The Death of Marcus

by Skangel

It was a normal day in the world of 1/0. That, of course, means that everything is totally haywire. Today's main event was yet another discussion (argument) between Ghanuel and Marcus. These were fairly normal occurrences. It seemed every time Ghanny tried to bring up the fact that Marcus was an idiot, that Marcus would casually ask Ghanny about his "messages from Tailsteak"
We all know Tailsteak to be some sort of ethereal being, no, just kidding, he's just a "normal" guy. Normal meaning he makes a comic about molecules that look like people, talking eyeballs with fangs, and people made of grass. He also talks in boxes. See? Completely normal.
"You are an idiot, Marcus. Can't you see with your own eyes that this place could not have been spontaneously created? It's too dull! Not to mention the apparent lack of useable females…" Ghanny had begun the get very testy. You always bring that up, don't you? It was apparent by the large box floating over Ghanny's former head that Tailsteak had decided to listen in on the conversation. "Why would be need another gender?" Marcus began, "When none of us hardly ever seem to die?"
After another retreat on Ghanny's part, he began to squabble hopelessly with Tailsteak. "Just kill him! Or perhaps cause condensation to form into interpretable formations?" Ghanny began… That's amusing. You're beginning to talk like him too. "That's beside the issue at hand! He needs to die!" he continued, "We need to prove he is wrong! We need to break the fourth wall, or at least prove to him you exist!" And you thought you had gotten over your molecular desires… you still seem to want to make things logical.
Ghanny and Tailsteak had discussed the issue for over one hour, 1/0 time (around 4 seconds Earth time). It was decided that Marcus should be shown that the fourth wall exists, as it was beginning to drive other parties (Ghanny) absolutely bonkers. How to do this, however, was still the topic to be decided upon. "Kill him. He has a ghost point, you know." Of course I know said the Dialogue Box of Tailsteak. And I have decided, to shut you up, that I should kill Marcus. After all, we haven't had a death since Max made that stick figure in the dirt…
It had been decided. Marcus was to die within the hour. Tailsteak told the rest of the cast. We are killing him. It's been long enough. People who adore violence and death have become disinterested in this world. We need a death, so I have decided that Marcus shall die. If you have a problem with that, go talk to Ghanny. "You know, you haven't covered the voilence issue. I could help with that…" Junior began, but since it wasn't an integral part of the plot, Tailsteak forbid him to do it now, and to wait until they needed more action…
It was a exactly 11:45-ish that Marcus was hit by a huge (3 inches! Gasp!) lightning bolt, and died. Of course, he could have just died, but Tailsteak and the cast agreed that this was more dramatic…
Gharcus looked right.Gharcus looked left. Gharcus looked in several normal, boring direction in turn. Gharcus looked right again. Gharcus looked left again. Gharcus looked right….
"Ahem?" Said Ghanny. Apparently Marcus was not, at all, surprised by this occurrence. Not to say he was in the same state as he was before the incredibly cliché lightning bolt. "I should have been more creative about that." stated the box in the sky. However, that box was not important now. It was the cause, you might say, of total ambivalence, as everyone was waiting to see post-Marcus' reaction when he realized he was dead.
"Excuse me, but why do all seem to be staring wordlessly in my general direction?" Said Gharcus. Junior was the first to speak up. "You're dead you total moron." Max also piped in "Well, DUH Junior. Why else is he speaking in gray text?" Gharcus looked very confused. Everyone thought about Gharcus' seemingly normal reaction. Whispering began. However, the whispering was to no avail, they were about 3 inches away from Gharcus, so he heard well.
"I'm not dead." he stated simply. Everyone stared at Gharcus, even more than before. In fact, Ghanny was so angry he might have turned red had he been a substantial being. Gibberish emanated from Ghanny as he tried to explain to himself how Gharcus could be so stupid that he did not realize he was dead. In the midst of this uninteresting staring, Petitus began to wander off. He had had enough of this nonsense (not that anything made sense in the world anyways) and began to saunter in the direction of gruesome Head Something. His slightly voice was not one that would be heard in the midst of this oddity.
When Ghanny had become calm enough to speak, he began to talk proudly to a very irked and confused Gharcus. "Convinced of Tailsteak now? There's no denying it. Even those little shining 'fours' are gone." Unfortunately for Ghanny, the reason the fours were not visible is that the light no longer reflected off of them. Garcus had not broken the fourth wall….
Ghanny was furious. How could Gharcus not see through the miserable fourth wall? It made him livid. "How can you deny your death?!? Surely you are not so dense as to truly think you are still your normal molecular self? And look there, your body still lies upon the dirt!"
Gharcus glared at Ghanny, "Death? I am not dead. The electric shock must surely have only assisted my metamorphosis. I have left my body behind, I presume, because I no longer need it. Totally unnecceary. Or else I would still have my body. And, I might add, my density is the same as yours used to be. We were, according to Junior, made of the same substance."
How Gharcus could truly believe this was true was beyond Ghanny's comprehension. How could a person be so smart, but be so dumb? "Okay, Mr. Smart Floating Personality, how was the electricity able to hit you? You surely were not the tallest thing in the area! And besides, where did the electricity come from that could possibly explain this phenomenon?" Gharcus smirked. "Obvious, really. Even if an object may be taller, the electric flow will take the path of least resistance. I just happened to be that object. As to your question of its origin, the air molecules must have created the static charges. You know that."
"But… It's not right! Tailsteak was obviously shooting that bolt at you! Admit it! You know the TRUTH."
Thought I have neglected to mention this, everyone who was not an immediate part of the conversation, had been watching, entertained, by the two bickering relatives.
After a long while, it was decided that the fourth wall that had persisted upon Gharcus could not be displaced. This was quite awful for everyone, to know this. After all, they thought their persistent torture from Marcus about "Tailsteak" would never end.
Even worse, now Marcus was dead, so he could enter their bodies whenever he felt like it. Since he found out that they had planned his "death", he found it only fair that he inhabit their bodies whenever he pleased.
"Oh please, please Tailsteak, make his ghost point go away!" that was the cry heard from Max. I'm sorry, Max, but I'm not a genie. I don't grant three wishes… You had your chance from me. Just convince him to give you his "ghost point" however, and he will go. "Brilliant!" Said Max. This was a good idea.
Without further ado, Max went to Gharcus. "May I have your ghost point? Please? I'll listen to whatever you have to say from now on!" he said. "More of your Tailsteakism? Fine. Have my 'ghost point'" was the response.
And so it was…