Bows and Eros

H&H Chapter 3: Evan and The Offer

It'd been a while since I had been to purgatory. Memories instantly hit me as I wandered through the garden, like the memory of kissing Gabe in the clearing. I looked ahead, noticing a new addition to purgatory. A small bookshelf was sitting there in the garden, right beside a contented looking Gabe. He had a set of headphones in his ears, attached to an iPod touch. Since when did Purgatory have an entertainment aisle? I walked up to Gabe, one of my oldest friends, and tapped his shoulder. He pulled out his headphones and glanced at me.

"What do you want, Macy?"

The bitterness in his voice was so clear and obvious. Sure, technically I'd accidentally gotten him run down by a minivan, but he was still being rude.

"Hi," I said. "How are you? It's me, Macy. Remember, I am the one bending over backwards reaping souls to save you. Maybe you could pretend to be happy to see me."

"You're reaping souls to fix your mistake," Evan said. "But honestly, pissed as I am, I am happy to see you. It gets lonely here, except for your friends that come by occasionally."

"My friends?" I said. "Oh, I get it. Eros brought you all of this stuff, the books and the music. Why would he do that?" 

"Probably because he's hopelessly in love with you," Evan said. "But you already knew that. The blonde girl, his secretary or whatever, she brings the dog here to let him go running sometimes."

I laughed at the image of Adonis running around in purgatory, and Evan shook his head.

"Look, I know this sucks," I said. "I am reaping souls as fast as I can, and I will get you topside soon. You'll be back with Lauren in no time."

"You know she visits me every day," Evan said. "I can heard voices of people on earth, drifting sounds. She sits by my bed and reads the paper every day. She's seventeen, Macy, and she's spending her youth by my bedside."

"Sounds like something you'd do," I said. "I guess I can officially admit I was dumb for judging her; clearly she isn't completely vapid."

"She used to be, I don't know what changed. She's different," Evan said. "Sometimes first impressions aren't meant to last forever."

"So," I said. "Do you think she'll wait for you?" 

"I guess it depends," Evan said. "I mean, a couple of months is a long time in a coma. But then again, someday she'll need to live her life. College is coming, and she'll probably get a cheer scholarship..."

"I'm working on it, Evan," I said.

"I just hope I don't miss prom, and graduation, you know."

"I know," I said. "Evan, in this craziness, I never got to say some things to you."

"I know," Evan said, his voice softening. "I guess that's the silver lining; I'll get to say goodbye to you."

"Evan, what you were to me when I was alive," I said. "There aren't words to describe how much you meant. You were a friend during chemo and everything else. I love you Evan, you were the brother I never had." 

"I love you too, Macy," he said. "I'm sorry I got so pissed at you. I guess, things haven't been easy for you, what with the dying and everything."

I laughed at his semi articulate phrasing, and it felt good. Being here with Evan made me feel human again, which brought with it the notion that I was something else now. What would that even be? A violent, tormented reaper of death. I shuddered at the thought.

"Evan," I said. "I am going to get you back up there, soon. Hades has said he can offer me a deal."

"Hades, the scary beard guy who rules the underworld," Evan said. "Hell no, don't even speak to him. And don't you dare do something stupid for me."