There was a fucking lava river flowing under her! What the hell was this bridge made of?

Leah didn’t feel any hotter at all. She was leaning in the rail of the bridge looking bellow. She could smell sulfur but then again her entire being was all around normal temperature. Not too hot, not too cold.

She had just woken up precisely at that bridge. She had been surprised to wake up at all. She should have been dead.

Was she hallucinating? The bullet could have just razzed her brain and she could have been seeing things from loss of blood. But if she had been left for dead in a alley, she could die any minute now, from blood loss. She needed to wake up!

Proceeding to ignore her surroundings she started to try to wake herself up. She grabbed a little of skin and squeezed; she bit her hand with similar results. She felt some pain yes, but she was still in the same place looking up to an orange sky.

Orange sky? That was new.

Whatever. Shrugging she tried to think of another way to wake herself up. Maybe altering her brain, somehow? She remembered reading somewhere that praying could change some kind of neurological working. However she couldn’t remember the last time she prayed. And what would she pray: please let me wake up?

Hmm. Not bad. Leah got in her knees in the middle of the bridge, joined her hands and started her mantra of please let me wake up. Her knees started hurting. She was considering a change to a meditative position like the lotus, when a quite rude fellow interrupted her.

-Are you seriously praying in the middle of Hell?

Leah looked at him. He looked sane. He was in jeans, had a black t shirt and he looked like he was in a stroll.

-Straightly speaking, I think, I’m meditating and not praying. I just have the wrong pose.

-Oh. Then that’s okay, I guess – said sarcastically the guy. He should be around twenty years old. – Are you new here?

-I just woke up. I think I’m hallucinating and I want to return to reality right now. Anything you can add up?

-Yeeeesss! First, you are dead, not hallucinating. Second, in case you didn’t hear me the first time, in are in Hell, capiche?

-Are you freaking kidding me? How is this hell? Where are the screams, the fire and the tormented souls? This place is a freaking desert! Besides, the lava river is kind off pretty.

The guy laughed.

- You have that point right. At least, the river is pretty.

Leah made a grimace and got up from her awkward position. She looked around and didn’t see anyone else.

-So, do you have a habit of taking strolls through uninhabited places of Hell or something? – asked Leah.

- I was bored – responded the guy.

- Can I take it to mean, that Hell is not as bad as they painted it?

-They?

- Etruscans, Catholics and the rest.

The guy shrugged – I have no idea how do they think of hell. From what you said they just put in that story all that they could think off as scary and then mixed it. It sounds like a horror story. Just think of this as the afterlife without the prejudices of your image of hell, ok?

-But how can it have the same name?

- In the past, a long, a long time ago there was some kind of god on earth called Hades; Is dominion was the afterlife, Hell. We liked that story and adopted that name. So. all rulers in this place use the name Hades as a title.

-And what about heaven? I was the victim here. If hell exists, shouldn’t heaven exist too? Therefore, shouldn’t I be in heaven?

-Oh, that. Heaven doesn’t exist. – The guy seemed to be getting restless and was looking for something in his pants pockets.

-At all? What about the angels, god, and the eternal fight between heaven and hell?

-Total crap. – He found a cigarette and put it in his lips – Are you disappointed?

-Not really. I never liked the church. However the stories about the fallen angels where entertaining.

The guy lit is smoke and then looked at her – Sometimes we like to do cosplaying with horns, wings and tails. Just to see the look on the newbie’s faces. I’m sorry to say it, but you have missed it. Oh, and the lava river is also made to make people realize they are dead. – He leaned in the railing, looking at her and smoking.

Leah sit down on the floor heavily – Am I really dead? I know that the probability of being alive is low but damn, can’t you give me some hope?

-You know. You are actually more accepting of this than most. How did you die?

Leah made a shape of a gun with her hand and pointed to her. Then looked at him thinking of what he could be thinking – It wasn’t suicide, you know. I suffered an attempted murder.

The guy snorted – Noting attempted about that. Was it a robbery? – He send some ashes to a river and turned to her again.

Leah shook her head – I pissed off someone big and didn’t run fast or far enough. –Leah sighed – I guess if I am really dead I don’t need to continue running. That’s good. I was kind of getting tired of that situation.

There was silence. Seemed like he didn’t know how to answer that. Leah smiled and asked – So, how does Hell work?

