Ariadne and the Flaming Torch : The Quest
Chapter 10
Book 1 : The Quest
Chapter 10
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Every time I go to sleep, I can feel their emotions. They're crying; pain, misery and guilt are their only companions. The lamentations of their abandoned hopes ring in my ear and make me want to rip my head apart. I did not want to be witness to such pain, damn it!
Why did it have to be me? I know lots of people out there ask the same question every day as they face their own problems, but even momma would have to admit it - I have a lot of shit in my life.
I felt the sting of the fire as it crawled up my hand and I screamed out in pain before sighing. This is getting out of hand.
Just put me on the bloody train to the fucktarded region where sparkly gay-shit vampires reside with their eternally constipated mates in their arms, and my retarded, the-gods-always-mess-with-it life will be made!
I closed my eyes tight and willed the voices to go away, to just disappear back to the dark pit that was their home; but they didn't. They only got louder. It started as a whisper at first until it slowly grew as a collective hum of contradicted voices in torture as they shouted out their misery, until it finally grew to the screech of that of a banshee's call.
"Help me; my daughter is stuck in there. She needs me, she has no one else. How will she survive on her own? She needs me to provide for her, she needs me to look after her. Please, I love her so much, help me!"
I felt my anger flare as I listened to the pitiful voice of the woman wailing at me to save her at the pretense of her daughter whom she supposedly "loved".
It was a lie; complete and utter bullshit - that woman didn't love her daughter! It was the exact opposite. She drowned her own daughter time and time again, constantly pulling her back up just when she was on the brink of death and then revived her. That woman practically sold her daughter; she would have her dress up as a whore and invite men to rape her for money. That woman, Marissa, didn't deserve to even think of the word "love". I can just imagine the kind of curses momma be muttering right now if she heard that of woman's deceit.
I slammed my palm into her head and snarled at her as she screamed; my hand had passed right through her incorporeal state and she was feeling the pain that "ghosts", for lack of a better word, feel when someone of corporeal mass, that too the offspring of a God, touches them. Her phantom body started dissolving as I cursed her to the very depths of Tartarus.
"Take her away", I snarled and I felt their daemonic presence again. Their breath reeked of rotten flesh and saliva and fresh scars oozing blood were scattered across their skeletal bodies, their leathery wings pinched and torn.
"As you wish mistress.", hissed the first daemon, Agni. Her once magnificent and terrifying tail hung limp and awry, the joints broken in several places.
"Mistress, Master had beaten us again.", whined the other, Chitra. Her legs were bruised badly and burned whip marks covered her back. "Master has been extremely mad since-", her voice was interrupted by the terrifying screech of her life mate, Agni. "Forgive me, Master. I shall not speak. I shall not speak. Forgive me.", Chitra sniveled as she lay bowing down on the floor.
Instantly Agni's scream cut off and was filled with her labored and relieved breathing.
"Thank you master, thank you.", Chitra whispered and offered a prayer to Hades.
I looked at their pitiful forms and felt disgust at the sight of them. They truly did belong in hell.
"What did you do this time?", I asked them, feeling my disgust grow by the minute.
"Why does mistress assume that we did something?", Agni snarled in my face, her red like looking like diluted blood; the bitch talked back to me! I grimaced at her and back-handed her across the face, sending the crashing into the opposite wall.
I felt a Satanistic presence fill the room as I performed my act of cruelty. "Well done, daughter.", Hades cackled.
"Ariadne, what have you done!", shouted my mother, Persephone, as she ran to Agni to try and heal her.
"I gave her what she deserved mother."
"You gave her what she deserved?", she seethed. "Is this what I taught you? To put those who are less fortunate than you down? I am ashamed of you Ariadne! I did not raise you to be like this!", she screeched.
I felt my anger rise and the words were out of my mouth before I could even form a coherent thought, "Raised me? You never raised me! Rita did!"
I immediately covered my mouth with my hand. Rita? Who in the name of Tartarus was Rita? The answer came to me as suddenly as the question.
Rita. She was my momma. But that was impossible. Persephone was my mother not some mortal named Rita! Persephone had given birth to me and had raised me, not Rita. But even as I said it, I saw a vision flash through my head. A memory, but whose is it? It definitely isn't mine.
A dark-skinned girl with ink black hair which glowed with fire was standing in front of a blond woman with impossibly deep gold eyes. The girl was tiny, no older than six. She had cream on her face and was laughing loudly with her head thrown back as she slammed an entire cupcake into the smiling face of the joyous woman.
The blond, she was Rita. But who was the black haired girl? Oh, well, I didn't have time to figure out this new puzzle. I had enough shit to handle, like training the new recruits; honestly, good help is so hard to come across these days! I marched across the black hallways, my high heels clacking against the black marble floors; it really was unhealthy for me to be wearing these monstrosities across a surface as smooth as this, but I couldn’t help it - these shoes just screamed dominatrix bitch and they matched perfectly with my outfit. Black tank top with a black leather jacket enchanted with spells to protect my beautiful body - yeah, I was conceited, you would be too if you had a body like this! Black cotton pants which stuck to my skin like a second skin and was extremely flexible allowing me to use my legs for combat if the need rose. With my hair pulled back into a high ponytail and black three inch heels, I looked like a force to be reckoned with, not to mention a totally kinky ass chick in bed. I smirked at that thought and continued walking towards the room with the new recruits.
I could feel their eyes on me the second I walked into the room. Their attention was all on me and I felt pleasure at that fact. I loved being the centre of attention and being the hybrid daughter of Life and Death guaranteed me my spotlight. I walked into the room smirking at all the boys and assessing all the girls. Were they up to the task of being Soul Reapers? It takes a lot of hard work and training to become a Soul Reaper and even then they haven’t succeeded. Every month there is a re admission test where we test their skills again and again in a continuous four day exam where not only their fighting skills but also their stamina and brains are tested.
I could see the boys and even a few girls looking at my form lustfully. I smirked again and walked up to the elevated platform and climbed the stairs until I reached the top where I finally began my speech. I cleared my throat and spoke in a low voice but I knew they could hear me and the ones who couldn’t...well, they didn’t deserve to be here if they couldn’t accomplish the simple task of long distance hearing.
“Welcome. I will not be your friend and I will most definitely not be your play toy. I will be the one person who you will hate for the rest of your pathetically mortal lives. I will be your trainer and one word of advice, never contradict me or correct me for the consequences will not be worth it.”, I grinned widely, showing all my teeth and heard a few shocked murmurs and frightened whispers. But what I heard most of all, were scoffs of disbelief and snorts of derision. Oh well, they’ll come to fear my by the end of this speech. “That is all and please, make yourselves at home. This may be the last place you’ll ever see.”
I got off the platform and started walking down the hall towards the exit. I halted right at the door and turned to my left, smirking at the trainees standing in a single file. I snapped my hand out and a torrent of white hot anguishing flames flew towards two of the trainees - one boy, one girl - and burned them to their core until they were nothing more than burned flesh and charred bones. I smirked and said, “No kissing in the hallways.”
I walked out and slammed the door behind me, cutting short the ruckus that was escaping from the room. I hummed a tuned to myself and walked and down the halls, smirking. It’s good to be the boss.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
I woke up with a smile on my face and a song playing in my mind. I felt like laughing. I didn’t know why. I didn’t know how. I just knew that I was happy. I was happier than I had felt in a long time. I smiled again and let out a carefree laugh. I felt like dancing. I wanted to dance.
I hopped to my wardrobe and opened the double doors and stepped inside. I walked two steps forward, one step to the left and one step forward and one step to the side and then another step back. I searched with my foot until I found what I was looking for. It was a tiny engraving in the wood floor that was inconspicuous unless one knew what they were looking for. I felt for the square that met with the rose engraving and slowly followed the ridges, trying to make sure it was what I was looking for. I traced the circle and felt annoyance build up inside me. I was looking for a square with a tiny piece chipped off at the end, making a small ledge just big enough for the toe to catch on by purpose but impossible to trip over accidentally. I traced another pattern again and was, yet again, annoyed and disappointed. I traced over another pattern and...finally! That was the engraving I was looking for. I traced the shape again, just to make sure and when I was guaranteed of it’s usefulness, I sighed a relieved breath.
I then looked up and tried to form a flame in my hand. But there was no familiar tingling familiar, no glowing of my hand; there was no fire! I snapped my fingers, waiting for at least something, but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing, not even a spark. I started panicking before I took a deep breath and tried to center myself.
