Chap. 1
Eleanor
"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Amy, my best friend.
"What?" I said, worried.
"Look at all these girls hanging around the new guy! They've got nothing else to do, poor things," she explained, a little angry.
"Let them do their own thing," I said to calm her down.
"But wait! Len, look at him, he looks miserable trying to get out of this mess... "
While Amy was talking, I looked back at the new guy. He was breathtakingly handsome, with jet black hair that reflected the sun's glare and absolutely gorgeous turquoise blue eyes. This young man exuded virility and sex appeal with a touch of mystery, which I must admit, did not leave me indifferent.
" ... I'm going!"
Coming out of my torpor, I saw Amy going towards the group and shouting to the girls to go and see somewhere else. Surprised by her audacity, I stood in the middle of the hallway like a statue, not knowing how to move or speak.
"Thank you," said the young man in a charming voice as his groupies left.
"Don't thank me, they'll be back," said my best friend.
"I can handle it," he replied.
He smiled at her then started to move in the opposite direction? Nevertheless, Amy stopped him.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Josh," he said as he left.
*
Josh
After the little rescue of the beautiful redhead, I headed to the secretariat to give my file. The principal, Mr. Freyer, received me immediately and started his long speech about Heaven High. After an hour and a half, he handed me my schedule and locker code and let me go. As I was putting my things in my locker, I noticed a boy crying.
"Hey!" I heard. "Why are you crying?"
"I... I...," the little boy stammered.
"Let me see your face."
A young woman was crouched down next to the child, looking with her beautiful green eyes at the boy's swollen face. I had seen her earlier, with her redheaded friend, and she had the same effect on me. An effect that I didn't understand very well. A strange effect. My heart quickened and a smile appeared on my lips. This girl had a charm that bewitched me. She was so beautiful with her golden hair that she looked like an angel. An angel certainly resplendent but inaccessible. Especially for me and for the reasons of my presence here.
"Who did this to you?" she asked in a soft voice.
"My... my big brother. He... he doesn't like that I'm more... smarter than him. But I... I can't help it, I'm... born that way," the boy hiccupped.
"How many grades have you skipped?"
"Five, ma'am," replied the boy.
"Call me Eleanor. Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary."
"Thank you very much."
She gave him a big, comforting smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"No," I said inwardly. "I have to stay focused on my mission. I can't let myself get distracted. I have obligations and I must stick to them." I repeated that last sentence like a mantra and was on my way to class when the bell rang.
Chap. 2
Josh
At the end of class, when I wanted to go home, a horde of girls were waiting for me near my motorcycle. As soon as they saw me, they rushed towards me. Of course, I did the only thing, the only choice that applied to my situation: I ran away. However, they were persistent. It was in those moments that I hated being built like a god.
After about ten minutes of frantic running, I lost them and found refuge in an empty room. I finally breathed and then heard a pleasant melody. The girl from earlier, that impregnable angel, was standing there, dancing with passion. It was not just any dance. No, it was the most magnificent of dances: the classical. She twirled on her toes as if she were light, like a feather. This spectacle dazzled me. Then she stopped, surprised to find a person beside her.
"Oh, I didn't want to disturb you," I said quickly.
"That's okay," she replied.
"I wanted to escape from the girls..."
" ...who have been after you since this morning," she finished. "Yes, I can understand."
"It was wonderful!" I said to change the subject.
"What was?"
"Your dancing."
"Oh, thank you," she said, blushing.
"You're Eleanor, aren't you?" I asked to get the conversation going again, loving to hear her voice.
"How do you know that?"
"I saw you with the little boy. It was remarkable what you did for him."
"It wasn't remarkable, it was just the right thing to do. Bullying shouldn't even exist," she explained.
There was a silence, but not the awkward or weird kind. It was just a silence like any other, allowing us to breathe and think. Just a pleasant silence.
"Well, I'd better leave you then," I said, feeling like I had to.
"Oh no, you can stay!" she exclaimed. "You can help me."
"To do what?" I asked, confused.
"Help me train," she answered.
"I am a poor dancer," I warned her.
"You only have to hold me and follow my movements, it's easy. And then, you seem to be made of muscles, so you are perfect for the job."
"I'll give it a try then."
What convinced me was not the dance itself, but the pleasure of holding her against me. A pleasure that grew more and more as I saw her. She came closer to me and took my hands to put them on her waist. Her skin was exquisitely soft and sparkled on mine. Then she climbed on her toes, growing taller, and began to turn, faster and faster, then to link arabesques, pirouettes, attitudes and big throws. All this was dazzling.
After half an hour, we stopped, panting. Catching my breath, I sat down and watched her do her stretches.
"Why do you work out here?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"The management lends me the room every now and then to prepare for my National Dance Academy competition," she explained.
"You're good, I'm sure you can do it," I said, smiling.
"Thanks, but the other dancers are too, that's why I practice a lot."
"Oh, I see. But you don't have any free time, then?"
