Chapter 6:
I didn't have the heart to tell Adelio that I wasn't who he though I was, so instead I lied again.
I told him that it was rude to ask who I was, an ocean healer such as myself, and that it was a custom to not tell him where I came from or how I got here. I told him that we, ocean healers, had to be a secret. A mystery.
He told me that I was a miracle. I thanked him and told him I was happy to help. Too quickly, he understood. But the house was boiling with action, and I was the one giving the orders.
"Is the soup ready? Give it to the patients in Section A, they're hungry!"
"We need more hot water please! Put more wood in the fire place. No cold water!"
"Don't open the windows. It needs to be steamy in here. They need to sweat it out."
"The patients in Section C need their food, please!"
"Adelio! Can you get more clean sheets for them, please?"
"It's almost the end of the day. Get people their tea."
I was in total control of everything, but I was careful not to take it too far. But the people were more enthusiastic about things now, so they did whatever they could to take care of everyone, even Andra.
"Evey! We have food for you!" a child called from the door.
I nodded and clapped my hands together.
"Lunch break, everyone! Before you exit this hut! Clean your hands thoroughly! We don't want to infect the children or anyone else…! But good job people! Really good job! We made some progress today!"
Adelio ran to my side, and everyone washed their hands, and hung up their masks. We worked long and hard. I took off my mask.
"When we come back, we have to take care of the patients in Section D. I think they're getting worse. And I need more medicine…" I said.
"We don't have anymore… our stocks are gone."
"What!" I exclaimed in surprise.
"It's gone. All of it."
"Well, can't you go to a market or something and buy more?"
"Look at us, Evey. We don't have the money. Even if it takes one hundred bundles of fish to sell, how will we surpass?"
He had a point.
"Well, what about other villages? Can you try and trade something?"
"This plague has spread to other villages. In the hills and mountains. They all would not be able to spare their resources for the sake of ours…"
"Ok. Ok. Um, I'll think of something. Go get something to eat. I'll be right back."
Adelio walked off towards his hut. He went off towards the others, happily leaving me alone with high hopes of his wife.
Was this going to get out of hand? I couldn't tell.
These people needed help, and that's what I was doing. Adelio and the others were impressed that I created a system so quickly and cleverly, for a woman. Using sections and routine work to make the healing process go faster. I was flattered when they said they never seen someone like me.
But I needed time to myself for a moment. I walked behind a couple of trees, big enough to give me some cover, holding my bag close to me. I settled against some wild grass, sitting down. I pulled my feet in.
"Shit…! Shit! Shit! Shit…!" I cursed to myself," How the hell am I gonna do this?"
I should never have come here. That was my regret. How do I get back home? Did fate play a cruel prank? Well, no one was laughing. I knew I wasn't dreaming, and there was no arguing for that. My life was over.
"Shit…" I whispered.
Hades POV:
"What is this…?"
Now this was interesting… the death toll of the day lowered to a level where Hades would set himself lose upon the mortals. The mortals lived, even when they were suppose to die. Their souls weren't dead, yet. Somehow in the upper world, someone or something saved them.
People were suppose to die today! Now this angered the God of the Underworld because he felt cheated, and no one cheats death. There served a punishment for that. But he had some expand of patience left so he would not reach out his revenge just yet. First, there had to be a reason discovered.
Hades had indeed traced where some of the living souls were and it was in the Southwestern lands and guess what he found….? Amongst the living souls, was the most unnatural thing he found.
The girl.
What further more did the cruel God of the Underworld do?
Or…even what he didn't do?
He did not tell his brother, Zeus, that the source of this great power had came from the girl.
Zeus, the King of Gods did not know what this girl was capable of and nor did he know who she was. This served as a small but limited weapon against his brother, for Hades knew information that not even the King of Gods knew. This Princess healer from unknown lands struck the men's fancy faster than any other woman in the land, princess or not. What was brought to their world? Who was she? This girl, this mortal, was strange, and even alien.
What kind of cloth did she wear?
How was it possible for her to have perfect teeth?
Where did she come from, with that accent?
Where did it all come from?
Her clothes, her hair, her beauty.
