by TJ Adams
Okay, Hot Swirls was not my way out. How about Dot? The reason we found ourselves stranded here was because of Dot. The soul snatcher was about to steal her soul, which was mine for the taking, and I didn’t mean that in a maniacal, possessive way. It really was mine. No way would I allow Dot to spend her eternity stuck in the belly of that creature.
The anger became the fuel I needed. My insides stirred like they did when I moved from reality to the void and back again. The hairs on my body rose to attention. I felt wired, ready to zap a bolt of electricity at any moment.
I opened my eyes and stared at a long corridor. I stood on wood. Wood paneling also climbed the walls, darkening the corridor under the dim yellow bulb. Akako wasn’t with me. I spun in a circle reeling from déjà vu. While shifting through my short, but growing longer by the day, stack of memories a gentle tickle of wind laced across my neck. Windy corridors meant open windows, open doors and possibly a way out.
An open door was the culprit, a door that had not been open when I first arrived. The only way to find out where I was I had to accept the invitation.
Before I made it more than three feet I shuddered to a stop. What if I was still within the graveyard and this was another fantasy world conjured from my desires? Sure as hell didn’t look like anywhere I would want to be, so perhaps unlikely. Anyhow, I was going nowhere toward freedom remaining still.
“Oh, shit.”
I stood at the entrance to the vast room that looked like an old fashioned parlor for aristocracy. At any moment men would appear in tuxedos balancing cigars from their lips.
I stared at the portraits clinging to every spare space of the walls.
“Must say, I never thought I’d see you standing in this room again.”
I inched around to find the Devil leaning against the door frame, looking every inch the seducer. And yes, he wore a tuxedo, with a cigar poised between his fingers.
He prowled into the room and my stomach tingled. Oh god, it wasn’t my stomach; it was somewhere more lethal.
I waited until he stood close to me then I touched his cheek, prodded it more accurately, and ran a finger over his lips, pinching and pulling them.
“What are you hoping to find with this mauling?”
“You sure you’re the Devil. I’m not about to start kissing an ugly gray gnome again.”
“If you’re willing to kiss me, then I can become anything you desire.”
“No. Don’t say that word. Desire is not my friend anymore.”
The Devil snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close, so we touched down the front. “Desire brought you to me. No one can enter my chamber unless I will it.” He moved in close, like it was he that threatened the kiss. “Except you, of course. When you set your mind to it.”
I extracted myself from his warm, seductive embrace. “I was imprisoned in the soul snatcher’s graveyard. And where’s Akako?”
“That ugly beast. I kept him out.”
I stared into his unfathomable eyes and for a second felt like I was tipping into them.
“Distance.” I pushed him away. “You’re playing games with me.”
“Only because you like those sorts of games.”
“Hardly.” What a miserable lame reply, but being put on the spot, I was stuck thinking up a better lie.
“What are you doing here, then, Bounty, if it’s not your desire that brought you here?”
Jesus, Akako was right. I was a powder keg of untapped needs ready to blow.
The Devil strode over to his chaise lounge and reclined with his legs up on the pillows. “What do you think you desire more, my sweet, me or the truth?”
Of course. That was it. I was not turning into a nymphomaniac. I yearned to know who I was and Satan was likely the only person who would be willing to bend the rules and tell me.
17
I couldn’t remember my ancient history lessons from school because I was too busy thinking about Marsha, or anything else that had nothing to do with school. Perhaps if I remembered I would know what to expect from this guy, Hades. I’m sure he was the one that abducted Persephone, which brought about the seasons. I guess one thing I could say for sure was the myths of old weren’t myths at all, at least not in their entirety.
The fact I’d accepted the reality of Hades without choking on my spit was a statement as to how far I’d come through this supernatural life. And the Devil, hell of course he’d be real. Maybe it was time I dug out my high school ancient history books and brushed up a little in preparation for who I might meet next.
Out in the corridor again I wasn’t surprised to see a river had replaced the way I’d come. It looked like I would need myself a boat. I stared at the coin in my hand. Luckily, I had the right money for the passage.
What surprised me about all of this was how calm I felt. I was in the underworld, kidnapped by the ghost of a kid I bullied in high school, who’d turned into a psychopath, then sent on my way, navigating the waters of the dead, to rendezvous with a god that wanted my soul. I should be freaking out. Instead I was worried about how long this jaunt would take.
Down here I had no idea of how much time passed. The soul snatcher would surely be close to getting its twenty-one grams and what about dinner. Would it wait until it could find me before it took the last gram?
Glow worms hanging from the underground ceiling provided me with the light I needed to descend the stone stairs that led down to a wooden jetty. At the end of the jetty sat a wooden boat, looking like a gondola, or perhaps a Viking’s row boat.