2: ch 2

The guy was in silence for some time, ruminating about something and smoking is cigar. When he finished, he sent the cigar to the river and watched him burn. Finally, he turned to her and dignified her with an answer.

-You will have to forgive me. It’s been some time since I last oriented a newborn. I think the first thing you have to understand about this world is that it is quite a complicated place and you will not understand it just with one or two speeches. – He started gesticulating – Nevertheless, I’m going to try to give you a very superficial taking of this place. First, you are not human anymore. The body that you are currently inhabitating is not a body at all.

-But it’s solid!

-No, it’s really not. It just that this whole world is a single spiritual being and we are like the components or cells, I guess? So, everything feels solid to you.

-That is really weird. So we are, like, part of a god?

The guy started laughing. Looking at him closely he had very pretty eyes, with alive green eyes and very long black lashes that Leah would kill to have. That was so unfair.

-No, not a god, more like a collective conscience.

-Ok. Anything else?

-Let’s see. –He started looking closely at her, apparently looking for ideas. Maybe he smoked too much and he suffers from genocide of brain cells? Why is he taking is sweet time to explain something that should be simple for him? – You were quite the idealist, weren’t you?

How the hell would he reach that conclusion, by looking at her clothes? Leah looked down and saw that she was dressed in sneakers, jeans and t-shirt with the logo of Greenpeace and a SAVE THE WHALES in fat words. She started to feel her face heat up. She got up form the floor and started to shake the pebbles to have something to do.

-You look like this because this is your subconscious image of yourself. For example, if you had lost an arm in some kind of accident and you died, you would be whole here, because you would think of yourself as whole. Do you understand?

Leah shrugged –I guess.

He nodded – Another thing is that this may not look like it but it’s quite a dangerous place.

Leah looked at the river and murmured –No, it does look like it.

He ignored her and continued speaking – You will need a lawyer to tell you your rights because you can easily be tied down to something that you don’t want anything to do. Right now you are free but with just a few words I could easily make you do anything.

Leah recoiled –You have got to be kidding me!

He earnestly looked at her –No, I’m really not. It goes like this: What is your name?

-My name i- He put a finger in her lips silencing her.

-I warned you that it was fishy and you still answer?

-Fine, so I can’t give anyone my name? That must be very annoying. How do you differentiate people?

- You are quite quick on the uptake. In here, your name or even any nickname as a human can give people power over you. The more meaning the name as for you the more power they have.

-So, what do I do? I can’t exactly go around without a name!

-Well, you will need to find another one. There’s a place made to take in newbies and they give you a number to differentiate you from the rest. You will have some days to choose another name for you or to even get adopted.

-Get adopted? But I’m an adult!

-Calm down. In this world you have just been born. We rarely have children here in the classical way so most of us adopt the ones that survive unscathed the first days.

Leah gulped.

-And the rest? – asked Leah.

-The rest is lost. Most of the time it just depends on what kind of people are around in the place you are born. A question of luck. The place where you are born is completely random. Right now you are in the country of fire in the center of the continent.

The guy started messing around again with his pockets, apparently looking for his cigars and made a happy face when he found then and put one on his mouth. Depressing.

-Do you have the same addictions as when you were alive?

-No. I died a long time ago. I got this addiction in here. Still you cannot get lung cancer in hell, so it really doesn’t kill or does much of anything, actually.

- Can we die?

-We can.

-How?

-That is something that a newbie does not need to know. No one is going to try to kill a baby. It’s unethical.

And slavery of babies is ethical? Jerk

The guy got a lighter to his cigar and started smoking happily. –Come on, I’m taking you to the “orphanage”.

Leah pouted, crossed her arms and didn’t move when he started walking in an indolent manner, like he had all the time in the world.

In the end of the bridge – it was not all that big for starters – he looked behind and stopped when he saw that she wasn’t following him. –Well, aren’t you coming? You can just wait for the next passerby if you want because I’m getting tired of the all river of lava thingy. So?

Leah uncrossed her arms and started walking – Good girl.

Leah made a face for him. He smiled.

-So, do you have a name? –asked Leah.

-I do.

Silence

-What is it? –insisted her.

-I don’t feel like telling.

I will not kick him. I will not kick him.

