#bangsian fantasy

[pterrorgrine]

in search of a purgatorial bangsian fantasy webfic about interpretation of a certain garfield comic, titled "mondays"

so i've been trying to hunt down an original short story i read on a website a bit ago, but when i post it to reddit's /r/tipofmytongue it gets deleted for being nsfw. i swear i'm not a garfield fucker. oh god. maybe i should just copy my first attempt at a tomt post:

so for context there's this infamous garfield strip wherein jon arbuckle, maybe, drinks a cup of dog jizz. i swear this is relevant.

i read this piece of web original fiction titled "mondays", which was a bangsian fantasy (i.e. set in the afterlife) about the interpretation arguments surrounding this comic. the premise is that people who die go to one of seven afterlives based on which day of the week they died. those who died on a monday go to an extremely large (but finite) field with a grid of towers at regular intervals. there is some kind of oracle or something to provide exposition on what they need to do to escape. everyone in this afterlife must vote on the question of whether or not jon actually drinks dog cum in the comic. there is a correct answer. if everyone unanimously votes correctly, they go on to the next stage of the afterlife, an actual paradise. however, if they vote unanimously but incorrectly, their memories are wiped and they have to start all over again, not remembering what discussions they'd had on the matter or how they voted last time. obviously there is much existential despair, and the story is more about how people react to the situation than the actual question. it's sort of a sociological survey of the different groups of reactions -- the die-hard supporters of each side, the people who despair that they'll never escape, the people who want to ignore the whole thing and just hang out, etc. i think it ends with the narrator coming to the conclusion that the "game" is "fair" but they will never escape anyway because they'll never agree or if they do they'll be wrong.

unfortunately, despite all the details i remember, i'm having trouble finding a google search that actually gets results; everything is swamped in more popular irrelevancies, like mainstream articles about the debate around the comic, or web fiction groups that post on monday, or whatever. i do remember that it wasn't on reddit, and i don't think was on a major site, but instead the author's blog or something. (however, it's possible it was on AO3, but searching there doesn't help either. possibly a tumblr with a custom theme?) i do think i was linked there from reddit, probably /r/curatedtumblr (where i'm at a lot), but it could have been tumblr itself, or anywhere. (metafilter?!?) obviously it was published in the last few years, as the comic arose in prominence as an interpretive debate along the lines of "when ralph wiggum says he's a viking, does that mean…", but that doesn't help turn it up because all the other content about the comic is also from that timeframe.

anyway that's the TOMT post , it got deleted for discussing dog jizz but when i edited it it still got deleted for linking to discussion of dog jizz. so now i've given up on TOMT and am posting it here so i can post it to /r/curatedtumblr on self-post sunday, and accessorarily associate myself with the concept of dog jizz. dammit. i swear i have non-dog-jizz-related reasons for being obsessed with finding this story again but that little detail keeps tripping everything up.

[sam4samina-blog]

Other Fantasy Subgenres:

Anthropomorphic Fantasy: anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics, languages, behaviors, and motivations to an entity other than human. This something may be an inanimate object, natural phenomenon, or (and this is most often the case) animals.Watership Down

Arabian Fantasy:  It is an old and traditional sub-genre that has seen a resurgence in the modern era. It is a sub-genre steeped in history and if not always mythic, then at least fable-like—which makes it an incredibly rich sub-genre. There are often stories within stories. Jinns, ghouls, sorcerers, real people and geography mixed with the legendary and fictional.Throne of the Crescent Moon

Bangsian Fantasy: Bangsian Fantasy is a sub-genre primarily concerned with the afterlife and specifically with the exploration of the afterlife. The sub-genre gets its name from author John Kendrick Bangs. Bangs wrote stories about the afterlife and the supernatural, but with a humorous style. Bangs is not the first writer, nor the last, who wrote stories like these, but his work gave the sub-genre shape. A common feature of Bangsian Fantasy is the inclusion of dead famous people and mythological characters. These stories tend (though not always) to have a genial tone. There are three main categories that Bangsian stories fall into: ghosts stuck in the living world, living people stuck in the world of the dead, and people who have died in a Heaven (or Hell). Heroes in Hell

