"Olympus" by Dante Ross

I ran. 

With all the strength I could gather I ran. There was shouting and screaming everywhere. I even heard a few prayers. It was a little too late for that. God couldn’t save us. I used to think that God could only save you if you tried to save yourself first. We failed. We never tried to save ourselves. We just folded. No one could help us. My wife, my kids, my brothers and sisters are gone. I was all that was left. And I could think just one thing.

Run.

It started late last night. We were all asleep in bed just before midnight. I always went to sleep early on New Year’s Eve. Gunfire never excited me. Living in L.A it was just something you had to deal with so I tried. I could already hear a few gunshots in the distance. I pulled the pillow over my head to muffle the sound. My wife groaned as my two daughters tossed between the two of us. Suddenly there were more gunshots. It must be midnight. I pulled the pillow tighter against my head. The gunshots got louder. I have never heard so many. It sounded like a war outside. Then there was an explosion. Me and my wife sat up in bed and looked at each other.

“What was that?“ she asked.

“Some idiot probably blew out a transformer shooting at it“ I said. I was trying to convince myself more than her. Then the screaming started.

“I’m scared“ one of my daughters said. They were twins. Donna and Danielle. I gave them a kiss on the cheek each and climbed from bed.

“What’re you doing, Tony?“ my wife asked.

“I’m gonna see what’s going on“ I tell her. “I’ll be right back.“

“Just get back into bed, baby“ she said. “Let the police handle this.“ That comment cut me. She knew it did. I know she didn’t mean it that way. I worked as a security guard at a bank. I had been trying to join the L.A.P.D for the past five years and have been rejected every time. “Sorry.“ More gunfire from outside. “Just get back into bed.“

“I can’t do that“ I tell her. I walk over to the closet and get my .45 from a shoe box I kept out of reach of my daughters on the top shelf. I looked over my shoulder to make sure they don’t see the gun. They have their faces buried in the pillows. Good.

“Baby…“ my wife says to me. “Be careful.“

“I will“ I tell her. It’s the last thing I ever said to her. You always imagine that the last words you'll ever say to someone you love will be something romantic or powerful. “I will“ is neither. I put on a pair of jeans and a sweater. They say that there is no cold weather in L.A. Well, I’ve lived here my entire life. 55 is cold to me. I slip on a pair of sneakers and head outside. I see all of my neighbors in front of their apartments. This entire street is packed. A few blocks away there is a huge fire. From the looks of it I’d say it was near the church. “Has anyone called the fire department?“ I ask.

“Line’s are dead“ the guy that lives below my place named Tim says. “Even my cell phone won’t work. This is bullshit.“

I grab my cell out of my sweaters front pocket and switch it on and sure enough there is no signal. Just as I put it back in my pocket another explosion tears apart the sky. This one was even closer. Then another. At the end of the block the building seems to rise from the ground before exploding. Everyone runs. I turn to head back into my apartment to save my family but am blown away when the front entrance seems to swell before knocking me back. I clear my head just in time to see my building burst into flames. I can hear my wife and daughters screaming inside. I rush to the flames when someone tackles me to the ground. It’s Tim’s son Jonathon. He plays football at Dorsey High. He’s a big kid and I’d be lying if I said he didn’t hurt me.

“Is you crazy, dawg?“ he asks me. “You betta start movin’!“

“My family’s in there!“ I shout at him.

“Ain’t nobody in there now!“ he says. The entire building was burning and on the verge of collapse. I could hear the frame buckling like an animal in its death throes. My eyes water but not just from the smoke. My family is dead. Jonathon grabs me by the arm and pulls me across the street. The apartments are starting to explode on the entire street. He practically has to drag me to his fathers’ truck. Tim is a contractor and has a large black Ford. I climb in on legs made of jelly. I can’t stop looking at my home. It crumbles to the ground and flames shoot into the sky.

“Don’t look“ Tim says as he looks at me through the rear-view mirror. Jonathon has already climbed into the front passenger seat. We have to dodge and weave through traffic. We almost crash head on into a police cruiser. Tim stops the car. I jump out and run to the driver’s side. An officer is behind the wheel. His mouth hangs wide open and his eyes are peeled back. I have never seen eyes so wide in my life. He looks like he died mid-scream.

“Are you okay?“ I ask him already knowing the answer. No response. I slowly open his door and touch his shoulder. His body slumps forward hard enough to slam against the horn setting it off. On the seat next to him is his service revolver. On his headrest is what is left the back of his head. I jump back and run back to Tim’s truck. “Drive.“

“What did you see…?“

“Just drive!!!“ I shout. I was on the verge of losing my mind. We left the cruiser in the distance but the image of that cops blood stayed in my view. I couldn’t shake it. I felt the world closing in as if I were looking at it through a pinhole camera. Then there was darkness. 

I was having a horrible dream. In it I was at the Pearly Gates. My family stood on the other side but they didn’t look like my family. They were completely burned. Even through their scarred flesh I could see the look of disappointment in their eyes.

“I wanted to save you!“

My wife just bowed her head. My daughters began to laugh at me. A deep, unnatural laugh. When my wife lifted her head she was smiling. Blood began to flow from her lips, eyes, and nostrils. I awoke screaming. The truck was stopped in the middle of the 10 freeway. Tim and his son stood in front of it. I slowly climbed out nursing a pain that ran from the base of my spine to my neck. The dream I just had jumped before me like a runaway truck and my knees almost buckled. Everyone was out of their cars and looking toward downtown. It was on fire.

“Now what?“ Jonathon asked his father. “Shit’s got hot.“

“Damn it“ Tim said. I walked over and Tim pats me on the shoulder. “You cool?“

“No“ I told him.

“Good“ he said. “If you’d said you was fine I woulda said yo ass was crazy. You see this shit?“

“Yeah. What you think is going on? Terrorists?“ I had a feeling it wasn’t a terrorist act but I couldn’t think of anything else.

“I think its some aliens an’ shit“ Jonathon said out loud. His father sighed heavily at the mention of aliens. Ever since he saw “Predator“ he had grown a fear of anything from space.

“It’s not aliens“ Tim said trying to convince himself.

“Then what then?“ Jonathon asked.

“I don’t fucking know!“ Tim shouted. “Shit.“ He walked over to his truck and climbed onto the hood. He squinted as he looked downtown. “We’re not gon’ be movin’ anytime soon.“

“Well, we sure as shit can’t just sit around waitin’ to get blowed up“ Jonathon said.