And surely, the goddess Aphrodite couldn't have been that kind to giver her so much.
"What fire indeed…"
Hades knew that every God up there was going mad with confusion and blame. Somehow they were always in a state of emergency. First, when the mortals had stopped saying their prayers and Zeus unleashed his fury on them as his rough punishment. Slowly the gods were losing control. And now this happened.
Their universe was shaken…by a mortal.
By a mortal?
There was something special about her, if she was mortal. There was something off with her.
Hades stood in his own world of darkness, contemplating, and he finally decided that he would visit this girl again.
But his travels would be secret, due to the hatred and fear the other gods held for him and he did not want any other mortal or god to know what he was doing in the upper world.
Hades had to know.
Figure out why she's helping people cheat death.
Figure out why she's…so…powerful.
How she's so powerful when it came to the universe.
His muse was her, that this mortal had prayed for him and he was curious to see why her prayers were more powerful than any other mortal in the world. But to his short disappointment, she had not prayed for him since.
Hades was still nourished and powerful.
No longer was the god of death weak, which he desired and preferred. The almighty Hades summoned his ghouls and birds of darkness with feathers of ash and coal to his feet, then wrapped himself around them, his pets, her servants.
Hades turned, floated up in the air, lifted by wings of reapers cloth, cradled by the air of darkness. then broke through the shell of light and into the upper world.
The ocean cracked open, opening like powerful giant wings for Hades, and from there he set off to find the girl.
Evey.
"Evil day," whispered Hades.
Zeus was now on Earth, not exactly doing patrol, but he had his eye out for anything unusual that the mortals should not be involved with. He was in the form of the eagle, dominating the air over the mountains. He had gone to all the village and kingdoms he could find, but nothing. Zeus relentlessly worked harder, wishing for his travels not to be in vain.
Suddenly hungry for a meal, Zeus went after some fish.
Coming across the ocean, he swooped down with his powerful talons, slapping the water, and tearing at the foam of the ocean. After time he caught his meal and began to feast on the beach. As he ate, 5 fishermen were walking along, talking about an ocean healer sent from Poseidon to offer life and medicine.
What was this?
And what was an ocean healer?
Paying Zeus no attention, as he was an eagle, the fishermen continued to discuss. The god listened in.
"There's no denying it. Zeus must be especially kind to us this season. With no fish in the waters, he sends us a beautiful woman."
"In the name of the gods she is a beauty. But she is strange. Did you hear that half of the village have healed more than any other village on this country?"
"Sounds impossible… how did she do it?"
"Haven't the slightest clue, how…"
"Power of healing sounds right, though. We are in fortune. I'm bringing my wife and child to her, they have caught the plague."
"As will I. I have a son who suffers from a strange disease. Hundreds of others are flocking to her in seek of a miracle. They say she does not require any payment."
"No payment? What does she ask for then? Blood?"
"No. She requires nothing."
"I must go there to believe it myself…"
"I trust you would…"
"But healing the village in one day? How is that possible?
"She is an ocean healer. Perhaps they can do many things we have not yet discovered…"
Zeus released the skeleton of the fish, picking up his wings and flapping away. What girl did they speak of? The king of gods flew to investigate.
Your POV:
"There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."
I rocked back and forth. There was no reasonable thought that came to mind that could take me back home. This place, this world has given me enough trouble as it is, and I knew that I couldn't abandon these people either. I was stuck in between. Adelio and Andra needed me, and so did their unborn child. All these people had their faith in me, counting on me to do the right thing. But what worried me was that unborn child, if I don't get the medicine in on time, there'll be no hope for that baby. And what if I fail? I'll be tormented for life. It's death will finish me.
The day was still young, though, and the sun was still very warm. The grass swayed against me as a wind passed on by, releasing a flock of lady bugs, crickets, and butterflies. I played with the handles of my bag, thinking of what to do with Andra and the baby. But the sky changed color, suddenly. My head looked up, it was swirling, creating a whirl of clouds and sky. But then the crickets and all other insects began to twirl with the grass, creating a vortex! My instincts kicked in as I fell backwards into nothing!