“Oh, Hades, god of flame, I implore you,
Lend me your furious flame and let my dark soul
Be once again filled with light
So that I may come unto you.
I beg of you, lend me your flame.
Give me my power, my birthright!”,
I screamed out the last line. I felt disgusted at the fact that I had actually prayed to Hades, of all people! But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing! Back when I was a child, I couldn’t summon my flame without help and so I had always looked towards Hades for help. I hadn’t known him then but I had known someone was always there, helping me. I hadn’t known any spells or incantations or chants back then, so I had said two simple words: “help me”. That was all and the fire always came bursting into my hand. But now, even with the elaborate set up, and the beautiful incantation, he still hadn’t sent me anything. I knew he wasn’t that much of an asshole because he had always helped me for in far simpler circumstances but now...What had I done wrong? I had done the ceremonial hand movements I had invoked the essence of fire, I had even spoken the...that was what was wrong! I had spoken an incantation when he would’ve helped me for far less. Or at least that’s what I think I did wrong. If it still didn’t work, then Hades was abandoning me, simple as that.
So I took at deep breath, spread out my hands and whispered, “Please help me.” Almost instantly, there was a blazing fir roaring in my hands. It was greater than all the flames I had been able to produce but this was Hade’s flame.
“Thank you”, I silently whispered up to him and my reply was the flame burning a bit brighter. I smiled and looked at the back of the wardrobe and saw the insignia burned into the wall. To someone else, it would look like a smudge caused by a fire or some shit, but to me it was the escape to all of my problems. I pressed my glowing hand to the fire place and the tiny rose inside the burned layer of debris started glowing. As it got brighter, anticipation started to grip me. It was crucial that I time this perfectly. One second too late and I would have to wait till tomorrow. I counted out fifteen seconds until the glowing started to get brighter. Then I started to count till fifty and at the last moment where the glowing reached its utmost point, I pressed down on the rose and slammed my foot into the little square. I heard a deafening noise from underneath and managed to jump aside at the last moment as the wood floor gave away beneath my feet, only to reveal a set of ancient staircases. One led to the outhouse and the other was the dungeon which we changed into a personal longing room. I looked in front of me and saw a split right down the middle of the wood that made up the back wall of the wardrobe. I took out my key; with its body barely a centimeter thick with thin, spindly wires that branched out of it, it didn’t look like a key at all.
It took it and twisted the wires until they were shaped like toothpicks bent in a perfect “L” shape. I slid the thin prongs of the key inside until they almost disappeared. Then I grabbed on to the prongs and whispered, “Onaika.” The key started glowing and then with a click the prongs started reassembling themselves to that they aligned perfectly with the grains in the back wood of the wardrobe. There was a dull humming sound and a slowly click. A chamber appeared from the wood and slowly came out with tiny clicks representing each centimeter it travelled. It stopped at twenty three centimeters and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was going to come next.
I pulled out my chain from my back pocket and opened the locket that was attached to it. It was a three leaved clover and I concentrated on the dates on the back. They were engraved into three small inconspicuous scrolls at the back of the locket. They weren’t set at the right combination...just as they were supposed to be. I pursed my lips and opened the locket and found the face of my mother staring back at me. I sighed and ran my nail along the side of the locket until I fund what I was looking for; my nail hooked on a small dent in the otherwise perfectly smooth gold of the locket and I pulled the compartment open. The latch opened easily enough and I found my self staring at a needle small enough to fit into the soft interior of the locket and i picked it up. I glared at the tiny little thing before I brought my other hand up and pricked my finger. Beads of blood poured out with the familiar stinging sensation and I smirked at the wry irony of the whole ordeal; this was made so that there would be no blood shed yet it all started with blood. I position the locket carefully onto the compartment that was hanging out of the wood of the wardrobe and set it into the engraving of the four leaved clover.
The locket was positioned with the dates up towards me and I squeezed my pricked finger. Blood oozed off of it and a single drop landed onto the scroll which started humming and turning on it’s own, clicking as it moved along. Like the wardrobe compartment, it also stopped at twenty three centimeters and I peered at the dates. Twenty-one, zero-three, ninety-eight. It was the day my momma died. I took a deep breathe and blocked out the memories. It’s been thirteen years. I changed the number on the locket so that it went from the date of my momma’s death to the date of my birthday here on terra. Twenty-five, zero-nine, eighty-five. The clicking began again and another leaf sprang out from a compartment hidden inside the locket. The locket now perfectly fit into the engraving and I started pushing the compartment of the wardrobe and counted out five. There were five clicks and the compartment stopped at eighteen centimeters. I turned the compartment so it was no face down and moved it three centimeters to the right and slammed it back in.
There was once again the sound of humming and clicking until with a bright light, the wood of the wardrobe split completely into two and slid into the wardrobe. The key was still positioned inside and its prongs were now spread thirty inches wide, fifteen on both side. I bent down and whispered “Ornton”. The key started reassembling itself until finally it slid back to its original position - a long one centimeter thick wire with lots of thin wires branching off of it. It dropped to the floor and I picked it up and put it back inside my pocket.
I stepped inside the room that replaced the back of the wardrobe and as soon as I put my feet over the threshold, there was a clang behind me and the staircases that led to the “dungeon converted into lounge room” and outhouse once again shut and became invisible. This room was completely fool proof and no one who didn’t know the sequence and combinations of the procedure, couldn’t enter. Not to mention, the artifacts involved were either simple and used in normal day-to-day life or looked completely useless. Not to mention they were DNA and voice activated. The room was completely fool proof and only the most trusted of the family could get in.
This was our safe house and it was rigged with enough food to last us days and TVs, laptops, radios, monitors that allowed us to see what was going on inside the house and beds and extra futons. It was sound proof from the outside and there was a door inside that led to the Otherworld where we could simply go to a transportation hub and easily get transported back to our houses once the danger had passed. The only disadvantage to this room is the amount of time it took to open it. The time limit for it was approximately ten minutes; this meant that if someone couldn’t enter the room in ten minutes the system would stop and shut down. It was annoying and if anyone got left out it meant they had to go to the outhouse using the staircase and hide in the safe out that was situated in the kitchen.
If there were any signs of danger, the house would alert us all. We all have microchips imbedded into our molar - dad’s work; he loves his little gadgets and he was the one who made all of this shit in the first place; mom’s death hit him hard and he had promised himself that he would keep the rest of his family safe, so he did all of this to protect us, in case of danger. The house controls and manages the temperature of the house and its grounds. Our grounds stretch out for approximately fifty acres - yeah, we were rich - and it gave us twenty minutes time. The house alerted us of the changes in temperature through the microchips in our molars; we would get this really weird buzzing sensation in our mouths and the next second their profiles would be texted to us. The house had scanners inside it which inconspicuously scanned all the people inside and would do references with the entire programming system of police, CIA, NSA etc. My dad was well connected. The system would then send us all of the people’s profiles which we could activate by voice and a thirty digit pin code.
We would alert the computer if we didn’t know the people and the police would get an email marked “code red” with ours addresses on it. Meanwhile, we would get a fifteen minute break where we would assemble all of the family inside the house and make it to the safe out. If someone was left behind, they would either call or go to the outhouse via staircase and hide in the safe out there. Yep, our house was totally rigged. Not to mention the fact that I had used some enchantments to make sure the house started moving once we got into the room.
The house won’t move this time because I interconnected it to the computer and it will only get set into motion if any alerts came up. I walked over the smooth, white marble floors and headed to the fridge. I took out an apple and started munching on it as I walked to the one room in the house where I found solace. The piano room was situated at the back of the safe out and I was surprised Dad even thought of building it in. I had jumped about for about five minutes when I had first seen the room. I walked in through the double doors and looked at the plain room. All the rooms in our house were plain - momma didn’t like it when things got too elaborate or too complicated. The room was painted a light sky blue with contrasting dark blue strokes here and there. There was a simple square window on the southern wall which a wide ledge with different colored pillows on top for sitting. The window overlooked the river which looked glorious at sunset. There was a simple red leather couch with fluffy pillows and right in the center o the room, accompanied by a simple high back chair was a masterpiece. The beautiful piano forte was painted a deep cherry red which contrasted and completed the room. The cover was glossy and well kept. The keys were tuned to perfection and as I stood there, looking at the beautiful instrument, I felt tears leek from my eyes.