I stopped when I reached the end of the jetty and looked out over the water. The dim light gave me maybe fifty meters of visibility before the darkness gobbled the river. The silence made my muscles twitch. I needed to be on my way not clicking my heels at the end of this jetty, which chewed my valuable time. Wasn’t my arrival anticipated? Surely Hades would’ve made sure there would be someone here ready to whisk me to him. The sound of water gently lapping against the piles should’ve calmed me; maybe in another situation. All it did for me now was up my impatience. As if it would move things along I climbed into the boat.
And that was the signal, for no sooner had I settled myself, an apparition appeared at the stern. A small huddled figure, almost child-like, dressed in rags, face hidden behind drapes of thin, scraggly hair. The Ferryman’s legs were pulled in close to his chest, head bowed like a berated child.
When it became obvious he wasn’t going to acknowledge me I said, “perhaps we could get going.”
He remained as stone.
“I’m on a tight schedule. I’d appreciate some speed.”
He lifted his head, although his hair continued to obscure his features. “Have you got something for me?” His voice was close to a whisper. If the place wasn’t morgue quiet I would’ve missed what he said.
“You mean this?” I held the coin up between us.
A thin arm stretched out toward me, nails jagged and dirty.
“Sorry, but I know the deal. Get me to where I need to be and you get your coin.”
“Surely you don’t believe in those fairy tales.” Again the voice was so quiet I questioned whether it had come from him or from my head.
“A couple of months ago and I would’ve been laughing with you. Now, I’m doubting nothing.”
“Let me see it?”
“You mean the coin?” I held it up between my thumb and forefinger. “I hope it’s enough.”
“It’s more than enough.” This time his voice was laced with greed.
I rummaged in my pocket and found a few more coins, earthly ones, and held those up. “If you get me there quick I’ll throw these into the deal. Not sure they’re the right sort of coin, but you’re welcome to them.”
In slow motion, painful to watch because I needed us gone from here, he parted the drapes of hair and peered out through sightless eyes; sightless because they were sockets and nothing more. Nonetheless the Ferryman saw what I offered because he nodded his head and
licked his lips.
“Those would do most nicely. For the extra I will skip the scenic route.”
“There’s a scenic route?”
He didn’t bother to answer. Fine by me.
The boat pulled away from the jetty with a gentle rock as the Ferryman turned to face the way we headed. In keeping with the supernatural theme, the Ferryman appeared to do nothing to make it move, which I shrugged off and stared ahead.
“You know where we’re going, right?”
“This river has one direction.”
“How long until we get to the end?”
“This is a river without end.”
“But we’re going somewhere, right?”
“You are already at your destination.”
“I thought you were taking me to Hades.”
“You are in the realm of death. There is no other place beyond this.”
“But the guy who gave me the coin told me you would take me to Hades.”
“Did he now?” And he said no more.
“Is that it. That’s all you’re going to give me. I don’t want to be stuck in this boat floating aimlessly through the dark. There’s too much I have to do.”
“You must forget your concerns. They have no place in death. Death is tranquil. Nothing of your life can worry you now.”
What the hell was this?
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not really dead. So how about you turn this thing around and take me back. There’s been a mistake. I thought we were heading for Hades.”
“There is only one direction. I have already told you that.”
“And I don’t want to go in that direction anymore. You can drop me off at the jetty and collect your coins.”
“There is only one direction.” He repeated himself, voice quiet and calm.
“I thought you were talking about the river.”
“There is no distinction. We are but one.”
I stood up and the boat rocked. I peered down into the inky water. “Perhaps I’ll swim if you’re not willing to help me out.”
That seemed to alarm him. Making the only sudden move I’d witnessed him make so far, he peered over his shoulder. “You must not do that.”
“If you don’t take me back, you give me no choice.”
The boat slowed to a stop. In the stillness the Ferryman shuffled around in his seat. “That is the way of eternal torment.”
I gazed down into the dark river. “What do you mean?”
On cue a hand darted out of ink black water and snagged the edge of the boat. I swayed to the side, saving myself from going over board by grabbing the wooden seat as I tumbled to my knees.
More hands appeared at the edge, grasping at the air as if looking for something to latch onto. Yet more grabbed the edge of the boat and it tilted further, dangerously close to tipping.
“What the bloody hell are they?” I scrambled backward to the other side of the boat, attempting to use my weight as ballast.
The Ferryman remained unchanged, huddled with his legs folded to his chest, head bowed, face hidden behind his curtain of hair.
“Aren’t you going to do something?” I hated the fear in my voice.
The Ferryman raised his arms and clapped once, a sharp resounding sound, which echoed on long after he’d finished. The hands reacted with lightening speed, slithering back into the murky depths as quick as they’d appeared.
“Okay, understood, don’t go in the water.”
“This is the river of the damned. Those are the tormented ones. Souls unable to pay the price, or who turned against their fate. Hades welcomes all, but he cannot help those that do not want to reside with him.”
“They’re people who jumped off the boat into the river?”
“And those I cast aside.”
“And they will exist like that forever more?”
