passion.”
Carlos was stunned, not budging. It felt like an eternity, but at the same time, the figure went as quickly as it came. He took several long breaths to calm himself down before settling back down in the hot sand. He decided to call Cecil back and talk to him for a bit before laying down to sleep.
For some reason, he didn’t sleep very well. His phone said it was four in the morning, although the sun was still glaringly bright. He concluded that it was never night in this desert.
He had to admit he was starting to feel a little starved for touch. He wanted something other than numbing heat and exfoliating sand on him. He stood and headed off from the Oasis with his umbrella. Maybe he could find a door this direction if he walked enough.
He walked miles and miles. By the time he noticed how far he had gone, his phone told him it was after one in the afternoon. Still, no door. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He was going to get out of here… he was going to get out of here. He headed back to the Oasis to relax and call Cecil. It would be late before he would return. He hoped Cecil would still be awake by the time he reached the Oasis.
Where lay the clear blue waters of the Oasis was now a sort of yellow and gold sludge. What happened to the water? He took a rock and threw it into the middle of the previous Oasis. Slowly, it sunk, taken in by the sludge. Quick Sand. He would have to find another place to camp and soon. That was his only source of water and he would be damned if he died of normal causes before he got back into Cecil’s arms.
He trudged down a path of bleached sand heading north east. Why was there a patch of sand this white leading down a path? Was it fate or his eyes playing a trick on him? He shrugged it off. No use in worrying too much. After another hour of walking, it was almost midnight according to his phone. He sat down and let the black umbrella cover his body as he called his boyfriend.
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Carlos smiled sheepishly. He only saw Cecil grin wider. “Did a lot of exploring today… and my water supply dried up suddenly, so I was looking for a new one.”
“Just be careful okay? We were getting some real sketchy reports today. Apparently Kevin came back from the desert.” He practically growled out that man’s name. “He looked… different, but the same, but he headed to StrexCorp Offices and well…” Carlos noted the concern on his face and used his own facial expressions to encourage him to continue. “Kevin and your double are dead.”
That sure was something… That was really something. How did he get out of the desert? Was there a door he just wasn’t finding? Maybe this bleached sand led the way. “That is… What happened?”
“Murder-suicide.” He offered and nodded, “Your double shot Kevin and then himself. He wasn’t very stable before Kevin came back apparently though.” Nightvale doesn’t usually care about outside stories until things get deep, and by then all the beginnings are fuzzy and discombobulated in all sorts of ways and everything was a bother to piece back together.
“Great…” He whispered and nodded, “I found a sort of pathway. I’m following it. Maybe it will lead me to the doors.” And hopefully not into the realm of the crazy and gun happy. That was the last thing he wanted. “But… you’re tired. I’ll let you go to sleep. I’m going to nap too. I love you.”
“I love you too.” And the skype call ended. Carlos relaxed in the sand the best he could, which still left far to be desired, even just a pillow or something to lay his face on to keep from filling his lungs with the tiny particles would be fine.
He awoke to a blinding bright light. For a moment, he thought he lost his handy umbrella like object. Though, it was still around him. The light was just passing through the fabric and he shut his eyes tightly. He froze when he heard a voice.
“My Light is the only truth, Carlos.” It cooed, the light seeming to become a little soft around the edges as it continued to shine through the fabric. “You will accept that fate, just as my Godling as his lover had.”
Carlos didn’t understand a word of what it meant, but he knew it couldn’t be good. He wanted to run. He wanted to hide. He wanted to go ho-
“Follow me and accept my light and you can return home to Cecil safe and sound.”
Could it read minds!? No. that was scientifically impossible. No way. “I don’t need your help.” He said calmly, although not sure to whom he was speaking to.
“Pity, pity… You do need me to get out. There is only one way out and it is through my door.”
This thing knew where a door was. Certainly… it can’t be that bad, right? He slowly opened his eyes. The light didn’t seem as bright anymore, not as deadly and warning filled.
“Glad to know you are seeing things my way.” With a gust of wind, the umbrella went flying away. Initially, Carlos went to go after it, but he couldn’t move. It was as if he was melted in the sand. “I am your Smiling God and you will abide by me if you want out of here.”
What had he gotten himself into? He looked up helplessly at the face of the so called ‘Smiling God’ and all he saw was a wide, toothy smile. That smile was heading closer to him and he felt a hand on his chin, holding him in place.
The second their lips touched, Carlos could have screamed if he wasn’t choking on the sunlight and sand that began to fill his lungs and body in every cavity, orifice, and pore. It burned like an inferno, like lava encasing his body as it slowly trekked down the mountain to the rest of civilization. The pain didn’t fade either after he was released. He shut his eyes tightly again, afraid he would lose them to the light and sand if he didn’t protect them.
Though, after several more minutes, a smile formed on the tired scientist’s lips and he sat up straight. He opened his eyes. They were no longer the dark color that matched his even skin tone and perfect hair. They were solid, but grainy, glowing yellow. “Welcome, Carlos… You always did look better smiling.”