I sat down on the chair and started an original composition written by my momma. She used to play the piano and cello and as I played the sweet tune which accented a deep sorrowful meaning, I imagined my mother was sitting beside me, playing her cello. I could hear the perfect harmony of piano and cello working together and I felt at peace. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Solis sitting on a spare chair he had brought in from the living room. What surprised me even more was that he was playing the cello. I suppose I was so into my perfect, little world that I hadn’t noticed him come in and start accompanying me. I guess I did hear the cello and it wasn’t just my imagination. Together we played for God only knows how long, switching back and forth from Bach to Beethoven to original compositions written by momma.
Our music soon started fading away until I played the last note and then there was a contented silence hanging in the room. “You played again.”, I whispered.
“Yeah, well, so did you.”, Solis answered just as quietly. This was nice. It had been entirely too long since we had sat down and did something together like this. Ever since Solis had that incident, it was like he wasn’t even present anymore. It hurt me to see him like this. Of course it did, he was my brother. It was rude and selfish for me to not want Solis and Repeat to be together because after all, everyone needed someone, but I was afraid that history would repeat itself and I would Solis permanently this time. I didn’t want to loose him. Period. He was the only one who knew me, the real me and I didn’t want to lose him just like I lost momma and daddy. It was selfish of me but then again I did have the blood of a god running in my veins.
I sighed and looked up at Solis. Without any warning, he started furiously playing the cello. Each note reflected an eternity of pain, a lifetime of loss. Solis looked like an angel with the orange hue of the sunset bathing him in its pure and fiery essence. His back arched and moved with each pull of the strings and the notes of beauty and horror kept spilling from him and his soul as he furiously beat at the instrument that now told of his tale. I turned around and let my fingers float over the piano and I accompanied him. The soft mourning hum of my piano joined him in his fiery and fast paced harmonious scream and together we played. A lamentation of pain rolled off of us as we joined in the harmony of tunes and the music displayed an image.
A beautiful girl was running about the field until she reached the midpoint of its beauty. A sense of longing trailed behind her as she ran. She kept running and suddenly, there was a crack of thunder. The land ignited with the dancing deity. Fire raced across the field and the girl ran towards it. She turned one last time and this time, her face was a shock of evil and mischief. She laughed out a loud cackle before jumping straight into the oncoming fire and she became swallowed in it. A broken whisper filled with laughter was all that was left of her. “I love you”.
The three simple words brought so much joy and happiness to one’s life but when it’s forthcoming illusion of joy was penetrated, it held the deepest of sorrows and was filled with the screaming voices of those who had suffered the same fate of being entrapped in the vicious cycle of hunger that was love.
Tears leaked from his eyes and rolled down his chin, leaving behind a trail of blood lost in an abandoned hope. I got up from my chair and went to Solis and hugged him. My good mood had dissolved. It had dissolved just like the rain of love that poured down on people and drenched them in its promise of happiness and content dissolved, after the beating rays of the sun of reality poured down on the estranged people and broke their dreams and shattered their hopes. Love was a drug, but like all drugs it had its side affects and unfortunately it wasn’t something that could be shaken off. I squeezed Solis and he laid his head on my shoulder.
He didn’t utter a sound but he didn’t need to. His essence was broken. His heart was broken. Solis had become just another victim to the cruel game of hide and seek that was love. I kissed his hair and patted his back. “Why’d she leave? Why’d momma leave? Why’d dad leave? Why does everyone leave? Where do they go?”, he asked.
Ever since we were little, I was always the mature one when it came to deep thoughts. I thought I had all the questions answered and I had had everyone fooled. Solis had always come to me for answers and I had tried to sound mature every time he had asked something. I had succeeded in the end but now as Solis asked me this, I knew he didn’t want any sentimental bullshit.
“They leave because they have to. Our actions set things in motion and in some twisted way, it was our fault that they left. When momma left, it was my fault. When daddy left, it was momma’s fault. When she left, it was your fault. I’m not going to bullshit you and tell you that this all was none of our faults. I’m not gonna tell you that everything is fine, because honestly, it isn’t. And as for where they go...who knows? Why did momma name you Solis and me Ariadne? Why does the rain form and why do clouds clash against one another whenever there is a storm? It’s just another one of those questions no one really knows the answer to but try to bullshit themselves and think they do know. So...I don’t know, Solis. But I do know that she’s watching. I hear momma’s voice sometimes and I know you do too. So all I’m going to say is there are really no true answers to any of these questions and we shouldn’t waste our lives away, trying to find the answer to them. All we can do is survive because I don’t know about Vivian, but I do know that momma and daddy want us to survive. Oh and stop asking me such deep and sentimental questions, because I don’t know shit about answering them. I’m trying o give you a straight answer cause you’re being a crying bitch over that worthless hag and waste of space. Get over it, dude. ”
Harsh but true. He needed to get over it. It’s been a decade. He should stop. He really should. Crying over something that’s never going to happen is a waste of time and frankly we’re short of time as it is. I patted his head and proceeded to walk out the door.
“When did you turn into such a bitch, huh? What happened to the Ariadne I used to know? The one that used to pick flowers for her momma and make tea for her dad; the one who used to help me with whatever I needed and always had a smile on her face; what happened to that Ariadne?”
“She died, along with all those people in the church!”, I snarled and stormed out. Well, there goes my good mood. He had to bring that up, didn’t he? Little bitch. I stormed down the hall, all the while muttering curses under my breath. Why did men have to be so damn emotional at exactly the wrong moments? I swear, they’re bitchier that bitches! God, thank you Solis! Now my mood is ruined and it’s all thanks to you. Pathetic cry baby!
“Yeah, well, I think she’s still there cause the bitch that’s here right now, wouldn’t have been crying as she played!”, he shouted from the room. Can’t he give it a rest? I mean, really! Is that too much to ask? A day of peace and happiness without any drama? Obviously, it is too much to ask. Heavens forbid I actually get some sound sleep.
“Fuck off and go back to the bitch you pushed into the fire!”, I roared back and suddenly I was being slammed into the wall with a large hand wrapped around me, choking the life out of me.
“Take that back!”, he snarled, his black on black eyes glaring into my glowing tri colored ones.
“I’ll kill you.”, I spit through clenched teeth. His furious eyes burned into me before he lifted me higher by the neck and bodily threw me across the room, straight into the glass table. Ouch, that’s going to leave a mark and then some. The glass cut into my back with a burning vengeance and I grit my teeth against the pain. I stood up slowly, the pain almost making me black out. With a hiss, I snapped my hands out, willing for a flame to come out and grill his punk ass. But nothing came. It was just like earlier today, nothing shot out of my hands. Not even a cloud of smokes. I roared in frustration and Solis snorted. I looked into his face and saw that his face was still contorted into one of hatred and his hands were still clenched beside him. As his, black on black eyes searched mine, his posture relaxed slightly. Bit by bit, his features relaxed until the hate there was replaced by a look of complete and utter horror.
He took a few steps forwards and whispered, “Ari, I...”
“Don’t even dare!”, I spit out and my hands clenched into fists. I glared at him as the pain escalated to a point where I wanted to scream bloody murder. I brought my hand up to my face and bit down into the soft flesh of my palm. Blood tricked out and into my mouth and the pain intensified. Okay, note to self, inflicting yourself with pain when you’re already in pain, so doesn’t work!
“That only works for emotional pain, not physical one.”, Solis whispered, a smile threatening to break out on his face.
“Yeah, I noticed genius, thanks for the advice. And what the fuck are you still doing here? Get out!”, I screamed. the pain was getting too much to handle and I was sure that I would black out in exactly ten seconds. I didn’t want Solis there since he was the one who inflicted this injury on me. I swear when I’m healed, I’m going to kick his ass and then some.
“Ari, I really didn’t- ”, he started to say when I interrupted him.
“I thought I told you to get out!”
7...6...5...
“But Ari, I-”, he tried again.
...4...3...
“GET OUT!”, I roared.
He vanished into a cloud of smoke which dissipated into thin air.
...2...1...0.
“Repeat, help me.”, I whispered as I fell.
The last thing I saw before darkness overwhelmed me was a bright flash of light accompanied by familiar red hair.
_______________________
I woke up to a searing pain in my back. I groaned and tried to sit up as the memories started coming back to me. Solis was going to pay hell for this. I opened my eyes and saw Repeat sitting at the edge of my bed with an amused expression on her face.
“Let me guess. You said something, he said something, you said another something and next thing you know you’re slamming ass first into the glass table. Am I right?”, she mused, her eyes dancing with barely contained laughter.
Bitch.