That guy made her feel like a bratty child with an annoying older brother. She passed by him and continued walking. He followed her, and she had to slow down to accommodate him. He had long legs, he just didn’t like to use them.

They were in silence until they entered a city. She was looking at the landscape completely enthralled to remember him. Fire was a very dominating theme, as obsidian was. She attracted some attention but nothing too much for her to handle. Then, they stopped at a big building that was completely different from the rest. It didn’t have gargoyles nor over decorated sculpted windows. It had an Islamic air with semi-circular tops of the windows and some geometrical patterns here and there. She could hear the sound of falling water. They walked to the patio off the house. It had a fountain with a statue and a luscious garden. She felt refreshed.

The jerk-that-didn’t-want-to-give-is-name was talking to a matronly woman and signaled for her to get close. She did and she got presented to a Fatima has a “new baby”. Leah glared at him. Them Fatima asked some banal question and next time Leah looked he had vanished.

3: ch 3

Leah started to feel nervous about her surroundings and tried to look for him, not too blatantly, but still Fatima got the gist of it.

-Don’t worry dear, you are in a safe place. If you miss him

-I don’t – interrupted Leah

Fátima continued, completely ignoring her. What’s up with this people and ignoring what they don’t want to hear? – He is probably going to visit later. Our finders tend to feel responsible for their findings. Sometimes they even adopt the children.

Please don’t.

Fátima smiled at her disgruntled look. – Come on. You must want to rest. Can I give you a tour of your new home?

Leah shrugged and walked behind Fátima, with her hands in her pockets. Maybe she looked like a runaway teenager and that’s why everyone treated her in a paternalistic way?

-I’m sorry but is there some way to change how I look?

Fátima stopped and looked at her. – Of course there is. Are you in a hurry to learn that right now?

-Well, yes.

-I see – Fátima looked at her seriously for some time before making some kind of decision – Then, we are going to my office, and I’m going to give you lots of information about this world, are you ok with that?

Leah nodded and Fátima changed directions to another building with the same Islamic context. They entered a corridor with a exterior wall made of something with lots of holes in a geometric pattern. In the interior wall were normal walls and door. They entered the first door. They were in a normal office that could be found anywhere with chairs and a table. There was even a computer.  The office had another two doors in the room and it was decorated in warm colors.

Fátima made a signal for Leah to sit down in the guest chair and then she walked around the table and sit down on the boss chair.

-So, what did your finder tell you about your situation and this world?

Leah reclined in her chair and started to talk – He told me that I am dead. Is that true?

-Yes, It is impossible to be deader than you are right now.

Leah frowned and said – That can’t be true. He said that we can die is this world too.

-Did he now? – Said Fátima in a very dangerous tone of voice – What more did he say?

Leah was taken back. What the hell was going on? Maybe that was some kind of top secret or highly censured truth for newbie’s? Maybe I put him in trouble?  Should I too, be careful in what exactly I say to her?

Leah tried to think on what was relevant for her right now and continued like Fátima reaction was normal – He said that my look was my subconscious take on myself. So, can I change it? It’s making me uncomfortable.

At least in concentrating in how she looks she could pass has a frivolous girl. Or not. Considering that her original look was her true look. She felt naked.

Fátima seemed to relax and Leah observed her like a hawk. Body language could say a lot about her and the world she lived in.

And Leah didn’t like what she was seeing.

Fátima relaxed and talked in a sweet voice that was starting to put Leah on edge. Maybe it was her fault. She, really, never was a people person.

-It is easy. It’s one of the first things you learn here. This is a home not a school. So you can take your time and learn whatever you want at your own rhythm. You have classes that you can show up to if you want and walk out if you are bored.  One of the classes is called transformation. It has practical classes about changing your look besides the theoretical ones.  I had a schedule here, somewhere, to the classes that are going on. – Fátima started rummaging the papers in her table. .- Of course you just need to show up to the ones that you are interested in. – Fátima seemed to found what she was looking for and handed Leah a paper.

Leah looked at it for some time – I can’t recognize most of the names of the classes. For example: what is babilonian?

-That is our common language. Can you imagine the chaos it was when people continued talking the language that they died in when everyone around then was doing the same? The dead are scattered in the land randomly. Nowadays most people talk English, French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian. But in the past we created Babilonian to be our international language. It combines lots of languages dead or alive. Latin, Hindu, Aramaic, Chinese and some languages completely lost to the living.   I recommend that you go and assist some classes in every discipline, so that you can understand exactly what every single one of then refers to.

