Olympus Drive Book 3: According to Plan

Chapter 5

Anna

I am so lost. I thought I had a decent map. But everything here is so confusing. It all goes backwards and in circles and totally out of order. And it's always dark, and cold. And the spirits, ever present, drift past without even seeing me. And they never let me enter the houses to get rest. Instead I'm always out here on the winding streets. Or maybe they do see me and they're just choosing to ignore me. I don't know. I don't know I hate it down here. I just want to find my mom. She's been down here for years. She must want to come home by now.

"You're alive."

"Yeah," I say, looking up at the speaker. A man, fit looking, with an intense face and manner, wearing a tight purple t-shirt and khakis. "Thanks. I knew that. Bye." I walk past him.

"No---wait, I'm alive as well. I've been lost here---I don't know how long," he says, hurrying to catch up with me.

"That's not good. Have a nice night."

"No wait-----—you don't believe me, do you?"

"Nope."

"I'm alive---I promise you I'm alive, look at me, none of the others could see you," he says, taking my arm then instantly letting go because I'm glaring at him. "See? Proof—I am alive----where are you from?"

"Winfell," I say, suspiciously, glaring at him lest he try to take my arm again.

"Winfell? I know it---I'm from quite near there---possibly you've heard  of me? My name is Hugh, Hugh Leane. I must be missing---"

"Nope. Wouldn't care though, I'm kind of busy. I have twins. Their father is the personification of blood violence. Keeps me busy," I say, walking past him.

"I've led a very unusual life—"

"Wow, I'm in the Underworld with a more competent map than you and I just told you I was fucking the most dangerous person the planet. I haven't had an interesting life please tell me more—"

"No look, I realize you have a map, that's the point, I think we can help each other, I've been down here for sometime, and I want to find the surface---I have, almost, but I can't seem to get home," he says, hurrying to catch up with me.

"Well, I'm looking for the depths of hell to find my mom," I say, looking back at the map. Where am I now? I thought I was over there—but now since I see that lamppost I see I'm here. this is so confusing.

"Why is your mother there?" he asks.

"Oh look—my map says that's in the realm of non-of your damn business," I say, pointing eagerly. He actually got excited at first; it's kind of funny.

"You told me about your boyfriend. I didn't think your mother was off limits," He mutters, annoyed.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's my lover, there's a difference."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Boyfriends don't kill people and hang their entrails on a spike outside their mother's house because they displeased you. Lovers do," I say.

"That's a very specific—"

"Yes I know," I keep walking..

"Look—wait—what's your name? I've told you mine."

"And I told you to get lost. Look, as much fun as it would be to see if you can die after you're already dead, I'm getting very close to letting you fuck me so I can have my lover do to you exactly what you did to me, with a mace. Then mercifully with a chainsaw, so he can mail your body to the last woman who claimed you," I say, politely.

"That's a very specific exa----"

"Again I know."

"And you don't BELONG in the deepest part of hell???"

"Goodbye."

"Wait look---I really just want to go home. I have to go home---I'll help you do whatever it is you're trying to do but---please help me? I have to ---say goodbye," he says, hanging his head a bit, "I just want to go home."

"Who is she?" I ask, amused.

He sighs and says nothing.

"Who is he?"

"Yeah," he says, "We had an argument---after this I must leave the country, my wife tried to kill me. I don't wish her ill and I will go but---I have to tell him I'm sorry."

"Whoa you're married, but you're in love with some other guy and your wife tried to kill you? Because you're cheating on her with a dude?" I ask, almost amused.

"Are you---judging me right now? After you just admitted to being an accessory to at least two very violent murders?"

"Uhuh," I say.

"Your own mother is in hell!"

"Dude, I just found you in hell," I laugh.

"Yes but I'm different from them. I'm alive."

"Dude um---what makes you think you're alive?" I ask, looking him up and down. It's cold down here he doesn't seem cold. Sure he can see me but maybe the other spirits were just rude.

"I'm invincible. I always have been. A cobra tried to strangle me when I was not two years old, instead I strangled it."

"You know what? Walk with me, you're hysterical."

"You---fucking introduced yourself by saying your boy---your man is the personification of bloodlust."

"He fucking is."

"I really did that it was in the papers at the time---"

"Do I look like I was alive when you were two?" we're clearly about the same age, "Think very carefully before you answer that question."

"My first wife and children were brutally murdered, I alone survived—I cannot die.."

"Yet I found you in the Underworld."

"I'm just lost---I'm not dead."

"Fine, follow me if it makes you that happy," he clearly was going to anyway.

"Does your boy---your man--- does he know you're down here?"

"Uhuh," I lie. He's busy. I realize he can't be him when he's at home. It drives him mad. He lives for war and fighting. And as we saw that follows him no matter where he goes, if he stays too long. I love him anyway. No, I love him for it.   "Tell me more about your very complicated personal history. If your wife and kids---one of your wives and kids---died why don't you try to find them?"

"I know where they are," he says, quietly.

"Where?" I ask.

"I can show you---then will you agree to help me?"

"Sure," it's not like I'm making headway as it is.