“Church?“ I suggested. The look on each of their faces answered my question. Okay then. I’m out of ideas. Then downtown exploded. We almost jumped out of our skin. Everyone started screaming but I couldn’t see why. Then a wave of flames started to rush towards us. The sound is worse than the visual. This is what Hell must look, feel, and sound like. We start running when Tim turns right. He jumps over the side and his son follows. I look down and see them running down a small hill. I jump after them and catch my foot on the railing. I tumble down after them slamming my shoulder hard on the ground. Tim pulls me up and we keep running. Jonathon keeps looking back to make sure we’re still with him. Behind us we can still hear the screams from the freeway. All of those poor people. It’s funny that I should think that. Maybe being dead is better than this living Hell I’m experiencing. God, help us.

“In here!“ Tim shouts. We run into a warehouse that reeks of gasoline and burned rubber. “We should be safe…for a minute.“

“Where are we?“ I asked.

“One of my friends place“ Tim says.

“This place look like shit“ Jonathon says.

“This place is keeping you alive, negro“ Tim replied. Jonathon pouted and sat on a stack of tires near a large metal door.

“What the hell is going on out there?“ I asked aloud. “Where are the police?“ Tim shrugged and walked over to a television.

“Bet that shit don’t work“ Jonathon said.

“Then it won’t be the only thing in this room that doesn’t“ Tim said. Jonathon scoffed. Tim turned on the television. The familiar whine of it felt good to me. Tim adjusted the antennae and the screen filled with snow.

“Told you“ Jonathon said.

“Say somethin’ else“ Tim said. “I dare you.“ He flipped the dial until a channel came in clearly. It was in Spanish but the picture said more than any reporter could. “What the fuck…?“

“Are those…are those what I think they are?“ I asked. It felt like I was being sucked into a bad dream. I leaned against a workbench and wiped my brow. “That can’t be real.“

“Uh-uh“ Jonathon said. “Oh, hell no!“

“No wonder that cop shot himself“ I say to myself.

“I shoulda gone to church“ Tim says. No sooner had he said that thunder exploded through the sky. We all jumped. It sounded like it was coming from right outside the door. Then the television went dark.

“Power outage“ I say. “No big deal.“

Then lightning struck the building. We all ran for the door. It exploded inwards sending us crashing to the floor. I landed on a wrench. I picked it up and held it towards the door. Someone stood at the doorway. We could only see a silhouette against the constant flashes of light that flashed from the sky. Not a drop of rain fell.

“Is that…?“ Jonathon asked. Before he could finish an unholy wail filled the sky. The figure at the door sighed in frustration before taking flight.

“Oh, my, God“ I said as I dropped the wrench and fell to my knees. “That couldn’t have been real.“

“Man, if you saw the same damned thing I did then it was real“ Tim said. “Did you see...?“

“Fo ’sho“ Jonathon said. His eyes were wide with fear. “We fucked, right?“

“Yeah“ Tim said. He ran his fingers over his shaved head and sighed. “Why? Huh? Seriously, why? Why now?“

“I don’t know“ I said. “I’m still letting this all sink in.“

“Naw, man“ Jonathon said to me. “You still in shock an’ shit from yo family bein’ killed an’ shit. Ain’t nothin’ gon’ sink in fo’ you fo’ a minute.“ Tim walked over and smacked his son across the face. Hard. Jonathon jumped in his face. They were less than an inch apart. Even though Tim was 17 years older than his son he was four inches shorter.

“What you gonna do, son?“ Tim asked. “Hit me?“ Jonathon just stared at his father.

“Next time“ he said as he sat back down on the tires.

“This isn’t the time for that at all“ I say. “We’re dealing with something no army in the world can fight. All we can do sit and pray.“

“You mean sit an’ die, right?“ Jonathon said.

“Something like that“ I said as I walked towards the doorway. I hold the wrench I had dropped in my hands with a grip so tight it hurts.

“Be careful, Tony“ Tim says. I nod and step outdoors. The streets are empty. The sky on the other hand…

The sky was full. I couldn’t quite see what was in the air though. It seemed like just when I started to see something my eyes would lose focus. Tim and Jonathon approached the door when they saw I hadn’t been struck by lightning. I looked down and saw two huge footprints on the ground. That “guy“ had actually cracked the pavement with his weight.

“What is that sound?“ Tim asked.

A horrible sound was coming from…God knows where. I couldn’t quite make it out. Like whatever was in the sky, just as soon as I picked up one sound it would change. Crying baby, cat wailing, woman moaning, animal growling, men shouting. Totally natural sounds but when it was coming from an unknown source it felt creepy. Good Lord. I could feel my sanity slowly slipping away. If that figure that left these footprints were real then everything I thought I knew about life, God, and reality were false.

“God grant me the strength“ I muttered aloud as I began to walk down the street with Tim and Jonathon in tow. A rumble made all of us start running down the street until we found a stalled car to hide behind.

“Ain’t you got a gun?“ Jonathon asked.

“I don’t think a gun will help in this situation“ I tell him.

“Can’t hurt“ he replied. I removed my gun and held it at my side as we crouched down. He smiled. Something swooped down overhead and we lay down on our stomachs.

“The hell was that?“ Tim asked.

“Something big“ I said. I felt so silly holding a gun that couldn’t save us. It felt like a toy. If what we were dealing with was what I thought it was then this gun would do as much good as using a water pistol against the Devil. “Let’s find another place for cover.“

We start walking away quietly. There is no one around. We can’t even hear anyone screaming. It’s dead silent in every sense of the word. I keep the gun in my hand the entire time. The silence is broken by the sound of heavy galloping. We duck behind an SUV. Four enormous horses run past. They don’t whinny at all. They stay in pace with one another running side by side. They reach the end of the block and run off. When they turned sparks lit the ground. They were going that fast.

“Don’t say a word“ Tim tells Jonathon.

We walk a couple more miles and still there’s no sign of life. They sky is still filled with shapeless figures. None of us say anything until we spot a small jeep with its engine running. Without a word we all run to it. I get behind the wheel and immediately speed away. I head towards Hollywood assuming that if anyone is left that’s where they’ll be. Tim sits next to me with Jonathon in the back.

“So what was with those horses?“ Jonathon asks.

“I have no idea“ I say as I take La Brea heading north. We almost get stuck on Wilshire. A pile of cars sit on fire in the middle of the intersection. We get by and continue. “Those weren’t normal horses.“

“How so?“ Tim asks.