Like water running away, the land escaped me, going into a darkness. I screamed, falling, backwards, the I fell against a strange rock. I landed softly, and the next thing that was in my view was the night sky. But it was daytime! What happened? My bodily functions were slowly bouncing back to life, as my fingers felt a tough rock and my head had a soft ache. My shoulder began to move as did my feet and waist. Feeling my spine gain its strength, the upper half of my body lifted itself to view. I was surrounded by bush and trees, but there was no grass or lady bugs, but there was a road. But not just any road, it was paved road! My heart jumped.
"I'm back…"
My feet and legs gained strength, hauling me up to stand. Swaying around like a drunk, I was almost going to cry tears of sadness. I was on a highway!
"I'm back! I'm back!" my voice came back.
I took a good smell of the air. I was home!
"I'm back!"
My heart raced, as I dug into my bag and took out my cellphone. I dialed mom.
She picked up.
"Mom?"
"Evey?"
"Mom!"
I covered my mouth, almost falling to my knees. Oh god it was so good to hear her voice! Angels were singing!
"Where are you? You missed our first family dinner, sweetheart. Where are you?"
"Honestly, I don't know… I'm on a highway."
I did my best to not make it sound as if I was sobbing. A huge lump was in the middle of my throat, and I tried to swallow it down.
"Highway? You think you can find your way home?"
"I don't know…"
I looked around in a haste and found a windmill standing above some trees. I wiped my tears away.
"I see a windmill… I'm near a forest…"
"Windmill? I think I know what you're talking about. Not a lot of other windmills around here. Alright, I'll come by and pick you up."
"Thanks, mom. Oh, and mom? I love you."
"Love you too, sweety…" she hung up and I put away my phone.
I walked closer to the windmill. As I walked, my heart was beating 100 mph a minute. There was a thought that happiness could be the death of me. I clapped my hands together, applauding that I was back! I was crying tears of joy, sobbing, choking of pure bliss and happiness. The familiar smell in the air. The feel of the environment. It was totally home.
"I'm home! I'm home!" I sobbed.
Before my mom could pick me up, I quickly changed back into my regular clothes along with my shoes. She could not know what I went through! But putting all worries aside I was still exploding with happiness.
"I'm back!" I screamed out loud to myself.
When I got home, I ate my dinner, and went up to my room. All that I wanted was to be home and see my mom again, and I was. I was home. There was this huge change in me, a big epiphany of shock and happiness. There was a chance that I'd never be the same again. Maybe never.
My mom came in my room, worried about me. She noticed my changed behavior. She knew me as much as I think she knew me. Which was alright for me. I was trying to not cry in front of her, and she sat on the edge of my bed.
"Sweety, you alright?"
"I'm ok…"
"You can tell me anything…"
"I'm ok, mom…"
"So where were you all day? I've been calling and calling."
"You did? How long was I gone?"
"All day…"
"All day? Really? Is that it?" I asked, amazed that I've bee gone for days, but only been missing under 24 hours.
There was something in the universe that was on my side. I was happy she didn't have to worry too much and call the police or something. That would've scarred her for life. I crawled over and put my head in her lap. She brought her gentle fingers and softly scratched my ear and my hair. Soothing me.
"I'm just glad to be home…"
"I'm glad you're home too, Evey…"
I loved my mother very much, and ever since my dad died, she's been the only one. She's always been the only one. I would hate to do something as to worry the hell out of her. I bit my lip.
"You know I love you, right mom…?"
"Of course. And I love you…" she smiled.
"But I love you more…" I whispered.
Deep inside, I wanted to tell mom everything I went through. I went back in time, met villagers, got picked up by a King and Prince, went to a palace, escaped a marriage and everything else that followed. I wanted to tell her, but it was too crazy. It's just that the thought of home was too overwhelming.
What I really wanted was a hot bath and some sleep. I had changed into my Pjs, and was ready for bed. My mom kept me company, telling me how much she missed me. She thought I had walked into town and spend some time there, getting to know the place and gotten lost.
How wrong she was.
But my thoughts traveled back to Adelio and Andra, and maybe I hadn't escaped fate's cruel prank just yet.