Rebuilding the World

43 Decisions

“Majella!” I screamed as Majella is subdued by Ares and she flew away.

Ares walked up to Majella, picking her up like a rag doll. Majella’s emitting powerful blue and gold aura. In the distance, it’s obvious that she’s shaking with rage. Her eyes are molten gold in color.

“You are not gonna hit anyone in this room while I’m here,” Ares growled at Majella, his eyes are flaming orbs of red, “Do you want me to throw you from Olympus?” He stomped his feet, a crack and the floor fell away in pieces to create a ragged hole. He threatened to throw Majella out.

“Ares!” Poseidon stood up in defiance.

“Ares!” Zeus commanded and shook his head no.

Ares moved away from the hole, still holding Majella tight.

“Majella, calm down,” I begged her, tears running down my cheeks.

Majella closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.

“Now, let’s just patch up a few things okay?” Apollo announced.

“Carlene Belmonte, daughter of Hecate,” Hera said with her queenly voice, “You conspired with Francis Flores, a son of Apollo against us, the gods and goddesses of Olympus. Do you deny this?”

Carlene laughed hysterically making the hair on my arms stand up.

“I did not conspire with him against you,” She corrected, glaring at Hera, “We tried to show you conceited gods that you’re destroying yourselves too.”

“What do you mean?” Artemis growled back.

“See? All of you think of yourselves high and mighty that you don’t care if you kill all the mortals.” Carlene explained.

“And so?” Hephaestus added.

“If you kill them off, you’re destroying yourselves too!” Carlene almost screamed, “Me and Francis heard that you were planning to purge the world! We wanted to stop that so we made our move!!”

“You care about us?” Aphrodite laughed.

“Conceited as ever,” Carlene mumbled, “Of course we don’t want the world to burn! We just wanted you gods to destroy yourselves and finally let us mortals have our own ways.”

No one responded to this. But Carlene’s confession will definitely kill her, I know.

“But haven’t you thought of it? If you kill all the remaining mortals, you’re technically reducing your power. Someday, all of you will cease to exist because nobody will be there to remember you anymore.” Carlene said, “All this time you think that you have to answer our prayers and stuff. That we need you. But now’s the time for you to realize that you also need us to believe in you.”

“The girl has spoken.” Zeus said in the sudden silence of the throne room, “Does anybody object to her guilt?”

No one responded and just looked at Carlene with undeniable awe and pity.

“Carlene Beltran, you are hereby sentenced by the gods and goddesses of Olympus to death,” Zeus announced.

Carlene looked at me briefly and smiled. She then faced the seated gods and bowed down like she just ended an amazing show.

Zeus stood up, raised his hand and on it appeared the legendary lightning bolt.

“CARLENE!” Majella screamed, squirming to get away from Ares’ hold.

BANG

Zeus struck down and Carlene disappeared with a cloud of black smoke. When it cleared out, nothing remained except for a circle of black soot on the floor where she last stood a minute ago.

I couldn’t move. She’s gone. Carlene is gone just like that.

“Now,” Apollo announced like nothing happened, “Let’s go back to our main problem.”

“Choose, Jean.” Aphrodite said, reminding me my obligation to make a decision.

“You know, I really want to throw this little wimp down.” Ares complained as she held the squirming Majella.

“No, wait, don’t!” I pleaded when Ares walked back to the hole he created and lowered half of Majella down.

“JEAN!” Majella’s eyes are big in panic and she squirmed more.

“Okay, you should know that I’m with Zeus and the others who think that the mortals are a hopeless case.” Ares said to me, “Why don’t we make a deal?”

“Ares, this isn’t fair!” Hera objected, “Put Majella back down.”

“I’ll put her back down only if Jean will choose to kill the mortals in space.” Ares said looking at me with a smirk on his face.

“Zeus!” Poseidon called out his brother.

“Jean Oliveira, make your decision.” Zeus said.

“She’s your daughter!” I screamed at the king of the gods.

“So?” He said without care.

“It’s all right, Jean.” Majella said with a sad smile, “I knew this was coming.”

I shook my head. This couldn’t be happening.

“Save the mortals up in space and she falls.” Athena said.

“Jean, it’s all right.” Majella said again.

“Majella, I can’t.”

“Yes you can.” She encouraged me, “You’re the hero who will rebuild the world.”

I shook my head again. I know deep inside me what to choose. I know right after they told me the choices what I would choose. But the pressure got into me and I don’t know if I should decide.

“Majella, I can’t do this.” I cried out, looking at her and then to the gods.

“Jean, you know what to do. It’s all right,” Majella said, “It’s all right. Make your choice now.”

“Jean Oliveira,” Zeus called out, “Choose.”

I breathed in and out. Majella nodded at me.

“I choose the mortals in space,”