The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (46 page)

Then came our very last step as we wal
ked through the overflowing magma, straight into another world…

Jared’s Underworld.

Chapter 42

Say Hi to the Devil When You Get There

“You have got to be
kiddin me!” I uttered after minutes of stunned silence with my mouth hanging open in unattractive shock.

“Not what you expected?” I turned to look at him and he laughed at the dumbfounded way I shook my head.

“Then enjoy it for the time you have here.” He said and I happily did as he suggested. After the fiery entrance getting here I would have thought the theme continued, but I couldn’t have been more wrong if I had tried.

We had walked straight from inside the mountain at our backs and onto sun bleached decking that ran on for miles in each direction.
Then surrounding every square inch of us was nothing else but water like an enormous lake, rather than the raging river I would have expected. The water was so deathly still it didn’t even lap against the mountain we stood next to.

The decked walkway was constructed above the water next to the rock, with stilted poles running along in intervals, until they went out of sight on either side. I then faced forward and saw a long dock that reached out over the pearlescent water as though it floated, so as not to disturb its harmony.

It was one of the most tranquil sights I had ever seen and I instantly felt a sense of peace flow over my soul, inducing a warm calm of the likes I had never felt before. It seemed to somehow reflect back from the turquoise surface, like a gentle blanket of morning mist rising up, giving it an ethereal feel.

“What is this place?”

“Keira, you don’t have to whisper.” He said smiling.

“I feel like I have too, this place…it’s…it’s so…”

“Serene?” He added helping me.

“Flat
.” He laughed out loud at my description.

“Well it is, I mean just look at that water, it doesn’t even move…what type of water doesn’t move?”

“The type that has no weather to guide it.” I looked up to the sky after he said this and took in the infinite space of white. There were no fluffy clouds, no blinding sun, and no vast ocean of blue…just… still… white.

“I don’t understand this pl
ace.” I said looking back to Jared, who gave me a sympathetic look.

“The easiest way to understand it is if you think of it
as a waiting room at a train station. There is a ticket office you walk up to but only they know your destination. They give you the right platform and you get on the train waiting there, after that…well…only the life you’ve lived determines that.”

“And if you don’t believe in any of this?” I asked looking back out on to the still topaz water.

“Then my guess is that none of this happens.”

“Your guess?” His answer surprised me enough to ask.

“Keira, try to understand, this is all I know…I am a part of this world just as much as you are, so it matters not what we believe because we are already a part of its very makeup, it’s DNA, both of us, we are not solely of your world.” I frowned at his explanation.

“I’m human
, Jared.”

“As was I, but I always had something else inside me, a light or darkness that called out to this place, to one of its masters…why do you think you were chosen… Electus
.” I cringed at hearing the name I had first heard come from Draven’s lips. Ever since the day that Draven no longer was of this life, I had become to hate it! Hearing it again felt like being struck with a back hander across the face and from the looks of Jared, he saw it there.

“Keira
.” He said softly and I turned from him as he reached out to cup my cheek.

“Don’t!” I warned stepping away, putting some distance between us.

“Believe it or not pet, I had difficulties coming to terms with what hand my fate dealt me, but unlike you I had those choices taken from me…both times.” When he said this last bit in an emotional whisper I turned back to him.

“Both?”  

“That love you spoke of, the reasons that brought you here… that part of my history was also out of my control and no matter the amount of power gained that night, it could never bring me back what I lost.” I let the bitter attitude I felt evaporate on hearing his pain. It was amazing to look at this creature of Hell, locked in the body of once a simple man, and see the common ground we walked on. To realise how similar we were was strangely heart-warming to me and I couldn’t help my reactions to it. I threw my body into his and hugged him until it took my breath away.

Silent minutes passed us by
, but no words were needed in our own private moment. And even stood on the edge of this hellish quest, it was one of the most beautiful moments I had ever known and for that, I couldn’t have been more thankful. Not only for his friendship but for his complete understanding. It turned out to be all I needed to see me ready for this upcoming trial I had facing me.

“Thank you my friend
.” I whispered into his chest and I felt the gentle kiss placed on my hair at the top of my head. We both released each other and I sighed, knowing that my time was up. His look told me his understanding of the same thing.

“So…do I have to give this ferryman a call
like I would a taxi or what?” This got me another handsome smile framed by that trimmed black wiry beard of his. Even the scar along his face didn’t seem that frightening to me anymore.

“That won’t be necessary.” He said tapping me under the chin and then taking my hand to lead me. 

“Come on, I’ll show you.” He started to take me down the dock which didn’t even creak once at our combined heavy weight. This was something else I noticed, as other than I and Jared, not one sound was heard coming from this place. In such an open space like this that was beyond eerie.

Once we got to the end of the dock and I looked out over the water, the colour changed as the mist got thicker and it suddenly became harder to see where the water ended and the sky began. After a few moments of Jared not giving anything away
, I was about to speak, when I saw a shadow in the distance getting closer. This had to be the ferryman and suddenly it dawned on me what I was really about to do.

The closer the small boat got, the more the fog lifted and soon all of the water was shining bright and vibrant as if the sun had just popped back up. I looked up, almost convinced I would see it there but there was nothing but vast empty white space.

“Any last words of wisdom?” I asked watching the boat getting bigger.

“Here, take this
.” I looked down to see a coin in his hand with a three headed dog engraved in the silver.

“Why?”

