Loving in Heaven and Earth Page 21

  "Stop protecting you from these weirdos?" Alice asked, incredulous. "No! I will not stop. That's my job as your mother."

  "You don't even know them," Claire said.

  "Claire!"

  "Mother!" She threw up her hands in frustration and looked to Hades once more. "What kind of unfinished business do we have?" she demanded as if she couldn't see the monstrous creatures coming toward them.

  Hades shrugged. "That's for you to figure out."

  "You don't know, or you won't tell us?" Claire asked.

  Alice stepped forward and put her hand on her daughter's arm again. "Claire, don't antagonize him by being rude."

  "Rude? Seriously, Mom? We're dead! I don't think we have to worry about good manners in Hell. What do you want me to do?" She gestured toward the green man. "He's the King of Do-it. Should I bow down and kiss his sandals?"

  This child! I swear she'll be the death of me. The thought was like running into a brick wall. We're already dead. Both of us. Claire died. There has to be a mistake.

  "Duat," the Egyptian said.

  Both women focused on him. "What?" They asked, simultaneously.

  "I'm King of Duat, not Do-it."

  Claire shook her head. "OK, Your Majesty. Can you tell us what our unfinished business is?"

  "I'm afraid I don't know. I'd like to help you if I could."

  She huffed and rolled her eyes.

  "You must find your own path," Hades said.

  "OK. Assume we figure out what that means. Then what happens?" Claire asked.

  "The Underworld is a holding place, an in-between. It's neither your world nor truly the next. Figure out your business and wrap it up if you're able, and you'll be free to move on if you wish to do so."

  "How do we figure it out?" Alice asked.

  "I can't tell you that," he said.

  Claire stomped her foot. "Well, a big heaping lot of help you are!"

  "Claire, really," Alice admonished.

  "Can you just lay off, Mom?"

  "Not while you're acting like an undisciplined brat. I won't have these people thinking I didn't raise you right." Bickering with Claire felt so normal she was almost glad when Claire took the bait and ran with it.

  "They're not even people. He said so, himself. I'm just trying to get some answers."

  "Sometimes you don't get answers. You have to have faith," Alice said.

  "Well, the faith you taught me had rules attached--like not having one night stands with Carnies. And no one in church ever said anything about taking a journey through the freakin' Underworld, or working out any kind of unfinished business."

  Alice chewed on her thumbnail. She believed with all her heart that the Bible was true. She couldn't think of a way to reconcile what she knew and what she was seeing.

  Hades' grin lit his whole face. "I see a lot of people come into this place, but you two are a delight. No begging or bargaining."

  "No begging or bargaining, but they may string you up and force some answers from you," Osiris said.

  "If I had answers I swear I'd offer them up to these two fireballs."

  Claire glared at him.

  Osiris chuckled. "Well, good luck. I've got to go check on things back home. Have fun with these two." He bowed to the ladies again. "Good luck to you. Godspeed." In a whirl of green and white smoke, he was gone.

  "I honestly haven't had this much fun welcoming newcomers in eons," Hades said as though a man disappearing in a blast of vapor was an everyday occurrence. "Your kiss brightened up my world, and your fierce spirits lighten my soul." He gestured to the gloom surrounding them. "As you can imagine, anything hopeful in this place is a welcome change. In return for what you've given me, I'll take you past the first trials. I can't finish your business or guide you all the way to your journey's end. As lovely as you both are, some rules can't be broken. What I can do is take you as far as the Fields of Asphodel. From there, I believe you can work the rest out."

  "I don't understand what's being asked of us." Alice longed to drop back down on the rock and cry.

  "We don't have anything else to go on, Mom," Claire said.

  Alice had to admit she was right. She squared her shoulders and swallowed hard. "Alright, then. Thank you for whatever help you can offer."

  He bowed from the waist. "This way, then. Follow close, please."

  Claire strode off after him and Alice brought up the rear, keeping as close to her daughter as possible. They followed the Lord of the Underworld past the small crowd of nightmare creatures.

  They were much more horrible close up. A stench of rot emanated from them. They hissed and taunted the travelers. Cerberus ran in circles around the two women and his master, yipping and barking at the monsters, baring the teeth of all three heads at any who came too close. His hyperactive tail never stopped its frantic motion, betraying his love of playing Brave Guard Dog.

  Past the rows of buildings, the tunnel archway loomed. Hades led them into the velvety darkness. They tiptoed forward, clinging to one another until a hint of light reached out to them from the other side. On the other end, a meadow stretched to the horizon. Pink and white flowers on thick stems as tall as a child lent a weak splash of color to the landscape stretching beneath the pale, watery sun. In the distance, a handful of men and women stood motionless among the tall plants.

  Hades stopped walking and faced them. "Well, here you go then. The Fields of Asphodel."

  "Now what?" Claire asked.

  "Now your real journey begins." He took Claire's hand in his own and lifted it to his lips. "Thank you for a joyous few moments. I wish you the very best fortune on your journey. May I leave you a bit of advice before I go?"

  She nodded.

  "Don't let your appetite get away from you. Time is tricky in this place, and humans need sustenance, even here. If you're hungry, find a way to eat. Eat anything you can. To eat is to live. Or… well… you know."

  "Thank you," she said, and he gave another little bow.

  "Are you sure there's no mistake?" Alice asked. She couldn't bear the thought of Claire's life being cut short. She still had so much living to experience.

  He offered her a sad, kind smile. An undertaker smile. "Not this time, Ma'am. Good luck to you." He left her standing in the Underworld, sick at heart and alone with her daughter, whom she was quite sure was angrier with her in death than she had ever been in life.

  About the Author

  Photo credit: E.A. Comiskey

  E.A. Comiskey is nationally syndicated columnist and award-winning blogger. A former classmate once remarked, "In every memory I have of you, you were

  writing stories in the margins of your school work."

  She shares her life with her twin soul, Brian, four beautiful children, six chickens, three hermit crabs, assorted barn cats and the most fabulous doofy dog that ever barked.

  https://lazyhippymama.wordpress.com

  lazyhippiemama@hotmail.com