Christian Fantasy: It is a sub-genre that utilizes and/or explores Christian ideas and themes. The religious elements can be deliberate and overt, but they can also be sub-textual and even allegorical.The Chronicles of Narnia

Celtic Fantasy: Celtic Fantasy encompasses all fantasy stories that drawn on Celtic legends and lore. The setting of most Celtic Fantasy is a medieval or ancient world. Some common elements: pagan religions, druids, matriarchal societies, romance, tragedy, strong ties to the natural world. Celtic Fantasy has a bit of a bad rap with strong literary and historic types because of its fictionalizing of real legends, cultures, societies, and peoples. Some even describe the sub-genre as escapist.The Little Country

Dragon Fantasy: 🐉Temeraire

Fantastique: Fantastique is a French term for a literary and cinematic genre that overlaps with science fiction, horror, and fantasy. The Fantastique is defined in large part by its peculiar ambiance. There is tension both within the narrative and within the reader. It is a literature that does not offer resolution but instead unsettles the reader. At its core is the supernatural (or the unknown, or the impossible) and its intrusion upon the natural (reality, or what has been accepted as reality). The Magic Skin

Futuristic Fantasy: Futuristic Fantasy does seem a bit oxymoronic. But, as the genre has grown and evolved the future no longer belongs to just the Sci Fi writers.The Sword of Shannara

Military Fantasy: The Military Fantasy sub-genre has a descriptive name, but that does not mean all Fantasy stories with military elements are part of this sub-genre. Military Fantasy is specifically about military life and may focus on a solider or a group who is part of a military.Chronicles of the Black Company

Shenmo: Gods and demons fiction is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that revolves around the deities, immortals, and monsters of Chinese mythology. The term shenmo xiaoshuo, which was coined in the early 20th century by the writer and literary historian Lu Xun, literally means "fiction of gods and demons".The Journey to the West

Swashbuckling Fantasy: Swashbuckling Fantasy is most easily described as a fantastical adventure. With plenty of energy and witty retorts, this sub-genre is meant to entertain. There are action sequences, witty dialogue, camaraderie, the chance for glory, and some romance thrown in. On Stranger Tides

Vampire Fantasy: Vampire Fantasy is known for its strong supernatural elements and undertones of blood, sex, and death. However, as the sub-genre has developed even these characteristics have changed.The Historian

[darkspicyevanstan]

⚡️ Literary Forms ⚡️

View the Literary Forms below the cut!

Cozy Mystery

Crime Fiction

Epistolary Fiction

Ergodic Fiction

Fantasy Fiction

Arthurian Legend

Dark Fantasy

Contemporary Fantasy

Epic Fantasy

Fantasy Romance

Grimdark

High Fantasy

Historical Fantasy

Low Fantasy

Portal Fantasy

Romantic Fantasy

Romantasy

Science Fantasy

Sword and Sorcery

Urban Fantasy

Feghoot

Gothic Fiction

Contemporary Gothic

Dark Academia

Gothic Fantasy

Gothic Horror

Gothicpunk

Gothic Romance

Gothic Surrealism

Midwestern Gothic

Southern Gothic

Urban Gothic

Historical 

Creation Fiction

Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Rome

Medieval Era

Renaissance Era

Victorian Era

Age of Sail

Regency

1600s

1700s

1800s

1920s

1930s

1940s

World War I

World War II

Vietnam War

Cold War

Western

Horror

Alien Horror

Camp

Comedy Horror

Cosmic Horror

Creature Horror

Eldritch Horror

Erotic Horror

Fantasy Horror

Found Footage

Lovecraftian

Monster

Paranormal Horror

Parasitic Horror

Psychological

Slasher

Supernatural Horror

Urban Horror/Legend

Punk Fiction

Aetherpunk (Magic Punk)