"I try to have as much free time as possible," Eleanor replied, returning my smile.
"In that case, would you like something to drink?"
"Yes, please!"
*
Eleanor
I couldn't believe that he had offered me such a thing. A handsome boy like him couldn't be interested in a girl like me. I am ordinary, I have nothing more than the others. However, I was happy with the situation and enjoyed the moment.
Sitting at City Coffee, the only coffee shop near the school, with a cappuccino for Josh and a hot chocolate for me, we talked about everything and anything, getting to know each other.
"How long have you been dancing?" he asked with a smile that amazed me.
"Since I was 4 years old," I answered. "And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What is your passion?"
"... I don't really have one. You see, I like so many things that I can't choose one. "
I felt that he wanted to say more but the words didn't come out. He was building barriers, probably to protect himself, and I couldn't blame him. I was just a stranger to him and I could understand why he didn't trust me. I had to earn it.
"Uh, I'm sorry," he said, suddenly settling down, "but I have to go."
"You do? Already?"
"Yeah, I didn't realize what time it was and I have a million things to do. I'm sorry."
"Uh... "
He took out some money, paid the waiter and stormed out of the cafe. A feeling of embarrassment and guilt came over me. Was it my questions that had scared him off? People are right: curiosity is a bad habit.
*
Josh
I was very angry at myself for leaving like a coward, but I didn't want Eleanor to know what I was about to do. My missions were the only thing that kept me alive, they were my responsibilities and I didn't want Eleanor to be involved in them. She deserved so much better than a boy like me. I would bring her nothing but misery and trouble.
When I arrived at my destination, I saw the raging flames destroying a huge building. The firemen were not yet present, but they would come soon. I ran into the building, the fire licking my skin without hurting me. At the same time, I couldn't die, my nature prevented me from doing so. I continued on my way until I found my target, a man lying on the ground, covered with burns and blisters. Nausea invaded me. However, I had seen much worse. Death can be quite brutal, even for me. I approached and crouched beside the lifeless body. Then, touching him, I untied his soul and guided him upward, toward the blinding light he must have seen.
"Who are you, young man?" asked the floating man.
"I am the god of death, I am here to help you," I replied.
"You have courage, young man. Death is a dangerous thing sometimes."
"I know it... I know it..., too well... "
Chap. 3
Josh
After a night tormented by the last words of the man from the fire, I went to school to get my mind off of things and to get some semblance of normalcy. That's when I saw her, radiant and smiling, walking down the hallway by my locker. Her braided blonde hair was silky and her crystalline laughter echoed through the room, making my heart leap in my chest. I still didn't understand the effect she was having on me, but she was captivating me with her charm.
"Eleanor?" I shouted to get her attention.
She turned around, surprised by my action.
"Hi," she said, a little embarrassed.
"Hi. I'm really sorry about yesterday, I had some... obligations," I said.
I wanted to slap myself for lying to her, even for her sake.
"That's okay. I understand, don't worry."
At her words, I understood one thing. I couldn't get enough of her, to see her smile, to laugh, to see her, simply. I wanted so much to know her, better than anyone else. My desire was stronger than my reason and I decided to follow her in spite of my role as god of death. I could do everything: be with her and fulfill my missions, without mixing them. Yes, I could do it.
"To make it up to her, would you like to have lunch with me?" I dared to ask her.
"Yes," she agreed with her bright smile.
*
Eleanor
"So, what did Mister Handsome, aka Josh, say to you?"
"He invited me to eat, that's all," I answered calmly, my heart beating faster than normal.
"From the look on your face, that's not all," she said. "I'm sure you like him!"
"Maybe...," I whispered.
"Hmm, maybe?"
"Okay, a little."
"Just a little?"
"Okay, a lot."
"Ah, I knew it," she said, holding up her fist as if she had won.
"But I know almost nothing about him," I replied.
"I don't see the problem," Amy retorted, "since you're going for it!"
"Yes, but..."
"No Len, you need to get out a bit, you're rusty and you spend your time training, which I can understand of course," she interrupted, "but you need a break. And if it's with him, that's a bonus. Don't think, just listen to your heart and follow it."
"When did you get so wise?"
"Since my best friend finally found a boy she likes!"
Then we burst out laughing as the bell rang.
"Let's go educate ourselves!" laughed Amy.
*
Josh
I had been thinking about her for the whole four hours of class and when the bell rang at noon, I rushed to the cafeteria. I didn't understand my reaction, but I didn't really care. I knew I wasn't allowed to, yet I couldn't help but want her.
Finally approaching my destination, my heart was beating faster and faster. And that's when I saw her. Beautiful and natural at the same time.
"Hi," I said with a detached air.
"Hi," she answered with a bright smile.
"Shall we go?"
"Totally, I'm starving," she said with a smile.
We headed to the buffet and filled our trays with food. They weren't great today. We had a choice of potatoes and beans with strings, accompanied by veal balls or breaded fish. Luckily there were chocolate donuts for dessert. I so wish I could have provided Eleanor with a better meal. After all, the better you eat, the better you are.
