The Journey

by Jennifer Ensley

  He grabbed my hand, dragging me towards the exit.

  “…Farewell… sweet Jem…”

  I smiled to myself. “Later, Gramps!” I called out over my shoulder just as I was violently jerked out into the blinding light of day.

  Drella released my hand and stomped off, grumbling under his breath. I kept a safe distance until we were a good three hundred yards or so from the hidden cavern entrance on the side of that desolate mountain.

  “Drell? You still pissed?”

  He spun back towards me, stomping right up to meet me. He was grinding his teeth. I could hear them. His fists were shaking at his sides. I didn’t look up to meet his gaze.

  We stood like that for what felt like forever, before Drella released a long sigh and then wrapped his arms around me.

  “Oh, Ladybug, what am I gonna do with you? Pooh… why didn’t you listen to me?”

  I didn’t answer, only balled his shirt up in my fists and held him ever closer.

  “The rules are not meant to protect him, my love. They are meant to protect you. You’re the only one who matters. He is of no consequence. He serves a purpose. That is all.”

  “But… but that seems so cruel,” I mumbled into his chest. “He was so pitiful—lying there in the dirt, rocks covering three-fourths of his body, his skin all crumbly, face drawn, eyes vacant.” I shivered. “Tell me, Drella. How am I supposed to just stab him and walk away? I couldn’t do that. Not to an animal. Not to a man. And not to an Angel… even a fallen one.”

  “…Pooh.” He squeezed me tighter.

  “If I was meant to hate him, he should have been presented to me whole and beautiful and full of fire. Had I seen him standing there in the dark like that, it would have been easy to hate him, easy to blame him for all the harm he brought into this world. But lying there… like that—all broken and miserable and resigned.” I swallowed down the lump rising up in my throat. “I couldn’t, Drell. I just… couldn’t.”

  “I know, Pooh,” he whispered. “I know. That’s one of the reasons I love you like I do.”

  He kissed the top of my head and finally released me.

  “But… if you already knew that… why did you get so mad at me? If I only did what you already knew I couldn’t help but do, why such anger?”

  He sighed. “That wasn’t anger, Pooh. It was jealousy.”

  I snickered. “Jealousy? Of a bound Angel that cannot leave his darkened prison cell?”

  “Don’t laugh. Shoe on the other foot, Jem. Shoe on the other foot.”

  I sort of growled then. “You better never.”

  “Oh, I won’t. But apparently it’s okay if you do.”

  “Ah, Drell. It’s not like that. Have you ever seen him?”

  “I have not.”

  “Well, he’s all… I don’t know—mummified or petrified or something. It’s the most pitiful thing you’ve ever seen. Apparently everyone before me just came in, felt through the dark, sliced him open, and then just left.”

  “That’s what you were supposed to do as well.”

  “He’s covered in scars, Drell. Covered. I can’t even describe it properly. There’s only his head, chest, and one arm even visible. The rest of him is covered in these giant rocks. Rocks so big I couldn’t even see their tops. And he’s just lying there… covered in literally hundreds of knife wounds.”

  “It’s his own fault.”

  “I know that. I just… just couldn’t add to the harm. That’s all.” I sighed, rubbing the sweat from my brow. “We talked a little. Nothing important. Nothing world-altering. I rubbed some lotion on his arm because I was afraid to cut him otherwise. I clipped his nails, gave him some chocolate, and then put a bandage over the spot I drew blood.”

  Drella furrowed his brow. “Why on Earth did you give him chocolate?”

  “My sugar started to drop. Nerves, I guess. I couldn’t eat something and not at least offer him some.”

  “Your sugar dropped? Pooh, I told you you needed more than just an apple.”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry. But… I could definitely go for some ramen right about now.”

  “Good. Let’s go get something to eat.”

  He dropped his arm over my shoulders, leading me further away from the mountain.

  “So… this bandage…”

  “Yeah?”

  I glanced up at him. Drella was smiling with only one corner of his mouth.