“You see how big they was?“ Jonathon says. “Like dem big ass ones on those beer commercials.“

“Bigger“ I say. “About two and a half times bigger.“

“That’s not special“ Tim lies. “Horses used to be that big.“

“Not they ain’t“ Jonathon laughs. “Horses an’ shit used to be tiny. They got bigger over time. But ain’t no horse ever been that damned big. Ever.“ Tim turns and looks his son in the eye. “What? I pay attention in school.“

“He’s right“ I say. “Nothing like that has ever walked the Earth.“

“So what’re you saying?“ Tim asks. “They space ponies or something?“ Jonathon starts laughing. “Shut up.“

“I don’t know what they were. But I know what they’re not. They’re not normal.“ I keep my hands from shaking by holding the steering wheel tighter. We arrive at Hollywood and Highland just as the engine cuts out. I wasn’t paying attention to the gas. I could’ve sworn that it was full. The streets are dark. I’ve never seen Hollywood dark. It was very disturbing. We kept walking until we got to Mann’s Chinese Theater. Jonathon started putting his hands and feet on the stars footprints. As his compared his hands to John Wayne’s he stood straight suddenly.

“Ya’ll feel that?“ he asked. Tim and I just shook our heads. Okay. Now we felt it. A vibration coming from underground. This wasn’t the Metro Rail. It was too consistent. It felt like something moving up, not going by. We all started to slowly back away from the theater and move towards the sidewalk when something emerged from the theaters roof. Whatever it was it was big and didn’t stop. It just kept rising towards the sky.

“What in the name of…?“ Tim asked. Then a piercing screech filled the sky. It was so loud that we all covered our ears. I could feel my heart being pushed towards my spine the vibration was so strong. If I had known then that this would be like seeing a bird at night by comparison later I wouldn’t have been so scared. Who am I kidding? I still would’ve been afraid. Then there was laughter. I felt so small then. It seemed that just when you started to feel like you were getting used to the new rules the game got switched. Like playing jump rope and then someone threw marbles all over the ground.

“That can’t be what I know it is“ I say as this thing begins to lower its head. It makes a sound as it looks at each of us as if we were insects in a jar. It smiles as it tongue tastes the air. We all take a step back and it hisses. We stop. Tim grabs my gun and fired a shot at the creature. 

He never got to fire another. 

It happens when you watch a scary movie all the time. You ask yourself: Why don’t they just run? It’s different in real life. I wanted to run. I prayed that my legs would start moving. But they wouldn’t. I stood there looking into the eyes of a creature that not even the best sci-fi writer could think of. It seemed to smile at Jonathon and me. It slowly raised its head as if it were aware of the awe we felt. It shook Tim’s remains from its chin and grinned. Rows and rows of teeth were licked by a tongue that had to be ten feet long and as thick as a fire hydrant. I could see from the corner of my eye that Jonathon was reaching for the gun. The creature laughed. His laughter made the ground tremor.

“Don’t“ I whispered to Jonathon. “Be cool.“

“Fuck that“ Jonathon said through his teeth. “That nigga killed my daddy.“

The creature tilted its head as if examining us. I have seen that look before. When I was little my aunt had a cat. When it caught a mouse it would beat it until it had no more will to live or fight left. That was what we were to this thing. Mice. It opened its mouth wide and hissed. The air became moist around us. Its tongue was around my waist before I knew what happened. I slowly made its way around my chest, neck, and face. It didn’t squeeze me or anything. It was like I was being savored. The sky crackled with lightning and the creature released me. I collapsed to the ground. I was unaware that I had been lifted. It made a face that appeared to be frustration and screeched at the sky. It pulled itself into the ground beneath the theater and vanished. I looked down at my hands. They were shaking violently.

“You okay?“ Jonathon asked me. I couldn’t stop staring at my hands. He walked around me checking me out. Then he noticed what was left of his father on the ground. He was just a stain. A bit of cloth and blood. If you hadn’t known it was a man that stood there a minute ago you’d have thought someone had dropped a watermelon from a rooftop. Jonathon started running west on Hollywood. I wanted to call to him but couldn’t. Whether it was fear that stopped me or just because I couldn’t scream I’ll never know.

“Psst!“

I snapped out of my trance and looked around.

“Psst! Hey! Up here!“

I saw someone in the shadows behind a mailbox. It was a young guy with a digital camera in his hands. He wore shorts and a baseball cap turned backwards. He seemed very underdressed for this weather. He waved me over. It took a few moments but my legs finally listened to me and I ran towards him. When I got close he grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me down low.

“What did you say to it?“ he asked me.

“What do you mean?“ I asked. “I didn’t say anything. It just let me go.“

“Not ’it’“ he said. “’He.’“ Great. Figures I’d happen to run into a nut in the middle of this insanity.

“I have to go find my friends’ son, so…“ I said as I began to leave. He grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me back down. I was losing my patience with this guy.

“That kid is as good as dead“ he said. “He doesn’t know what’s going on and neither do you.“

“And you do?“ I asked.

“Sorta“ he said. “Look at this.“ He turned his camera around so that we could both look at the screen. He kept peeking over his shoulder as he pressed a button and footage of what the creature did to Tim. It felt my stomach squeezing itself. Then I saw the creature lifting me from the ground. A moment later it dropped me and vanished. I checked the running time on the video. Twenty nine seconds. “Wild, huh?“

“What the hell is going on?“ I asked aloud.

“They’re real, man“ he said. “Did you see what happened just before he released you?“ he asked. He rewound the footage. “Look at the moon just before he lets you go.“ I watched and didn’t see anything. The guy sighed and rewound it again. This time I did see something. The moon seemed to flicker. “I think that thing is a Hecatonchires from what I can gather.“

“Good“ I said as I stood and walked away. He jumped up and grabbed me by the arm and spun me around to face him. I slugged him in the jaw knocking him flat on his ass. “Don’t touch me again.“

“Be cool, man“ he said as he held his jaw. “I’m just trying to help you out.“ He followed a few feet behind me as I turned down La Brea and headed towards Sunset. I had no idea where I was going. “Wanna see something crazy?“ he asked.

“You mean crazier than buildings exploding, giant lizards, and horses the size of tanks?“ I asked.

“Yeah.“

We walk down La Brea until we reach a topless bar. There is no music and it is dead silent. Statues are everywhere. We can see them in the dim red emergency lights. They look strange. I wonder why anyone would make statues in these poses. They all looked like they were screaming. I was reminded of the police officer with the missing back of his head. One of the statues has a hair in it. I try to blow it away but it only moves. I pull at it and it snaps free.

“Don’t do that“ the guy said.