“Because it will let the ferryman know where to take you. There’s a friend of mine who might be able to help you find what you are looking for, or at the very least will be able to give you some answers…here, take it.” He tried to pass it to me but I shook my head and reached into my jeans pocket. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw what I held in my hand.

“That’s alright, I have my own
.” After the initial shock his eyes turned hard and he scowled down at my hand as if what I held was a blasphemy.

“Keira
, where did you get this?” His voice was serious and hard, making me shiver. When I didn’t answer he growled out my name in warning making me take a step backwards. He grabbed my forearm to both stop me from going too close to the edge and so he could lift up my hand to examine the coin.

“Fuck! Keira
, you can’t use this!” The sound of his fresh anger was startling and for a moment I couldn’t react until he tried to take the coin from me. I closed my fist as tight as it would go without causing pain and wrenched my arm from his grasp.

“Why not?!” I shouted back.

“Because I know where and to whom it will take you and trust me when I say you do not want to go there. Now Keira…” He said in warning that was ringing in my head like an alarm I had no choice but to ignore. I took another step back as he made to reach out for my arm again.

“Stay back! Jared you know why I have to do this, I have no choice…I was given this coin for a reason!” His furious gaze turned into one of soulful worry.

“Look pet, I don’t know who gave you that coin but it is dangerous…that place, Christ even I wouldn’t want to go there! That level of Hell is not for you to see, let alone go and spend time there! Please honey, please…now just listen…” I bit my lip as I felt frightened tears rise, but I had to remain strong. So I silently shook my head at him and prayed for him to stop scaring me.

“I’m sorry
, Jared.” I said in an emotional whisper and turned away just as the boat was nearing the end of the dock. When I didn’t hear anything but heavy breathing from behind me, I thought he had given up. Then I was roughly spun round and in an attempt to save the coin as he reached for it, a soundless ‘No’ was my only reaction when the coin flew from my grasp. I watched in slow motion as my only chance gathered more distance from my outstretched hand. In that precious moment time stood still and I couldn’t breathe. How could I have come this far only to fail now?!

How?!

Just before my reaction to losing the coin could settle in my gut like poison, a hand flashed out of nowhere and plucked the coin from the air before it could fall into the water.

“Well now, wasn’t that lucky
.” A chirpy voice said. I looked to the bearer of the voice and what I saw made me do a double take. A guy, who couldn’t have been much older than me, was stood at the end of a thin boat, dressed in a striped black and white sweater, with a pair of black board shorts and to top off my shock, a boater hat worn to the side. I didn’t know what I expected but whatever it was, then this guy was the furthest from it by a long shot!

“Keira, don’t
.” Jared was close to pleading and his pained expression nearly undid me. I looked back to the ferryman who had started whistling a happy tune, whilst flipping my coin in between his fingers at a blurring speed. He looked like someone who was trying not to be a part of this uncomfortable position by pretending it wasn’t happening. He caught me looking and said,

“Hey kids, don’t mind me, you guys look like you
’re heavy into something.” I was utterly speechless at hearing this guy talk, he was just so…well, so…normal! Jared growled low and my head shot back to him to see he was giving the ferryman a fierce scowl that looked like he wanted to rip out this guy’s jugular.

“You’re really not gonna listen to me?” I didn’t know what to say so instead I just shook my head
, giving him a sad look. His features turned to granite as he nodded once, taking my answer as absolute. Then he flipped his own coin at the ferryman and without looking the guy caught it.

“That’s for the return trip. Make fucking sure she has her ass back on that boat or you have my permission to put her ass down on that boat by
any means…understood?” He gave Jared a salute and quite possibly the cheekiest smile I had ever seen. He then took a step onto the dock and used one of the posts at the end to pull his boat closer, which I now recognised as a fancy black gondola. He held out his hand for me to take and just as I was about to, Jared snarled and grabbed me, spinning me so quickly it took me a minute to process what was happening. But before I could, Jared crashed his lips to mine and kissed me so quick it left me blindsided.

“If you don’t come back
, so help me pet, I will tan that hide when I find you!” My eyes opened wide at both the kiss and the threat, but before I could say a word Jared handed me over to the happy boatman. I was promptly sat down on one of the comfy black leather seats as I was spun underarm like a bewildered dance partner and received a wink, at the same time he tipped his hat and ran his fingers along the rim.   

“And Charon…” The intimidating voice of Jared turned both our heads.

“In one piece, you got me?!” The dangerous smile he gave Jared gave me chills but in a typical happy go lucky manner, he replied,

“Not gonna be a problem Cerberus man, there are others where she is going that want the very same thing
.” I didn’t understand this secret exchange going on between these two but I didn’t miss Jared’s response.

“That’s what I am afraid of
.” Then before explaining it more he turned his back the same time the Ferryman pushed us from the side. I felt a pinch in my heart as I saw Jared walk away from me and I couldn’t help wonder two things…was I doing the right thing and the other…?

What was that kiss all about?

“That’s some pretty hard thinking you got going on, does it hurt?” I didn’t realise I had my eyes shut tight as my thoughts were running riot. I opened them to see a friendly face tilted to the side smiling at me.

“Sorry, it’s just been one of those days, you know
.” I said thinking about the new level of strange my life had jumped to.

“Oh
, I know all about those days in this place, but the question is, what is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? You don’t look too dead to me…just saying.” He said whilst picking up a long black pole from the water side of the boat.

“
Uhh…thanks.”

“You’re…
uhh… welcome.” He winked again. I couldn’t help but stare and smile at his unexpected teasing.