Carlos stood and nodded, “Why wouldn’t I be smiling when you are right in front of me?’ He chuckled softly under his breath and glanced down the bleached path. “And Cecil is that way?” He asked with a bounce.
“Yes. He is. And you will bring him to me after he smiles with you.” The voice cooed, the light softening again around them. The Smiling God led their way to the Old Oak Door.
“This will take you home. Be sure to see me again.” Carlos waved off the God as he headed through the doors to Nightvale. As he stepped through and into the familiar, dark world, he too darkened to match the atmosphere. Though, his eyes remained as bright and golden as the sun. He was home… And soon, he would be with Cecil once more. Then, they would be together forev- No. He was just going to stay here… With Cecil.
There is no Smiling God. There is no Smiling God. There is no Smi- Carlos immediately crouched to the cool desert sand of the main square of Nightvale and let out a cry as hot sand coursed through him as punishment. It left him panting softly and anxious. He denied the God that brought him home…
The next thing he remembered was the soft, comfortable, definitely not sand, bed and a body of warmth beside him. He… “Cecil?” he asked quietly, in a whisper, never once opening his eyes.
He heard a small hum and smiled faintly as he felt the warm body cuddle up to him. “Carlos…. I missed you.”
“I missed you too… So much.” He didn’t want to turn around and face him though. What if he saw his eyes? What if he was suddenly washed over with the Smiling God’s will?
Kiss him.
Carlos jolted and shivered. What was that? “Carlos… are you okay?” He noted that Cecil sounded very concerned.
“Y-Yeah…” He nodded and snuggled back into him, pressing closer to him, wanting the attention and touch he had been craving for so long. It felt nice and wonderful and perfect, even if he was still covered in sand and sweat from the desert.
“Turn around, Carlos…” Cecil whined after a moment. Carlos shook his head, but Cecil was persistent and Carlos finally gave in, turning over to face him. “Well, open your eyes.”
“You aren’t going to like them…”
Kiss him.
“Why not?”
“They aren’t what they used to be… I-I had to do something to get out of the desert…”
“Carlos dear… Nothing’s changed. I don’t care if something happened.”
Kiss him.
“No, really, they’re a problem. Cec, you have to understand.”
“I can’t understand something I can’t see.”
Open your eyes.
Carlos grumbled and slowly cracked his eyes open, revealing sclera of gold and yellow grains. “H-Happy?”
Cecil laid there, staring at them, worried and concerned and fascinated. “C-Carlos… merciful Gods… What happened?”
Carlos shook his head, “No… A Smiling God.” He explained matter-of-factly.
Carlos avoided Cecil for a few days after that. He stuck himself up in the lab to do… something. Anything to distract him from the faint heat and sanding he could feel pulsing in his veins. He wore sunglasses to keep people from noticing his eyes. It wasn’t unheard of, the sun was bright during the day.
Remember your promise.
Come back to me.
Bring Cecil with you.
Smile!
Carlos clenched hair at his temples and shook his head, trying to get the voice out of his head. He wanted the sunshine in the back of his eyes out, but he didn’t know how. He wanted the irritably persistent voice to just stop already.
Bring him to me.
Come home.
You belong here, with me.
“Shut… up.” He whispered. As the days went on, that thing got more and more annoyed and it wasn’t stopping any time soon. His other team members were getting worried for him, as much as he tried to convince them otherwise. Several of his team members had forced him away from his work on several occasions and had stopped him from testing on himself.
He felt the heat and feeling of sandpaper grating his veins increase ten-fold at his retaliation. He let out a pained scream and wrapped his arms around his chest, breathing shallowly, quickly. His assistants were by his side in a matter of seconds. “Carlos! Carlos, are you okay? Answer me. Carlos?” They shouted and tried to figure out what had happened.
When the tantrum had finally ceased, Carlos was laughing and smiling. He had a faint glow under his dark skin and he looked to each of his team members. “I am fine… I am perfect.” He stood and headed straight for the door. No one tried to stop him.
He grinned all the way back to their apartment. A shadow, no, a gleaming, blindingly white light with a hint of yellow followed behind him through the door. “Cecil?” His smile was audible through his voice.
He watched Cecil walk up to him and pause, smile falling. “Carlos? What’s wrong? You’re home early…”
“I wanted to see you.” He walked closer to him, the light behind him following at a close distance. The light had a white grin faintly showing. He scooped Cecil into his arms and held him close for a moment. “I wanted to hold you and kiss you and take you somewhere.”
“C-Carlos…” Cecil looked down, head on Carlos’ chest. “Where?”
“A land of perfection.” Before he got a response out of his boyfriend though, he lifted his head by the chin and kissed him lovingly.
Golden sunlight spread fast between the two of them for a moment before they were both on the floor together, grinning and panting softly at the surge of energy.
We are perfect…
Yes. The most perfect.
Let us go to the land where perfection belongs.