“Why?“ I ask. “They’re just statues.“

“Check this one out“ he says. He takes me over to a statue. He points to its hand. A beer bottle is placed perfectly in its hands. I touch the bottle and it’s still cold. I jump back. “Crazy, isn’t it?“ He walks over and smacks the statue on the ass. “I liked her. ’Sindy’ was her name.“

“These aren’t real, are they?“ I ask. “Don’t answer that.“

“Only one person could’ve done this“ he says.

“Don’t say it“ I tell him. I leave immediately and take a deep breath when I get outside. The guy walks up next to me and clears his throat.

“What are we gonna do now?“ he asks.

“’We’ aren’t doing anything“ I say. “I’m going to church.“

“Wouldn’t do that if I were you“ he says. “They’re burning those first.“

“They who?“ I ask.

“You know who“ he says while smiling. “Well, since you don’t want me along I’ll be going. The name’s Caerus by the way.“

“What kind of name is Caerus?“ I ask as he starts to walk away.

“It’s all Greek to me.“

I didn’t know what to do. This guy seemed to know a lot about what was happening. I still wanted to find a church whether it was burning down or not. I caught up to him as he sat down at a bus stop. He pulled his cap down tight on his head. It had a huge “T“ on the front.

“Tennessee fan?“ I asked him.

“Fan of irony“ he said. He checked his watch and sighed.

“Where could you possibly have to be right now?“ I ask him.

“I’m not quite sure yet. Waiting for a sign from above I guess.“ He seemed uncomfortable as each moment passed. “Still wanna find a church?“ he asked me.

“Yeah“ I replied. “I need some answers.“

We walked down to Melrose and La Brea. There was still no one around. At least the sky seemed empty finally. Those weird shapes still haunted me though. Caerus stopped in front of an Italian restaurant and laughed to himself. There was a statue of a Greek goddess holding a bowl of water. No water was being used so it was empty.

“How appropriate“ he said as he continued walking. We didn’t say much to each other. I wanted to ask him what more if anything he knew but I just felt that no matter what answer he had that I would have three more questions for him.

“Medusa?“ I asked him. He stopped mid step.

“What did you just say?“ he asked me. He got close to my face and turned his ear towards me.

“Did Medusa do that, you know, to those dancers?“ I asked more clearly. I felt like such a fool. Though I grew up in church my entire life, my movie choices tended to veer towards the occult. I have always been interested in the dark things in life. It’s what made me want to become a cop. “Clash of the Titans“ was one of my favorite films when I was a kid. It seemed cheesy now by today’s standards with animatronics skeletons and stuff, but back then it looked really real.

“Dancers?“ Caerus asked. He started laughing. A light girlish laugh that didn’t fit him at all. “You’re too polite. Those were strippers, pal. I’ve seen real dancing before and it didn’t involve stuffing money down their thongs. I remember when dancing was…dancing. It lifted your spirits. It made you feel at peace. It…“ he trailed off and began walking away quickly.

“What’s wrong?“ I asked. He ignored me for half a block and then suddenly stopped. He grabbed me by the arm and tossed me into an alley. He covered my ears. I tried to pull his hands away but he was stronger than he appeared. He mouthed something to me but I couldn’t read his lips. He did it again slower.

“Shut up. Hum to yourself.“

I did as I was told. He had his eyes squeezed tightly shut and gritted his teeth. I could actually see sweat forming on his brow. After a few moments he pulled his hands away and started walking quickly headed towards Wilshire.

“Where are we going?“ I asked.

“Tar pits“ he said.

“Why did you cover my ears?“ I asked. “I didn’t hear anything.“

“One of the three“ he said. “Most likely Leucosia. She’s always hated staying near the water even though she knows how it upsets her father.“

“You didn’t answer my question“ I say. He just keeps on walking, ignoring me. I start to lose my patience with him again. I grab him by the shoulder and spin him around. Tears are flowing down his cheeks. “What’s going on?“

“They’re back“ he says. His words are caught in his throat. “They’ve come home.“

“Who, Caerus? Who has come back home?“ I ask.

“The Gods“ he says. I let his words sink into my mind brain but they can’t. It’s too big a concept to get. I’m just a man. When I was little my mother tried in vain to get me to understand the concept of an all knowing, all loving God. I couldn’t do it then and I sure as hell couldn’t do it now.

“What Gods?“ I ask. “Like Thor?“ I started to laugh. Caerus didn’t.

“Yeah“ he said flatly. “Never liked that guy. Always waving that damned hammer around and telling all of us just how great he was. Man, it was sickening.“

“What do you mean ’us’?“ I asked. “Are you…?“

“Kinda sorta“ he said.

“You can’t ’kinda sorta’ be a God.“

“Actually, you can and I am.“ He looked me right in the eye and I caught a small glimpse of who he really was. I swooned, if that’s the right term. I mean, I felt my knees go weak and my heart flutter. “Caerus. God of Chance and Opportunity. Pleased to meet you, Tony.“ I almost trip as we cross a street.

“How’d you know my name?“ I ask.

“Tony, I’m a God kinda sorta. Knowing your name isn’t something that should shock you. Being the youngest child of Zeus has its advantages.“

“Zeus isn't real“ I say. “There is only one God and he doesn’t live in a cloud throwing lightning bolts at people for the fun of it.“

“See!“ he says as he jabs me in the chest with his finger. His nails look perfect. “That’s the kind of crap that started all of this! For thousands of years you all were allowed to worship some guy that claimed to be the son of God. We thought it was funny for a while until all of our temples and altars vanished. Eventually we stopped caring. We spent the time in merriment. And then one day Khaos, you can guess what he is the God of, told us about how in the year 2000 God was supposed to come down from the heavens and take back what was his. His children. The rest were to be sent down into what you all call Hell. Well, this pissed off Pluto like you wouldn’t believe.“

“Pluto is a cartoon dog or a former planet“ I said rather snotty. Sarcasm was always the best defense in the face of terror and uncertainty.

"No, Pluto is my fathers’ brother along with Poseidon. Pluto rules the underworld. The very idea of it being crowded nearly made him blow his gasket! Oh, how we laughed! Hades was still overflowing from the Mayans let alone a bunch of panicky men that would bring upon their own self destruction.“

“You say 2000 but that was eight year ago“ I tell him. “Why now?“ I was reminded of Tim asking the very same thing earlier.

“Nothing better to do, I guess“ Caerus says. “We’ve never been known for our kind ways.“ He walks to the fence surrounding the tar pits and leans against it. I sit down in the grass next to him.

“This can’t be happening“ I say.

“Why is it so hard for you people to understand the things that are right in front of you?“ he asks. “’This can’t be happening.’ Get over yourself, man. This is real and will stay real. You think what you’ve seen has been horrible? Just you wait and see.“

“My family…“ I say.

