Zelus (Perseus Reimagined) (BXB)

Chapter 7

"Are those feathers?"

2021

"I MUST SAY THAT I'M impressed by how calm you are, knowing the unbelievable is happening," he circles me. His dark aura glides around me like the arms of an octopus enclosing its victim. "Most people would've run by now."

"I'm not like most people," I stay still, though I'm uncomfortable by his presence.

"Indeed," he turns around, taking his auras with him. "Take a seat, Jonathan."

With a wave of his hand, a round table with two chairs emerges in the center of the room. Many puppets in various expressions and sizes float around it as if they're guarding the table. He took a seat, gesturing me to the empty seat in front of him.

"You've told me your name. But that doesn't tell me if you're a friend or foe," I remain standing, hesitant to sit on that magical stuff. "What do you want, and why are you here... in Alexander's house?"

"Let's just say I'm neither friend nor foe. Just a deal maker to those who have summoned me," he said, resting his elbows on the table and his chin over his intertwined hands, still grinning maliciously. "Speaking of which, I'm here to offer you a deal, or maybe you can call it a wish."

A wish? The first that comes to mind is that he's a genie. But I've read tons of facts regarding genies, and the majority believed genies originated from a source that imprisons them. And this man—whatever he is—Sulod Hyde isn't one. His aura swims gracefully around him like an eel, but they aren't welcoming. His eyes are deep yellow with black sclera, and his body is almost translucent, with the dark cloak housing him. Alex's house may be his prison, but then again, after years of visiting his place, I've never once had an encounter like this.

"I didn't summon you."

"I'm summoned when the heart of one aligns with mine. A heart that reeks of rage and dejection, nothing but darkness," his eyes pierces through mine. "Beautiful, beautiful darkness."

"What do you mean?"

In the center of the table hovers an all-seeing orb that shows me assaulting dad. The incident took place back home.

"Tell me, are you happy with your life right now?" He waves a hand over the orb, showing Alex handing me the hoodie he's made for my birthday.

I watch the orb, hearing his voice after forever quivers my chin, and the emotions seep from my eyes. He embraced me that day, long and tight that it felt like we were the only ones in the world and nothing could go wrong. I missed how he felt around me, the delicate tone he'd use when he was calm, the excitement when he was happy, and the pain when he was down.

Everything.

I miss everything about him.

"Such a simple question, and yet we don't have a firm answer to it, am I right?" The orb returns to its cloudy background, bringing my awareness back.

"Yeah," I drag my arm over my cheeks, leaning my back against the chair. "I don't know."

"Since your arrival on earth, you believed that you were born a mistake, even when your parents told you the Gods make no mistakes," the orb now shows mom and dad. The dad before drugs consumed him. "Despite believing everything is wrong, something right came to your life."

The orb now shows Alex.

"He gave you everything you never had. Friendship, acceptance, intelligence, and, most importantly, love. For many years you refused to believe he would be a permanent character in your story. Only when you start to believe was it too late."