We sat down at a secluded table in the back of the room. We began to eat and after a while I decided to ask her some questions.
"Do you have brothers and sisters?"
"No, I'm an only daughter," she answered. "Do you?"
"Same."
And we continued to ask each other questions, each in turn, to get to know each other. She was remarkable and I loved the little smile she gave me with each of her answers. Even though she lived for dance, she also loved hanging out with her best friend who she had known since she was 10. She was a natural with me and I really liked that side of her personality.
Unfortunately, the end came much too quickly, which surprised me. I was not used to losing track of time. In fact, it had never happened to me. As a god of death, I had an internal clock in case I needed to retrieve a soul from somewhere in the world.
"Uh...," I coughed to compose myself, "I know you have to train and all, but would you mind eating lunch with me? Kind of like today?"
"Yes, why not!" she answered with that devastating smile that I loved so much.
My heart leapt in my chest when I heard her answer. Then, I saw her leave, to find Amy to go to class.
Chap. 4
Josh
From that day on, every morning I would surprise Eleanor at her locker by coming up behind her and putting my hands on her shoulders, which would startle her almost all the time. At first she would get a little upset, but now it made her laugh. In fact, that's the only reason I kept doing it. When Eleanor laughed, it brightened my day. Then, at lunchtime, after the classes we sometimes had together, we would meet in the cafeteria, sometimes with Amy telling me stories about her friend. And in the evenings, Eleanor would practice. She liked it when I helped her like when we first met and I must say that I liked it too. To feel her body against mine. To see her dance with a peaceful and relaxed face. After practice, when I came (I didn't attend all her practices either, she needed to do it alone too), we often went to the local coffee shop to relax. We had never been on a real date, come to think of it, but I was going to remedy that and soon.
I was able to balance my assignments and my time with Eleanor. Sometimes I would skip class for some of my assignments or cancel a training session with Eleanor, but she didn't seem to mind. I was lucky that they didn't happen at the same time as my little meetings with Eleanor, otherwise I would have been in trouble. That's why I didn't want to go on a real date, for fear that my luck would change and I would lose her. But I was going to pluck up some courage and ask her later today. After all, I was a god, I could handle anything.
Just as I was about to leave my house, my inner buzzer reminded me. Never mind, I was going to be late for school. I hopped on my motorcycle and drove to a somewhat antique house. I entered through the walls and headed for my victim. My heart sank as I saw the person in front of me and the scream that came from behind me.
"NO!" a young woman screamed as she held a baby in her arms.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was rocking back and forth with the baby trying to wake him up. But I knew she couldn't do it. She couldn't bring him back. Her baby was already dead. That's why I was there. Reluctantly, I reached down and touched the baby. His soul detached from his body and I led him up. He was going to find peace, I thought inwardly. My job was not easy, but it was necessary. And it was in those moments, when I saw the pain that death can bring, that I found it hardest to fulfill my task. I would have liked to soothe the young woman, but I knew that I could not do anything for her. So I left, and took the road in the direction of the school.
*
Eleanor
When I saw Josh walk into class, I was relieved. I had had a funny feeling when I didn't see him this morning, as if he had been in danger. But I must have been dreaming. Sometimes when I thought about him, I felt like I was in a dream. Because, let's face it, a guy like him, super hot, couldn't be real. And every day I was surprised to see him, in the flesh.
We had known each other for about a month now and I couldn't get enough of his presence. Since I met him, my relationships with my family and friends were better, I was less closed in and less worried about my dance contest. He had a way of calming me down. I was myself with him and I loved it.
Josh sat down next to me, took my hand and stroked my palm with his thumb.
"Is everything okay?" I asked him.
"Yes, more than okay, I had a little problem with my bike," he said.
His intense blue eyes lit up when they met mine. My heart warmed at the gesture.
"I have something to tell you," he whispered in my ear.
"Go ahead," I said, my curious side awakening.
"Be patient, I wish I was out of the classroom to tell you."
The bell rang at that moment. What a coincidence.
"What luck, then!" I exclaimed, laughing.
"Follow me," he said, taking my hand and leading me out of the room.
"But, what about my things?"
"We'll get them back later."
So I followed him through the halls of the school to a quiet corner.
"Hey, you're starting to scare me," I said, placing my hand on his cheek in a gentle gesture.
He put his hand on mine.
"I just wanted to ask you out on a real date. I wanted to do it right, here, quietly," he answered calmly.
"Oh, I... yes, I accept."
"I didn't even say when or where," he said, laughing.
"That's okay, I'll do it anyway."
"I had planned a restaurant and a walk in the park next door."
"Yes, you've got it all planned," I smiled.
"Is Thursday okay?"
"That's fine," I replied, placing a kiss on his other cheek.
It sent shivers down my body. What he had said had me in a tizzy, but I was trying to contain myself to look normal.