“Is better off. Trust me. Morpheus could not make a sweeter dream for your lost ones. Where they are now there is no pain. No suffering. It’s perfect.“

“Is it Heaven?“ I ask. I wipe the tears from my cheeks with the sleeve of my sweater.

“Better.“

I felt a little calmer. I mean, just imagining my daughters and wife going through this insanity made my heart damn near beat out of its chest. I looked over at Caerus. He didn’t look like a god to me. He looked like a community college student. His clothes were wrinkled. His shoes were filthy. And he sounded kind of stoned. He turned and faced the tar pits. He checked his watch again and tapped his index finger against the bars.

“Any day now…“ he said impatiently. I was about to ask him what he meant when suddenly the tar pits began to bubble. The mammoth statue that sat in the pit tilted sideways and sunk deep into the depths not unlike its once real predecessors. I backed away from the bars and watched. Caerus smiled and turned his hat to face forward.

“Who is that…?“ I asked as a beautiful woman emerged from the pits. She was untouched by the muck and grime. He long brown hair flowed around her shoulders. A vision in a white tunic with golden sandals walked across the water like it was concrete.

“Who is that?“ she said.

“How are you doing?“ Caerus asked.

“How are you doing?“ she said.

“I’m doing well.“ Caerus seemed to be enjoying the confusion their little talk was having on me. He smiled at me and turned back to our guest. She looked at me and frowned.

“I’m doing well“ she said.

“Okay, why is she doing that?“ I asked.

“Okay, why is she doing that?“ she said.

“It’s what she does“ Caerus said. “Tony, this is Echo. She’s a nymph. My dad loved her but when my mother found out she got all uppity about it. Echo here fell in love with the vainest bastard you’d ever met.“ Echo sighed heavily. Man, even her sigh sounded like beautiful singing. “I’m sure you’ve heard of him. Bet you’ve even called people his name.“

“Narcissus“ I said. Echo began to weep. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?“

“Echo here was in love with him. Like, madly in love. He broke her heart and she cried so much that she turned to stone. Eventually she got over it“ he said.

“Yeah, I can see that“ I said as she continued to weep. “Why are we meeting her here?“

“Echo repeats everything anyone in history has ever said“ Caerus says as he walks over to the bars. Echo passes through them like a ghost and I damn near faint. The fact that I don’t is testament to the amount of crazy stuff I have seen in one night and survived. “I want her to tell us what Nemesis is up to.“

“Like an enemy?“ I ask.

“Not really“ he says. “Her real name is Rhamnousia but that is a very ugly name.“ Echo smiles at that statement. “She is quite beautiful though as many of us are. Whatever Khaos started Nemesis will deal with in her own special way. She was the one that cursed Echo’s love of her life.“ Echo sighed and began speaking in a tone of voice I had never heard before. It sounded like music and noise all at the same time. I wanted to cover my ears just as Caerus had done for me earlier but that would’ve been all kinds of rude.

“So I am called the winged balancer of life so I shall meet out the fate of he who has brought disorder upon the innocent. Blood has be shed that shalt not have been. I, dark faced goddess, shall find he who is guilty and my will be done.“

“Uh oh“ Caerus said.

“What?“ I asked. “It sounds like the idiot that caused all of this is going to be dealt with. I like this Nemesis.“

“No, you don’t understand“ he said. Echo looked as concerned as he did. “The last thing you want is for the Gods to battle on your planet. The Earth will be turned to less than ashes. The fighting will never stop. When we go to war we go to war. Entire universes are created and die during our battles. Millions of your years will pass before we even reach the halfway point. Damn it.“ Echo placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.“

“I love you, Tony“ Echo said. I blinked so hard when she said that. My eyes actually hurt.

“Why did she just…?“ I began to ask.

“Your wife’s dying words“ Caerus said.

Then the sky went dark.

I took a step towards Caerus and looked to the sky. My vision was blurred by tears made by what Echo had just told me. She no longer looked at me but the pits. She placed her hand on Caerus’ shoulder and made a small whine like a child. He nodded and she disappeared right in front of us.

“We have to go“ he said.

“What’s happening?“ I asked. “Is this a bad god or a good one?“

“It depends“ he replied. “Either way it’s bad for you. They know almost all of you believe in that one God and will kill you first then ask questions later. Come on. Come with me.“

Just as I reached for him a wave of nausea hit me. I fell to my knees and began to pray. Caerus reached for me and was thrown back. I went down even farther. Physically and spiritually. My face was pressed against the cold grass. I could see a pair of dark feet standing near me. I felt something hard and sharp being slowly pressed into my back. I could see Caerus on the ground. His hat had been knocked off. He had one long curly strand of golden blond hair that fell over his right eye. His eyes were wide with fear and something that looked like childish excitement. I didn’t even see him move. The next thing I know he hit whoever (or whatever) stood over me.

“Grab it!“ he shouted. I reached for his hand and he slapped it away. “No, this!“ he said pointing to his hair. I did as I was told and we were flying down Wilshire. Not flying exactly because both our feet were on the ground but the closest thing to it. I must’ve looked crazy to anyone that could see us.

A loud roar behind us made me turn my head. A woman charged behind us. Skin as dark as midnight. She had a large sword that seemed to glow with badness. That’s the only way to describe it. She made me feel bad. She licked her lips exposing her dark teeth. Only her front teeth were fanged. The longer I looked at her the worse I felt. I could feel my grip on Caerus’ hair slipping.

“Look forward!“ he shouted. I did and we picked up speed.

“Who is that?“ I gasped.

“Bia“ he said. “Goddess of Violence. Don’t release my hair whatever you do!“ Like he had to tell me that. We reached La Cianega and turned south.

“She’s scaring the shit out of me!“ I shouted. “Go faster!“

Behind us Bia was gaining speed. She began to leap toward us. Each leap covered a city block. Every time she hit the ground it would buckle under her weight. Not that she was big or anything. She was as thin as a rail.

“Her transgressions weigh heavy upon her“ Caerus said. “Violence is all she knows and all she wants. She will not stop until you are dead and until I have answered for what I have done!“ I could hear the ground rumble beneath us. Caerus jumped high. I’m not talking about Kobe Bryant high. I’m talking about Spiderman high. Something grabs my ankles and I refuse to see what it is. I am pulled free from Caerus and am being squeezed by something. I feel a large nail jabbing at my face. I refuse to open my eyes.

“Look at me“ a deep voice says. “Look at me.“ Another jab. “Do it, Man.“ I can hear the hissing of hundreds of snakes as the sharp nail poked at my eyelids.