  “Was it the little pink pony ones you always used to keep?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  His smile grew. “Nothing. Pffts… I bet he looked sooo cute.”

  I playfully punched him. Then we both laughed.

  *****

  “I like the way you travel, Drell.”

  I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms.

  “Ready for a nap?”

  I glanced at him, smiling. “How’d you know?”

  “You ate way too many carbs. Let’s go for a walk before we call it a day.”

  “Sounds good. I’ve never been to Oharaimachi before. I’d love to have a look around, do a bit of shopping.”

  “No shopping today, Pooh. Don’t worry. You’ll be back through here before long. In truth, you’ll probably see this place so much, you’ll get sick of it.”

  “Sick of it? No way. An old Edo Period place like this? I could find a million things to ask questions about. Look at these buildings. It’s like we stepped back in time five hundred years.”

  “About four hundred, no kidding.”

  “It’s breathtaking.”

  “Yeah, it sure is.”

  I took his hand and pulled him right against me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed the side of my head.

  “Hey, Pooh… you ever dream we’d be walking around in a place like this?”

  “From Harrogate, Tennessee to Ise-Shima, Japan? Umm… Nope. Never.”

  “I’m glad I’m seeing it with you, Pooh.”

  His whisper tickled my ear. I giggled.

  “I’m glad I’m seeing it with you, too, Drell. I love you.”

  “Love me more than Azazel?”

  “Well… I’m not sure how much Azazel loves you, but I’m pretty sure I could top it.”

  He yanked on my hair. “Smarty pants. You know what I meant.”

  “I don’t love Azazel. I felt sorry for him. That’s all.”

  “Well… he loves you.”

  “You’re insane.”

  “No. He’s insane. You’d do well not to forget that, Ladybug.”

  “I merely showed him a bit of kindness. What harm could it bring?”

  “Perhaps… more than you know.”

  “And perhaps not.”

  “True.” He hugged me closer. “Just keep your guard up. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yeah, I promise.”

  “Good. Now, for why we’re here.”

  “You mean… this isn’t a jolly holiday?”

  “It wasn’t meant to be, no, but we can make it what we want.”

  He kissed the side of my head again. I smiled so big my cheeks hurt.

  “I brought you here to show you the gateway.”

  “The gateway to where?”

  “To the beyond. When you meditate and try, you can reach the Nether from anywhere. And as long as you hang on to that pendant there…” He flipped it as he spoke. “…you can pop back out anywhere. But if you ever need to use the bridge, you can.”

  “The bridge?”

  “Yeah. It’s where we’re headed now.”

  “I don’t understand. Are you saying… if I can’t meditate, I should fly all the way to Japan?”

  “In case of emergency, yeah. Or…”

  When he didn’t go on, I looked up just in time to watch the blush spread across his cheeks. I stopped, forcing him to stop as well.

  “Drella… what are you trying to hide from me?”

  “I’m not trying to hide anything. I only wanted to show you the
way to… me. If you ever needed me and I wasn’t there. You know. Just in case.”

  He looked like a little boy—blushing, fidgeting, looking away. He was sooo cute. I kissed him. I couldn’t help it. His gorgeous eyes lit up like stars.

  “Thanks, Drella. If there was only one gateway open to me, I’d want it to be the one that led me straight to you.”

  He kissed me then. I almost fainted. Yeah, he makes me feel that way—the only one who ever has, ever could.

  “I wish you didn’t have to go back to him.” He wrapped me up in his arms. “I wish there was another way to fuel the key. It’s not just the jealousy talking. I don’t trust him, Pooh.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you before. I should have nev—”

  “If you hadn’t done exactly what you did… you wouldn’t be the little Pooh Bear I love so much.”

  “Drell…”

  “Come on, Ladybug. We’ve got a ways yet to go.”

  *****

  The bridge was long, arched, wooden, and completely ancient… mythical looking.

  “Oh, Drella. It’s… beautiful.”