“Actually, he started it.”, I said. I mean, he was the one asking all the questions right? He was the one who couldn’t handle the truth of his decision. So this wasn’t my fault. Yep, definitely not my fault.
“Really?”, she asked, her eyebrows raised. It was so my fault! Goddamn it! But he was still getting a major ass whooping from me. Sure, what I said was harsh and completely uncalled for but he overreacted. Again.
“Shut up. You’re my best friend, not his.”, I mumbled.
“Whatever.”, she waved me off. “I’m just showing you that you’re the one to blame. As usual.”
Remind me why I’m friends with her again. Oh, yeah, that’s right. Not only is she the one person who constantly saves me but she is also the one person who would never abandon me. This sucks. I can’t even scream at her without feeling guilty. I should have killed her the first time I met her. It would have saved me all of this bullshitting drama.
Okay, what did she put on my back? It hurts like fucking hell and is burning more that the time Melanie “accidentally” set my room on fire while I was still inside.
“How’s my back?”, I groaned. I was grumpy as hell, my back was aching, my brother was going to get a major ass whooping and I was hungry. Repeat better give me some answers and quick.
“It’s fine. I rubbed frog skin with pixie dust on it. That’s probably why it hurts. Honestly, I think that was the most minor injury you’ve ever suffered. At least it was better than when Melanie caught you on fire. That took weeks to heal.”
Huh, so she was thinking of that incident too. Well, what do you know? Great minds do think alike.
“So what’d you say to piss him off so much?”, she asked. Why does she always assume that I’m the one who starts it?
“Because you are always the one who starts it! Remember that time with the lake? Yeah, who was the one that pushed Stephanie inside? And the incident at the farm house; as far as I remember, it was you who pushed Caroline into all of that pig shit. And it was also you who “accidentally” walked in on Grandma and Grandpa doing it in their bedroom. And it was also you, who started screaming bloody murder and shit. So yes, I always assume you’re the one who starts things. It’s something I learned over the thirteen years I was with you.”, she said.
Okay, how is it that people always know what I’m thinking? Is it the expression on my face? Am I that easy to read? I hope not because that would mean I should resign as bounty hunter and shit. If I really am that predictable, then I really should resign. Hey, it keeps the bills paid.
I ran my fingers through my hair. That incident with Grandma and Grandpa was an accident. I mean, I know my head isn’t screwed on straight most of the time, but even I’m not that twisted! I mean, who in this world, besides deranged psychopaths, would want to see their Grandpa throw it into their Grandma? It’s morally sick and disgusting. I shivered in disgust. Ew.
“Where’s Solis?”, I asked.
“I’m not telling you until you answer my question. What did you do to piss him off this time?”
“I told him to fuck off.”, I mumbled.
“And?”, she waited.
“I told him to fuck off and join that bitch into the hell he pushed her into, okay?”, I said, annoyed. She gasped and smacked me on the head. Ow.
“What the hell is your problem? Why do you always have to throw that day into his face? Why, huh, Ariadne, why? Why do you always have to be such a bitch!”, she snarled into my face.
Instantly she was slamming into the wall with my body pressed against hers. Who was she to judge? She was my companion and best friend, yes, but that didn’t give her the right to judge things she knew nothing about. She didn’t know anything about that day or the amount of people that died. She didn’t know anything but a second hand opinion. She was lovesick and was defending Solis blindly. She didn’t know the ghosts of his past and she didn’t have to deal with the consequences of his actions. I lost a precious one because of him. My poor Ninya was now dead because of him and she didn’t know. I had not told her the full story on behalf of Solis. He had requested me to never tell anyone. He had made me swear on my soul. And now, here she was, judging me, telling me I was a bitch, when she didn’t even know anything. She didn’t know how many nights I had laid down on my bed and cried myself to sleep. Hell, she didn’t even exist then! It happened many years prior to her birth and she had no right whatsoever to tell me how to act.
“You have no idea of the incident, so drop it, Repeat. I don’t want to get into this with you so don’t you dare judge. You don’t know and will never know, so spare me the righteous “why are you being a bitch” act, okay?”, I said.
“Let go of me.”, she choked out. I loosened my hold on her neck and she wrenched herself out of my grip. “Why do you have to be so emotional? Honestly, I don’t get you, Ari. One second you’re as deep and understanding as the fucking oceans of the world of the nymphs and the next, you’re a dead-to-the-world bitch who doesn’t know when to shut up and doesn’t know the meaning of the proverb “think before you act”. What is up with that?”, she grumbled, rubbing her neck.
“Alas, that is a question that can never be answered.”, I said, using that “I’m a psychic” voice that bogus gypsies use. She hit me on the arm and I laughed. Would this emotional rollercoaster of fights and bullshit ever end? I sighed.
“I’m still pissed at you, you know”, she told me in a nonchalant voice and hopped onto the bed.
“Yeah, I know.”, I replied. She was pissed. I could see it from the way her left eye was twitching, making the tear drop shaped tattoo there move as well. It was annoying, the amount of fights we all had. “How soon till my back gets fixed?”, I asked. My back really hurt and judging by how drained I felt, there must have been a lot of blood loss. It was pathetic, to be honest. The fact that even though we were immortals, we still didn’t know shit about instant healing was pathetic and comical. Hell, the fact that we got hurt at all was a thing to laugh about.
“I’d say a few more minutes, give or take three.”, she replied, shrugging. Great.
“So can I move about now?”, I asked and she nodded. Perfect. I’m going to get my revenge. “Great.”, I told her and grinned mischievously.
I got off of the bed and headed towards the bathroom. I took of my shirt and looked at the full wall length mirror situated at the back of the shower. Angry red scars jumped out of the mirror back at me.
“Ooh, that looks nasty. Courtesy of Solis?”, the pixie, Reverend, asked with her eyebrows raised.
“Yep. Could you help?”, I asked and she nodded. The tiny, little thing flew down to back and started blowing across the wounds. The breath and saliva of a pixie held healing agents and were really handy in situations like these. They were really affective in battle. Their lullabies could put a thousand men to sleep while their breath and tongue could save thousands.
The stinging sensation in my back dulled, only to be replaced by one of severe burning. I clenched my eyes shut and grit my teeth against the pain. Everything is related to pain, in one way or another. It sucked but so did life, in general. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The pain slowly receded, bit by bit and was soon replaced by one of cool and refreshing bliss. I sighed. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
“There. All done.”, Reverend said, scrutinizing her work. I looked back in the mirror and saw that the scars were replaced by smooth, supple skin.
“Thanks.”, I told her.
“So, what did you do this time?”, she asked with a cheeky grin. Seriously, what is it with people assuming that everything bad that happens is always my fault. I was a troublemaker and a complete and total bitch, yes, but that didn’t mean that I was the one always causing the trouble. Why is it that everyone always thought I was the one who wronged and hurt people? It’s judgmental, not to mention rude and completely uncalled for.
“I told him to fuck off with Vivian at his side.”, I said in a monotone, sing-song voice.
“God, you really are a bitch. I like it!”, she giggled and I turned to look at her. She was tiny, barely the size of a bird. Her butterfly wings were gold tinted with red and pink accents with lovely and complicated patterns drawn on top. Her features were pointed and beautifully shaped with big doe eyes that nearly swallowed up her entire face. Big, blue eyes tainted with gold, stared back at me. A smile was pulling at the corner of her full lips. I flicked her on her nose, but ended up getting her forehead and she swore, pinching my cheek as her revenge. I shook my head and went to the medicine cabinet. I opened the doors to the compartment and pressed a button hidden behind a tube of toothpaste. The cabinet’s doors closed and opened again after a few seconds. The plain insides were replaced by suspended swords and guns fitted inside plush, cotton velvet. I took out my katana and smirked. Time for pay back.
I strode out of the bathroom and headed out of the bedroom. I ignored Repeat’s calls and went downstairs towards the kitchen. There he was, sitting on the black marble topped counters as if nothing had happened. He was munching away at an apple and changing channels on the TV.
“Solis.”, I called to him. He looked up, startled, before a worried expression set on his face.
“Ari, I am so sorry. I really didn’t mean - ” he started but was interrupted by my katana slamming into his gut. I twisted the blade and pulled it out. Blood poured out of him in a torrent and the concern on his face was replaced by surprise and disbelief.
“What the fuck!” he whispered as he slumped off of the counter down onto the floor.
“Pay back’s a bitch, babe. Enjoy.” I smirked and went out of the room, calling for Repeat to clean up the mess. Payback really was a bitch.