He released his breath, as if he had been holding it for a long time, as if he was afraid I would refuse. How could I refuse him that, or anything at all? It seemed unthinkable that he could doubt himself, and that made him so much more handsome.
Chap. 5
Eleanor
"I thought this one was pretty good," I said to Amy as I came out of my bathroom wearing a simple but elegant black dress.
"It's perfect," she said after recovering from her emotions. "He'll totally fall for it, I'm sure!"
"You think so?"
"Oh that yes! He has interest to kiss you if not I remake him the parts," she answered with this air of challenge in the glance.
"That will occur as that will occur," I retorted.
"With this dress, no chance! Well sit down, I know perfectly which hairstyle and which make-up to put you, let's do it!"
Once made up and styled, I thanked Amy for these conclusive efforts and set out for the restaurant. With Josh, we had agreed that we would meet there. It was more convenient for both of us, since he would have to make a huge detour to pick me up.
Being a bit early, I took my time on the way. I drove peacefully, respecting the speed limit, even going under it. Unfortunately, I arrived at the restaurant ten minutes early. And Josh hadn't arrived yet, which I totally understood. Too bad, I would have to wait. I sat down in the lobby of the restaurant on a comfortable couch. I grabbed my phone and went to YouTube to watch my videos to watch later.
*
Josh
As I was getting ready, putting on my best black tuxedo, I suddenly heard a noise somewhere in the distance. I was heading towards it, in other words, towards my kitchen. I was shocked by what I saw.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Ah, there you are at last!" a man's voice answered me. "I thought that while waiting for you, I would enjoy the food!"
"As you enjoy everything?"
"Oh come on, don't be so vulgar."
"Get out of my house!" I yelled.
"Don't talk to your father like that, show some respect!"
"I wouldn't give you the pleasure."
"Ah!" he began with a laugh that rang false in my ears. "So what are you celebrating?" he asked, pointing at my clothes.
"Nothing special."
"Yes, I see. So you're not going out with that girl?"
I was stunned. How could he know that?
"I'm watching you, you know," he said as if he had read my mind. "You are my only son after all."
"Yeah, a son you never took care of," I reminded him.
"Oh, you know I'm busy with my obligations, it never really bothered you, you know that as well as I do. Anyway, back to the subject. The reason I'm here is to forbid you to see this... mortal. There is no way my son is going to fall in love with this creature."
"She is not a creature, Father! And no, I would not obey you."
"I would have warned you. You will pay the consequences."
"You think I am afraid of you!"
"Yes, I think so! I have much more power than you!" he replied. "I can even cause your own death, dear son, don't forget who I am!"
A thunderous roar and my father disappeared in a swirl of dust. I sighed at last. Until I remembered I was late. Thanks dad! I hurriedly grabbed my things and ran to my bike. Even so, I was 30 minutes late. Unforgivable!
I walked into the restaurant to find Eleanor sitting on a couch. When she looked up, I saw a little disappointment in her eyes, but also relief.
"I'm sorry," I said as I approached her. "My father came by unexpectedly and I had a hard time getting rid of him."
I must have been really convincing because a few seconds later she took me by the hand and led me to the table I had reserved.
"I only forgive you because I'm hungry," she said humorously.
That's when I saw what she was wearing. It was simply splendid. And to think that I hadn't even seen it at first. What a mistake! I realized that I had been staring at her for quite a while when she started to lower her head towards her shoes, surely intimidated by my gaze.
"No, don't lower your gaze. You shouldn't, you're beautiful," I said with all the sincerity I possessed.
"Thank you," she said, blushing. "You don't look bad either."
"What? I'm offended," I laughed as I stormed off. "I really made an effort to dress up."
"It must have taken you 10 minutes in total," she retorted.
"Maybe, but it's the effort that counts."
And we continued to talk, only interrupted by the waitress who brought us the dishes, once the order was placed.
For dessert, we shared a chocolate moelleux, her favorite dessert. It was my favorite part of the evening, at least for now.
After the restaurant, we went to a small park, which was a five-minute walk away. And I have to say that it was charming. It was overflowing with flowers of all colors, illuminated both by the night and by the skylights. We walked along a stream until we landed near a small bridge.
"It's beautiful," said Eleanor.
"Yes," I could only agree.
We stopped in the middle of the bridge, where we could see the moon reflected on the water below. After a while, a cool breeze came up and I saw Eleanor shiver. Despite the cliché image I had of her, I took off my jacket and put it on her shoulders.
"No," she said. "You'll be cold too."
"Don't worry about it! Besides, I am more resistant than you."
She elbowed me in the stomach as she accepted my jacket. I brushed against her shoulders as I put it down and a shiver went through me. A shiver that turned into an irresistible urge to kiss her. Despite my father's prohibition and warning, I turned to her and placed my lips on hers. They were so soft and inviting. She returned my kiss and I deepened it, mingling my tongue with hers. My temperature went up a notch as my hands roamed over her body. She grabbed my hair, pulling on it, which made me grunt with pleasure. After a while, panting, we ended the kiss. I watched her avidly, not believing what had just happened. I still felt the presence of her lips on mine. She blushed at my look and looked away.