  “I knew you’d like it.” He chuckled. “You were always fascinated with the strangest things. But I can’t take credit for this.” He motioned towards the magical-looking old bridge. “It serves as the main gateway to me, yes, but it’s actually the bridge to the Ise Shrines—Shinto’s most sacred shrines.”

  “Shinto Shrines? Drella… are you a Kami?”

  “No, silly. I’m not one of their gods. I’m a Seeker. Remember? And I was Christian, not Shinto. But this bridge does lead to the shrine of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess.”

  “Their most sacred Kami.”

  “Yes.” He smiled. “You know a lot about religion, don’t you? All kinds of religion.”

  “No. Not a lot. Well, not as much as I’d like to. So… why here?”

  “I don’t know. But if you ever want me, all you have to do is cross this bridge at dusk and—”

  “Dusk?” I reflexively took a step back. “But… Azazel made me promise never to step through worlds at dusk.”

  “He what? Wait… You are listening to that forever-damned Angel, over me? What the— Jem? What are you thinking?”

  “I’m not— I mean… I’ll always listen to you, Drella. You know that. It’s just… well… he only just told me about the veil and the blending and warned me not to go into the Nether at dusk.”

  The redness reaching all the way up Drella’s forehead started to slowly melt away. The enlarged veins at his temples began to smooth back down. He sighed and shook his head.

  “Okay… yes. I will agree with him on that point. If you can avoid it, never use the Nether at dusk. But I didn’t say this bridge brought you to the Nether, Pooh. It brings you to me, and only me. When the veil lifts at dusk, cross this bridge. You won’t even get the chance to blink, before you’re wrapped up in my arms.”

  And then he did just that, hugging me to him like I might disappear at any moment.

  “I got you something,” he softly whispered.

  I giggled and squeezed him tighter. “And just when did you get me something?”

  “When we stepped out of the noodle shop.”

  I looked up at him then, my brows now furrowed. He chuckled.

  “What? You thought we could just walk through a place like this, especially with a festival going on, and I wouldn’t get you a trinket to remember it—our first date.”

  “Date?” Tears burned my eyes then.

  “Yeah…” He smiled softly. “It’s been a long time in coming, but I think it was worth the wait, don’t you?”

  I barely nodded. There was no way my voice would work without cracking, and that would definitely bring my tears.

  “It isn’t much.” He pulled the slim silk pouch from inside his cloak. “Just another trinket, really. But I knew you’d like it.”

  My eyes widened when he carefully spread the delicate, intricately decorated fan out in front of me.

  “Drella…” I lightly touched the scene painted there on the thin sandalwood. “It’s sooo beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you.”

  I glanced up at his gorgeous smile, then into his breathtakingly blue eyes. “This… This is the best first date ever.”

  “I agree,” he said, gently closing the lovely little fan as he leaned down until our lips softly touched. “I love you, Jem Stone.”

  “And I love you, Drella Walker.”

  I giggled when he placed the delicate trinket in my hand. “I’ve always wanted one of these little beauties.” I carefully opened it and began fanning myself, batting my lashes. “Does it suit me, Darling?” I used my best Betty Davis impression.

  “Perfectly.” He chuckled. “And, when I saw that lovely little butterfly painted there…” He gently wrapped one of my curls around his finger. “…I just couldn’t resist,” he whispered softly. “Couldn’t resist the chance to make you smile like you are right now. You take my breath away, Jem.”

  “Drella…” Tears spilled down my cheeks then. “The most precious things I have in this world… they all came from you.”

  He smiled with only one corner of his mouth. “The only unnecessary things you keep in that old backpack.”

  “No… not unnecessary, Drell. Treasured. My Pooh Bear, my butterfly shawl, my scarf.” I reached toward my ponytail as I spoke. “The only material things I count priceless enough to keep with me at all times.”

