Another change to the records.

Screw that Matthias guy.

Such little work when he arrived so of course he makes up for it with his departure. One dead, 2 injured, 2 departed and a whole bunch of special notes in the margins.

Oh right he also sort of doomed us all by removing our protection and he you know killed someone and hurt a couple of people.

On the bright side with the dying man gone this place is now no less dangerous and no more dangerous than anywhere else in the world so visitors might start coming again.

"You're just as likely to die out there as in here but at least in here there's free rooms and board and a chance to make friends."

We should put that on a sign somewhere.

Anyways as per usual no matter what changes I'm not leaving.

No point in going somewhere else to die when I can die in comfort right here.

Oh and best wishes to Sal with the broken arm and all.

Get better soon.

The Dilemma

So usually I skim over my comments to check to see if anyone has any questions. Last week, I decided to skip reading comments, however, because I thought it would just be, you know, "traitor" and other things of that intent.

Finally, this morning, I decided to check the comments and see one from our dear friend Proxiehunter (the misspelling in his name is due to being concussed at the time, he assures me). It is from this comment that I am informed of our other visitor -- the one currently residing in Matthias. The Dying Man fragment known as Judas.

(And as a sidenote: how ironic is it that after I reveal my little secret, a Dying Man fragment shows up that's named after the most famous traitor of all? Or am I misusing the term "ironic"?)

When I found this out, my immediate reaction was to try and get Matthias out. Unfortunately, for most of the day, he has locked himself in his room, and when he comes out, it's nearly impossible to get him to go anywhere.

I could force him out. I could try breaking the lock. But then the remaining guests would ask why. And if I answered truthfully, they would panic. And if I didn't, they would get suspicious, check this blog, and still panic.

So, the way I see it, I have two options: wait and see what Judas does, if he does anything at all.

Or I could move the box. Just until Judas is gone. Would that work? Would They descend upon this place like locusts if I took away the box just for a day?

I don't know. I don't want to find out.

A few more days. I'll wait a few more days. And if he doesn't leave, I'll move it then.

A little free time.

I've been extremely busy since Sal let loose his little secret.

Tons of people pouring out of here in fear and disgust over this revelation. Which of course left me having to account for all of their exits.

Plus a few of the crazier runners who had been avoiding us before now find us interesting enough to grace us with their presence so yeah I've been a little overworked.

Yeah more than usual even...

As for my thoughts on the whole thing?

Well like Sal said I'm not really bothered but not for the reason he says. In fact quite the opposite.

He thinks it's cause I know that's all that's protecting me.

Wrong. I don't mind because I'm not safe no matter what so one more huge risk isn't much of an upset for me.

I've been working here under the shadow of death since day one and I'm not going to flee just because the shadow got a bit darker.

Doomed is doomed no matter how doomed you are.

So yeah.

At least the new stranger was easy to add to the record.

Just had to add one name no record of what he's running from no extra information or addendums to add just a name and a room number. Easiest record I've had to keep so far.

Actually with the dry up of new people once I get the records straightened my job should be a lot easier.

That's kind of a depressing thought actually.

A Little Trust

“Yet man will never be perfect until he learns to create and destroy; he does know how to destroy, and that is half the battle.”

I was wondering why it felt like people were suddenly being cold, and the guests were leaving in a hurry. I'd heard some stuff that made me shudder, then I read the blog, and now everything is a little clearer.

I've never really questioned the way Sal's run things. I just do the work I've been given, and I get a roof over my head in return. But with a Dying Man piece around, I'm now not so sure. I've never had a run in myself, but all the stories I've heard about people encountering a Shard of Lazarus have never been good, or had happy endings for that matter. It may be keeping the Misery Makers away at the moment, but some of the stories I've heard about them make me worry. Some of our guests who have passed through here have been hunted by Dying Men before. They're all similar, yet all so different. Some of them are smart, some are mad, and some are almost human. But all are dangerous, and sometimes it's only because they've been seeking other shards to become whole again. Their endless pilgrimage of madness, built on the death of others.

I know that sometimes it's necessary to use evil to fight off evil. Sometimes, making deals with devils is the only way to get by. But it's still evil, never the less. What are their servants after all, if not people dealing their lives away for what may only be one more day of life. Whilst it might have warded off Ruby Tuesday for now, who's to say someone, or something, won't come our way seeking it out?

I guess I should trust Sal's judgement on this one. That man has proved his character after all. But something about this just makes me spooked. Not to mention the only real guest we've had recently is the unconscious stranger. It seems word travels fast these days.

Fallout

Ivory isn't talking to me. I walked into her work space today and...nothing. Not even a word. She was counting all the bandages she had left. I told her I would go out and buy more. She didn't even acknowledge I existed.

Okay, I kept a secret. A big secret. I probably would have been targeted by the Black Dog if, well, you know. If I didn't have what was in the box.

John was a bit nicer. I think it's because he knows he's only safe because of what's in the box. I haven't seen Albert yet today and I don't know if he's read the last post, so I'm not sure how he'll react.

Some our guests were chillier to me today, too. Guess some of them read the blog.

I wish I could have just kept the box, never taken it out, left it the safe to gather dust. I wish it was still my secret. But Ivory...after the incident with Ruby, she told me to post it or else she would. She told me, "No more secrets." And she hasn't said anything else to me since.

Fine, Ivory. No more secrets.

I have a fragment of the Dying Man in my office. It's what keeps us safe. It's pretty much the only thing that keeps us safe. See, back when I was running, I realized that nothing stopped them. Not bricks and mortar, not steel, not the tallest building or the lowest basement. The only thing that stopped one of them was the presence of another.

I was looking for something. I don't know what. Something to help me stop running. So I went to the Acropolis in Athens. Someplace old, someplace perhaps eldritch. I went there and I found it. A broken piece, smaller than my fist. But there this...miasma. I felt sick as I looked at it, but I knew. It would keep my safe.

I used tongs to hold it. Then I put it in a box and put that in another box. I used gloves within gloves. And then I brought it back here.

It's kind of paradoxical that something called the Dying Man is what's keeping us alive. But it is. It's a shield to protect us from Them.

I guess I'm just sorry I kept it a secret from you.