Apunkalypse

Anthropunk (Furpunk)

Atompunk

Biopunk

Bitpunk

Bronzepunk

Castlepunk

Cattlepunk

Clockpunk

Cyberpunk

Decopunk

Desertpunk

Dieselpunk

Dreadpunk

Dungeonpunk

Elfpunk

Flowerpunk

Formicapunk (Casette Futurism/Modem Punk)

Hopepunk

Lunarpunk

Nanopunk

Oceanpunk/Piratepunk

Solarpunk

Silkpunk

Steampunk

Stonepunk

Tidalpunk

Satire

Speculative Fiction

Alternate History

Apocalyptic Fiction

Avant-Garde Fiction

Bangsian

Bizarro Fiction

Climate Fiction

Dystopian Fiction

Magical Realism

Post Apocalyptic

Science Fiction

Slipstream

Space Opera

Supernatural Fiction

Utopian Fiction

Weird Fiction

Thriller Fiction

[ranmagender]

The Fate series would technically count as Bangsian fantasy

[adventures-of-the-blackgang]

(poster advertising release of book) A House-Boat on the Styx an 1895 fantasy novel written by John Kendrick Bangs

[mitchipedia]

Bangsian fantasy

Today I learned that “Bangsian Fantasy” is the name for stories using the afterlife as the main setting in which characters, sometimes famous historical or fictional figures, interact Bangsian Fantasy is named for John Kendrick Bangs (1862–1922), who often wrote in the genre. Other examples include the Riverworld series, by Philip Jose Farmer, and the Heroes in Hell books by numerous…

[starlightwrites]

Writing Process Meme

I was tagged by @illusivesoul! Thank you ! :D

I don’t want to tag anyone because I’m not sure who’s writing right now, but if you see this and want to share, please tag me! I’d love to read your stuffs! <3

Short stories, novels, or poems?

I used to be all about novels but I have started looooooving short stories!

What genre do you prefer reading?

So many! I love fantasy and romance and horror and historical and satirical and--

What genre do you prefer writing?

Most of my non-fic work is modern fantasy or bangsian fiction! Love me some ghosts and faeries! I like writing romance too!

Are you a planner or a write-as-I-go kind of person?

Both! I start out with a great plan and then I do not follow it even a little bit. I’m bad at directions, even when the directions are my own. :/

What music do you listen to while writing?

I like all those lofi hip-hop montages because they are just enough sound to keep my brain happy and focused, but they are still quiet and soothing. I also sometimes listen to a song that inspired me on a loop for six hours while I try to figure out how to manifest that exact feeling in a paragraph. It is. The Worst.

Fave books/movies?

OH man so many.

Books: Le Petit Prince by Antoine de St Exuprey; the Harry Potter novels; White Noise by Don Delillo; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes by Cory O'Brien; Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell; 90% of the Shakespeare Comedies and Tragedies (Histories are ok but they’re on thin ice) (fuck The Taming of the Shrew); The Outlander novels (even though they have their issues...like...so many issues)

Movies: Amelie; the 1996 BBC Miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice; the 2005 Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice (there’s a theme); The Adams Family movies; The Princess Bride; Clue; Moulin Rouge; literally any Disney movie ever.

Any current WIPs?

Also a lot lol. I have

Moments Between (Mass Effect: Rae Shepard and Garrus Vakarian longfic)

Another Life (Fallout 4: Cori Hart and Porter Gage longfic)

Where You Belong (Fallout 4: teen Shaun and Sole Survivor Lola fic--unreleased)

Companion One-Shots with Fallout 4 Sole Survivor Lola Clover

Under the Mojave Stars (Fallout New Vegas: Courier 6 Lulu and the companions and a whole lot of emotional constipation)

Aaaaaand then a few non-fic WIPs that I am sitting on.

If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would your standard outfit be?

A black dress with a cardigan over leggings, flats, and a pair of glasses! That is 75% of my outfits. I dress like a librarian.