  “Stop it, Pooh, or you’re gonna have me bawling as well.” He tenderly brushed the tears from my cheek before kissing me there. “And you are the only thing I count priceless enough to keep with me at all times. If only…”

  “Yeah…” I rested my head against his chest when he hugged me. “If only…”

  *****

  “How much longer do we have together, Drell?” I closed my book and rolled over to face him. “How many more hours do I have… before I’m no longer surrounded by your delicious scent?”

  He chuckled and pulled me closer. “Delicious, am I?”

  “Yes… always.” I kissed his chest, cuddled up against his side there upon the bed.

  “A day, Pooh. Two at the most. But it’s not like we won’t be seeing each other quite often. Just, not every moment of every day.”

  I hugged him closer. “Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?”

  “Yes… and so can a guy.” He kissed the top of my head. “We don’t have to rush it, my love. We will have eternity together… someday. As for right now, there’s much work to be done—for the both of us.”

  And Drella was right. Halfway through our second day together in Ise-Shima, he was compelled to go, called away on business. It was extremely hard for him to leave me there. We both shed more than just a few tears.

  Once he was gone, I did what it is I do—snoop around in ancient places. I went back to that enchanting bridge Drella had led me to, and crossed over to the Ise Shrines.

  The priests at the Inner Shrine—Naiku—were the friendliest I’d met anywhere in the world. I didn’t actually get to visit the Outer Shrine—Geku—on that visit, though. Yet, I did get the wonderful opportunity a bit further along on my journey.

  After I had acquired what I needed at Naiku, I stopped for another bowl of ramen. Sitting in that noodle shop, all alone this time, was almost more than my poor old heart could take. I sighed wearily before begrudgingly heading back to my now-empty room.

  “I will not slip back into mourning,” I grumbled aloud as I flipped another page. “He isn’t dead to me anymore. I’ll see him again. He promised I would. Drella would never lie to me.”

  I smiled then and began to relax, focusing back on my reading.

  And that’s what I was doing—studying through those old books I’d only just acquired—when I suddenly looked up… and found myself in the Nether.

  Chapter

  5

  As I’ve said before, the worst part… is the smell. How can I describe it? It�
�s like, three-day-old egg salad spread atop burnt tuna, dipped in a bucket of chum, and then left on an East Coast beach in mid-August to rot. Yeah, kind of like that. Gag-inducing doesn’t even begin to describe it. I have stood by the River of Dead—that’s what I call it—in India. It was a place where mosquitos blotted out the sun and maggots covered the banks like wiggling, grotesque living sand. The river was lined with Temples on both sides. It was a place where dead loved ones were set adrift atop the rancid waters—their families watching and mourning as they floated toward their Otherworld. That smelled better than the Nether. And that’s what made me look up—the smell.

  I had been so engrossed in my latest tome, I didn’t even realize I had shifted. I’m not even entirely certain how long I’d been there. The vomiting started before actual realization had set in.

  “Could a woman possibly be any more revolting than you? No. Not even if she tried.”

  I slowly raised my head, trying to catch my breath. There stood a man leaning against the wall—arms crossed over his chest, jet black hair falling down across his shoulders, and a look of pure disgust upon his face.

  “Revolt—” I gagged again. “Revolting is the stench of this hellhole.”

  He snorted. “What do you want? Why did you come here? Get up off your damn knees and face me properly.”

  I took a few more breaths before staggering to my feet, picking up the now-crumpled book I’d been reading. “Who the hell are you that I should have to answer anything? I’m here because I’m here. And as for what I want and/or need from you, that’d be nothing. Not a damn thing.”

  He raised a single eyebrow and stared at me for a few silent heartbeats, his utter disgust still obvious.

  “You impudent little— Let’s get one thing straight,” he snarled. “I don’t like you. I don’t like the look of you. I don’t like the smell of you. And I sure as hell don’t like your insolent tone.”

  “And just why would I care if a demon likes me or not? Seems to me, that’d be the best possible luck I could have.”

  “I am not a demon, Witness. I am Paltiel. You should take care how you speak to me.”

  “I don’t remember asking for your name. I really don’t give a crap who you are. And you’re the one who started speaking to me. Not the other way around.”