____________________________________
Chapter 10
__________
Every time I go to sleep, I can feel their emotions. They're crying; pain, misery and guilt are their only companions. The lamentations of their abandoned hopes ring in my ear and make me want to rip my head apart. I did not want to be witness to such pain, damn it!
Why did it have to be me? I know lots of people out there ask the same question every day as they face their own problems, but even momma would have to admit it - I have a lot of shit in my life.
I felt the sting of the fire as it crawled up my hand and I screamed out in pain before sighing. This is getting out of hand.
Just put me on the bloody train to the fucktarded region where sparkly gay-shit vampires reside with their eternally constipated mates in their arms, and my retarded, the-gods-always-mess-with-it life will be made!
I closed my eyes tight and willed the voices to go away, to just disappear back to the dark pit that was their home; but they didn't. They only got louder. It started as a whisper at first until it slowly grew as a collective hum of contradicted voices in torture as they shouted out their misery, until it finally grew to the screech of that of a banshee's call.
"Help me; my daughter is stuck in there. She needs me, she has no one else. How will she survive on her own? She needs me to provide for her, she needs me to look after her. Please, I love her so much, help me!"
I felt my anger flare as I listened to the pitiful voice of the woman wailing at me to save her at the pretense of her daughter whom she supposedly "loved".
It was a lie; complete and utter bullshit - that woman didn't love her daughter! It was the exact opposite. She drowned her own daughter time and time again, constantly pulling her back up just when she was on the brink of death and then revived her. That woman practically sold her daughter; she would have her dress up as a whore and invite men to rape her for money. That woman, Marissa, didn't deserve to even think of the word "love". I can just imagine the kind of curses momma be muttering right now if she heard that of woman's deceit.
I slammed my palm into her head and snarled at her as she screamed; my hand had passed right through her incorporeal state and she was feeling the pain that "ghosts", for lack of a better word, feel when someone of corporeal mass, that too the offspring of a God, touches them. Her phantom body started dissolving as I cursed her to the very depths of Tartarus.
"Take her away", I snarled and I felt their daemonic presence again. Their breath reeked of rotten flesh and saliva and fresh scars oozing blood were scattered across their skeletal bodies, their leathery wings pinched and torn.
"As you wish mistress.", hissed the first daemon, Agni. Her once magnificent and terrifying tail hung limp and awry, the joints broken in several places.
"Mistress, Master had beaten us again.", whined the other, Chitra. Her legs were bruised badly and burned whip marks covered her back. "Master has been extremely mad since-", her voice was interrupted by the terrifying screech of her life mate, Agni. "Forgive me, Master. I shall not speak. I shall not speak. Forgive me.", Chitra sniveled as she lay bowing down on the floor.
Instantly Agni's scream cut off and was filled with her labored and relieved breathing.
"Thank you master, thank you.", Chitra whispered and offered a prayer to Hades.
I looked at their pitiful forms and felt disgust at the sight of them. They truly did belong in hell.
"What did you do this time?", I asked them, feeling my disgust grow by the minute.
"Why does mistress assume that we did something?", Agni snarled in my face, her red like looking like diluted blood; the bitch talked back to me! I grimaced at her and back-handed her across the face, sending the crashing into the opposite wall.
I felt a Satanistic presence fill the room as I performed my act of cruelty. "Well done, daughter.", Hades cackled.
"Ariadne, what have you done!", shouted my mother, Persephone, as she ran to Agni to try and heal her.
"I gave her what she deserved mother."
"You gave her what she deserved?", she seethed. "Is this what I taught you? To put those who are less fortunate than you down? I am ashamed of you Ariadne! I did not raise you to be like this!", she screeched.
I felt my anger rise and the words were out of my mouth before I could even form a coherent thought, "Raised me? You never raised me! Rita did!"
I immediately covered my mouth with my hand. Rita? Who in the name of Tartarus was Rita? The answer came to me as suddenly as the question.
Rita. She was my momma. But that was impossible. Persephone was my mother not some mortal named Rita! Persephone had given birth to me and had raised me, not Rita. But even as I said it, I saw a vision flash through my head. A memory, but whose is it? It definitely isn't mine.
A dark-skinned girl with ink black hair which glowed with fire was standing in front of a blond woman with impossibly deep gold eyes. The girl was tiny, no older than six. She had cream on her face and was laughing loudly with her head thrown back as she slammed an entire cupcake into the smiling face of the joyous woman.
The blond, she was Rita. But who was the black haired girl? Oh, well, I didn't have time to figure out this new puzzle. I had enough shit to handle, like training the new recruits; honestly, good help is so hard to come across these days! I marched across the black hallways, my high heels clacking against the black marble floors; it really was unhealthy for me to be wearing these monstrosities across a surface as smooth as this, but I couldn’t help it - these shoes just screamed dominatrix bitch and they matched perfectly with my outfit. Black tank top with a black leather jacket enchanted with spells to protect my beautiful body - yeah, I was conceited, you would be too if you had a body like this! Black cotton pants which stuck to my skin like a second skin and was extremely flexible allowing me to use my legs for combat if the need rose. With my hair pulled back into a high ponytail and black three inch heels, I looked like a force to be reckoned with, not to mention a totally kinky ass chick in bed. I smirked at that thought and continued walking towards the room with the new recruits.
I could feel their eyes on me the second I walked into the room. Their attention was all on me and I felt pleasure at that fact. I loved being the centre of attention and being the hybrid daughter of Life and Death guaranteed me my spotlight. I walked into the room smirking at all the boys and assessing all the girls. Were they up to the task of being Soul Reapers? It takes a lot of hard work and training to become a Soul Reaper and even then they haven’t succeeded. Every month there is a re admission test where we test their skills again and again in a continuous four day exam where not only their fighting skills but also their stamina and brains are tested.
I could see the boys and even a few girls looking at my form lustfully. I smirked again and walked up to the elevated platform and climbed the stairs until I reached the top where I finally began my speech. I cleared my throat and spoke in a low voice but I knew they could hear me and the ones who couldn’t...well, they didn’t deserve to be here if they couldn’t accomplish the simple task of long distance hearing.
“Welcome. I will not be your friend and I will most definitely not be your play toy. I will be the one person who you will hate for the rest of your pathetically mortal lives. I will be your trainer and one word of advice, never contradict me or correct me for the consequences will not be worth it.”, I grinned widely, showing all my teeth and heard a few shocked murmurs and frightened whispers. But what I heard most of all, were scoffs of disbelief and snorts of derision. Oh well, they’ll come to fear my by the end of this speech. “That is all and please, make yourselves at home. This may be the last place you’ll ever see.”
I got off the platform and started walking down the hall towards the exit. I halted right at the door and turned to my left, smirking at the trainees standing in a single file. I snapped my hand out and a torrent of white hot anguishing flames flew towards two of the trainees - one boy, one girl - and burned them to their core until they were nothing more than burned flesh and charred bones. I smirked and said, “No kissing in the hallways.”
I walked out and slammed the door behind me, cutting short the ruckus that was escaping from the room. I hummed a tuned to myself and walked and down the halls, smirking. It’s good to be the boss.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
I woke up with a smile on my face and a song playing in my mind. I felt like laughing. I didn’t know why. I didn’t know how. I just knew that I was happy. I was happier than I had felt in a long time. I smiled again and let out a carefree laugh. I felt like dancing. I wanted to dance.
I hopped to my wardrobe and opened the double doors and stepped inside. I walked two steps forward, one step to the left and one step forward and one step to the side and then another step back. I searched with my foot until I found what I was looking for. It was a tiny engraving in the wood floor that was inconspicuous unless one knew what they were looking for. I felt for the square that met with the rose engraving and slowly followed the ridges, trying to make sure it was what I was looking for. I traced the circle and felt annoyance build up inside me. I was looking for a square with a tiny piece chipped off at the end, making a small ledge just big enough for the toe to catch on by purpose but impossible to trip over accidentally. I traced another pattern again and was, yet again, annoyed and disappointed. I traced over another pattern and...finally! That was the engraving I was looking for. I traced the shape again, just to make sure and when I was guaranteed of it’s usefulness, I sighed a relieved breath.
I then looked up and tried to form a flame in my hand. But there was no familiar tingling familiar, no glowing of my hand; there was no fire! I snapped my fingers, waiting for at least something, but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing, not even a spark. I started panicking before I took a deep breath and tried to center myself.
