Skeleton Keys (on hold)

Chapter Fourteen

I caught up with Apollo and the spirits on the beach in front of the ticket gates. They were old style carnival gates, dingy and faded like the last show could have easily been fifty or more years ago. A sign was hung up above them spelling out the words "After Life". A few of the giant letters hung at angle, one was missing altogether. From what I could see behind the gates, there was only a few tents and stands that stood before another cliff face that went straight up as far as I could see in the darkness.

Apollo motioned me over to the front of one of the gates. "Now, we just need to turn on the lights and the spirits will head through. You can use any of the booths, doesn't matter. All you have to do is insert your Scythe key into the keyhole and it'll open the carnival."

I looked the booth over, not wanting to step any closer. They kinda looked like the set from a horror movie now that I really looked at them. The last thing I really wanted was for a creepy old clown to jump up and scare me. My dreams were freaky enough as they were.

"Go on," Apollo urged. "I don't have all day."

I took a deep breath and stepped closer to the nearest booth. I released my Key from it's Scythe form and slid it into the opening in the wood paneling. After giving it a turn, lights flared to life eliminating turnstiles and the old carnival tents on the far side of the booths. I could hear music playing from behind the tents, but I couldn't see exactly where it was coming from.

"Well folks," Apollo said, turning to the spirits. "This is where we part ways. If you'll just step through the gates, you'll know where to go next."

I wasn't sure they would move. Most of the souls seemed bewitched by the lights and maybe a little afraid as well. One towards the middle, an older woman with a gold cross at the base of her throat, stepped through the crowd and into the carnival. Her movement seemed to awaken the others as they followed her, leaving Apollo and I standing alone.

We watched until the last soul was gone from sight and then walked back to the boat.

"That wasn't nearly as scary or dramatic as I thought it would be," I commented as Apollo untied the ropes. "What's back there anyway?"

I moved to the center of the boat and transformed my Key back into it's Scythe form.

He shrugged, and bent to push the boat away from the dock. "There isn't much and it all looks different to each of the souls depending on what they believed while they were alive. Well, with the exception of Cerberus, everyone gets to see him."

I gave him a wide-eyed look that he shrugged away. I tapped the end of my Scythe to the wood of the boat, and we started back. Apollo came over and stood by me, and together we watched the mist drift by in silence.

Had my grandfather and dad really both done this? The thought crept into my mind as I studied the swirling patterns in the mist over the water. One question kept coming back to me though. Why? Why had they kept this from me? It didn't make sense to me.

"Are you okay?"

I glanced at Apollo quickly, wondering what I'd done to giveaway my thoughts. I started back at the mist, but I felt his eyes linger on me.

"I don't understand how he kept this all from me," I finally said.

"Your grandfather," he ventured.

I nodded.

"Because it wasn't his choice."

Surprised ran through me like lighting. I turned to him. "What, there's some sort of rule about telling our families the truth?"

"No, not really," he said. "It was because your father didn't want you to know, not until it was your time, anyway. Edward went on and on about you and how you should have grown up in the store like he and your father did, but he respected your father's decision."

Something broke inside me. Dad chose not to tell me? Again, why? My head ached with all the unanswered questions that seemed to multiply every time I finally got an answer.

"Do you have parents?" I asked, hoping that maybe he could maybe relate to the problems I was having.

"Do you think that because I'm a demon, I don't have parents?" His expression was still, guarded as he looked at me.

My breath caught. "I'm sorry," I said quickly, "that's not what I meant. That was rude, of course you do..."

He was quite long enough that I thought maybe I had really offended him, and I frantically tried to think of something to say to make up for it.

"What are they like?" I asked, finally.

Apollo tilted his head at me, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. "I never knew my father, and my mother died when I was really young. I don't remember much about her." He turned away, studying the water over the side of the boat so I couldn't see his expression clearly, but I could hear the emotion in his voice. "After that, there was no one that mattered except myself."

Oh, god. I've really made a mess of this. I couldn't believe I was so stupid. I'd gotten so caught up in all the crap and problems that I was dealing with; of course Apollo would have his own. "I'm sorry."

Apollo looked at me with a cautious, almost expressionless, look on his features. He held my gaze for only a moment or two before looking away again.

"We're almost there." He moved to the front of the boat, and I followed a step behind, still thinking about what an idiot I was. Through the mist, the rocky outline of the cliffs and beach slowly appeared. The boat ran itself up on to the beach with a shudder, that left me grabbing for the rail.

Apollo climbed over the edge of the boat and dropped down to the beach. He took a few steps and turned, looking up at me. "Aren't you coming?"

It was a good ten foot drop. I nodded slowly, and climbed on to the rail, swinging my legs over so that I was sitting on it. I could do this. I could totally do this. I looked down. I shouldn't be doing this.

Apollo studied me silently from the beach as I took one deep breath after another. I pushed myself off the railing, trying to remember to keep my knees bent.

The result was less than what I'd hoped for. I fell, landing with my face in the dirt. Apollo chuckled, walking over as I picked myself up slowly.

"You need more help than I thought," he said, as I tried to ignore him.

"Thanks," I said dryly, brushing the dirt from the front of my jeans. "I'm sure I am currently the worst Charon ever."

"To be fair, most kids destined to become Charon, and then Reaper, grow up learning this. By the time they get their Scythe, they already know what they're doing. It's more of a final step than the first one it was for you."

"Awesome, that's exactly what I wanted to hear." I started walking toward the path up the cliff, and winced, stiff from the fall.

Apollo caught up to me and held out a hand. "Let's make the trip back a little shorter."

I paused, looking at his hand. I was sure of what he was offering this time, but could I do it again? I looked up into his eyes, and was struck with the sudden realization that I would follow him anywhere. It wasn't about his looks or how mysterious he was. It was just the pure attraction between our souls, like the universe taking a moment to whisper to me, "He's the one."

But the most terrifying part was that I barely knew him. How could I be so sure of someone I knew so little of?

I took his hand slowly, hoping he wouldn't notice it shook a little as I wrapped my fingers around his. Black clouds swirled in around us, and for the first time in my life, I felt passion stir within me.

-----------------------------

Thanks for reading! Chapter 16 will be published on May 6th, so please check back then. -JD