Part 21 (1/2)
Finally, the middle judge spoke. ”Hades is the ruler here. We are meant to pa.s.s judgment. That is all. If Hades desires to have a soul moved, he has that right. While we stand by our decision, we will not speak against our lord.” He motioned to Melodie. ”Now, please escort this soul to her afterlife.”
”You don't even care that Melodie wasn't supposed to die? That Hades killed her?”
”We do not determine who dies or when they die. We only judge the life they lived and decide what afterlife would be most suitable.”
This wasn't working. If I wanted Hades to bring Melodie back, I was going to have to talk to him directly and be prepared to offer something big in exchange.
I took Melodie by the arm and led her through the palace doors.
”Jodi, what's happening? Where are you taking me? What are the Fields of whatever they called it?” Her voice was riddled with panic.
”Don't worry. I'm going to get you out of here. You weren't supposed to die. Hades was looking for me, but he found you first. He's using you to get to me. I'll talk to him, make him fix this.” I wasn't sure I could, but what else was I supposed to say to her?
”Is the place I'm going bad? Did I do something wrong to end up here?”
I stopped walking and hugged her tightly. ”You didn't do anything wrong. You're a good person. I'm going to make this right.” I still wasn't sure how, but I wasn't going to stop until she was out of this place. Maybe Amber's time really had come, but Melodie's hadn't. I'd find a way to fix this.
Her tears wet my shoulder, but I let her cry. She had every right to be upset, and I wasn't going to rush her off to the Fields of Asphodel where she'd forget who she was. When she finally pulled away and wiped her eyes, she gave me a questioning look.
”Why did you steal my car that day at the park? You were acting so strange. Not at all like yourself.”
”I know. A lot's happened. I've changed. I'm not the same person anymore. I didn't mean to steal your car, but you wouldn't keep away from me, and I didn't want to hurt you.”
”You don't think stealing my car and abandoning me in the park without a cell phone hurt me?”
”I know it did, and I'm so sorry. But believe me, Mel, I saved your life that day. I can't explain how, so I need you to just take my word for it. I love you. You're my best friend, and I did what I needed to do to protect you.” I look down at my shoes. ”I'd do it again if I had to.”
”Was I supposed to die sooner or something? Did you take my car so I couldn't get into a car accident? Are you psychic?” She wasn't going to stop questioning me.
”Remember I said I found my dad?”
She nodded.
”Well, I found out he's not quite...” I took a deep breath, and on the exhale, I blurted out, ”...human.”
Her head jerked back like someone punched her in the jaw. ”Is this a joke?”
”Look where we are. Do you really think I'd joke at a time like this?”
She sighed. ”Okay, explain.”
”My dad is something called an Ophi. It's a type of necromancer descended from Medusa and born under the thirteenth sign of the zodiac.”
Her eyes widened. ”Do you mean what Mr. Quimby was teaching us about?”
”Yes! Tony-I mean, Mr. Quimby is an Ophi, too. And so am I.”
”Whoa.” She raised her hands between us. ”You're telling me you're a necromancer?”
I nodded. ”Remember Mr. Quimby taught us about the blood on the left side of Medusa's body being poisonous? Well, my blood is poisonous to humans. That's why I left you in the park. I was afraid I'd hurt you.” My body shook as I breathed. I had to tell Melodie the truth about Matt. I had to tell her I killed the guy she was in love with when he kissed me.
”This is crazy, you know that.” She said it as a statement, not a question.
”There's more. When I found out what I am, I was planning to break up with Matt. I didn't want to risk hurting him. Only when we went outside-”
”The day he died?” Her face contorted, twisting in an expression of sheer horror. ”You? You killed Matt?”
”Mel, I'm so sorry. He kissed me, and before I could stop him...it was too late. I tried to use the part of my powers that can raise the dead, but I didn't know what I was doing. Please, believe me. I never meant to hurt him.” I reached for her, but she backed away.
”Don't touch me.” She looked at my hands like they were radioactive waste.
”I can't hurt you here.”
”Apparently, you can.” She was right. I'd broken her heart...again. First, I'd stolen the guy she was in love with, and then I'd killed him.
”Mel-”
”Is he here? Will I see him?”
”No.” The word was barely a whisper. ”I raised his soul. He deserved another chance at life.”
”How? If you couldn't do it before, how did you do it now?”
”I'm more powerful now. I can do a lot of things. I even raised half of my own soul. The human half.”
Her eyes widened. ”You're with him now, aren't you? The human you, I mean. My G.o.d! You killed him, and he still wants to be with you! Unbelievable!”
”It's not like that. I'm with Alex.” Only I'd been making out with Matt when my consciousness was pulled back into my Ophi soul.
”Alex? Is he that guy you ran off with?”
”Yes. He's here. We're being punished by Hades.”
”Good.” That word, and her look of pure hatred, barreled into me.
”Mel.”
”I'm sorry, Jodi, but look what you've done. You killed Matt. You killed me.”
”I didn't kill you. Hades did.”
”To get back at you. That's what you told those freaky hooded guys. Same difference.” She crossed her arms. ”I can't believe I was ever friends with you.”
Hades knew this would happen. He knew Melodie would hate me for everything I'd done. For what I'd become. Deep down, she must have always resented me, even when we were friends. She'd wanted Matt, but he turned her down because he was into me. Even though it wasn't my fault, she held it against me, and I couldn't really blame her. I hadn't even noticed she had feelings for Matt until I was about to break up with him. What kind of friend was I?
”I don't know what to say to make you understand. I didn't ask for any of this to happen. I was happy with you and Matt and my mom. Things were just about perfect. This got sprung on me.”