“Oh, Hades, god of flame, I implore you,
Lend me your furious flame and let my dark soul
Be once again filled with light
So that I may come unto you.
I beg of you, lend me your flame.
Give me my power, my birthright!”,
I screamed out the last line. I felt disgusted at the fact that I had actually prayed to Hades, of all people! But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing! Back when I was a child, I couldn’t summon my flame without help and so I had always looked towards Hades for help. I hadn’t known him then but I had known someone was always there, helping me. I hadn’t known any spells or incantations or chants back then, so I had said two simple words: “help me”. That was all and the fire always came bursting into my hand. But now, even with the elaborate set up, and the beautiful incantation, he still hadn’t sent me anything. I knew he wasn’t that much of an asshole because he had always helped me for in far simpler circumstances but now...What had I done wrong? I had done the ceremonial hand movements I had invoked the essence of fire, I had even spoken the...that was what was wrong! I had spoken an incantation when he would’ve helped me for far less. Or at least that’s what I think I did wrong. If it still didn’t work, then Hades was abandoning me, simple as that.
So I took at deep breath, spread out my hands and whispered, “Please help me.” Almost instantly, there was a blazing fir roaring in my hands. It was greater than all the flames I had been able to produce but this was Hade’s flame.
“Thank you”, I silently whispered up to him and my reply was the flame burning a bit brighter. I smiled and looked at the back of the wardrobe and saw the insignia burned into the wall. To someone else, it would look like a smudge caused by a fire or some shit, but to me it was the escape to all of my problems. I pressed my glowing hand to the fire place and the tiny rose inside the burned layer of debris started glowing. As it got brighter, anticipation started to grip me. It was crucial that I time this perfectly. One second too late and I would have to wait till tomorrow. I counted out fifteen seconds until the glowing started to get brighter. Then I started to count till fifty and at the last moment where the glowing reached its utmost point, I pressed down on the rose and slammed my foot into the little square. I heard a deafening noise from underneath and managed to jump aside at the last moment as the wood floor gave away beneath my feet, only to reveal a set of ancient staircases. One led to the outhouse and the other was the dungeon which we changed into a personal longing room. I looked in front of me and saw a split right down the middle of the wood that made up the back wall of the wardrobe. I took out my key; with its body barely a centimeter thick with thin, spindly wires that branched out of it, it didn’t look like a key at all.
It took it and twisted the wires until they were shaped like toothpicks bent in a perfect “L” shape. I slid the thin prongs of the key inside until they almost disappeared. Then I grabbed on to the prongs and whispered, “Onaika.” The key started glowing and then with a click the prongs started reassembling themselves to that they aligned perfectly with the grains in the back wood of the wardrobe. There was a dull humming sound and a slowly click. A chamber appeared from the wood and slowly came out with tiny clicks representing each centimeter it travelled. It stopped at twenty three centimeters and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was going to come next.
I pulled out my chain from my back pocket and opened the locket that was attached to it. It was a three leaved clover and I concentrated on the dates on the back. They were engraved into three small inconspicuous scrolls at the back of the locket. They weren’t set at the right combination...just as they were supposed to be. I pursed my lips and opened the locket and found the face of my mother staring back at me. I sighed and ran my nail along the side of the locket until I fund what I was looking for; my nail hooked on a small dent in the otherwise perfectly smooth gold of the locket and I pulled the compartment open. The latch opened easily enough and I found my self staring at a needle small enough to fit into the soft interior of the locket and i picked it up. I glared at the tiny little thing before I brought my other hand up and pricked my finger. Beads of blood poured out with the familiar stinging sensation and I smirked at the wry irony of the whole ordeal; this was made so that there would be no blood shed yet it all started with blood. I position the locket carefully onto the compartment that was hanging out of the wood of the wardrobe and set it into the engraving of the four leaved clover.
The locket was positioned with the dates up towards me and I squeezed my pricked finger. Blood oozed off of it and a single drop landed onto the scroll which started humming and turning on it’s own, clicking as it moved along. Like the wardrobe compartment, it also stopped at twenty three centimeters and I peered at the dates. Twenty-one, zero-three, ninety-eight. It was the day my momma died. I took a deep breathe and blocked out the memories. It’s been thirteen years. I changed the number on the locket so that it went from the date of my momma’s death to the date of my birthday here on terra. Twenty-five, zero-nine, eighty-five. The clicking began again and another leaf sprang out from a compartment hidden inside the locket. The locket now perfectly fit into the engraving and I started pushing the compartment of the wardrobe and counted out five. There were five clicks and the compartment stopped at eighteen centimeters. I turned the compartment so it was no face down and moved it three centimeters to the right and slammed it back in.
There was once again the sound of humming and clicking until with a bright light, the wood of the wardrobe split completely into two and slid into the wardrobe. The key was still positioned inside and its prongs were now spread thirty inches wide, fifteen on both side. I bent down and whispered “Ornton”. The key started reassembling itself until finally it slid back to its original position - a long one centimeter thick wire with lots of thin wires branching off of it. It dropped to the floor and I picked it up and put it back inside my pocket.
I stepped inside the room that replaced the back of the wardrobe and as soon as I put my feet over the threshold, there was a clang behind me and the staircases that led to the “dungeon converted into lounge room” and outhouse once again shut and became invisible. This room was completely fool proof and no one who didn’t know the sequence and combinations of the procedure, couldn’t enter. Not to mention, the artifacts involved were either simple and used in normal day-to-day life or looked completely useless. Not to mention they were DNA and voice activated. The room was completely fool proof and only the most trusted of the family could get in.
This was our safe house and it was rigged with enough food to last us days and TVs, laptops, radios, monitors that allowed us to see what was going on inside the house and beds and extra futons. It was sound proof from the outside and there was a door inside that led to the Otherworld where we could simply go to a transportation hub and easily get transported back to our houses once the danger had passed. The only disadvantage to this room is the amount of time it took to open it. The time limit for it was approximately ten minutes; this meant that if someone couldn’t enter the room in ten minutes the system would stop and shut down. It was annoying and if anyone got left out it meant they had to go to the outhouse using the staircase and hide in the safe out that was situated in the kitchen.
If there were any signs of danger, the house would alert us all. We all have microchips imbedded into our molar - dad’s work; he loves his little gadgets and he was the one who made all of this shit in the first place; mom’s death hit him hard and he had promised himself that he would keep the rest of his family safe, so he did all of this to protect us, in case of danger. The house controls and manages the temperature of the house and its grounds. Our grounds stretch out for approximately fifty acres - yeah, we were rich - and it gave us twenty minutes time. The house alerted us of the changes in temperature through the microchips in our molars; we would get this really weird buzzing sensation in our mouths and the next second their profiles would be texted to us. The house had scanners inside it which inconspicuously scanned all the people inside and would do references with the entire programming system of police, CIA, NSA etc. My dad was well connected. The system would then send us all of the people’s profiles which we could activate by voice and a thirty digit pin code.
We would alert the computer if we didn’t know the people and the police would get an email marked “code red” with ours addresses on it. Meanwhile, we would get a fifteen minute break where we would assemble all of the family inside the house and make it to the safe out. If someone was left behind, they would either call or go to the outhouse via staircase and hide in the safe out there. Yep, our house was totally rigged. Not to mention the fact that I had used some enchantments to make sure the house started moving once we got into the room.
The house won’t move this time because I interconnected it to the computer and it will only get set into motion if any alerts came up. I walked over the smooth, white marble floors and headed to the fridge. I took out an apple and started munching on it as I walked to the one room in the house where I found solace. The piano room was situated at the back of the safe out and I was surprised Dad even thought of building it in. I had jumped about for about five minutes when I had first seen the room. I walked in through the double doors and looked at the plain room. All the rooms in our house were plain - momma didn’t like it when things got too elaborate or too complicated. The room was painted a light sky blue with contrasting dark blue strokes here and there. There was a simple square window on the southern wall which a wide ledge with different colored pillows on top for sitting. The window overlooked the river which looked glorious at sunset. There was a simple red leather couch with fluffy pillows and right in the center o the room, accompanied by a simple high back chair was a masterpiece. The beautiful piano forte was painted a deep cherry red which contrasted and completed the room. The cover was glossy and well kept. The keys were tuned to perfection and as I stood there, looking at the beautiful instrument, I felt tears leek from my eyes.