Create a character description for yourself:

She walked into the room like a baby giraffe on roller skates. Her arms were piled high, full of books, notebooks, scraps of paper, keys, a laptop, four different pens, and a precariously placed Grande coffee. Her glasses were perched on top of her head and she squinted, eyes pinched to figure out if that person waving was waving to her? Or not? Maybe not--probably not. They drew closer and oh. They were waving to her. Oh no. She shifted her things into one arm to wave back but dropped her keys, knocked her glasses off her head, and nearly dumped the coffee.

(I’m a mess, pls send help)

Do you like incorporating people you actually know into your writing?

Nooooooooooooo! Nope! I may draw inspiration here or there, but that is a slippery slope and I try to avoid it at all costs.

Are you kill-happy with characters?

I used to be, but lately I’ve been all about happy endings. It depends, I suppose.

Coffee or tea while writing?

Both? Both. At the same time, because I got up to make a tea, forgot that I had made the tea, brewed some coffee, made it back to my desk, and then realized I had just an abundance of beverages. SOoooooo both.

Slow or fast writer?

HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA slow. As molasses.

Where/who/what do you find inspiration from?

Everything! Most often a feeling I got from something (a song, a setting, etc), but also from all over the place. Random thoughts, people at work, prompts in my classes, etc.

If you were put into a fantasy world, what would you be?

Probably a bard but...like...not a good one.

Most fave book cliche? Least fave book cliche?

Fave: They Thought They Didn’t Have Feelings for Each Other. They Totally Have Feelings for Each Other.

Least fave: sexual assault as a means of motivation (*ACHEM* OUTLANDER *ACHEM*). It is needlessly triggering, sloppy, lazy, and does a HUGE disservice to survivors.

Fave scenes to write?

Catharsis scenes. I LOVE scenes that let off steam or lighten the mood after a really dark patch. They are satisfying to write!

Most productive time of day for writing?

Midnight to 3:00 am, preferably after I have decided to go to bed and have showered. -_______-

Reason for writing:

Because. Seriously, though, just because. There are only a few stories we can tell, but endless ways in which we can tell them, and that is magical. I write to connect to people and to explore the world we live in. I write to process and understand, but most importantly: I write just because. (And no one can stop me).

[fanlit]

★★★★☆ A House-Boat on the Styx: Bangsian fantasy Reviewed by @KatherineHooper https://t.co/9Ywd1Fwztg #SFF https://t.co/puzSPJ0yt6

[treeofliferpg]

¡Hola a todos! 

Siguiendo con la costumbre, traemos una nueva guía informativa. En esta ocasión fue creada por Nimble’s Notebook, blog también conocido como The Writing Café. Presentaremos una recopilación de diferentes términos literarios, para poder brindar orientación a la hora de escribir o referirnos a diferentes géneros y tipos de literatura.

Como recordamos siempre, esta traducción es adaptada para cumplir con las características propias de nuestro idioma. Pueden encontrar omisión, adaptación notas de ayuda. En esta primera parte presentaremos las formas de literatura, y los sub-géneros dentro de la ficción y la fantasía. 

No olviden darle like o reblog si la información a continuación les resulta útil de alguna manera. Pueden leer la guía completa haciendo clic en “seguir leyendo”.

Formas de literatura

Narrativa: se basa en la escritura de eventos, bien sean o no ficticias.

Novela: Historia ficticia larga.

Novelette: Obra de ficción en prosa, en muchas ocasiones considerada como par de la novela corta.

Novela corta: Historia más extensa que un cuento corto, pero menos extensa que una novela. 

Poema: Su escritura hace uso de la estética artística y el ritmo.

Short fiction: 

Drabble: Escrito de 100 palabras exactas

Flash: Escrito menor a 1000 palabras

Micro: Escrito menor a 300 palabras

Six word: Escrito de seis palabras exactas

Cuento corto: Narración breve de carácter ficticio, con un grupo reducido de personajes. 