“Leave him alone!“ Caerus shouted.

“Silence, you!“ the beast shouted.

“Don’t open your eyes, Tony!“ he shouts.

“Caerus, I am losing my tolerance for you“ the beast hissed. “You had your chance to save him and you failed. Did he tell you that he can only rescue you once?“ the beast asked me. I could feel its breath on my face. I dared not open my eyes. “Ah, the God of Opportunity. How hilarious! What true God only gives a mortal one chance when they fail so consistently? Isn’t that true, Man? Did you not fail to protect your children?“

“Much like you did with Chrysaor?“ Caerus asked. The beast screeched so loudly my teeth clicked against each other.

“How dare you, trickster?!“ the beast said as it released me. I finally opened my eyes just in time to see a long tail slithering down Olympic Boulevard. How disgustingly ironic. I slowly rose to my feet thanking God. I began to walk further south when I heard a booming behind me. Bia! I turned and faced her. Blood ran from her lips.

“Do you not fear me, Tony?“ she asked.

“No“ I said. “I just don’t understand why you’re doing this.“

“Of course you don’t“ she said as she sheathed her sword. “You’re merely a mortal. How do you feel when you look at me? Are you not horrified?“

“Yes“ I say. “There is no reason to try and lie to you. But my faith in the Lord keeps me from dying from fear.“

“Which Lord?“ she asks.

“The one true Lord“ I say.

“Interesting“ she says as she wipes the blood from her mouth. “How does one keep faith in one true Lord when tragedy such as the kind that befell your family?“

“By accepting the fate the Lord has put in front of me“ I said. I could feel the tears running down my cheeks.

“Why do you cry, man?“ Bia asked. “Are you afraid to die?“

“If you had asked me that yesterday I would have told you that I wasn’t. I would have been sad that I couldn’t see my little girls grow up and grow old with my wife. But I wouldn’t have been scared because I know that my Lord would have welcomed me into His embrace. He loves everyone.“

“Your Lord sounds powerful“ Bia mutters.“Very well. Leave me to think.“ I stand there not sure of what to do. “I rarely repeat myself“ Bia says as she reaches for her sword. And with that I am gone.

It had been just three hours since all of this began. I found a church near Pico but it had already been burned. I stood in front of it until a creepy howling in the sky made me run for cover. I was so tired. Every sound, every breeze, every moment of silence made me afraid. If these Gods were everywhere I’m sure that there was a God of “Guy That Is Tired So We’ll Kill Him In His Sleep.“ I looked at my watch and laughed. Time meant nothing now. We were all on their time.

I made my way down to La Cienega and Jefferson. The smell from the See’s candy factory made me think of my daughters and how they laughed whenever I bought the chocolates for my wife’s birthday. She would eat them and let the caramel stick to her front teeth and chase me around the apartment trying to kiss me. Fear of a “Good of Mourning“ made me switch my mind back to my Lord and thoughts of survival.

“How goes your journey?“ someone asked. I began to run but this guy just floated next to me smiling. “You’re wasting your time.“ I stopped running and caught my breath. “There you go.“

“Which one are you?“ I asked.

“Oh, this is horrible! Surely you know of me!“ he said. I shook my head. “Name’s Hermes. God of Travel.“ He shook my hand. He felt very warm. “Where you headed?“ he asked.

“I don’t know anymore“ I said as I sat on the curb. He continued standing. “I think I am having a crisis of faith.“

“Whose altar do you worship at?“ he asked. He seemed genuinely interested.

“The Lord“ I replied.

“Okay“ he said. “Which one?“

“There’s only one“ I said. Before he could respond I continued talking. “I know, I know. You are all Gods but I don’t know all of you. I don’t worship any of you. I mean, Jesus Christ! How do you keep track of every single one of you? There's a God for everything!“

“Hmm“ he said while thumping his foot. It was like he couldn’t keep still. “I have heard of this Jesus. Long beard, robe, always on that crucifix?“ I nod. “Yeah. Khaos mentioned him. That’s what got this entire thing started. I for one don’t mind either way. I wish we were back at home but until this issue is resolved we’ll go to war.“ He sighed.

“Don’t all of you agree that the Lord isn’t real?“ I asked.

“You’d think so wouldn’t you? But, no. Most of us don’t care either way. We were just happy doing what we were doing. But once Khaos got in Zeus’ ear there was no stopping this. I swear. Between Khaos and Hera I don’t know how he keeps his sanity. I have no patience for such things as gossip.“

“The Lord is very patient“ I said.

“Where is this Lord?“ Hermes asks. He wasn’t being smug. He was asking an honest question.

“Everywhere.“

“Really?“ he asked as he spun around. “Can I ask of him a question?“

“Knock yourself out“ I told him.

“Lord, how old are you? Who was your father? Why have I not ever met you?“ Hermes stands with his head tilted towards the sky. “I don’t hear anything“ he tells me. “Is this Lord rude?“

“No“ I laugh. Man, I was exhausted. “He tells you what you need to hear when you need it most. You have to learn to be patient.“

“Me? Patient?“ he starts to laugh. “Oh, my dear friend. I have no time for patience. Well, since you know not where you head I’ll be on my way.“

“Thank you“ I tell him.

“For what, may I ask?“

“For not trying to kill me. For not making me feel…small“ I say.

“Poor thing“ he says. “Who made you feel such a thing?“

“Bia for one. Medusa as well“ I tell him as I stand and stretch.

“You met both Bia and Medusa and yet you still live?“ he asked. I wasn’t used to people being this flamboyant and being totally serious. “You are a special one. You remind me of my son Abderus. He was quite strong.“

“Thank you“ I say. He moves my hand away as I attempt to shake his. He hugs me instead. For once he is still.

“No. Thank you.“

As he walks away I hear him say aloud “Jesus Christ? Hello? Are you there?“ I laugh to myself and continue walking south. My legs hurt. I want to sleep so bad you don’t even know. The thing is I am afraid that if I go to sleep that either I will not wake up or that I will wake up surrounded by snake women and lizard people.

I find a spot in the bushes heading towards LAX. I can’t help it. I lie down and fell asleep. I wake up when I hear shouting. I peeked over the high brush and saw a parade of people. Some were screaming while others looked too tired to try. I stayed put. Someone placed their hand on my shoulder and then covered my mouth. Thank God they did because I was about to scream.

“Stay silent“ a lady’s voice told me. I did. “There is no need for introductions. I have heard tale of you, Tony. You have caused a lot of trouble with your talk of one Lord. While I do not agree with your beliefs I agree with your conviction. My father Khaos went too far this time.“ She removed her hand.

