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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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Chapter 13<br />

Odd how simply dressing up and acting like something else can give you<br />

such a unique perspective on things. I shuffled, let my limbs flop about, and<br />

wavered back and forth like one <strong>of</strong> the walking dead. There was a certain<br />

mo<strong>not</strong>ony <strong>to</strong> it, dull yet peaceful, even as Morte whizzed past and clicked<br />

his <strong>to</strong>ngue in annoyance.<br />

“Come on, chief. You’re slower than molasses at a Frost Fair.”<br />

At the pace I was going, the stitches were already tugging at my skin and<br />

threatening <strong>to</strong> break. Shuffle, walk. Shuffle, walk.<br />

Yu wunt out, go tuh arch on firzzt fluur, nurthwezzt ruum... Yuh need<br />

fungur-bone, shape <strong>of</strong> crook... the anarchist had said. Finger-bone in the<br />

shape <strong>of</strong> a crook. Got it. An idle hand on one <strong>of</strong> the stiffening corpses’ digits,<br />

a little tug, a snap, and there was my key.<br />

Morte was right. Of the guests that milled about all <strong>of</strong> them were in the<br />

finest <strong>of</strong> clothes. Blue and red silks lit up the Mortuary as far as the eye can<br />

see, with splashes <strong>of</strong> green here and there. The Dustmen’s eyes must’ve<br />

ached terribly after <strong>be</strong>ing so used <strong>to</strong> the dull grays and browns.<br />

I ambled past, circling about them and headed <strong>to</strong> the northern cham<strong>be</strong>rs.<br />

Shuffle, step. Shuffle, step.<br />

Morte floated next <strong>to</strong> the arches. His jaw widened in an exaggerated yawn,<br />

showing me how annoyed and bored he was. I really have got <strong>to</strong> meet other<br />

people.<br />

I pondered silently for a few moments, wondering how this was supposed <strong>to</strong><br />

work. Ingress had implied that all I needed <strong>to</strong> <strong>do</strong> was carry the key with me,<br />

but I <strong>to</strong>ok the fingerbone in hand anyway, holding it up <strong>to</strong> the arch. The<br />

embalming fluid was drying. The stiches <strong>be</strong>gan <strong>to</strong> tug at my flesh a little<br />

harder.<br />

I shuffled a little more quickly <strong>to</strong> the next arch, and a s<strong>of</strong>t susurration<br />

emanated from the hollow space in the wall. The space there twisted with a<br />

low roar <strong>of</strong> wind, warping in<strong>to</strong> a spiral <strong>of</strong> blue and violet <strong>to</strong> reveal a dark,<br />

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