"Hey, I...," I stammered, which I didn't do often, and lifted her chin. "That was wonderful. You don't know how long I've been waiting for that."
There was silence for a short while.
"How long?" she said, in a small voice, so that I thought she hadn't said the words.
"What?"
"How long have you been waiting for this?"
"Since I saw you, with this little boy," I confessed, blushing in my turn.
Then she kissed me, even more passionately than before and I was not tired of it. I could never get enough of it. I had the impression that we kissed all night long, under the moonlight, as if our kiss was eternal.
Chap. 6
Eleanor
The next day, I arrived at school with a smile on my face and walked over to Josh who was standing by his locker.
"Hey!"
"Hey!" he said, giving me a kiss. "You know I really like this greeting, we should do it every morning."
"Absolutely," I laughed.
And so we did, every morning, for a long time. I couldn't believe my luck. But it was wonderful. I juggled Josh, Amy and my dance in my spare time and managed to do it quite easily. Josh and I tried to do all the wacky couple things: go to the movies to make out and share popcorn; buy flowers when Josh picked me up for our outings; go to carnivals where he won a small teddy bear and gave it to me. And we didn't like it so much that we never did it again. It was not our thing. Too romantic for our taste. We preferred simple things like lounging in front of the TV while eating our dinner, walking around the city, or playing sports together whether it was dancing or tennis which Josh loved.
With Amy, who liked to know everything about Josh, we would do a lot of shopping, or she would help me with the music for my choreography. Amy had a knack for mixing music and because she liked to do me favors, she made my piece. And my favorite thing about her was that she wasn't jealous of the time I spent with Josh, in fact she pushed me to spend more time with him. But, she didn't fool me. I knew exactly why she was doing that. And my instincts told me she was spending a lot of time with a boy, whose identity I didn't know, yet.
For my dancing, I practiced every night or so after school, but I still had time to improve. My competition wasn't until the end of the year, in May, so I still had four months to prepare. But I wasn't worried, well not too much. I worked hard and I knew that my hard work would pay off one day.
*
Josh
Today I was glowing. It was Eleanor's birthday. She was 18, an age that means a lot to humans, an age when they become adults. And that's why I had planned a perfect day for Eleanor.
I walked over to her, her back facing me, and wrapped my arms around her. I kissed her cheek as she pressed herself against me.
"Happy birthday, Eleanor," I whispered in her ear.
She turned and kissed me passionately. Then I handed her her first present. She thanked me with her splendid smile that I loved and opened it by tearing the wrapping. When she saw what was inside, her eyes widened.
"It's... it's," she stammered, so moved, "my favorite book signed by the author. But how did you do it?"
"Ah, I do not reveal my secrets."
"Than...," she said, kissing me again, with tears in her eyes.
"And, it's not over, you're mine for lunch," I said, trying her tears of happiness.
"Don't worry, I didn't have any plans anyway," she replied as she went to class because the bell had rung a few moments earlier.
I laughed at her remark as I went my own way.
Chap. 7
Eleanor
That afternoon, Josh planned a surprise for me. He took me to the park from our first date, which warmed my heart, and we sat by the little bridge. Then he brought out all the dishes and foods, for a spectacular picnic. And I had to say it was. All the dishes prepared by Josh, who was a pretty good cook I must admit, were delicious. Then, at the end of the meal, he took something else out of his bag, a black box closed with a red ribbon, which he handed me.
"Happy birthday," he smiled at me.
"Again? You've already given me a present this morning," I said, both surprised and grateful, taking this one.
"I like to spoil you and see that smile on your face," he replied.
When he said things like that, my heart melted in my chest. I leaned in to kiss him, something I never got tired of doing.
"I love you," I whispered.
His smile widened and he kissed me with renewed vigor.
"I love you, Len," he whispered back.
Then everything went wrong. As we kissed, we were interrupted by a huge commotion, like a storm breaking out in a blue sky. We turned our heads to see a mist approaching us. Then, gradually, the mist disappeared, leaving a man dressed all in black behind. Josh reacted immediately.
"Eleanor, get back," he said with a hint of fear in his voice.
I did as he said, not understanding what was going on.
"You... you know him?" I asked.
"Yes, unfortunately he's my father," he replied coldly.
"Get your manners back, my son, that's not the way to introduce your father to his sweetheart," said the man.
"Father, go away!" shouted Josh to this one, who began at once to laugh.
"Now you're giving me orders. It's the world upside down. You should know that if I'm here, it's to keep my word."
"What? What word?" I said.
"Ah, my dear Eleanor, you should never have fallen in love with my son. He will only bring you misfortune and torment. After all, it's in our nature."
"Your son is not like that," I said.
"Believe what you want, you're blinded by love," he spat. "But it won't last, you'll come with me to my kingdom, away from my son."