“Your father?“ I asked. Even though she was right in front of me I could barely see her. It was like she pulled in every shadow nearby.

“Yes“ she said with shame. “My name is Nyx. Goddess of night.“

“I swear there’s a God for everything“ I sighed.

“Almost“ she said. “That’s where you come in.“

Nyx pulled me close to her and we moved towards the crowd that passed. It was like a funeral march. I tried to get free from her grip but it was useless. I was afraid that she would toss me in with the rest of them but she didn’t. She walked right alongside of them but they didn’t notice us.

“Do not worry, Tony“ she said. “They cannot see me.“ We actually bumped into a few of them but they didn’t even say anything. “We must keep you from Ate.“

“Eight?“ I whispered. She spoke in a normal voice but I didn’t want to be heard.

“No, Ate. God of Folly. If he crosses your path you are destined to fail in your mission. We must get you an audience with Zeus before the war begins. We do not have long. Eosphorus is near and will protect us.“

We continued walking. Behind us a whip cracked but I refused to look. Even though I had seen all kinds of crazy things the past few hours I kept having the feeling that I was just one ugly ass monster sighting away from losing my mind. Nyx stopped walking and people bumped into us but kept walking. She pulled me sideways through the crowd.

“Hey, Nyx!“ someone shouted. “Isn’t this spectacular?!“ Nyx sighed with annoyance.

“Mania…“ she said, venom oozing from her voice. “Ignore her as best you can lest you lose your mind.“

Mania came through the crowd shoving people aside and stabbing others at will with a small blade. They fell at her feet and shouted in pain. Mania was quite beautiful. Even the monstrous Gods were beautiful in a tragic way. She wore a helmet made of gold and a breastplate that covered only one of them. Her skin was completely white and that made her black hair look like shadow. She wore black lipstick and dark eye shadow that went from her cheeks and above her eyebrows.

“Hey, how goes the war, Nyx?“ she shouted. Her voice sounded like a truck driving slowly over glass bottles. “Is this the guy? He doesn’t look like much. Tony? Hey, Tony? How are you?“ I did as Nyx said and tried to ignore her. It was hard. With her tit hanging out and being so attractive it was hard not to stare at her. “Don’t be rude, Tony. You should talk to me. It’s better over here. Come on, Tony. I’m a God and you should listen to me. I’ll cut you.“ She held her blade that still dripped with blood in my face. Nyx slapped it away and it clattered to the ground. Mania smiled and opened her mouth wide. She began vomiting as she walked. Bits of hair and blood poured out. She gagged and reached deep inside her mouth then pulled out another blade. "I can do this all day, Nyx and Tony. Fine. That’s how you want to play it? Okay. Now this is happening.“

Mania pushed herself into the center of the crowd and closed her eyes. Smiling a smile that stretched from ear to ear she began screaming. Nyx covered my ears. The crowd all of a sudden began fighting one another. Fighting isn’t even a good way to describe it. They ripped each other apart. They used their teeth, nails, and feet. Some of them head butt one another until they were both dead.

“No need to look“ Nyx said.

“Lord help them“ I muttered. “This is too much.“

Nyx looked to the sky and a large man came crashing down to the ground. Nyx pulled me further away from the crowd. This guy let the people swarm all over him until finally they all were thrown back. He started laughing as he pulled a flaming sword from thin air. Just as he swung it towards the crowd everything went black. I couldn’t see a damned thing but I could hear Nyx speaking.

“You have already seen far too much. More than any mortal should be allowed of forced to. Rest. Allow Hypnos to care for you. When the time is ready I shall come for you. Hypnos will bless you with sweet dreams of your family. Sleep, Tony.“

And I did. I had no choice. 

I had the most beautiful dreams. Dreams so private and dear that I can’t even share them with anyone. But believe me when I say that this God Hypnos was very good at her job. If everyone slept this well there would be no wars on the planet.

Then I woke up to Hell on Earth.

It turns out that the guy I saw drop from the sky earlier was Ares, the God of War. Nyx lay next to me dead. There was no blood or anything around her but I knew she was dead just as I knew I would be if I stuck around. I had been asleep so long that the sun was going down. That meant I had been out for almost twelve hours. How did I last this long? I knew that Nyx’s dead body was the reason.

Ares laughed as he slaughtered people left and right. He wore only a leather skirt and sandals. A bronze chest plate lay near a ditch. He had long, curly black hair that fell around his face. He was covered in blood and licked it whenever he had a spare second. I began to crawl away from this madness when I heard the sound of horses. It was the same four I had seen with Tim and Jonathon. They cut me off and rose on their hind legs. Fire shot from their nostrils.

“Tony!“ Ares shouted at me. His sword slowly turned into a long spear as he walked towards me. The people that were still somewhat alive dragged themselves away. They could barely do it because of all the blood on the ground. I prayed to God that I would faint before Ares got near me. No such luck. “There has been a bit of talk about you, man“ he said. His voice sounded like thunder. “What makes you so special?“

“Nothing“ I said. I could hardly recognize my own voice. It sounded so…defeated. “There’s nothing special about me.“

“That can’t be true“ Ares said as he jammed his spear into the ground. “Nyx there gave her soul for you. There must be something. And who is this Jesus you mentioned in your slumber?“ I didn’t realize that I had talked in my sleep. Who am I kidding? This was a God. He probably read my mind.

“Like I told you“ I said. “There is nothing special about me. I believe in one God…“

“Zeus“ Ares said.

“No“ I said. I slowly rose to my feet. “And I am sick and damn tired of having all of you psychos constantly questioning my beliefs! Who the hell are you to even question my faith? You and the thousands of other ’Gods’ keep telling me that I am wrong but none of you were around for the past million years. Where the hell have you all been? You’re supposed to be so great and all knowing but all I have seen from you is deceit and pettiness. A bunch of creatures with the power to change the world but instead you sit around getting drunk and fucking sheep. Just get this over with already. Just kill me. I’m not afraid to die. If I go to Hell or Hades of whatever the fuck you want to call it just do it. It’ll be better than being subjected to the nonsense spoken by you lunatics. Kill me. Kill me! I have the knowledge that the Lord will save me. I am saved. I am not afraid of anything you throw at me. I have no fear because faith is my arrow. Why are you so silent all of a sudden? Something wrong?“

“No“ Ares said. “It’s just important for a warrior to have their last words before death.“ Ares raised his spear and brought it down on my head. I felt nothing. Ares looked up and growled. "Very well.“

Ares rose from the ground and disappeared. The sky began to shake. Like, when I looked at it it seemed to move. The moon that began to shine a bit as the sun went down. A light blinded me and all of a sudden I was in the air. The sound of screaming was everywhere. Not pained screaming but like a crowd at a football game. I opened my eyes and stood in the center of what looked like a coliseum. I slowly turned around and saw the audience. Gods. Nothing but Gods. Some had to be nymphs or whatever but they were everywhere. At the front was a large God that had a few creatures that looked like angels but without wings on their backs but on their ankles dropping fresh flowers at his feet. His beard was long, white, and curly in the most unnatural way. This had to be one person. Zeus.

