Flying Off The Handle At Oblique Angles

Keef returns with the Elrodroach in tow. Cerebus is still clinging to Prince Mick's leg thinking happy beautiful thoughts. Keef believes that the roach is a figment of his imagination caused by prolonged drug abuse. Once Elrod starts talking it's obvious that he too ins part of the Secret Sacred Wars.

One of the best Prince Mick and Keef jokes occurred at this point. Keef produces a small bag of drugs from somewhere. Mick demands to know where he found it. Keef replies that it was 'be'oind the 'ead rest tucked up unner th' fine trim. Sime plice you always 'oide it.' Keef then proceeds to snort the entire bag up his nose. Keef passes out and Cerebus asks Mick to tell Cerebus a story.

The Elrodroach tells Mick that he's off to touch the face or Tarim. Elrod leaves, then Mick remembers that Cerebus had gold, he asks Cerebus how much, a question to which the aardvark replies: 'oodles and boodles.' The princes are off to the upper city. As Keef says he should want to boy drogs with his 'alf.

Meanwhile the Secret Sacred Wars Roach is climbing up the mountain to the upper city to confront Thrunk, the false Pope, who he has taken to calling Epop. He meets Elrod, who he remembers as his sidekick Bunky (see the Captain Cockroach chapters way back in Swords of Cerebus) Seeing the Cockroach snaps Cerebus out of hid drug induced funk and he takes off after Elrod and the Roach. Mick tries to follow, but he's just had his nails done and doesn't want to damage them climbing up a mountain of gargoyles. Cerebus is desperately climbing after the Roach trying to get him to stop, he seems to feel that the Bug is courting disaster and with the final panel showing a looming tower over Iest it's hard to shake that feeling.