Géneros

Ficción

Adulta:

Jovenes adultos (NA: New adult): para lectores entre los 18 y los 25 años.

Aventura: relacionada con la acción, la aventura es un género que se desenvuelve alrededor del riesgo y la emoción. Ejemplo: Indiana Jones.

Infantil:

Libro por capítulos: los libros por capítulos para niños son aquellos que se leen en primaria, son menos extensos y pueden tener ilustraciones (no solo bajo el título). Los capítulos son cortos y buscan mantener al atención del lector. Desarrollado para niños entre los 6 y 10 años.

Para primeros lectores: son similares a los libros ilustrados, pero la lectura es más simple y los textos usualmente están escritos en una fuente más grande. Destinado para niños entre los 4 y los 8 años.

Libros ilustrados: Contienen múltiples ilustraciones, pero no están hechos para que los niños los lean solos, ya que pueden entender las palabras pero no tener la capacidad de leerlas. Padres, profesores o adultos deben leer el libro en voz alta. Sin embargo, hay algunos libros ilustrados que están destinados a adultos (por ejemplo: ¡duérmete, mierda! Go the fuck to sleep de Adam Mansbach). 

Crimen:

Courtroom drama: Obra cuya acción gira alrededor de un juicio, usualmente los personajes principales son los abogados.

Misterio: Enfocado a la investigación de un crimen.

Gángster: alrededor de pandillas o mafias. Por ejemplo: El Padrino.

Fantasía:

Mundo Alternativo: La ambientación no es nuestro mundo, pero puede ser similar. Esto incluye portales a través de los cuáles se puede encontrar un mundo alternativo. Por ejemplo: Las Crónicas de Narnia.

Árabe: Fantasía alrededor del Oriente Medio. 

Artúrica: Establecidas en Camelot.

Bangsian: Ambientada en lo que sería la vida después de la muerte. Usualmente tiene personajes históricos o famosos como personajes principales.

Céltica: Alrededor de los celtas o irlandeses.

Cristiana: Este género posee temáticas y elementos alrededor del cristianismo.

Clásica: Basada en mitos Griegos y Romanos.

Contemporánea: Da a lugar en la sociedad moderna, en la cual viven criaturas paranormales o mágicas. Ejemplo: Harry Potter.

Oscura: Este género combina elementos de la fantasía y el terror. 

Épica: Es uno de los géneros más grandes, poseen gran importancia, significado y profundidad. La fantasía épica suele ambientarse en la época medieval.

Gaslamp: Es un género ambientado en la época victoriana o eduardiana

Gunpowder: Combina las características de la fantasía épica con “rifles y vías de trenes” pero la tecnología se mantiene como algo irreal en comparación con el steampunk.

Heroica: Se centra en uno o más héroes que empiezan su historia como personas humildes que entran en una situación que representa un reto para ellos.

High Fantasy: Altamente relacionado con la fantasía épica o fantasía clásica. Contiene elementos fantásticos y se centra en un mundo ficticio.

Histórica: Se centra en cualquier periodo de tiempo conocido pero se le añaden elementos fantásticos.

Medieval: Ubicada entre los tiempos antiguos y la era industrial. Usualmente ambientada en Europa y hace referencia a caballeros y guerras.

Mítica: Envuelve fantasía alrededor de mitos, folclore y cuentos de hadas.

Pseudo-medieval:  Los personajes hacen uso de espadas y armas clásicas para crear una trama alrededor de la acción. La magia también puede ser un elemento, al igual que el romace.

Urbana: Centrado en una ambientación urbana donde lo mágico y paranormal existe, usualmente en secreto.

Wuxia: Un género en el que el protagonista aprende un arte marcial y sigue un código. Este género es popular en lugares de habla china.

Universo alternativo: Responde a la pregunta “¿qué pasaría sí?” en cuanto a eventos históricos y cómo estos afectan el futuro.

Obra de época: Las novelas históricas comunes ocurren en el pasado, en un periodo reconocido del tiempo.

