Nico stood in front of a dug hole and for some reason, he had a large Wal-Mart bag next to him, which I do not recall seeing a while ago.

The skeleton monsters stood next to Nico as if they were waiting for the next order. If they weren't holding any shovels or equipment, they would have looked as friendly as those skeletons you see in cartoons. Nico looked at them and said, "You are dismissed. Thank you." And the monsters collapsed into piles of bones.

"So… what's next?" I asked Nico, nervous of what other child-of-Hades tricks he has left up his sleeve but instead of replying, Nico quietly pulled out a twelve-pack of Coke, and another plastic bag. "Is that McDonald's?" I asked as my eyes twitched. "Don't tell me you'd finish all of that?" This did not make any sense to me.

Nico placed his finger on his lips as he looked at me, as if signaling me to stay quiet. He popped the cans of Coke, but instead of drinking them, he started pouring it into the pit. "Let the dead taste again," he murmured. "Let them rise take this offering Let them remember." After the chant, Nico poured the McDonald's meal. There were fries, burgers... and ice cream? I really did not understand why he was wasting so much good food. Just few days ago, I could barely eat any of those as we did not have any money.

Then he began to chant in a different tongue. But strangely, I could understand some of the words even if I never even heard of it in my life . It was about the people who passed away, memories of living, returning back to life, and other happy things that I couldn't really get an understanding of. Then the grave started to boil up and frothy brown liquid rose to the top like the whole pit was filled with the soda.

A human-like silhouette started to form as stem boiled up from the graves. "Come forth Jonathan Bellon." He ordered as the silhouette became clearer and clearer till my father was standing in front of us, then bowed to Nico respectfully.

"Dad!" I shouted in joy, sorrow and other mixed emotions. He looked much better than I remembered him. His hair was trimmed neat, no beard, he was wearing a simple shirt and a pair of clean jeans. His eyes were sharp and fierce like a triumphant lion, his body was pretty fit like an athlete's. I could barely believe that it was my dad at first glance, but there he was. He was a spitting image of me (or I am of him?) but with much more confidence and pride. He gave off an aura of someone different from the likes of me.

"Sam." He said, his voice was deep and rich unlike the ones I remembered. Tears started to flow down my eyes. "I…" I gasped for words but I couldn't speak. I had so much things to say and ask him before, but now, my head was blank.

"My dear Sam." My dad smiled at me. It ripped my heart seeing he wasn't the abusive one. "I don't know where to start but… I'm so sorry for everything I did not do for you." I could hardly breathe as I walked toward the pit.

"How… why…" I asked still unable to believe what I was seeing. But my dad merely shrugged. "You see, I was an athlete. A horseback rider." He explained. "One of the best in my generation." He sighed as if remember the days. "Then I met your mother. She was a fierce one, I tell you. Crazy too. But she was passionate and always working hard to win. Like you." He complimented.

I shook my head as it was not true. I never tried my best. I never won anything after all. My dad simply continued. "Then the rest was like a dream. We got married. Had a great life for a while and you came along." He said with so much emotions, pride, and joy that made me feel ashamed of how I am. "And… your mom had to leave. She explained that she was a goddess. She explained why she had to go and she also promised to grant me all the victory I could have… But I couldn't lose her. I tried to stop her from leaving us…" He stopped as shadow darkened his face. "But the gods weren't happy that their charioteer was missing. And they took her away." He continued. "And… and…" He paused and sighed for a while. "I know you have never won anything. And it's because of me."

Author's note: Please leave a review if you liked the chapter. It would mean a lot to me.