We Were Gods: Oleander: Book One

The Invisible Pull

My eyes widen and my heart thunders in my chest as I watch Daniel. "I can't hear Colby." I gasp, frantically searching the break room for her.

"What?!" Daniel hisses, running out of the break room with me and down the corridors to my main office. We both erratically search the room while calling out for her. "Why can't you hear her, Oleander?! Where is she?! What does it mean if you can't hear her?!"

"I don't know!" I finally shout, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. All I know is I want him to shut up.

"Is she... dead." His voice trembled and wavered. I released my hold from him and felt my bottom lip quiver with uncertainty.

"I-I don't know... I can't hear her heart or feel her presence..."

"Maybe we should split up and search this place?" Daniel asked, going over to a doorway. I instantly start following him.

"Absolutely not. There is no way we're splitting up. I'm not having you die on my watch and neither one of us will be getting lost in this labyrinth." I demand even though I could care less if Daniel did die. But on the off chance that we find Colby I knew I did not want her mad at me.

We end up lost for over an hour before I end up tripping on an almost invisible seam where sand is replaced with gold. "What the frickle frackle?" I grumble as I push myself up from the cool floor.

"Is this solid fricken gold?!" Daniel gasps, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Part of me is proud of the fact that he is shocked at my tombs.

"Yep. I'm kind of a big deal." I lie while attempting to know all about this hidden treasure cove of my tombs. My feet burned when they touched the golden floors and I quickly withdrew from them, wondering why my feet hurt. Something within me told me to take off my shoes.

"What are you doing?" Daniel mumbled with an eyebrow raised.

"Sacred ground. Shoes off." It was only an assumption but the moment my feet touched the solid gold they were met with a pleasant warmth and I knew my assumption was correct. Daniel followed suit and we explored down the hall until it dropped us off into a large cavern filled with endless treasures. "This looks like that place in Aladdin where Genie is at." I whistle as I wander into the room.

"Is that a casket?" Daniel asks pointing to the sarcophagus in the center. My mouth suddenly goes very dry as we slowly and carefully make our way to the specially handcrafted object. "I-is that..."

"It's mine." I whisper, fingers itching to touch it as tears tightened my throat. "I'm the jackal-headed God. That's- that's my face... my real one... my God one."

I hear a faint sob and it draws me from touching my resting place. Daniel's head snaps in the direction of the dark and battered door that's hanging open. There are large scratches gouging deep within the metal of the door and what looks like spell markings encasing the door. We give one another a stare before heading into the darkness of the room.

I attempt to clap twice and it makes Daniel jump nearly a mile high. "Sorry, I thought my clap on clap off was installed in here too." I admit but I cannot stop myself from gleaming at how much I scared him.

We both pull out our cellphones and flip the lights on before traveling down the narrow hallway. Our lights seem more dull than usual in the deepest of dark.

Another sob echoes down the hall and both of us take off towards it.

Daniel's light hits her first when we enter the room. He drops down and pulls her into him, his arms almost fully enveloping her. "Cole? What's wrong, sweetheart? What happened?" His voice is soft and gentle and a hand carefully strokes her back. "It's okay now. I've got you." He looks up at me and the both of us freeze when Daniel's light catches something else in the darkness.

My mouth trembles and my knees go weak as I stare at the dull and dusty object. It only takes me a moment to realize that it is a woman, her cheeks sunken in deeply and her mouth forever opened in a menacing scream. She has few strands of hair still clinging to her leathery black skin. Her emaciated arms are crossed over her ribcage and her legs are drawn tightly to her. I've only seen pictures of bog bodies on documentaries and blog stories but this thing looked exactly like one though it was not in a bog. A small gasp leaves me when my eyes fall on her neck.

"It'll all be okay. You're only doing this because you love me." She whispered in understanding, long lashes brushing against her once sun-kissed cheeks. "We both know I will not be able to survive long here."

"I am asking you, my princess, please do not make me do this. Please don't let my hands be the ones to-"

"Your hands will show me mercy. They will do what is best for me." She reached out to take his hands in her own. He imagined that he could hear her heart racing but in this dark prison he could no longer hear hearts. He longed to hear her heart again. He gave her hand a small squeeze before pulling her close to rest his head against her chest. He closed his eyes and listened to the loveliest of songs. She rubbed the back of his head as she attempted to soothe him.

Her eyes would never adjust to the thick darkness. Soon her oxygen would run out. The atmosphere was a constant pain to her human body. This prison was not fair to her and he was allowing her to actively be killed in the most horrific way possible.

"This is no place for a mortal." Her hand froze slightly. They both knew what had to be done. "Sooner or later this room will kill you. It is just a matter of what will end your life first."

"You're the last thing I have to live for, my God... Please..." A beg from parched lips as thin hands lightly grasp the God's hands. She pulled them to her lips, placing a kiss against his skin. "Do not blame yourself for all of this, my God."

"My lovely Nile Princess, I'll always be to blame though. I can never forgive myself for the chaos I have created in all of us. There is no saving us. I have failed you, my queen. Because of me you are locked away here. Because of me he..." Her breath caught in her throat and he knew she was crying gently. The God's shoulders slumped as black tears collected in the corners of his golden eyes. His hands trembled as he placed them on her slender shoulders, long jagged nails curled into her tender flesh. A gasp escaped the woman from the sting of flesh tearing, but she remained strong for her king. "I am sorry he is dead. I am sorry for what I've done."

"Please," She winced as her hand pressed lightly against his chest, "it is not your fault my love is dead."

"This is for mercy." Anubis whispered, hand tightening around her throat. He could feel her cartilage crunch beneath his hold. "I am doing this for sanity, yours and mine both." She gave a gasp as her body fought to breathe. He moved a hand to hold her hands tightly as she suffocated. He could feel his oil tears rolling freely down his cheeks. Leaning forward as her life drained, the God's lips ghosted hers. "I am doing this out of love."

I let out a cry as I stare at the crushed windpipe of the body that once belonged to Colby in a very distant and ancient life. "Coles... I- I'm sorry- I-" But what words could I say?

Daniel helped her up and started to walk her out of the room. He had no clue what was going on but in that instant I was thankful for him and his foresight.

"What was that about?" Daniel asked when we were back out in the burial room with the black prison door firmly closed behind us.

"That was her first body from her very first life." I whisper.

"But her neck..." He leaves the words to hang like a sentencing between us and I know without explanation that he understands.

"It had to be done." Colby whispers dully, the shock seeming to have worn off a little bit. Most humans will never encounter their previous bodies face to face. Some humans will encounter their headstones or stood where they once stood but to actually see your deceased corpse is something else entirely. Her electric hues roam over me for a moment before she forces a sideways smile and grabs my hand. "It's okay." She squeezes my hand gently and a smile passes between us.

"We should get going." Daniel clears his throat and ruins our moment. I can almost feel the jealousy behind his dark eyes. Colby releases my hand and I can feel myself pursing my lips in annoyance.