Return of the Goddess

Chapter 20

     “What are you doing here?” Sage yelled at him.

     “What are you talking about, I’m dead. What are you guys doing here?” Cal yelled back.

     “We came to visit Charlie. How on earth did you die?” Alvina said.

     “Hera tortured me, trying to get info about Genna, boy does she want you dead.” Cal sat down by Odysseus.

    “We were going to come rescue you but apparently you’re already dead. “ Alvina was about to explode.

     “My death was not in my hand,” Cal whispered. “Just go save Chelsea.”

     “I’m so sorry Cal,” Genna started to cry, “It’s all my fault.”

     “Genna!” Cal got up and hugged her, “As much as I would love to say it isn’t your fault…it kind of is.”

     Charlie was furious. He threw down his cards, “Calvin, you are such an asshole sometimes! If we have to live for eternity down here you’re going to be banished to the other side of town!”

     “It’s o.k. Charlie. It is my fault. If I wouldn’t have intruded into your guys lives than Cal wouldn’t be dead.”

     “You didn’t intrude on our lives. I am pretty sure you said, and I quote, “Leave me be,” Lucy hugged her.

     “I just don’t understand! How could she do that! We had a deal, exchange Genna fro you and Chelsea and our deadline was tonight at midnight, She broke the deal.” Sage manically wandered.

     “Sounds like reality to me,” Perseus leaned back in his chair.

     “Just another Green tragedy,” Achilles got up to go to the kitchen.

     “Guys let’s go. I want to have a word with my father!” Lucy stormed out. Alvina, Genna and Sage had to run after her to make sure she they would not get lost in the Underworld. They traced their footsteps all the way back to the throne room. Lucy pushed opened the golden door and placed her hands on her hips as she looked up at the supposedly malicious man.

 Hades to Genna’s amazement looked timorous, “Are you mad about Charlie?”

     “No, I’m mad about Calvin,” Lucy stared him down. Sage pondered who really was the big mad guy in their Greek world. 

     “What is wrong? I put him in Elysium, even though he isn’t much of a hero,” Hades laughed then stopped when he saw her expression.

     “He was killed by a goddess who made a deal with me, a deal she broke.”

     Hades got up from his throne, “The Gods right now are against the goddess you speak of but Zeus has forbidden us to take action.” He looked out the window, “He is dead and there is nothing I can do about it.” He turned towards them, “You should go and wait for Genna to turn fourteen.” He opened the portal himself and booted them out f the Underworld.

    They walked into the bedroom in a daze. Alvina went and sat on the couch. Sage stormed into the master bedroom and closed the door. The visit as well as everyone else crushed Lucy and Genna. They sat in the living room watching TV ad drinking nectar, but no matter what they did they could not get Cal and Charlie off their minds.

     “Genna, why did you say Poseidon?” Alvina flipped the TV off after watching two episodes of a teenager soap opera.

     “Because of this,” Genna reached into her purple backpack and took out a pearl necklace, “At first I thought it was just a plain old necklace, but then I realized it tells a story.” She handed it to Alvina.

     She watched as a girl and a horse ran across the beads. It was a magical necklace with a girl and horse across it. “What does this have to do with Poseidon?”

     “Don’t you see that he is the horse and I am the girl? I never knew I could do this, but watch.” Genna concentrated on making water appear. She pulled the memory of herself when she was little, and made the horse gallop with the little girl holding on to his neck. An owl appeared and flew behind them. “ I had a memory of me doing this.”

     Lucy and Alvina were thoroughly shocked. So many questions passed through their minds. Lucy was the first one to ask, “If you’re a demigod then why were you on Olympus?”

     “That’s it, I don’t think I’m immortal, but not necessarily a goddess.”

     “I’m confused.” Lucy turned the TV back on. “How can you be somewhat immortal, but mortal?”

     “I don’t know,” Genna said.

     “Well, I think we should just go downstairs and gamble well Sage sulks in her room.” Alvina got up and brushed her blonde hair out of her face.

     “She’s going to be really mad,” Genna had already swung her backpack around her shoulder.

     “Whatever, if she finds out,” Alvina and Lucy left with a hesitant Genna following them.  They rode the elevator down to the casino level listening to the obnoxious music. When they tried to go into the casino a security guard stopped them and said only twenty-one and over.

     “Please can we go in,” Alvina tried to sound sweet.

     The man didn’t even move, “No, go back up to your room.”

     Alvina, Lucy and Genna headed back to the room, Genna was upset by their experience. “Don’t be too bummed,” Alvina smiled subtly. “His pepper spray, teaser and wallet are in your backpack.”

     “How?” Genna looked in her backpack inly to find out that what she said was true.

     All Alvina did was smile not revealing her secret. They went back to the room and found Sage sitting on the couch. Her blonde hair was wet from taking a shower, her grey eyes red and puffy from crying and her arms crossed in frustration, “You guys are never going to listen to me, are you?” Sage said not even bothering to look at them.

     “We actually didn’t go gambling,” Lucy, said next to her, “We got some things that will help us.”

     Alvina took the backpack and sat down on the other side of Sage. She put the Taser and pepper spray on the table.

     “Nice, but you need to follow my instructions. What happens tomorrow when we have to rescue Chelsea and I have a plan and you guys don’t listen? We’ll all be dead.”

     “Fine, we promise to listen.” Lucy got up and went into the kitchen to get some nectar.

     “Then my first instruction is nobody is left behind. “ Sage got up.

     “We promise. I will do anything to make sure you guys get out alive,” Genna held her hand up in a pledge.

     “Don’t talk that way Genna, get to bed. All of us need a good nights sleep.” Sage went into the master bedroom and closed the door.

     Alvina decided to sleep on the bottom bunk in the kids room, and she wanted to sleep in their alone. Lucy took the middle bedroom, and Genna fell into a stupor in the master bedroom with Sage.  They all knew there was a possibility that Chelsea was already dead. Sage was afraid of that and couldn’t sleep at all. It was clear that Genna was the key to getting Chelsea back, but the most important thing was Genna’s memory.