Jude looked up with a withering expression. "You wrote a story from Morgan's point of view and made yourself the hero. That's typical. What's a Holy Ghost?"

He said it with equal parts love and contempt. I took no offense and answered, "The Holy Ghost is one of 8 Ikons God left on Eden. Adam killed five and stole their power. There are two Eden Spirits still unaccounted for. The Holy Ghost can influence and inspire people. That's why Rafael is so popular and successful.

"As for the other thing, I'm writing from multiple perspectives. This is Morgan's chapter, and she has her own arc. Rafael isn't a literary stand-in for me, but even if he were, it's my story. I'll make myself the hero if I want to."

He dropped the pages on the bed next to me. "Whatever. You got a blanket? I'm tired."

"Yeah, here. You can sleep on the bed. It's small, but we can both fit if we don't move around."

He took the blanket and curled up in a ball on the floor. "Don't worry about it. Night."

I wasn't sure what to do or say. I must have said or done something to upset him, but he wouldn't talk about it. So I turned the lights off and went to sleep.

The Next Morning, we started with a simple objective: sign Jude up for public services, but before the night ended, we would witness a murder and cross into another dimension.

But first things first. Jude and I walked to the Human Services Agency in the Mission. I helped him sign up for expedited food stamps and health coverage. Next, to Lark Inn, where he wrote his name on the list for temporary housing assistance. Then we walked up two blocks to the Larkin Employment and Drop-In Center, so he could find a job and make some friends.

Jude was meeting a career advisor. I was waiting in the lobby of the Drop-In, a red brick building with old wood floors. Industrial beams protected it against the ever-looming threat of earthquakes. The walls were yellow, reflecting the sunlight and giving everything a golden hue.

My phone rang, so I stepped outside, where trash and human feces covered the sidewalk, cooking in the blinding noonday sun.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered.

"Have you read my emails?" Nathan asked impatiently.

"Um. I guess not. What's going on?"

"Chapter 3 of the Humdrum adventure is tonight! Are you coming or not? I'm buying tickets now, and there aren't many left."

"What?! Why didn't they call me?"

"They probably did. You never check your voicemail!"

"Who leaves voicemails anymore?! What is this, the 90s? Send a text message like a normal person."

"Are you coming or not?!"

"Yes! Of course, I'm coming. Wait! Can you get a ticket for my brother, too? I'll reimburse you tonight."

"Yeah, that's fine. They're $25 a person, so you'll owe me $50. We meet at 8pm. Don't be late! And check your damn email! Bye."

Nathan hung up abruptly. I rolled my eyes and went back inside the Drop In to check my emails. As Nathan said, I had unread emails from him and the Humdrum Institute. Opening the one from Humdrum, it read,

Greetings, Sebastian!

There's no time to lose. We need your help.

Our informants have alerted us to a Nonchalant gathering at the Hippodrome in San Francisco. According to reports, Eve herself will be in attendance. This is our chance to rescue Eve from the Cult of Nonchalance and find the door to Elsewhere!

We need you to infiltrate the gathering as a Nonchalant cultist. Use the password 'Jejune' at the door. You will be approached by our undercover operative once you arrive.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Please follow the link to RSVP and purchase your tickets!

I'd never heard of the Hippodrome before, but a quick Google search revealed it to be an old brothel in the Barbary Coast area of San Francisco. Nathan had already purchased two tickets, but I saw there were still more available, and I had an idea.

Jude finished his meeting and stepped out of the Drop-In, holding several copies of his new resume they'd been working on. I told Jude what I'd learned while he was busy and showed him the email invitation.

"I don't know. This seems like a lot," he said nervously.

"It'll be so much fun! And you'll meet my friends. Let me remind you, we're hoping they're nice enough to let you sleep on their couch, so put on a happy face. We're going."

"Ugh, fine. It starts at 8pm. That's hours from now. Can I meet you there then?"

"Are you sure? You've been in San Francisco for less than a day."

"I'll be fine! You said I needed to make friends, and I need to drop these resumes around the city. Go home. I'll meet you at the Hippodrome. Send me that email so I have the details."

I didn't want to leave him in the Tenderloin District, but Jude was an adult, and he would probably be living in the TL before long. "Okay," I relented. "You have my number. Call or text if you need anything. You've got a map of the city and enough money for bus fare, right? Okay. Then I guess I'll see you tonight."

