THE AFTERHOUR

IX. The Entity:

" Who are you?"

He jumped back, alarmed. Not just at the cold of that touch, not even the fact that it was able to interact with him in this place. He was shocked by its appearance. The Entity was about seven feet tall, slender and humanoid. Its arms were long and skinny, hanging past its knees. But the most distinct feature was its face: it was blank, inky dark and somewhat reflective, like the rest of its body. The Entity looked like he was made from a drop of the night sky. It was almost beautiful to look at, if not for the fact that Jamien was terrified.

"What...What are you?" - He rephrased.

The Entity looked at him as though to wait for him to calm down first, then it spoke, with a robotic but surprisingly human voice:

"Hello, Jamien, it's nice to see you again. Please follow me. We have a lot of catching up to do."

The Entity gestured at the blank wall. As if by magic, It instantly collapsed into a long doorway enough for the two of them to walk through.

"Why should I follow you? This is just another trick, I don't want to play your little game anymore. Just do what you want with me..."

He was disturbed, and rightfully so. This inhuman thing that he had never seen before had just referred to him by name, as if they were old friends, even though he himself had just recently learned it.

"Because this is the end of the road." - The Entity replied, still with a freakishly calm voice. - " No more tricks, I understand you must be really confused right now, I promise you will get an explanation for everything."

It gestured at the doorway again and started entering it slowly. Jamien decided to follow. He needed to understand what all this had been for.

" And as for your initial question" - The Entity continued - "I don't have a name, I am a creature of function, as you might say. I exist for one purpose, no more, no less."

"I have gone by many names, self-appointed or given. I am the Dream Maker, I am also Chiron, The Ferryman, The Nightmare... But to you, I am simply the Entity. I think it suits me the most."

The introduction was followed by a theatrical bow of its head, as though it had rehearsed this moment in front of a mirror multiple times.

"I am as old as I can remember and I will be here for an eternity more. As my purpose bears no end."

"And what is that purpose?" - Jamien asked cautiously, forcing the words through an invisible lump in his throat.

It turned back and replied to him with one word.

"Happiness."

With a flick of its finger, the wooden door leading to the other side swung open. He walked through it and was instantly astounded: It truly was a sight to behold.

It was a Library, and by that, he didn't mean your typical community library. This was huge. It was a gigantic space reaching up to a hundred meters vertically at least, and just about as far as the eye could see horizontally. The place was well-lit. Dozens of enormous, man-sized golden chandeliers were dropping from the ceiling, bathing the entire Library in a yellow, warm light. But that wasn't even the impressive part. There were books, thousands upon thousands of them, neatly stacked on bookshelves that were so wide and high, they might as well have been buildings.

Jamien needed a long moment, or maybe even longer than that to absorb all of it. It was too grand, of a scale too great for him to handle. He was even aware of his mouth hanging open and how ridiculous he was looking. He didn't care. He felt small, tiny, the Library was leaving him stunned and speechless.

" I know." - The Entity acknowledged his feelings - "Magnificent, isn't it? It's my favorite place to be in here."

"And what is 'here', exactly?" - Jamien questioned the being, his teeth clenching -"Why am I here? And how do I get out?"

"This..." - The Entity replied - "is the Afterhour, everything you have been through: The Void, The Tower, The Lake, The Corridor,...It's all part of the Afterhour."

Jamien felt empty, this thing knew everything he had been through, and for all he knew, it was the thing that had put him here. Rage was brewing inside him. All the torture he had endured from this hell needed to be blamed on someone. The Entity seemed to notice his anger.

"Contrary to your belief, I am not the person that put you here."

"Then who did?" - Jamien snarled, its explanation was not at all satisfying to him. - "I am done with all of this. I want out! I don't care who you are or any of this, I just want to leave!"

A long silence followed. The Entity hung its head low, Jamien waited for an answer, to hear what this thing had to say for itself. But he soon realized the meaning of its silence. Regardless of its lack of expression, he could see it. It was sad, grievous even.

"I can't let you leave, Jamien." - It replied slowly, this was the first time he had detected some human emotion in its voice - "And you know why you can't, you have thought about it before too, yet too afraid to realize it..."

"You are dead, Jamien, this is where you go after."