I sat down on the chair and started an original composition written by my momma. She used to play the piano and cello and as I played the sweet tune which accented a deep sorrowful meaning, I imagined my mother was sitting beside me, playing her cello. I could hear the perfect harmony of piano and cello working together and I felt at peace. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Solis sitting on a spare chair he had brought in from the living room. What surprised me even more was that he was playing the cello. I suppose I was so into my perfect, little world that I hadn’t noticed him come in and start accompanying me. I guess I did hear the cello and it wasn’t just my imagination. Together we played for God only knows how long, switching back and forth from Bach to Beethoven to original compositions written by momma.
Our music soon started fading away until I played the last note and then there was a contented silence hanging in the room. “You played again.”, I whispered.
“Yeah, well, so did you.”, Solis answered just as quietly. This was nice. It had been entirely too long since we had sat down and did something together like this. Ever since Solis had that incident, it was like he wasn’t even present anymore. It hurt me to see him like this. Of course it did, he was my brother. It was rude and selfish for me to not want Solis and Repeat to be together because after all, everyone needed someone, but I was afraid that history would repeat itself and I would Solis permanently this time. I didn’t want to loose him. Period. He was the only one who knew me, the real me and I didn’t want to lose him just like I lost momma and daddy. It was selfish of me but then again I did have the blood of a god running in my veins.
I sighed and looked up at Solis. Without any warning, he started furiously playing the cello. Each note reflected an eternity of pain, a lifetime of loss. Solis looked like an angel with the orange hue of the sunset bathing him in its pure and fiery essence. His back arched and moved with each pull of the strings and the notes of beauty and horror kept spilling from him and his soul as he furiously beat at the instrument that now told of his tale. I turned around and let my fingers float over the piano and I accompanied him. The soft mourning hum of my piano joined him in his fiery and fast paced harmonious scream and together we played. A lamentation of pain rolled off of us as we joined in the harmony of tunes and the music displayed an image.
A beautiful girl was running about the field until she reached the midpoint of its beauty. A sense of longing trailed behind her as she ran. She kept running and suddenly, there was a crack of thunder. The land ignited with the dancing deity. Fire raced across the field and the girl ran towards it. She turned one last time and this time, her face was a shock of evil and mischief. She laughed out a loud cackle before jumping straight into the oncoming fire and she became swallowed in it. A broken whisper filled with laughter was all that was left of her. “I love you”.
The three simple words brought so much joy and happiness to one’s life but when it’s forthcoming illusion of joy was penetrated, it held the deepest of sorrows and was filled with the screaming voices of those who had suffered the same fate of being entrapped in the vicious cycle of hunger that was love.
Tears leaked from his eyes and rolled down his chin, leaving behind a trail of blood lost in an abandoned hope. I got up from my chair and went to Solis and hugged him. My good mood had dissolved. It had dissolved just like the rain of love that poured down on people and drenched them in its promise of happiness and content dissolved, after the beating rays of the sun of reality poured down on the estranged people and broke their dreams and shattered their hopes. Love was a drug, but like all drugs it had its side affects and unfortunately it wasn’t something that could be shaken off. I squeezed Solis and he laid his head on my shoulder.
He didn’t utter a sound but he didn’t need to. His essence was broken. His heart was broken. Solis had become just another victim to the cruel game of hide and seek that was love. I kissed his hair and patted his back. “Why’d she leave? Why’d momma leave? Why’d dad leave? Why does everyone leave? Where do they go?”, he asked.
Ever since we were little, I was always the mature one when it came to deep thoughts. I thought I had all the questions answered and I had had everyone fooled. Solis had always come to me for answers and I had tried to sound mature every time he had asked something. I had succeeded in the end but now as Solis asked me this, I knew he didn’t want any sentimental bullshit.
“They leave because they have to. Our actions set things in motion and in some twisted way, it was our fault that they left. When momma left, it was my fault. When daddy left, it was momma’s fault. When she left, it was your fault. I’m not going to bullshit you and tell you that this all was none of our faults. I’m not gonna tell you that everything is fine, because honestly, it isn’t. And as for where they go...who knows? Why did momma name you Solis and me Ariadne? Why does the rain form and why do clouds clash against one another whenever there is a storm? It’s just another one of those questions no one really knows the answer to but try to bullshit themselves and think they do know. So...I don’t know, Solis. But I do know that she’s watching. I hear momma’s voice sometimes and I know you do too. So all I’m going to say is there are really no true answers to any of these questions and we shouldn’t waste our lives away, trying to find the answer to them. All we can do is survive because I don’t know about Vivian, but I do know that momma and daddy want us to survive. Oh and stop asking me such deep and sentimental questions, because I don’t know shit about answering them. I’m trying o give you a straight answer cause you’re being a crying bitch over that worthless hag and waste of space. Get over it, dude. ”
Harsh but true. He needed to get over it. It’s been a decade. He should stop. He really should. Crying over something that’s never going to happen is a waste of time and frankly we’re short of time as it is. I patted his head and proceeded to walk out the door.
“When did you turn into such a bitch, huh? What happened to the Ariadne I used to know? The one that used to pick flowers for her momma and make tea for her dad; the one who used to help me with whatever I needed and always had a smile on her face; what happened to that Ariadne?”
“She died, along with all those people in the church!”, I snarled and stormed out. Well, there goes my good mood. He had to bring that up, didn’t he? Little bitch. I stormed down the hall, all the while muttering curses under my breath. Why did men have to be so damn emotional at exactly the wrong moments? I swear, they’re bitchier that bitches! God, thank you Solis! Now my mood is ruined and it’s all thanks to you. Pathetic cry baby!
“Yeah, well, I think she’s still there cause the bitch that’s here right now, wouldn’t have been crying as she played!”, he shouted from the room. Can’t he give it a rest? I mean, really! Is that too much to ask? A day of peace and happiness without any drama? Obviously, it is too much to ask. Heavens forbid I actually get some sound sleep.
“Fuck off and go back to the bitch you pushed into the fire!”, I roared back and suddenly I was being slammed into the wall with a large hand wrapped around me, choking the life out of me.
“Take that back!”, he snarled, his black on black eyes glaring into my glowing tri colored ones.
“I’ll kill you.”, I spit through clenched teeth. His furious eyes burned into me before he lifted me higher by the neck and bodily threw me across the room, straight into the glass table. Ouch, that’s going to leave a mark and then some. The glass cut into my back with a burning vengeance and I grit my teeth against the pain. I stood up slowly, the pain almost making me black out. With a hiss, I snapped my hands out, willing for a flame to come out and grill his punk ass. But nothing came. It was just like earlier today, nothing shot out of my hands. Not even a cloud of smokes. I roared in frustration and Solis snorted. I looked into his face and saw that his face was still contorted into one of hatred and his hands were still clenched beside him. As his, black on black eyes searched mine, his posture relaxed slightly. Bit by bit, his features relaxed until the hate there was replaced by a look of complete and utter horror.
He took a few steps forwards and whispered, “Ari, I...”
“Don’t even dare!”, I spit out and my hands clenched into fists. I glared at him as the pain escalated to a point where I wanted to scream bloody murder. I brought my hand up to my face and bit down into the soft flesh of my palm. Blood tricked out and into my mouth and the pain intensified. Okay, note to self, inflicting yourself with pain when you’re already in pain, so doesn’t work!
“That only works for emotional pain, not physical one.”, Solis whispered, a smile threatening to break out on his face.
“Yeah, I noticed genius, thanks for the advice. And what the fuck are you still doing here? Get out!”, I screamed. the pain was getting too much to handle and I was sure that I would black out in exactly ten seconds. I didn’t want Solis there since he was the one who inflicted this injury on me. I swear when I’m healed, I’m going to kick his ass and then some.
“Ari, I really didn’t- ”, he started to say when I interrupted him.
“I thought I told you to get out!”
7...6...5...
“But Ari, I-”, he tried again.
...4...3...
“GET OUT!”, I roared.
He vanished into a cloud of smoke which dissipated into thin air.
...2...1...0.
“Repeat, help me.”, I whispered as I fell.
The last thing I saw before darkness overwhelmed me was a bright flash of light accompanied by familiar red hair.
_______________________
I woke up to a searing pain in my back. I groaned and tried to sit up as the memories started coming back to me. Solis was going to pay hell for this. I opened my eyes and saw Repeat sitting at the edge of my bed with an amused expression on her face.
“Let me guess. You said something, he said something, you said another something and next thing you know you’re slamming ass first into the glass table. Am I right?”, she mused, her eyes dancing with barely contained laughter.
Bitch.
