Epilogue
On the other side of the Keys, Horace shivered by the side of the road, holding a hand over his privates. He’d woken up naked, scratches covering his long body. He trembled as a flash of headlights crossed his vision and he stood on shaky feet, holding his thumb out.
The car blasted past him, horn blaring, as a soda can flew from the window and landed at his feet, splashing brown liquid across Horace’s body.
“Those imbeciles! If only they knew who I was!” Horace seethed, pacing by the side of the road, furious that he had been left alone.
“Where are you, oh mighty one? Why have you forsaken me?” Horace screamed to the sky. He’d been promised a rich life, after all.
A flash of blue light shone from behind him and Horace stiffened, before turning slowly.
A woman, naked but for acres of hair that wound around her, smiled beautifully at him from within her blue glow. She was beautiful in a way not known to man, almost impossible to look directly at.
“Goddess Diana,” Horace said, immediately dropping to his knees.
“You’ve been a naughty boy, Horace,” Diana spoke, her voice both wondrous and awful at the same time.
“I know, I’m sorry,” Horace whispered.
“Oh, it’s far too late for apologies. You’ve caused some major disturbances in the spiritual world. And opening a portal? Tsk, tsk,” Diana clucked as she floated above him.
“I’ll close it, I promise. I was wrong,” Horace cowered beneath her.
“Oh, you’ll close it. When we send you right through it,” Diana said, raising her arms.
“No! I don’t want to go there,” Horace screamed as Diana poured her light into him and he disappeared from the side of the road.
Diana floated for a moment, her eyes trained on the spot where Horace had just been. Sighing, she dusted off her hands and winked out of sight.