The Day Death Died

The Day Death Died - Chapter 23

Edwin stared at the boots and packs I had in my hands when he came back. Sighing heavily, he took his and resigned himself to his fate of hiking.

"We can take the portal," he grumbled.

"No. For a few reasons. One. We'll end up scaring Nyx again. Two. It'll be fun."

"I don't know about you, but  hiking across an island to find the Goddess of Night and her mother the Goddess of Chaos is not my idea of fun."

"It'll be good for us to have some sunshine."

"Maddy, we're Grim Reapers. We're not meant to get sunshine and have fun. We have a job to do."

"We can have fun while doing our job." I turned to look at him. "Listen. I know this isn't exactly what we're supposed to do, but after everything that I've been through I just need to forget for a day. Maybe three. While we go on to find these Goddesses. If you want to leave, you can. I'm not going to force you. I can figure things out on my own."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No. I'm not going to just leave you. I'm sorry. This is just not something I've done before."

"Great! Thank you."

"I got us a room. Let's get some sleep before we set off in the morning."

He led me to a beautiful hotel. It was an old and unassuming building tucked away in the heart of town. The sign above the door reads "The Olive Press," and I was drawn to the rustic charm of the place.

Stepping inside, the air is thick with the scent of freshly pressed olives and the hum of magical machinery can be heard in the distance. The walls are lined with wooden shelves, adorned with bottles of golden-green olive oil, jars of olives, and other local products that glimmer with an otherworldly glow.

The owners greeted us with warm smiles, their eyes twinkling with a hint of magic. The woman held out a plate of delectable olive oil with some homemade bread. I happily took a piece and was amazed at the rich, fruity flavor. I had to remind myself that this wasn't a vacation. We were on a mission.

We were led to our room. The two beds faced large windows that overlooked their olive grove. I climbed into bed the second the door was shut and fell asleep in just a few moments.

The sun had started to climb the morning sky when I got out of bed. Edwin sat in a chair near the windows, just watching.

"You okay?" I asked sleepily.

He nodded his head and wiped at his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I got out of bed and walked toward him.

"Nothing really. Just thinking I suppose."

"About what?"

"When I was alive. I had always promised my wife we would go on an adventure. Somewhere far away and incredible."

"You didn't get to?"

He shook his head. "The disease came and..."

"I'm sorry, Edwin." I put my hand on his shoulder.

Even through his shirt, I could feel his coldness.

"After we all died and I became a reaper, I just never bothered getting close to anyone." He stood and turned to look at me. "Not until you."

I could feel my heart thudding in my chest as he reached out to cup the side of my face. He smiled faintly before turning back to the window. I reached out for him and turned him to face me. I stepped a little closer to him and got up on my tiptoes. My lips trembled as I pressed them against his. Just for a moment.

"We need to get ready," I said.

He stood and stared as I walked to the bathroom for a fast shower. When we finished getting ready, we hurried to meet the tour guide. He was a happy and bubbly-looking man who had the biggest hiking pack I had ever seen. 

The air was cool and fresh, and the dew still glistens on the grass. I adjusted my backpack, taking care to distribute the weight evenly, and set off down the dirt path behind everyone. The first leg of the journey took us through a lush, green valley, where the only sounds were the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.As the day wore on, the landscape changed. The path became steep and rocky, winding its way up the side of a mountain. I paused for a moment to catch my breath and look out over the stunning panorama below me. 

The sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the rugged cliffs and deep valleys that stretched out as far as the eye could see.By mid-afternoon, we reached a small village perched on a hilltop. The locals were friendly and welcoming, offering us cool drinks and fresh fruit. The pace of life here was slow and relaxed, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the city. I took my time, soaking up the laid-back atmosphere and chatting with the locals, before setting off again towards our destination.As the sun set, we reach a small campsite nestled among the trees. The air was fragrant with the scent of pine and wildflowers, and the sound of a nearby stream provided a soothing backdrop as we set up our tents and built a fire.

 We cooked a simple meal of beans and rice, and settled in for the night, feeling content and at peace. The guide, who we learned was named Mikolos, tried to tell us about the challenges that awaited us. Apparently day one was the easy day. 

He was a jovial man who shared stories of his adventures in broken English as the fire slowly died down.

The moon hung high in the sky when we all finally called it a night. I lay in my sleeping bag just listening to everything around when the zipper slowly opened. I sat up and watched as Edwin climbed in next to me.

"Cozy," he said quietly.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Finishing what you started this morning."

He knelt over me, tangling his fingers in my hair, and kissed me deeply. For a moment I thought about protesting, but it was nice. His cold lips pressed against mine as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He moved his hands down my back and held me tight. 

We eventually broke off the kiss and stared at one another, panting heavily.

"I..."

"Shh." He held a finger to my lips.

He laid down next to my sleeping bag, patting for me to lie beside him. I smiled lightly and laid back down, snuggling against him as I fell asleep.

The second day of our journey was the most challenging. The path took us through rocky, inhospitable terrain, where every step felt like a struggle. The sun beat down relentlessly, and our water supply dwindled rapidly. But we persevered, determined to reach our goal. 

 As evening fell again, we come across a small shelter, carved into the side of a cliff. I collapsed onto the hard stone floor, exhausted and thirsty, and fell asleep without eating. But the sight that greeted me when I woke up the next morning makes it all worthwhile. The shelter overlooked a breathtaking vista of jagged mountains and deep gorges, with the sparkling Mediterranean Sea stretching out to the horizon. 

Mikolos had breakfast cooking and coffee waiting when I approached the opening of the shelter.

"Ah! Morning. Food!"

"Thank you. That smells wonderful."

He nodded and handed me a cup of hot coffee and a plate. We sat in relative silence eating and taking in the amazing view in front of us.

 The final leg of the journey took us into the awe-inspiring Samaria Gorge itself. The sheer scale of the cliffs and rock formations was overwhelming, and the river that ran through the gorge was a mesmerizing shade of turquoise. I stop often to take in the beauty of my surroundings while trying to find Nyx and Chaos. 

The place really was chaotic and I knew they had to be somewhere near by.