"The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind."
― H. P. Lovecraft
***
A pensive silence occupied the tiny chamber within which lay Adam, his mind ignited by thoughts... and questions associated with the prophetic mumbo-jumbo he had just read.
'The devil's hour?... veil between dream and reality?...freedom lying in the end and not time?'
"What kind of bulls*t is this now?"
He spat through gritted teeth. As if walking wraiths and horrendous sounds had not been enough, and now this..
His mind was still shaken by the earlier revelation about what had happened to him before waking up in this place. And now, as if all that wasn't enough, this ominous-looking prophecy was resting just beside him.
His emotions were raging in his mind, while his gut was sinking deeper and deeper with the passing of time, his anxiety was shooting through the roof, and it was becoming harder and harder not to simply lash out in rage due to his circumstances.
Biting down on the inside of his cheek in nervousness, he tried to simply empty his mind, which had been in a disarray.
A moment passed, and he breathed out a tired breath and simply threw the paper at the opposing corner of the small cabinet.
'Fu*k me... I'm tired... I should close my ears and relax, even if I hear something, I'm not going out of here.'
After the turmoil he had gone through in the past moments, he was exhausted, weary and a lot fearful.
It was already two in the morning, and it would take about a couple more hours till sunrise.
Eventually, he sighed in tired resignation and decided to simply sleep through this harrowing nightmare... maybe it was just that, a bad nightmare.
Hoping for this in his heart ardently, Adam massaged his brows and simply closed his eyes while curling up on the cramped cabinet floor.
***
Dan was acting as his usual flippant and unruly self, even in the city library where they were sitting.
He was cackling almost too loudly, while mumbling something incomprehensible, looking at the book in front of him.
The librarian at the front desk a few rows away was giving their table a nasty glare; it looked like the middle-aged woman would slam her mobile down and spit fire at them any moment now.
Well, that was what he'd expected when this moron decided to tag along with him to this place.
Kicking Daniel's shin from under the table, Adam hissed while pointing at the librarian.
"You fuc*er... if you don't want to read in peace, at least let me do so. That woman looks like you've murdered her family."
Dan yelped and winced lightly, then, upon hearing what Adam said, he glanced back at the woman and signalled that he understood, his expression apologetic.
"Ah... sorry, my bad, but you could've just asked me nicely, no need to get violent, I'm not your wife that you can go around beating everywhere."
Hearing Dan's nonsense, Adam's face darkened, and he uttered in outrage while a vein bulged on his face.
"Have you seen your face in the mirror, bastard! And I don't go around beating my wife... I don't have one, and I'd rather die than live with you for more than a day."
Seeing Adam's peeved expression, Dan smiled back at him and spoke with a sing-song voice.
"But didn't we live together for more than 12 years, my love? How could you say such a thing? You... is this all our relation ever meant to you? *sob*"
Adam nearly snapped his pen while writing, and then he spoke through gritted teeth.
"Bastard, we lived in the same orphanage! And why the f*ck are you annoying me now?"
Adam was used to this bastard's antics, but it didn't mean Dan didn't manage to get under his skin every time. The time didn't matter; this guy always managed to raise his blood pressure.
Dan raised his hands in a placating manner and spoke softly while smirking.
"No need to get angry, little Adam, this big brother of yours understands that you can't comprehend the profundity in my words."
Adam was vexed seeing this guy smirking like a fox, then he realised he had spoken too loudly and the other people nearby were giving him annoyed frowns.
Eventually, he took deep breaths and then uttered while suppressing his anger.
"Why couldn't you go and annoy Tim? Why did you have to come here?"
"Well, Tim's reactions aren't as funny as yours, plus he's gone for an interview today, and I wouldn't bother that pompous guy today of all days."
Hearing the first part, his temple throbbed, but he calmed down. If he didn't show any reaction, this guy would shut up on his own.
"Heh... the last time you angered him, he burned all your underwears while your sorry a*s was busy singing in the bathroom."
Dan scowled, hearing Adam's provocative words, but didn't say much. Adam's taunts were always childish, and they practically bounced right off his shameless skin.
As a wise man once said, 'The happiest man is the most shameless one.'
Mulling over his thoughts, he smirked internally and tried to look for another target to annoy Adam.
Seeing the book Adam was reading, Dan pointed lazily.
"Why are you reading paranormal and religious stuff? I thought our lord Shakespeare Adam was beyond these mortal things."
Adam knew what this little fu*ker was up to, but he spoke calmly.
"Who said I'm above reading any book? I'm trying to be a writer; the more I read, the better it is."
Seeing no results, Dan pointed at the pile of books in front of him and spoke after clicking his tongue.
"So, what is it you've been looking for in all these books?"
"Nothing much, just researching for the horror genre."
Intrigued, Dan chirped, "Oh? And... what did you find?"
Adam scratched his head and spoke while hesitating, "Eh... well, I'm looking for spiritual practices and other stuff like the connection of our world to different planes of existence, where these connections are blurred, other than that it's just normal stuff. "
"Um... yeah sure buddy, make sure not to join a dubious cult while you're at it. Oh! If you do join a cult, take that other bastard with you."
Looking at Dan's smug smile, Adam wanted to punch this guy's mug into the dirt.
'Let's do something better, I should just strangle this fuc*er.'
Dispelling his murderous thoughts, Adam snapped back.
"This is the reason why you don't have a girlfriend, you'd just make her kill herself by hearing your yapping all day long."
Dan didn't expect such a low blow from this friend of his, frowning in displeasure, he uttered. "Take that back, you imbecile, it's not my problem your squirrel brain can't comprehend my deeply philosophical words."
Adam's mouth remained open for a moment, and then he screamed internally.
'Fu*k me... why can't this guy just take a loss and shut up for once?!... and philosophical?! Even my cat can be more philosophical than this sh*thead....I don't care anymore...Let's just shut up and focus on my work.'
After that, Adam didn't pay Dan any heed.
Seeing Adam's dumbfounded expression gradually turning placid, Dan mumbled quietly.
"Is this guy taking notes on being aloof from Tim? Not like I can't annoy him, but it'll take more energy than usual."
Nodding silently in his mind, Dan chuckled, shook his head and focused on his comparatively interesting book, titled 'Dumb ways to die in the forest.'
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[A/N]
Advance chaper for the day after tomorrow, but I'll post it now.
Anyways, this is a bit of the mc's backstory.