Relato de un esclavo: Inspirada en historias reales por antiguos esclavos, este género corre alrededor de la historia de uno de ellos.

Aliens: También es un sub género de la ciencia ficción, e incluye a alienígenas siendo el principal punto de horror en la historia.

Gótica: Con un tono oscuro, un ejemplo es la escritura de Edgar Allan Poe.

Haunting: Incluye brujería, fantasmas y criaturas por el estilo.

Noir: Fantasía negra, sus personajes principales son misteriosos y cínicos y se desenvuelven en un entorno similar.

Paranormal: Incluye características sobrenaturales o paranormales, como vampiros.

Durante nuestra siguiente presentación hablaremos de los géneros restantes, y otros términos alrededor de la literatura.  La guía original se encuentra aquí.

[heartlessteddybearwriting]

Ask me my favorite

Standalones: Fantasy genres

Fantasy

Historical Fantasy

Urban

Contemporary

Traditional

Horror

Comic

Slipstream/Interslices

High/Epic

Weird

Alternate History

Dark

Erotic

Fairytale

Heroic

Juvenile

Low

Magical Realism

Mythic Fiction

Romantic

Superhero

Sword and Sorcery

Weird

Allegorical

Anthropomorphic

Arcanepunk

Arthurian

Assassin

Bangsian

Christian

Celtic

Coming-of-age

Court Intrigue

Crossworlds

Dying Earth

Fables

Fantastic

Fantasy of Manners

Futuristic

Gaslamp

Gritty

Heroic

High Historical

Historical

Juvenile

Legend-retelling

Literary

Low

Media-tie-in

Medival

Military

Mundane

Mythic

New Weird

Paranormal

Political

Portal

Quest

Romantic

Science

Steampunk

Swashbuckling

Sword and Planet 

Vampire

Weird West

Wuxia

Grimdark

Arabian

Prehistorica

Flintlock

Gunpowder

Classical

Dragon

Slipstream

Ghost

Lost world

Mythopoeia

Unique World

Middle Eastern

Wuxia

Ethnic

Cross-world

Animal

Toy

Quest

Mystery

[ranmagender]

Special Interests

analog horror

apple ipods

astrology

bangsian fantasy stories

charts

crossovers

crystals

data hoarding

electronic toys (Tamagotchis, Digimon, Pixel Stars, etc)

emulation handhelds

genealogy

indie tokusatsu shows

lcd games (game & watch, etc)

mothman

pinball

pre-smartphone mobile games (N-Gage, J2ME, Ezweb. i-mode, etc)

user-created content (Mugen, Openbor, RPG Maker)

[ao3feed-mcufemslash]

For Want Of

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2lPXEmD

by Daydream_Nation

Words: 338, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Pushing Daisies, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel, Jessica Jones (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F

Characters: Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, Patricia Walker (Marvel)

Relationships: Charlotte "Chuck" Charles/Patricia Walker

Additional Tags: Bangsian Fantasy, Drama, Angst, Relationship(s), Romance, New York City

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2lPXEmD

[fanlit]

★★★★☆ A House-Boat on the Styx: Bangsian fantasy Reviewed by @KatherineHooper https://t.co/9Ywd1Fwztg #SFF https://t.co/puzSPJ0yt6

[suspeccoll]

John Kendrick Bangs (1862-1922) wrote The Enchanted Type-Writer in 1899, popularizing a unique genre that eventually was named Bangsian Fantasy in his honor. 

Bangsian fantasy is known for imagining the afterlives of famous literary or historical figures. In this volume of short stories, the narrator tells his stories through a magical typewriter that allows him to communicate with a newspaper reporter in Hades--perfect for (fantasy) fiction Friday! 

--Natalia

[uncgarchives]

For this week’s Whodunit Wednesday, we’re featuring a mystery by John Kendrick Bangs,  Mrs. Raffles: Being the Adventures of an Amateur Crackswoman. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1905.

Bangs is best known for the genre named for him, Bangsian fantasy, where deceased and/or historical individuals have further adventures in the afterlife.