“Actually, he started it.”, I said. I mean, he was the one asking all the questions right? He was the one who couldn’t handle the truth of his decision. So this wasn’t my fault. Yep, definitely not my fault.
“Really?”, she asked, her eyebrows raised. It was so my fault! Goddamn it! But he was still getting a major ass whooping from me. Sure, what I said was harsh and completely uncalled for but he overreacted. Again.
“Shut up. You’re my best friend, not his.”, I mumbled.
“Whatever.”, she waved me off. “I’m just showing you that you’re the one to blame. As usual.”
Remind me why I’m friends with her again. Oh, yeah, that’s right. Not only is she the one person who constantly saves me but she is also the one person who would never abandon me. This sucks. I can’t even scream at her without feeling guilty. I should have killed her the first time I met her. It would have saved me all of this bullshitting drama.
Okay, what did she put on my back? It hurts like fucking hell and is burning more that the time Melanie “accidentally” set my room on fire while I was still inside.
“How’s my back?”, I groaned. I was grumpy as hell, my back was aching, my brother was going to get a major ass whooping and I was hungry. Repeat better give me some answers and quick.
“It’s fine. I rubbed frog skin with pixie dust on it. That’s probably why it hurts. Honestly, I think that was the most minor injury you’ve ever suffered. At least it was better than when Melanie caught you on fire. That took weeks to heal.”
Huh, so she was thinking of that incident too. Well, what do you know? Great minds do think alike.
“So what’d you say to piss him off so much?”, she asked. Why does she always assume that I’m the one who starts it?
“Because you are always the one who starts it! Remember that time with the lake? Yeah, who was the one that pushed Stephanie inside? And the incident at the farm house; as far as I remember, it was you who pushed Caroline into all of that pig shit. And it was also you who “accidentally” walked in on Grandma and Grandpa doing it in their bedroom. And it was also you, who started screaming bloody murder and shit. So yes, I always assume you’re the one who starts things. It’s something I learned over the thirteen years I was with you.”, she said.
Okay, how is it that people always know what I’m thinking? Is it the expression on my face? Am I that easy to read? I hope not because that would mean I should resign as bounty hunter and shit. If I really am that predictable, then I really should resign. Hey, it keeps the bills paid.
I ran my fingers through my hair. That incident with Grandma and Grandpa was an accident. I mean, I know my head isn’t screwed on straight most of the time, but even I’m not that twisted! I mean, who in this world, besides deranged psychopaths, would want to see their Grandpa throw it into their Grandma? It’s morally sick and disgusting. I shivered in disgust. Ew.
“Where’s Solis?”, I asked.
“I’m not telling you until you answer my question. What did you do to piss him off this time?”
“I told him to fuck off.”, I mumbled.
“And?”, she waited.
“I told him to fuck off and join that bitch into the hell he pushed her into, okay?”, I said, annoyed. She gasped and smacked me on the head. Ow.
“What the hell is your problem? Why do you always have to throw that day into his face? Why, huh, Ariadne, why? Why do you always have to be such a bitch!”, she snarled into my face.
Instantly she was slamming into the wall with my body pressed against hers. Who was she to judge? She was my companion and best friend, yes, but that didn’t give her the right to judge things she knew nothing about. She didn’t know anything about that day or the amount of people that died. She didn’t know anything but a second hand opinion. She was lovesick and was defending Solis blindly. She didn’t know the ghosts of his past and she didn’t have to deal with the consequences of his actions. I lost a precious one because of him. My poor Ninya was now dead because of him and she didn’t know. I had not told her the full story on behalf of Solis. He had requested me to never tell anyone. He had made me swear on my soul. And now, here she was, judging me, telling me I was a bitch, when she didn’t even know anything. She didn’t know how many nights I had laid down on my bed and cried myself to sleep. Hell, she didn’t even exist then! It happened many years prior to her birth and she had no right whatsoever to tell me how to act.
“You have no idea of the incident, so drop it, Repeat. I don’t want to get into this with you so don’t you dare judge. You don’t know and will never know, so spare me the righteous “why are you being a bitch” act, okay?”, I said.
“Let go of me.”, she choked out. I loosened my hold on her neck and she wrenched herself out of my grip. “Why do you have to be so emotional? Honestly, I don’t get you, Ari. One second you’re as deep and understanding as the fucking oceans of the world of the nymphs and the next, you’re a dead-to-the-world bitch who doesn’t know when to shut up and doesn’t know the meaning of the proverb “think before you act”. What is up with that?”, she grumbled, rubbing her neck.
“Alas, that is a question that can never be answered.”, I said, using that “I’m a psychic” voice that bogus gypsies use. She hit me on the arm and I laughed. Would this emotional rollercoaster of fights and bullshit ever end? I sighed.
“I’m still pissed at you, you know”, she told me in a nonchalant voice and hopped onto the bed.
“Yeah, I know.”, I replied. She was pissed. I could see it from the way her left eye was twitching, making the tear drop shaped tattoo there move as well. It was annoying, the amount of fights we all had. “How soon till my back gets fixed?”, I asked. My back really hurt and judging by how drained I felt, there must have been a lot of blood loss. It was pathetic, to be honest. The fact that even though we were immortals, we still didn’t know shit about instant healing was pathetic and comical. Hell, the fact that we got hurt at all was a thing to laugh about.
“I’d say a few more minutes, give or take three.”, she replied, shrugging. Great.
“So can I move about now?”, I asked and she nodded. Perfect. I’m going to get my revenge. “Great.”, I told her and grinned mischievously.
I got off of the bed and headed towards the bathroom. I took of my shirt and looked at the full wall length mirror situated at the back of the shower. Angry red scars jumped out of the mirror back at me.
“Ooh, that looks nasty. Courtesy of Solis?”, the pixie, Reverend, asked with her eyebrows raised.
“Yep. Could you help?”, I asked and she nodded. The tiny, little thing flew down to back and started blowing across the wounds. The breath and saliva of a pixie held healing agents and were really handy in situations like these. They were really affective in battle. Their lullabies could put a thousand men to sleep while their breath and tongue could save thousands.
The stinging sensation in my back dulled, only to be replaced by one of severe burning. I clenched my eyes shut and grit my teeth against the pain. Everything is related to pain, in one way or another. It sucked but so did life, in general. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The pain slowly receded, bit by bit and was soon replaced by one of cool and refreshing bliss. I sighed. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
“There. All done.”, Reverend said, scrutinizing her work. I looked back in the mirror and saw that the scars were replaced by smooth, supple skin.
“Thanks.”, I told her.
“So, what did you do this time?”, she asked with a cheeky grin. Seriously, what is it with people assuming that everything bad that happens is always my fault. I was a troublemaker and a complete and total bitch, yes, but that didn’t mean that I was the one always causing the trouble. Why is it that everyone always thought I was the one who wronged and hurt people? It’s judgmental, not to mention rude and completely uncalled for.
“I told him to fuck off with Vivian at his side.”, I said in a monotone, sing-song voice.
“God, you really are a bitch. I like it!”, she giggled and I turned to look at her. She was tiny, barely the size of a bird. Her butterfly wings were gold tinted with red and pink accents with lovely and complicated patterns drawn on top. Her features were pointed and beautifully shaped with big doe eyes that nearly swallowed up her entire face. Big, blue eyes tainted with gold, stared back at me. A smile was pulling at the corner of her full lips. I flicked her on her nose, but ended up getting her forehead and she swore, pinching my cheek as her revenge. I shook my head and went to the medicine cabinet. I opened the doors to the compartment and pressed a button hidden behind a tube of toothpaste. The cabinet’s doors closed and opened again after a few seconds. The plain insides were replaced by suspended swords and guns fitted inside plush, cotton velvet. I took out my katana and smirked. Time for pay back.
I strode out of the bathroom and headed out of the bedroom. I ignored Repeat’s calls and went downstairs towards the kitchen. There he was, sitting on the black marble topped counters as if nothing had happened. He was munching away at an apple and changing channels on the TV.
“Solis.”, I called to him. He looked up, startled, before a worried expression set on his face.
“Ari, I am so sorry. I really didn’t mean - ” he started but was interrupted by my katana slamming into his gut. I twisted the blade and pulled it out. Blood poured out of him in a torrent and the concern on his face was replaced by surprise and disbelief.
“What the fuck!” he whispered as he slumped off of the counter down onto the floor.
“Pay back’s a bitch, babe. Enjoy.” I smirked and went out of the room, calling for Repeat to clean up the mess. Payback really was a bitch.
____________________________________