Necromancer

Chapter 20

I focused on each step I took the ground slowly getting warmer. Though I was immune to fire, I wasn't immune to pain. The smell of death still reeked in the air. I accepted I would never get used to the noxious smell. I looked up in the smoky air. The staircase was getting closer and closer. Wouldn't be long before I got there. I looked at the backs of masses of undead they were crammed together as they shuffled forward. Soon I was completely surrounded and could only move an inch or so. I tried to hold my breath as much as possible. There bodies were pressed up against my cloak. Every shuffle they made I felt it. There grumbling in their rotten bellies vibrated through me. I can't take this much longer... I'm gonna puke if I stay here....I don't even know if this is the right way. I looked around me, there seemed to be no more trouble from the dead here. Most didn't pay me any attention also most didnt even have weapons on them. Strangely I ran into the ones that did. Now the one eyed man's head is sitting in the bottom of a chasm melted by the unquenchable fire. "Ughhhh" there growls began to get louder and louder as we moved closer. "Guuhhh" I wish they shut up for once. "Alright alright let's make this orderly come on now make a line already!" My ears perked up as I heard a nasally voice being drowned out by the undead grumbles. I squinted my eyes trying to get a better look at what lies ahead. I barely just made out a tall slim figure in a  navy blue bellhop suit. He had long spindly fingers which he used to grab tickets from his tiny booth which he couldn't even fit in. The booth sat at the base of the strange looking stairs that led up. A invisible barrier seemed to block entrance as no one dared to cross it. "Okay son what your name again its um Sir Theodore something right?" Nothing but grumbles came in response. "Okay okay good welcome to the upper level great things wait for you!"  A undead figure went through the barrier and began climbing up. The figure was dressed in lavish fur robes and had fine jewelry. I tiptoed to see what else was happening. "Okay next, come one people I don't have all day! Well never mind I do." A blur ran past the booth as I heard loud yelling. "Upper level here I come! See ya suckers! Woohooo!" "Oh no you don't!" The bellhop grabbed the straggler by his collar and threw him over the crowd of undead. I watch as he screamed and fell into the chasm of lava with a loud boom.  The fire crackled and his as it drowned out his cries. I sat there in shock and gulped. Crap I hope that better not be me. "Now anyone else wanna go with him?" The undead corpses nodded in unision. The bellhop smiled "Good, next please!" I caught a glimpse of his face, surprisingly it looked normal. He had a bored expression and a big wide mouth. His thin lips a pale pink. His  beige skin was draped over his chiseled face. He had small beady eyes between gold wire framed glasses two sizes to small. "Okay you can go, welcome to the upper level enjoy your stay!" A woman in a elegant dress began walking up. It was torn and caked in ash. I shuffled closer and closer as I tried to think up a plan of how to get past. Maybe I could put a spell on him and run past. No the stupid barrier is in the way. I began to sweat as the heat became more uncomfortable. Crap crap crap. Finally it was my turn. I slowly stepped up towards the booth as I saw the man prop himself up with his arm. He looked exhausted. "Name please." I hesitated "Why do you need my name?" He began to look annoyed, "You want to go to the Upper Level right? I need your name!" "Alright my name is John." He scribbled furiously and looked up. "Last name?" I froze crap I never made up a fake last name. "Uhhhh Hammerleaf." He stopped moving his hand and looked up. "What kind of name is that!? Hammerleaf? Your just wasting my time arent you!" Its my name honest! He glared at me with his beady eyes. "Fine whatever." He bent down and came back up with a huge book. The book slammed on the counter as he opened the huge book. He scurried through its worn pages with his long fingers. He stopped on a page and studied it closely. "So what's your name?" The man looked up and seemed confused. "Name? Me? I dont have one. I'm thing 9." I tried to think of more stuff to distract him. "Thing 9 what does that mean?" "Im the 9th thing that's what it means now shut up and let me concentrate!" "So this is your job huh? Strange a handsome devil like you should be a king somewhere." "You talk too much! Why should you care about my job so much anyhow. This is what I was created for. Even if i despise talking to snivel nosed brats like you!" Thing nine became wide eyed as he looked at the page. "Well what do you know, John HammerLeaf is right here!  Well guess your telling the truth. Ok fine you can go." I couldn't  believe that worked. "Here you go take this." He gave me a golden ticket between his long spindly fingers. I held on the ticket as I looked at how shiny it was. I walked through the barrier and up the steps. A chill went down my spine as I heard a loud croak. "Stop him! I'm the real John Hammerleaf! Imposter! Imposter!" I looked back as I saw Thing 9 explode through the toll booth. His face red with anger. "YOU LITTLE BRAT YOU TRICKED ME!!!!" Thing 9 began banging on the barrier with his large hands through the yells of the real John. "Imposter! Imposter!" I ran up the stairs into the smoky clouds. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS YA HEAR ME! I'LL KILL YA I SWEAR IT!" he banged on the barrier louder and louder. I ran up not daring to look back.