Contrapasso

Prologue

Contrapasso

Inspired by Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem 'Inferno'

Happy Halloween everybody! Enjoy!

Prologue

Astrid groaned as she suddenly came to. She felt the cool sand underneath her still wet clothes. Some of the sand was also clinging to parts of her skin.'

"Astrid! Astrid!" She could faintly hear her name being called but her whole body was aching. Her hand twitched and she reached up to her head where she felt a throbbing pain. When she pulled her hand back it was sticky with blood.

"Oh my Thor! Astrid!" She heard being shouted and then felt hands on her shoulders then as she was being pulled into a somewhat seated position. Her vision was still blurry but she could make out a woman with dark hair braided checking her over. Another one approached. This one was blonde and had a pixie-cut.

"What happened?" Astrid squinted and asked as the blonde pushed her back down onto the sand and began to look her over.

"You need to lie back down. You might have a concussion." The blond said as she was insistent at pushing Astrid back down. Astrid squinted as she tried to make sense of her blurry vision. She could hear people shouting as her eyes closed and all went dark but she just couldn't keep them open no matter what.

A black limo pulled up at the Berk Marina. Astrid, dressed in a business suit, stepped out first to survey the area after the driver opened the door. Her black suit clashed with the attire that was worn in the marina but she didn't seem to care. When it was safe, she signaled for her employers to step out.

"Honey, I still don't understand why you had to drag me here," The woman who was dressed very fancy in what Astrid could only surmise as Dolce & Gabbana uttered as she stepped out.

"You know what our counselor said," The middle-aged gentlemen with a dark purple ascot muttered. "Getting away from the city would be good for us."

"But to some island?" The wife questioned. "Couldn't we just go to Milan? I can at least shop there. And please don't tell me that is the boat we have to board." She uttered upon seeing what was docked before them.

Astrid blinked and looked between the boat and her employers. Sometimes she didn't understand the rich and famous. The boat, or ferry, in this case, was quite large and she surmised that it must have cost their captain a pretty penny. It was a two-story boat that could hold up to fourteen people comfortably. Her employers weren't the only passengers Astrid observed. She took a good look at those she'd be sharing a ride with to assess if there would be any danger. There was a tall couple to the side, each with a single suitcase next to them. Both were blonde, the man had spikes in his hair and looked at the others as if they were beneath him. The blonde woman had her hair in a pixie cut and was browsing a brochure of the hotel and island they were setting off to.

The other passengers seemed to be together as a trio. There was a young woman with long black hair in a braid. Astrid guessed they were about the same age. There was a redhead who was quite muscular. He was busy applying copious amounts of sunscreen and Astrid guessed he must bake like a peach in this heat. The third member was an elderly man with a greying beard who was on the phone. Astrid could make out something about a board meeting but she tuned it out since there was no danger and the conversation was thus irrelevant.

"Good morning everyone," A voice greeted and Astrid turned to see a portly blonde approach them with a clipboard in hand. "I'm Fishlegs Ingerman and I will be your captain today. Your luggage is being loaded onto the boat as we speak. I just need to make sure everyone is accounted for before we can set off."

"Why would you even need to check if someone isn't here?" The tall blonde man asked. "If they changed their minds at the last minute there's nothing to be done about it."

"That may be true," The captain said "but as an employee of Dante's Resort I have to follow protocol. As you know, the resort only welcomes a handful of guests each year to partake in their amenities. These guests have been personally invited by the owner of the island and if one guest doesn't show we have to check and see if they are alright."

"Such dedication," The tall blonde sarcastically said.

"Well, an invitation to the resort is the highlight of the social season," Astrid's employer boasted. "I can see why they would be concerned for their guests' wellbeing."

"Now I'm going to call out your names. Please have your invitation ready. Once everything checks out we can depart." Fishlegs announced as he then looked down at his clipboard.

"Grimmel Grisly and Mala Queen?"

"Here!" The blonde woman that had been previously reading the brochure waved her hand. The tall blond man merely nodded.

"Dagur and Heather de la Ranged and Johann Trader?"

"Here!" The black-haired woman announced.

"Quintin and Abigail Preston?"

"Also here," Astrid's employer announced and then Fishlegs looked at Astrid with a frown.

"Uhm...... who are you?" The captain asked.

"Astrid Hofferson, I'm Mr. and Mrs. Preston's bodyguard." Astrid identified herself. She saw Fishlegs frown and then look at the clipboard.

"You don't seem to be on the list. I'm sorry but I can't let you on the boat."

"Astrid is our most trusted bodyguard. She's been with the family for five years." Quintin announced. "We do not travel without her."

"She's not on the list," Fishlegs repeated. "If she's not on the list I can't bring her over to the island."

"Then we simply won't go to the island," Abigail announced haughtily. "Honestly, we never go anywhere without her. Quintin why don't we just call for the jet and head off to Athens or someplace else. I know you had your heart set on this exclusive social event but I have to put my foot down."

"Now now, please hold on a minute," Fishlegs said. "Let me just radio the resort. I'm sure we can figure this out."

Astrid blinked as she watched the captain head onto the boat to presumably find the radio. She then looked at her employers with a frown. Sure they never went anywhere without her, but that was not because they actually valued her but because she had proven that she would and could save their lives. Astrid still remembered the day. They were at a press conference and a man stalking Abigail decided to act. Astrid had taken a bullet to the shoulder that day. She knew her employers only kept her around because she was a convenient shiel but that was the life of a bodyguard.

Astrid noticed that the captain hurried back. The portly man stopped once he was off the gangplank and announced "I spoke to the island's owner myself," He said. "Miss Hofferson you've been issued an invitation as well. Please feel free to board the boat and enjoy all the resort amenities."

Astrid nodded. Since all the guests were accounted for they started boarding. When Astrid stepped on the gangplank she noted the name of the ferry that was painted on the side. 'The Charon' was an odd name for a boat. Yet the name seemed familiar somehow.