"That's out of the question," Josh shouted, repositioning himself in front of me to protect me.
"Oh but you have no choice, it will be either of your sweetheart's free will or by force."
"You're not taking her away," Josh scolded, red with anger.
Then Josh transformed himself. He grew wings and his clothes changed into black armor. I held back a scream, but I hiccupped with fear. His father sprouted wings of his own and a battle began between them. A battle that I saw through tears of helplessness at what was happening in front of me. I couldn't see Josh anymore. He had left with his father, taking him away from the park to fight him. I could hear the sounds in the distance. After a long time he came back, his arms flayed and his face bloody.
"What happened?" I asked, running to him.
"I managed to send my father back to his kingdom, at the price of a few scrapes," he said.
"You have some explaining to do. You... you have wings?"
"Uh... yeah. Actually, I... I am a god of death."
"A... a god of death?" I repeated, amazed. "Like Thanatos?"
"Yes, but I'm not him."
"Wait, does he exist?" I asked.
"No. In fact, he was invented after me," he answered proudly.
"Oh, stop flattering yourself. And your father, who is he then?"
"The god of the underworld."
"Hence the kingdom, I see," I said. "It must not be easy to live with him, he's obnoxious."
"And yet, it was one of those good days."
"I prefer not to imagine what he does on those bad days."
"I'd rather not, yes," he said with a chuckle.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Thank you for what?"
"For protecting me. And for telling me the truth about you. After all, I should have known, you're built like a god. But you'll have to give me some time to get used to it. After all, it's not every day you learn that your boyfriend is a mythical being."
"Yes, I understand. But know that my father will be back," he warned me. "He's not the type to give up. We'll have to be extra careful."
"Okay. So what do we do now?"
"First, you're going to open your present. And second of all, you're gonna have to stay with me at all times. I don't want him to attack you when I'm not there to protect you."
"But you can't be with me 24 hours a day. For sleep, for example, and then when I'm with Amy," I said.
"I'm sorry, but we'll have to, at least for a while. I don't want to lose you," he admitted.
I kissed him, to tell him how much I loved him and that I didn't want to lose him either.
"It's okay," I said, worried about what was going to happen. "I'm scared, Josh, scared of what your dad can do to us, to you."
"Hey, hey, it's okay to be scared. You'd be weird if you weren't. But don't worry, I'll do everything I can to protect us."
"It's all my fault, right?"
"What? No. No, it's not. My father would have found another way to make me unhappy, but this time I wouldn't let him."
At these words, I snuggled up to him. His life must have been horrible, but he didn't need my pity because he wasn't weak. He was the bravest man I knew.
"Shall we go home?" he said.
"Let's go to your place, maybe it's safer," I suggested, and he nodded.
Chap. 8
Josh
Eleanor spent a lot of time at my house, both because I explained my life as a god of death and because I had my apartment protected. She was slowly coming to terms with my god-like nature, even though there was a lot she didn't understand because my life was complicated to assimilate. But she understood me better than anyone else and I was glad of the chance I had, to have her for myself when she knew the truth.
Given the situation, Eleanor tried to sleep in my apartment as much as possible, even though her parents didn't always agree. Sometimes we slept at her father's place, sometimes I was invited, and other times I went through the window and made myself invisible during his surprise visits. Something that freaked Eleanor out the first time I did it. Now she was kind of used to it. We didn't go to her mother's house, because she had remarried, and Eleanor didn't want to disturb them. So I had never met her. But I didn't care. I would check in with her sometimes.
"How is your mother and her family?" I asked her.
"She's fine, I'm going to visit her in a week for her wedding anniversary."
"You know I'll have to go with you," I reminded her.
"I know, I already told her you were coming. And you, your mother, you never talk to me about it."
"There's nothing to tell."
"Is she a goddess?"
"Was," I said weakly.
"Was? Oh, she died. How did she die? I thought gods couldn't die."
"Normally they can't. They can die by killing each other if they are strong enough to do so. My mother was the goddess of peace. It didn't suit all the gods that she was there. So one day, when the gods had a violent argument, which happens about every five minutes, they were so angry that they killed her. She was so surprised that she did not defend herself. That was the day my father lost his mind. I was just a child at the time."
"At that time? But how old are you?"
"Uh... it's better you don't know the answer," I answered, little bit pained.
"Why not?"
"I'm pretty old, but my body is 18."
"Yeah, it's complicated," she said.
"I am complicated, I am a god. But I don't change my mind all the time like the other gods, I live a lot with humans to avoid this behavior. It is what all the gods reproach me besides. They think that I become weak when I am around you."
"And what do you think?" she asked, fear showing in her voice.
"That humans teach us a lot of interesting things," I answered honestly. "And if I'm around you, it's because I like you."
"I hope so," she laughed.
*
Eleanor
A week later, I was heading to my mother's house, alone, because Josh had obligations as a death god. He had vaguely explained to me what that involved, but there were things I didn't want to know, so he didn't go into detail. A little mystery never hurt anyone, right?