In this book,  Mrs. Raffles, who is the widow of the deceased A. J. Raffles (former gentleman, amateur cricket player, and thief), continues the family legacy of crime first begun in Britain but now in America.  This collection of stories are narrated by her cohort, Harry "Bunny" Manders, previously the devoted friend and sidekick of A.J. Raffles, in a similar style as the original stories by E.W. Hornung.

E.W. Hornung was the brother-in-law to none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hornung’s inspiration for Raffles was their mutual friend Oscar Wilde. Since Raffles was a “gentleman thief”, you could say he was an early prototype to today’s anti-hero.

This book is part of the Robbie Emily Dunn Collection of American Detective Fiction at #UNCG!

[patternsinnoise]

Gate Crashers

by Cameron Summers

This one is old, heavy-handed, and clumsy.  Real heavy on the blasphemy, and I’m not sure where the zipper thing came from.  If you still like it, feel free to reblog, just leave the attribution in place, please.  I’m trying to make money off my writing eventually, and being recognized helps.

The two angels stood at the ramparts, watching as the hordes of the damned pounded on the gates. No longer encased by flesh, they could muster little force; but they were persistent and had little better to do.

“I understand things are bad,” the first angel said, scratching between his wings with his spear of fire, “but do they have to wail and gnash their teeth so close to the gate?”

“You know the Big Man upstairs is getting senile. There’s just no place else to stand.”

The first angel shook his head.

“Pete says there’s cracks around the gates, you know,” the second said.

“Really? Amazing.”

“Not really. Anything will show signs of wear after an eon or so.”

They watched.

The damned had begun to acquire tools for their work. Some had rigged up cannons, and fired at the walls, the crass iron slamming into the masonry and shattering. Some had built battering rams.  Where they had gotten the materials was anyone's guess. Others had torn apart angels who had wandered outside the walls, tearing off their wings and stealing their spears, swords and guns.

Every moment of their existence was spent tearing at the wall.

“Mad, aren’t they? Too clever, too vicious, and too determined. No wonder they aren’t allowed in.”

The first shook his head.

“I feel bad for them,” he said.

The second shrugged.

An old man wandered past, wearing a dirty red bath robe. His beard reached down to his sternum, and the dome of his bald head had a zipper running from between his eyes to some undetermined point on his back.

The old man sucked on his teeth and looked over the battlements.

“Nice to see you up and about, sir,” the first angel said.

“Eh?”

“Nice to see you up and about!”

“Eh.”

“Can we get you anything, sir?” the second asked.

“Who are you? Why am I here?”

Sighing, the second angel threw an arm around the old man’s shoulders, and began to lead him away.

“I’m just an attendant, sir. Let’s get you back to bed, how’s that sound?”

As his companion left, the first Angel walked down to the gates. There were indeed cracks around the gold-and-silver gates. The stone had begun to chip, and one gate hung slightly askew, a hinge having come loose.

“Let us in!” they cried out.

“I…I can’t,” the first angel said.

“Let us in, or we’ll break the gates down!” one shrieked.

“We’re not allowed…” the angel said.

“Who prevents you? What law? What rule? What authority?” a multitude of voices asked, each voice lending a word or question to the whole. “The Word,” the Angel said.

They resumed pounding on the gates, roaring with wrath and thundering blasphemy.

The Angel saw one pin on the hinges coming loose. He stood there, considering. He could gently tap it back into place, and put it out of mind; he could pull it free and let the damned storm the barbican of heaven.

Instead, he chose to watch as it slid out, and struck the ground, bouncing once…twice…thrice.

The legions of the damned waited, as if holding their breath, and surged forward. The horde of teeming humanity stormed forward, screaming defiance at the spirits who would judge them.

The Angel knelt as if in prayer, as if asking for absolution. He lay down his spear.

Forgiveness came, forgiveness of a sort, a white-hot tongue of fire, like the Spirit, pierced his heart.