Guardian Reapers - NaNoWriMo2017

Chapter 8

"Adrian!" I shouted excitedly, the second I stepped into the house. "I have to talk to you!"

"Back to lecture me again?" He asked, then frowned as he looked up from his book. "Oh, it's you. Sorry."

"Who else would it be?"

"Jeremy. He is insanely persistent."

"That's an understatement. But seriously, I have great news!"

"What's up?" He asked, sitting cross-legged next to the bookshelves. He almost never left that spot.

"Death showed me this amazing place... Gatecastle. It has all the gates to the afterlives! I wouldn't believe it unless I'd seen it, but it's actually incredible."

"I found a non-religious book while you were out," he said. Is he even listening?

"Seriously, Gatecastle is awesome! I thought maybe you'd be more excited to find out that you actually have a place to go."

"It's about Death, but at least it isn't trying to force me into a religion, you know?"

"Adrian!"

"What?"

"Please just listen to me. It's not so far away, I could show you if you wanted! He gave me a key to the place. I could even take you to the afterlife if you choose one."

"Show me." He requested.

He'd finally began paying attention the second I said I had the key. Whatever will get his attention, I reasoned. I took out the gleaming, golden key from my pocket and twisted the loop attached to it. It began to glow - as everything seemed to do around here - and I grabbed Adrian's arm as the glow enveloped me.

When I opened my eyes, I was back in front of Gatecastle, Adrian right beside me. He viewed the building in confusion, then shrugged and followed me up the staircase determinedly.

"Okay, I'm bored already. Can't you speed up time, or whatever?" He said. I laughed.

"Not here, apparently. Frustrating, isn't it?"

"Exceptionally."

Reaching the doors at last, the doors opened with their hidden fanfare. Adrian raised an eyebrow, nodding in approval, then his eyes widened in surprise.

"Geez, how long did it take to build this thing?" He asked, amazed.

"I don't know. Isn't it cool?"

"How do we know it's real?"

"Oh, come on! It's right here!"

"Have you been through the gates?" He inquired. I shook my head.

"We're not allowed to."

"Says who?"

"Death."

"Right, the person in charge. Think about it. What better way to keep it a secret that this is all fake? If you can't travel through, you can't say it's fake. What if they don't do anything?"

"They have to go somewhere."

"Maybe out of this hell."

"Obviously. They go to the afterlife. You can actually go through one, unlike me."

"Wait. You're not allowed to, but I could just waltz through any gate at any time? I thought you worked here."

"You can go through the one you pick, and stay there. Once you pick, of course."

"Right."

"Every time you say that, I get a feeling you don't think it's right."

Adrian smirked. "Alright."

"Let's head back. I'm sure Jeremy is just counting down the minutes until he can work with me again."

"Hey, Meridian?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for showing me this place. I know you're just trying to help."

"You still don't believe me, do you?"

He shook his head, and I sighed, leading him back out of the building and toward the city. I was slowly learning my way around, and found some pride in being able to lead for once.