“They sense the beat of your living heart. They believe you will save them from their purgatory. But nothing will. Do you want to go the way of the eternally damned?”
“No, but I don’t want to waste my time on this boat. What I want is for you to get me to Hades ASAP.”
“And what do you expect to do once we reach your destination?”
“Find out what the god wants with me and then get on my way. I’m needed up top.”
“Do you think you will be able to leave Hades’ domain so easily?”
“Perhaps not. I’m hoping I can. It’s my only solution. I won’t give up on my mom.”
“Ahh, yes, such a noble task. To give your life for another.”
“I’m far from noble. And it’s creepy the way everyone on this side of life seems to know so much about me.”
“You are mistaken. We know little about who you are. We just know one possible truth of who you would become. But who you eventually end up being is up to you.”
I flicked one of my coins in his direction. His hand flung out quick and caught it mid-air, then disappeared the coin in a blink down his shirt front.
“The living have a saying, penny for your thoughts. How about a quarter for what you know?”
“I will not return that which you freely give, neither will I give you any more than what I’ve already said.”
“I’ve got more coins, so I hope you don’t plan on dumping me over board now I’ve paid you.”
“Maybe that is what you truly need.”
“Are you joking?” This looked bad. I really should’ve listened during my lessons on ancient Greece; would the Ferryman really do it? “I’ve got the money, you can’t do that.”
“But you do not plan to reside with Hades. He will abandon you to the Styx if you refused to be his.”
I peered down at the water again. Every supernatural I’d come into contact with said I had a big future, which I hoped meant Hades was about to have a hard time forcing me to do what he wanted. Perhaps it was best to shut my mouth and let the Ferryman do his job. Who knows, time down here might tick slower than up top.
“Okay. I’m going to behave if you’ll just get me there.”
I flicked another coin his way. No surprises, his hand darted out just as quick as before and caught it. “That’s to get me there quicker than our journey so far.”
“You are most generous.”
“I don’t have any need for them down here. And I’ve got more, in case you were wondering.”
For the first time I saw his smile, a broad gummy smile that made him look a hundred, which in supernatural terms was perhaps mere infancy.
“For your generosity, I will give you something in return.”
“No offense, but I’m not sure I would like what you could give.”
“You will be grateful in the end. I hope you remember it was because of me.”
At least it sounded like he thought I had a future. Strangely enough, after that he remained motionless, returning to the state he’d been when he first appeared in the boat, silent, face hidden.
I was about to lean forward and tap him on the shoulder when the boat shuddered violently to the left, too fast for me to hold on. The ice of the water smacked the air from my lungs as I plunged below the surface. I sunk, too shocked to try and save myself. When reality slammed into me, I flailed with my legs and arms to reach the surface, but the water was ink black; which way was up? I fought against the rising panic, my lungs threatening to burst. Was I still sinking? A mad frenzy enveloped me, driven by a strong will to live. I pounded my arms and legs harder and broke the surface, gasping and spitting out frigid water.
The boat floated nearby. I swam the short distance and grasped the side, as I’d seen done by the damned souls not so long ago. A hand, slimy and cold pressed down on top of mine. The Ferryman’s face peered over the side and leered down at me, revealing gums as he smiled.
“Why?” I coughed and spluttered the words.
“You must die so you can be reborn.”
“What? Die. But I gave you the coins. Lots of them.”
“And it has brought y
ou what you truly desire.”
He removed his hand from mine and placed both his hands on my head. With surprising strength, he pushed me under.
18
The cold numbed my struggles. My strength ebbed and my lungs burst. As determined as I was to survive I could not fight the Ferryman. Overwhelmed with the fear of losing, fired by the power of rage, I wanted to yell; this could not be happening. Time and again I found myself helpless and weak, vulnerable to the forces that wished to control me. I was looking for answers, but it seemed I had found my death instead. Dominic would win.
The thought gave me another burst of energy. I couldn’t fail, for if I did the soul snatcher would take mom’s soul and dad would be left without a family. And what of Bounty? I’d lost the chance to tell her the things that mattered, like how I felt about her. I would never know the experience of holding her close and kissing her lips. Stupid that at this moment of death, I worried about something as trivial at that.
Fueled by these thoughts I reached up and grabbed the Ferryman’s thin, bony wrists. They were so spindly and my hands so big, which meant I should win our tussle. With the last of my energy I yanked hard. His hands remained firmly in place. This didn’t make sense. He appeared nothing more than a child, so how could it feel like I was trying to move lead? I thought my strength would be enough, but either I was fading fast or the Ferryman possessed supernatural abilities of his own.
Yet again I was defeated. With that last effort I was gone.
I had nothing left. With no air in my lungs I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. I knew what one breath would mean, but my body didn’t understand. It screamed for more. The need took over, my control slipped, and I gasped. The chilled water rushed in, flushing to my lungs, bringing a single instant of panic as I clutched my throat, spasming my legs, jerking helplessly as I drowned.