Josh had warned me that it wouldn't last long, half an hour at the most. He almost begged me to come with him, not wanting to lose sight of me. I could see that he was afraid something would happen to me, knowing that I was helpless in front of his father. But both he and I knew that there was no way I could go with him. So he reluctantly left me behind.
I finally arrived and was greeted by my mother, a beautiful blond woman who remained as natural as possible.
"Len, how happy I am to see you," she said.
"Me too, Mom," I said, kissing her on the cheek.
"Where's Josh?" she asked, smiling. "I wanted to see him so badly, from your description he sounds fabulous, but I want to see for myself."
"Mom," I cried. "He's coming, he had something to do. And when he arrives, you'll leave him alone, no questioning, please."
"Oh, it's okay. I'm a mother after all," she justified herself. "But anyway, let's go inside."
She directed me to the kitchen, where I found Eric, her husband, cooking for the lunch party.
"Nice to see you again, Eleanor," he said from a distance, tending to his stove. "Are you coming to help us?"
"Yes, I can't let you prepare everything," I replied.
"Well, we'll leave you here while we set the table outside," my mother said to Eric before kissing him.
So I went to get the famous table that was in the basement and brought it to the garden. My mother and I set it up and added the plates and dishes to decorate it.
"Eleanor, you can go and get some candles that are in the kitchen."
She was interrupted by a coughing fit.
"Mom, are you okay?" I asked, worried.
"Yes, I am fine."
She started coughing again, harder and harder. I could see that she had lied to me. She was definitely not well.
"I'll get you some medicine," I said.
But before I could leave for the house, she suddenly started coughing up blood. Then a few seconds later, she was lying on the floor.
"Mom!" I shouted as I ran to her.
I shook her but she didn't move. Blood was running down her jaw, making me worried about her condition. I grabbed my phone and dialed the emergency number. But something stopped me.
"Eleanor," said a surprised voice that I knew very well.
"Josh, what are you doing here with your wings? Hide them. And... and help me. My... mom's sick, I don't know what's wrong with her."
"Len, is your mother's name Annabelle Adams?" he asked me, suddenly serious.
"Yes, how do you know?" I said, surprised.
"That's the lady I'm here to pick up," he admitted sadly.
"What? No, you... No, you... you can't, it's my mother," I said, crying.
"I'm sorry, Eleanor, but that's the way it is."
"No, I can't lose her, not now. What happens if you don't take her with you?"
"I... I don't know, I've always done what I was told."
"Please don't take her," I begged him, tears welling up in my eyes.
"Hey, hey, I'm not going to take her," he said, taking me in his arms.
"What do we do then?" I asked in a small voice.
"Let me see what she has, okay?"
I nodded and he moved his hand to my mother's body. A light illuminated my mother and enveloped her like a cocoon.
"Bad news," he said after a moment.
"What?" I said in panic.
"It's my father's doing. He poisoned your mother's heart with the darkness of hell."
"What is this stuff?"
"Something you don't want to test. We're going to have to visit him if we want to save your mother."
"You mean to hell?" I said, my tears having dried up.
"Yes, unfortunately."
"And do I have the right to go to hell? I'm not going to, I don't know, break down or anything?"
"You're not going," Josh said firmly.
"No way, this is my mom we're talking about. Don't fight my battles for me."
"No, he's going to kill you Len, and I'm afraid I can't stop him," he said, looking at me with his bright eyes.
I walked over to him and took his hand to reassure him.
"Hey, we just need to stay together," I said.
"That won't be enough," he said.
"I know, but you don't have a choice," I said firmly.
Chap. 9
Josh
Being in God, I could easily get us into hell, in both senses of the word. Eleanor didn't know what was in store for her, but I did. That's why I didn't want her to come. But being stubborn as a mule, she wanted to follow me in the most dangerous adventure of her life. I still managed to get her to promise to stay close to me, and most of the time, behind me. This world was full of traps and darkness, and I didn't want to fall into them inadvertently.
We continued to walk through this realm of heat and pain that we felt with every step. Our strength and energy were getting weaker as we moved towards the palace in the distance. This one was made of onyx and shone with power. It brought back too many memories, most of them painful. But I forced myself to continue.
After a while, we finally reached the door, which was guarded by Owen, our underworld dog. He let us through when he recognized my scent. I used to play with him every time I came here. He was disappointed that I was missing my obligations but did not follow us. He must have sensed the importance of my visit.
I led Eleanor, who was shaken by her encounter with Owen, she must not have been used to seeing such a big dog, to the throne room. Where, of course, my father was waiting for us, sitting peacefully on it.
"Len, stay behind me," I said, my eyes fixed on my father.
"Are you afraid of me, boy?" he asked with a sly smile.
"Fix what you did," I said, ignoring his question.
"And why would I do such a thing?"
"Because I asked you to," I answered serenely.
