The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Deleted Scenes: Six (Draft 2.5)

He called to his two loyal Djinn and they came up from his room in the bodies of Sofia Loren and Audrey Hepburn in slim black powersuits, bringing him the small cassette player he wished for. "This will do it or nothing will," Morpheus said to River. He set the deck to play and music from Madonna's Erotica album played softly.

Morpheus called again, and there were fewer Djinn now. Some of them brought clouds and rain to him but Morpheus only told those ones to go. Another Djinn came down and turned the music up, moved through Morpheus' hair. Morpheus called it back, gave it shape so that a Linda stood before him in powersuit. "Evangelista," he named it and to insure its loyalty he made a small wound in his arm with fingernails and offered blood to the new Djinn.

There were three.

Morpheus collected River and his things, went to the door calling the Djinn after him. When he got to his room he found three bottles and dropped some blood into each. Morpheus commanded the Djinn into the bottles and capped them loosely. He thought it would be better to have them trapped a little while.

Morpheus got into bed, and he fell asleep. He woke up feeling sad, thought he remembered dreaming Julien. And he also felt himself watched. He sat up slowly, and heard a giggle. Absinthe and Laudanum were there, in his room. "Happy, unbirthday!" Absinthe said.

They rushed to the bed and sat with him. Laudanum crawled up behind and draped his arms about Morpheus' shoulders, Absinthe sat facing them, opened a box of chocolates and offered them to Morpheus. "Cheer up!" Absinthe said.

"Why are we always having to cheer you up?" Laudanum asked sleepily.

"I am fully expecting the sky to open up and rain down torrents!"

"You were watching the mirrors," Morpheus said finding himself somehow gladdened.

"Well, Sin was coming to feed the plants, and I was coming to see her..."

"His beloved sister."

"And no one was watching the desperate ones, so I took it upon myself."

"But he gets tired, so I keep him awake."

"We work well together."

Morpheus laughed. He closed his eyes and let chocolate melt over his tongue. It felt so much better being held.

"Group hug!" squealed Absinthe and threw herself into Morpheus' lap.

"I love you guys," Morpheus said.

Laudanum kissed his shoulder, "We know."

Morpheus felt better after that. They came to see him often. Absinthe indicated that Jibril was just a little regretful, he had not guessed that being in the needy world would effect Morpheus after so short a time. No one had ever claimed that they understood the nature of Halfangels. All they did know was that the Angels who spent the most time in the needy world alone fell most easily. Gabriel and Raziel would have fallen long ago if they did not consistently travel together.

Morpheus was walking up Fifth Avenue singing to himself, not very loudly, when he heard a gunshot. He ducked reflexively, familiar with the sound. He heard another, caught the running figure across the street, familiar, he should know this person. And then another shot as the figure spun around. Steven!

He was falling to the pavement.

The doorman ran from the building across the street, pounded over the pavement toward Steven's body. Morpheus felt something else, from above. Someone up in the building knew what had happened and was radiating anger. Athen? If Steven lived in this building Julien did too, and that meant Athen would be near.

A form, Morpheus thought, a body and I can go over there, I can help. He reached and it came to him as it had in the mirage, the form most needed, most friendly. He knew that he would be called Joey.

Athen was leaning over Steven's bleeding figure when Morpheus arrived. He was opening Steven's shirt, holding one hand on the chest wound while he prodded at Steven's head with the other. Some of the people there were telling him to leave the body alone. Athen only snapped at them, eyes glaring. "Have you ever watched someone die?"

"I have, mahn," Morpheus said.

Steven spoke: "...eyes..."

"Oh, no, Steven, don't go," Athen cried. It seemed he actually loved the Human.

"Don't look at her, mahn...she'll take ya with those eyes of hers, don't look," said Joey's voice.

"Fucking tell her you're not going!" Athen shouted.

There was a choking sound, for an instant Morpheus thought Steven was dying. But, the sound came from above.

Julien was standing there looking a Calvin Klein poster boy, crying. "Oh my Gawd Omigawd omigawdomigawdomi..." and then nothing.

The ambulance came. Steven was hastily lifted onto a stretcher and hoisted up into the vehicle. Athen moved after him, a hand came up to bar his way. He could have looked at them a certain way and held them in thrall, he could have smacked the man so hard his head flew from his shoulders, but he just stood, stunned. "He's his fucking nephew," Morpheus said.

The paramedic rolled his eyes, but they had no time to fight. Athen climbed inside. He shouted at Julien. And Julien didn't seem to hear...anything. "Jule! Go inside. Tell John what's happened. Jule?"

The ambulance sped away. Morpheus stood staring at Julien. He smiled to himself. He was standing not three feet from Julien, and he was perfectly calm.

The small crowd was moving away, several police officers stood pointing at things, trying to get statements. Julien stood staring at the spreading pool of blood. His arms hugged his waist, his face was stained with tears, still wet. Julien licked the salt from his lip.

The doorman was watching Julien as he spoke to one of the police. "His name's Julien Dangerous. But he wasn't here when it happened. He knows Mr. Jewel...lives in the building."

"Well I don't guess we need to talk to him, kid looks pretty messed up anyway."

Morpheus stepped to Julien's side, touched his arm. "Hey, c'mon, I'll take you inside."

Julien said nothing, but he walked along when Morpheus put just a little pressure on his arm. They passed through the lobby with no trouble. Julien was leading the way, letting Morpheus press the button outside the elevator but pressing the one inside himself before returning his arm to his waist. A somnambulist.

They went into Steven's penthouse. The door wasn't locked. Julien walked to the ladder-like staircase and climbed to the loft, letting Morpheus stay close to him the entire time. There was a man sleeping fitfully on a sofabed, John, Morpheus gathered. He thought he recognized him from scrying pools, a tall, brown-haired ex-dancer. John was currently acting as Steven's bodyguard. He spoke in his sleep, called the name Daniel. And then very suddenly he sat up.

Julien slipped down beside him, said nothing. John blinked sleep from his eyes, shook his head. "Julien?"

Julien began sobbing loudly, fell forward and cried on John's bare shoulder.

"He's not going to die," Morpheus whispered.

John seemed to see him for the first time. His jaw fell, his fingers clenched at Julien's shirt.

Morpheus gave him a short nod. "You can call me Joe," he said. "Your friend, he's in the hospital, I'm sure the doorman remembers which, he's good at remembering." He turned on his heels, walked down the stair.

"Joey?"

Morpheus went to the door.

"Joey! Thanks!"

Morpheus smiled. Joseph Ripley had been dead ten years.