"Bad Juju" THE END

"Bad Juju" THE END

Ace blearily opened his eyes. As before, he could only see the ceiling. It was a bronzey copper colour, and pressed with worn gold filigree. He could hear the quiet pattering of rain on glass windows. He inhaled deeply to smell a potent, musty, vaguely floral scent in the air. It was the smell of those damned laced cigarettes. Ace forced himself upward and rubbed his head, which was covered in coarse, dishwater-blonde hair. He rubbed at his face, his fingers catching on a grainy dusting of five-o-clock shadow. His movement was slightly cold and constricted, as if his clothes were still wet. He'd just awoken from the world's deepest sleep, like Lazarus of the Bible stories. He gazed around the room to see the window still open to a black, stormy night outside and a clock reading 2:30 a.m. No way. There is no way that all could have only transpired in one hour. Even his time spent "between planes" seemed like an hour, in itself.

Ace took inventory of the room and collected his thoughts. His stomach sank to a dangerous low when he came to the conclusion that he'd indeed fallen asleep somewhere in the same room as Oktober Guildenstern. He immediately cast his eyes downward to see that his jeans were still on and buttoned. He sighed in relief. Ace heard a heavy snoring sound coming from somewhere to his left. He whipped his head around to observe Guildy, lying on the sofa across from his, stretched over the whole thing and sleeping soundly. His mouth was open mid-snore, allowing lamplight to glint off his gold tongue-ring. Ace yawned loudly. Guildy started to stir, opening one purple-lidded eye before the other.

"Goedemorgen, Ace," Guildy said lazily. He smiled and stretched, the stitches in his velvet suit groaning from the stress.

"Hey, Guildy," Ace said back, rubbing his head again. "Those are some cigarettes, huh?" Ace chuckled. Guildy nodded and mooed slightly. Ace yawned again, "So. Is that it?"

"I don't know. Iz it?" Guildy questioned through a haze. "Do you feel any better?" Ace thought for a moment. Clear thoughts. Thoughts not addled by past troubles or future obstacles. These were the thoughts of the average, everyday person after a great catharsis.

"Yeah. I do," Ace said definitively. He couldn't believe it. This was amazing. If only everyone in the world knew about Amaranth's best kept secret and his magical cigarettes.

"Vonderful. Zen it vorked." Guildy stretched. Ace looked down at his body, most definitely his own. However, one thing was different. Once again, it was the tattoos. Instead of being a collection of ugly, faded drawings, or a mess of writhing, snaking lines, they just weren't there at all. Ace ran his hands over his clean, purified skin. "Und zat is how you know it vorked. Ze evidence of your bad karma has dizappeared," Guildy said. He must have really known his stuff to be able to articulate such things so easily while in such a weary state.

Ace smiled to himself. He could see a bright light ahead of him. Like the metaphorical lighthouse he always saw when he was released from prison. However, the one he saw now did not have an illegally-obtained bulb. It was lit entirely with a divine glow that held some sort of hope for a better life. He would go home and go to bed, then wake up early. He'd clean up and rush to the Mudd household to tell Mindy all about the evening's events, and hopefully, win her back. Who knows? Maybe he'd buy a ticket and head to California with her to start a life out there. It was like a breath of the near-intoxicating nitrogen-air right after a rainstorm. Ace was right. He had hit rock-bottom, and the only place to go from rock-bottom is upward.

"So, how much do I owe ya'?" Ace said, hoping Guildy would accept a later payment, as no pockets yielded any sort of money, whatsoever. Guildy yawned and thought for a moment.

"For you? It iz free. No cozt," Guildy smirked. Ace stood up and plucked his jacket from the back of the couch.

"Thanks man. You don't know how much you've done for me."

Guildy smiled knowingly, "Yes, I do."

"I guess I'll be going, then."

"I guess you vill," Guildy sat up. He showed signs of having every intention of going back to sleep, but definitely not on the sofa. He shook his head, sending his earrings jangling. Ace turned toward the door, feeling light-headed and lithium-high. "Und, Ace?" Ace turned about. Guildy beamed warmly, "Your Papa vill be fine."

"You think so?"

"I know zo," There was a pause. Guildy waved Ace a friendly goodbye, his nails glinting scarlet on the tips of his fingers. Ace sighed and gripped the doorhandle.

"Thanks man."

"You are velcome." The voice rang sweetly from behind. Ace opened the door, feeling as if he was stepping out of a jail-cell for the last time, ever. The feeling of finality was incredible. Once and for all, Ace was ready to bring this chapter of his life to a close, and he was really, truly, actually happy. Guildy jangled once more, "Zee you in ze next life!"