The Gathering

Chapter Ten

Time was nonexistent at this point. My feet dragged, my head drooped. I pushed on, but I was lost without Danny. I depended upon him for so much, and now he's gone.

The uniform gray of the buildings passed for what seemed like forever. Occasionally, I looked into a window and would see someone I didn't even recognize. Bruised and bloody and broken. That's what I was now.

When I arrived at the foot of the building, I stopped. Here is where I would say goodbye. I opened the tall, rusty metal doors and entered the lobby. The elevator stood there, like the doors of death, but I knew this was the best way to honor Danny.

The buttons didn't work anymore so I had to pry open the doors, and luckily the lift was already at the bottom floor. I set Danny down and wrapped him in his invisibility cloak, baseball cards in hand.

"I'm so sorry Danny" I said, as I sat next to him, not ready to leave just yet.

I must've fallen asleep because the next thing I know Adrian is waking me up. "Cmon, let's send him up together" She said with surprising eloquence.

I slowly got up and leaned against the laminate wood of the elevator. Adrian took my hand and guided it to the the 600th floor button, signifying Olympus. I knew no one would be there but at least Danny would be in the company of our mom whenever she returns.

Gingerly, I pressed in, and I knew I had done right by him. Together, Adrian and I walked outside the elevator and watched as the lift sped up the shaft to above even the reach of the building, all the way to Olympus, the palace in the skies.

"Thank you" I told Adrian as we stood before the elevator.

"It's the least I could do. I know what it feels like to lose those close to you" Adrian responded simply.

I looked over and in that moment, I saw me. I saw all the brokenness of losing someone close. The feeling that you'll be lost without that person. Only now could I recognize it though, now that my face reflected her own.

"Who'd you lose?" I asked.

"My sister. We were years apart, but always so close. Right before the gods left she enlisted in the army and was placed in a bomb squad..." Adrian told, trailing off into her own thoughts.

"Is that why you like bombs?" I asked.

"It's the only way I can talk to her anymore. It's the last thing I have to honor her memory"

"You don't have to shut everyone out, you know. Telling everybody else would be good for all of us"

"Thanks Vande. We should probably get back now"

I followed Adrian, leading me to where the rest had apparently just finished setting camp. The fire burned bright and hot, which is just what I needed now.

"Is he gone?" Ava wondered.

"Yea. Adrian and I sent him to Olympus where he can await the return of the gods" I said, satisfied.
Ava gave me a warm smile in thanks and James curtly nodded.

Chris raised his red solo cup, "To Danny" he said. "Let's make this night his. He wouldn't want us to sulk, I think he'd like for us to remember all the good he did"

And that's just what we did. We all exchanged stories of what we remembered of him and Adrian and Chris are up all they could, truly realizing his real character.

Chris was right. This is how he would want us. Laughing. Remembering. Bonding. Goodbye, Danny.