"I don't think so," my father finally said. "I warned you not to date that human. She makes us weak and..."
"No," I interrupted him, out of my mind. "Eleanor has never made me weak, on the contrary, with her I feel stronger, as if..."
"You're blinded by love, that's all."
"And you're blinded by your grief. But it's been more than five millennia since Mom died, please let her go," I said honestly.
"I know it must have hurt you a lot to lose your wife, the pain you felt I can't even imagine, but if my mother dies, her husband will feel the same pain as you. Do you really want to inflict it on someone else?" asked Eleanor in her sweet voice.
"I..."
"And then think about your son, what he felt. She was his mother. He cared about her as much as you do. He feels the same pain you do," she continued, stepping forward.
I let her do it, only because she had that determined look on her face. I was still on guard in case my father decided he didn't want to see us anymore.
"Losing a mother is just horrible. Do you really want me to go through that?"
"N... no," my father said in a voice broken by the loss of a loved one.
My father was reliving my mother's death. I could see it in his eyes. So I went over and hugged him, which surprised my father. I didn't usually show my affection for him. We never did.
"Hey, I'm here," I whispered.
Then he did something completely unexpected. He cried. Hot tears wetted my shirt as my father finally let go of his pain. I knew he had resolved to let go of my mother, so we could finally find peace, for both of us.
"Thank you," he said to Eleanor, once her tears had dried up. "I will give you back your mother. But one day, she will die and there is nothing I can do about it."
"Thank you, I would still have spent more time with her and I will cherish these moments," she replied.
"Thank you, Father," I said.
"You were right, son," he said in return. "Keep the human close, she's full of surprises."
"Oh yes," I murmured to myself.
I saw my father smile and knew he had heard me. Then I took Eleanor's hand and we continued our journey through the underworld to the exit.
I was quite surprised by the turn of events. I had imagined that I would fight with my father to get to the end. But none of that had happened. It had gone better than I had expected. And I was glad.
*
Eleanor
When I arrived at my mother's house with Josh, I saw her and Eric in the kitchen working, as if nothing had happened. Maybe she had forgotten? I hoped so for her sake.
"Mom, how are you?" I said as I went to give her a hug.
"Everything's fine, honey. But where have you been?" she asked. "You were here with me and the next thing I knew you were nowhere to be found. I called you, I was worried."
" I... I," I said, caught off guard.
"Eleanor came looking for me," Josh said. "Her phone was out of battery, I think."
"Yes, I'm sorry for leaving so quickly, Mom, and for scaring you," I added.
"Don't worry, you're here now. The guests have arrived. You were the last one."
Then she led us to the table where we greeted the guests. We had a great time, enjoying the delicious food Eric had prepared for us. And as promised, I cherish this time with my family and Josh.
Chap. 10
Eleanor
The end of the year had finally arrived. I had taken my dance exam and was waiting for the results, impatient and a little stressed. But I already had a victory to celebrate: I had graduated from high school. No more high school, soon college. But first, there was the party and the vacation. A vacation that I was going to spend with Josh, around the world. He had suggested it to me so I could better understand his world and the connection he had with mine. And I was looking forward to it!
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" asked Josh, who was standing next to me.
"Our vacation and the dance contest results," I replied.
"Don't worry, they'll take you, they have to. And anyway, I will follow you wherever you go."
I kissed him to show him my love. He returned my kiss with passion. We were interrupted by Amy who was accompanied by her boyfriend, Louis, who was her brother's best friend. I understood then why she couldn't tell me. She had to ask her brother's permission, and that couldn't have been easy.
"Amy, how are you?"
"Wonderful," she said.
"I'm glad to hear that. So with Louis, it's serious?"
"Yes," she said, blushing. "I... I think I love him," she whispered.
A big smile came over my face. Amy smiled back, then went to see Louis, who had gone to get her a drink.
"I wasn't expecting that," Josh said. "I just thought she was giving us some time together."
"That's because you don't know her like I do," I said.
"That's for sure," he laughed.
Then music started playing. The people around us started dancing, or rather swaying.
"Come on," Josh said, holding out his hand.
I accepted and hand in hand, we danced in turn. I put my head against his shoulder and not listening to the music but to his heartbeat, I let myself be rocked by Josh.
*
Josh
That night, I was sitting with Eleanor on her couch watching an action movie. She was standing next to me and I could feel her sweet scent invading my nostrils. And truth be told, I was more focused on her than on the movie. That is, until her father came into the living room.
"Len," he said. "An envelope for you."
Eleanor reacted immediately and walked over to her father. She snatched the envelope and opened it eagerly. I saw her eyes move as fast as they could and her face took on a whole new expression.
"I'm... I'm in!" she said hysterically, jumping into my arms. "Josh, I don't believe it. I've been accepted!"
"I knew it," I replied, planting a kiss on her lips.
"I love you Josh," she said.
"I love you, Len."
And I realized that this was the first time I had ever experienced this. It was the first time I fell in love and it felt like it would last forever.
End
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