“Come forward“ he said. Thank God I was far enough away from him. His voice sounded like it could shatter mountains. I took a step forward and then stopped. What did I have to lose?

“No“ I said. The crowd gasped. Some laughed and some screamed.

“Come“ he repeated. “Lest you die where you stand.“

“I’m already dead in your eyes. I’m dead in all of your eyes“ I said. “You treat us like bugs. Why should I start doing what you say now when I didn’t even know you all existed? Why should I come to you when you’ve never come to me? Go to Hell, Zeus.“ A lightning bolt struck a few feet from where I stood. I could smell the ozone.

“Calm“ Zeus said. Next to him stood the same guy that almost got to us at that warehouse earlier.

“But…“ Thor said in protest.

“Calm!“ Zeus shouted. A quiet came over the crowd so heavy that it had its own sound. Zeus looked around at everyone and sighed. “You test my patience, man.“

“Which is why you aren’t the one true God“ I said. Before the crowd could react Zeus shot them a glance. “My God is ever patient. I’ve know you for what?, a couple minutes, and already you want to strike me down? What do you want from me anyway?“

“Bow“ Zeus said. I could feel the crowd leaning forward in their seats waiting for to happen.

“Not gonna happen“ I said.

“Very well“ he said. He closed his eyes and then smiled.

“Daddy!“ I heard from behind me. I didn’t turn around.

“You bastard“ I said. “Don’t you dare do this.“

“Honey, just do it“ I heard my wife say. She was right behind me but I refused to face her. God, I could smell her perfume! “Don’t be so stubborn.“

“Do as she says“ Zeus said. I watched Thor next to him smiling. Electricity crackled around his body.

“This is all a lie“ I said through my teeth.

“You shall not trick this one“ a lady said from the crowd. Everyone turned to face her. A few hissed.

“Now is not your time, Hemera“ Thor said.

“But it is“ she replied. “Ares slaughtered my mother Nyx in combat. Now there will be no further darkness upon Earth’s realm. Spare this man. Let him go in peace. There is nothing more to take from him.“

“There’s always more“ Zeus said as I felt my wife take my hand and each of my daughters grab my legs. “Always more.“

“Enough“ a voice whispered from above. I felt the arms of my wife and daughters fade away. I was so tempted to take one last look. But who knows what I would’ve seen. I could’ve seen them as they were in life or how they became in death. Scarred and disfigured. I am glad I didn’t look.

Everyone in the coliseum bowed their heads, even Zeus. A pressure came down everywhere. It forced me down to one knee it was so strong. I could still see everyone looking either afraid or nervous. Thor shielded his eyes with his hammer. The pressure started to become so strong that my ears popped and I thought I was gonna faint. I didn’t though.

“All of you should be ashamed“ the voice said. “Especially you“ the voice said. Zeus flinched. “Long has it been as I stood by and watched as you toyed with these creatures.“ I think he meant humans. “No longer shall I tolerate it. Caerus, come forward.“

I hadn’t even realized he was here. I thought that Medusa had gotten him a while back. He stepped from the crowd and stood next to me. I looked up at him. He was beautiful. He no longer wore the disguise of a tourist. He had a white cloth tied around his chest and waist. His one long strand of hair seemed to glow. He smiled at me and nodded. I did the same.

“Tartarus…“ Caerus whispered to me. “God of All.“ I was about to say something but Caerus shook his head at me.

“All“ Tartarus said. “Tell me, man. You dare speak to God’s in a manner that begs destruction. Why?“ I refused to answer. I was done with this nonsense. If this guy was the God of All then he already knew why I was doing what I was doing. “Speak“ he said. Caerus looked at me, practically pleading with his eyes for me to say something.

“’Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me’“ I said aloud. It just came out.

“Remarkable“ Tartarus said. His voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. “Allow me to share something, man“ Tartarus said. “All that surround me are as you are to them. With but a whim I can destroy them all. But I do not. Why?“

“I can’t even begin to guess“ I say. I really can’t. They all seem insane to me.

“Correct“ he said. “One usually attacks in self defense or fear. They fear you and what you believe. They fear being forgotten. Still, that is no reason for them to have done what they did. And for that I apologize.“

“Surely you jest!“ Zeus shouted.

“SILENCE!“ Tartarus shouted. Zeus was thrown back into his throne so hard that it shattered. “I cannot repair what has already been broken. But I can promise that it shall never happen again.“

“What do I do now?“ I ask.

“Nothing“ he replied.

“Can I go back home?“

“There is no home for you to go back to“ he says. “Many years have passed since you arrived here.“

“But it’s only been a few minutes“ I say. “How much time could’ve passed?“

“Earth as you knew it is gone“ he says.

“So what?“ I ask. “That’s it? I’m done? I lose my family, my home, and my planet and I’m supposed to just go away?“

“Yes.“

“But that’s not fair!“ I shout at him. Everyone gasps. “I played by the rules and look at what it got me. No, I refuse to believe any of this. None of you dictate my fate. My Lord does.“

“This is far too complex a matter for you to comprehend“ Tartarus says. “Allow me to ease your troubles.“

The world goes dark.

I am lying in bed with my wife and daughters. A pillow is over my head. I hate New Years Eve in L.A. All of the gunfire makes me nervous. Guess that’s why I never became a cop. Using a gun is something I’ve never enjoyed. I wish sometimes it was an older time. A time where you could catch a bad guy using rope and determination. An explosion wakes my wife. I stand…

...then I lay back in bed. I lean over and kiss her on the lips I kiss each of my daughters on the cheeks. I can hear all of my neighbors outside gathering. I hear Tim shouting for me and my family to get out of the building. I don’t.

I am well aware that this is all a lie. This is how it should’ve been though. No man should know as much as I have learned. As the explosions get closer I pull my family close and smile. I know that whatever awaits me is exactly what I need. Not what I want.

In the end it all makes sense no matter what you believe. I don’t pretend to know what everything in life meant or means. Like a good “man“ once said:

“It’s all Greek to me.“