Pretend This didn't Happen

Part 112 - Release them

Connie walked out from the kitchen and sat in a peculiar odd silence as the show progressed to play, confused, Andrea asked her what was up. "Gary didn't make it" was all Connie was able to say before breaking down in tears at the table. Claire poured Connie a glass of water and sat a the table, pouring herself one also.

"What?" Andrea was beside herself "What do you mean Gary didn't make it and how would you know this?" Andrea covered her mouth in shock "he just left in the ambulance, I don't believe it." Intuitively Andrea gazed at Connie with brows furrowed "do I get some answers?" Andrea asked "Please inform me," Andrea stated shaking her head slightly with tears in her eyes "please do, I have never known at most times what was going on inside that man's skull." Andrea cried.   

"Yes," Connie said sobbing "and unless the winds change we will be soon joining the ash inside of his skull. It may get very hot shortly." Connie stated silently then asking her clone sister "Be a sweetheart and get me a coffee, would you babe?"

"Wind of change," Jackson said into the microphone while tuning up his guitar "by the Scorpions, I got this." The portal opened as Jackson began to sing the second verse of the song to reveal the flames on each side of the highway with a charred metal box that the ambulance once was but this wasn't right at all. That was not the route. No the route shown from above resembled no road ever travelled.

This burning landscape was completely foreign to any witnessing except the large red muscle bound man bursting out of the rear of the charred box was seen battling Gary earlier. After a few paces from the cigar box ambulance the devil coughed smoke rings and Gary stepped out of his shadows to make his way limping over to a charred stump to take a seat and start bitching because his tobacco was dried out and his papers had burned. The devil busted a gut laughing at Gary. The Band began to play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.  

"Instead of laughing at me go over to that Birch tree over there" Gary pointed out a standing tree that was nearly untouched by the fire "and make yourself useful and peel me off some loose bark so I can roll a damn cigarette and then you can tell me what the Hell I'm doing here, and where in Christ's name you brought me to!"

Returning with strips of bark "damn those things are going to kill you." The Devil handed Gary the bark to roll his smoke "you know that right?"

"Sure, sure" Gary wrapped a pinch of tobacco in the tree bark before lighting it with a few smouldering embers on the ground. After exhaling his first pull on his makeshift cigarette "OH yeah," Gary said with an air of relief, just like old times. Watching Satan stare, standing in all his glory"so why in GOD's name did you bring us here?"

"Because you have to help save my corporation." Gary looked at Satan like he was out of his mind "This planet is my breeding ground for the human project" Satan explained. "Seeing as you took over Hell so easily and seem to have realized the illusion of death, and how to make outer contact for help," Satan explained to Gary "You're either a worthy adversary or the best business partner I could ever ask for." Gary scratched his head wondering at the proposition, Satan then continued "you see the destruction GOD's soldiers have done to their species?" Gary nodded getting the picture "It makes for a very uneven playing field for the rest of humanity just trying to survive and earn a decent living."

"OK," Gary threw up his hands in protest "GOD? Where is this GOD you speak of?" Gary demanded "I want to talk to this chicken shit who plays humanity against each other, continually blowing everything to pieces!" Gary huffed in anger.

Satan smiled "I am talking to him." Turning and walking away from Gary Satan said "it is up to you how this war ends." Disappearing into the distance Satan told Gary "I have to go clean up the mess you left in my interrogation dungeon," asking "what do you suggest I do with those imprisoned souls, partner?"

"Release them!" Gary called back. "I could use all the help I can get!"