Jude said bye and walked outside. We had spent the last several hours together, so I wasn't bothered that he wanted space and time to explore the city alone. Besides, there were some things I still had to do before going to the Hippodrome. I forwarded Jude the email and headed home to brave the storm and hope for the best.

I knocked on Deon's door first since I figured he'd be the easiest to convince.

"Hello," Deon said from the other side of the door.

"Hey, it's Bastian. Open up."

I heard noises as he crossed the room and opened the door. He had been playing Smash Bros. on an old TV. The floor of his room was covered in clothes and debris.

"Hey, gorgeous! What's good?" He asked, in boxers and a t-shirt.

"Did you get a call or email from the Humdrum Institute?"

"The what?"

"The scavenger hunt we went on back in April."

"Oh. Yeah. No. Nobody called me."

"You gave them your email, didn't you?"

"Uhh. I don' member."

"Can you check your email?"

"Yeah, gimme minute."

He grabbed his mobile device and went to the corner in the hall with decent wifi.

"You do that. I'ma check in on Alex and Faerie," I told him. It would take several minutes for his old mobile to access his email. In the meantime, I knocked on Alex's door next.

He opened the door at once, dressed and pressed. His room and appearance were both immaculately kept. His dark hair was cropped short. "Yes?" he offered as a greeting.

"Hey, did you get a call or email from the Humdrum Institute?"

He was surprised. "Yeah, weeks ago. I figured no one was going since the last one was such a disaster."

"What? No. Well, yes. It was a small disaster, but it was fun, you know, until it wasn't. Uh. But I just heard about it today, same as Deon. He's checking now. If there're still tickets, we're going. We should all go."

Alex looked torn. "That does sound like fun. I dunno if Faerie will want to, though."

"C'mon, let's ask her."

"No, you don't understand. Faerie and I broke up."

I was stunned. "Was it bad?" I finally asked.

"Not really, no. We're going to be friends. That's what we said, anyway."

We were silent for a moment together until Deon came running around the corner.

"I got the email!" Deon said. "And I'm looking now. There are only 3 spots left!"

I turned excitedly back to Alex. "My ticket is already bought. You want to come, right?"

He gave a wry shrug.

"Okay then. Let's convince Faerie. Deon, we better buy those tickets now before someone else does."

"About that," Deon said sheepishly, looking down at the floor. "I get paid next Friday. I don't have $25."

"That's okay," I said. "I'll get you this time. You can buy me dinner next week."

Deon lit up with a smile, and he gave me a giant bear hug that cracked my back.

"Let me go," I gasped. "We still have to convince Faerie."

Deon dropped me, and we ran upstairs to Faerie's apartment and knocked on her door. She came to the door and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me, babe," Alex answered. "Bastian and Deon are here, too."

Faerie opened the door and looked at us quizzically. Her hair was dyed hot pink, and her nails and lipstick were turquoise. Her clothes were punk with chains and bobby pins.

"What up, folks," she asked coolly. Sharp and sweet incense wafted out into the hall. Faerie's room was bright and colorful, lived in but not messy.

"The next Humdrum Adventure is tonight at 8," Alex said. "We're all going and buying the tickets now. You wanna come?"

Faerie was visibly affected by the invitation. "That sounds fun, but I'm broke until Friday."

"Don't worry about it. Bastian's getting Deon's ticket. I can get yours, and Friday, you can take me out to eat."

Faerie smiled, relieved. "Okay, deal."

"Awesome. Heads up, we're going to that Thai place, and we're getting everything I like; appetizers, drinks, the works."

"Same," I told Deon. "Everything he just said."

"Great," Deon said. "We should all go out! Can we?"

Faerie and Alex shrugged and laughed. "That's a great idea," Faerie said.

"Okay, awesome. Let's buy those tickets," I said to Alex, who quickly agreed. We went to our respective rooms and devices to make it happen.

I showered, shaved, and dressed, choosing a navy blue shirt, black slacks, and a thin silver tie. Finally, I brushed my hair and applied moisturizer.

I was ready, but the others weren't, and Jude was still exploring the city. It would be several hours before the event began, so I smoked a fat bowl and wrote a few pages.