"So, this is it?" he asks. "This is death?"
I walk across the packed earth to where he's standing.
"Not really. You're kind of in between worlds right now. There really isn't a desert and there really isn't a sunrise or sunset. This is just something to look at while you wait. You're sort of on hold and this is the Muzak."
"While I'm waiting to see if I'm going to Heaven or damned to Hell, this is the best the all-knowing occult powers that run the universe could come up with? Talk about being underachievers."
"Be fair, man. Everyone knows where you're headed. Maybe they just didn't break out the A material for you."
Kasabian nods.
"You're right. Why bother? I fucked up my life and I even fucked up dying."
"So we're clear, you know that wasn't me who killed you just now, right? It was Parker."
"I should never have trusted those guys. Why would Mason help me after all these years? I thought it was different now. I thought that with you back, he'd need me again."
"Where is he?"
"Listen, you were straight with me before. You know, saying you were sorry for locking me up in that closet and everything. I want to be straight with you."
"Don't worry about it. There isn't a lot of time. Where's Mason hiding?"
Kasabian looks over his shoulder to the mountains in the distance. There's a low rumble of thunder. It won't be long now. He turns back to me.
"I knew something was up that night. I knew Mason had something waiting for you. I thought he was just going to hit you with a leech charm or something. Suck out all your power and keep it for himself. But when those Lurkers showed up…"
"Kissi. They're called Kissi."
"I didn't know he was going to do that."
"What did you know about Alice?"
"Nothing. I'm not into doing stuff like that to women. And a civilian? That's messed up."
"Would you have told me if you'd known?"
He shrugs. Looks down. Shakes his head.
"Come on, man. That's not even a real question. Going against Mason feels like you're going against the devil."
I can't read a dead man like a living one. No heartbeat. No breath. Fixed pupils. But I don't need any of that now.
"I believe you," I tell him. "And Mason isn't the devil. He just likes to play dress-up. Tell me where he is and I'll get him for both of us."
"I don't know where he is exactly. It was sort of like here. Spooky and wrong, but a lot weirder. Somewhere far away and dark. Not regular dark, either. Dark like it had no idea what light even was. Like light was Kryptonite to the place. There was no one there, but it wasn't empty. In fact, it was crowded. But it was full of nothing." He holds up his hands in frustration. "If any of that makes sense."
Thunder rolls down the mountains again. A dot of light appears at the base of one a couple of miles away. A door has opened. I take Kasabian by the arm and start walking him that way.
"Listen, when you get to Hell, look up a guy named Belial. He's one of Lucifer's generals. Tell him I sent you and ask him for a job. Tell him I said not to send you to the pits."
"The pits?" asks Kasabian. "What pits?"
"When you tell him who sent you, make sure you tell him it was Sandman Slim. And remind him that the Sandman knows where he lives."
Kasabian gives me a look.
"What the fuck is Sandman Slim? It sounds like a Japanese cartoon."