-Ok. So, when do I choose a new name?

Fátima was the one that was taken back this time – He told you this too? What a thorough young man.

Interesting. She was no more idea who he is, than me. Maybe even less. There’s one thing that Leah knew about her finder for sure, he was no young one. He had a lot of age in his eyes.

Leah didn’t answer Fátima. Feed up with her fishing for information, she looked at Fátima insistently and repeated herself – When do I choose a new name?

Fátima seemed surprised for the reminder. She seemed like a very good manipulator of conversations. Fátima opened a drawer and took of a roll of paper with printed numbers on his face. She separated the first and put a paper bracelet in Leah’s left wrist. Then she copied the numbers to her computer (she was looking at her bracelet) and added other things. Finally Fátima grabbed a camera and took photography.

Everything took less than a minute.

-Now you are on the system and can use our installations. Take your time choosing a name. No rush. It’s going to accompany you for, at least, the next hundred years, so it was to be something good.

-Thanks Fátima.

Fátima smiled then continued to tap on her computer. – We have a room recently freed that may be good for you. Number 13. It has a wonderful view of our garden. – Fátima wrote a paper and gave it to her. – Give this to the women in the reception; she will give you your room key. Now, I am sorry but our talk will have to be in another day. I have a really horrendous headache. Oh, I was almost forgetting it – Fátima handed her a map – It is a map of our installations in case you get lost. Bye dear. Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too. I can change my room if I don’t like it right?

-Of course, just come here and ask for a change.

Leah nodded, grabbed everything that Fátima gave her and got out of the office.

When she got out, she closed the door behind her and walked to the garden and seated herself in one of the rock seats and tried to think.

Her number was FC146547M833. Fátima like her has much has Leah liked her. Which was not good, but the game was launched with they dancing around each other fishing for information. Leah was completely blindsided by in what kind of country she was living it. Was she in some kind of dictatorship? In a empire with very rigid rules? Why was Fátima so interested in her jerk-finder? And what’s up with giving her a room with the 13 number? That just screams bad luck. Not that I am superstitious or anything.

She needed information freely given with no censure attached and she needed it quickly. Looking at the papers that she had in her hand, she put her schedule and the note about her room number in her pocket, and looked at the map of the place. In the top floor of the building where the classes took place there was a library. With fake calm Leah walked to it.

Five hours later and with four piles of books in her table, the librarian interrupted her reading to warn her that the library was about to close.

-Really, then can I take some books with me to my room?

The very inexpressive librarian nodded – You just need to register yourself and the books and give then back in fifteen days.

-Ok!  - Leah grabbed the book that she was last reading “Recent history of the fire country” and hesitated – How many can I bring?

-Four.

-Thank you.

She walked outside with four books in her harms. The other three were: “Introduction to politics in hell”, “101 facts that a recently death person needs to know”, and a romance called “the cry of the butterfly” that seemed to take place in hell.

The number of books in languages that she didn’t recognize was staggering. Maybe she really needed to give Babilonian a try.

She got her key, along with a very curious look from the receptionist and locked herself in her new room. It was painted in white, with the basic furniture of bed, closet and desk. It had nothing else.

She seated herself in her bed and started reading. It was a long night. Tomorrow she would start planning her trip. She was not staying here for a long time. Just what was needed to learn Babilonian and Transformation. She didn’t want to be in the radar of another potential lethal enemy. Not again. Fátima made all the alarms in her head go in overdrive.

4: Ch 4

Leah woke up when she feel down from the bed. She had a nightmare were everyone in her family was dead except her. Her eyes were wet and her heart heavy.

She got up and started to cry.

They weren’t dead. The one who was dead was her. She would never see her family again. Her parents, her brothers, her nephews, even her damn cat.

She would never see any of her friends either.

Not that crying would make any difference. But what could she do?

She always knew that the probability of ever seeing one of them again was really low, she was running for her life after all, but there was always hope that everything could somehow get normal again, that He was brought to justice, and coming home would be safe.

She was living for that day.

Now, what would she live for?

Oh. Forgot. I am dead.

Leah started to laugh amused by her own pun.

Everything was a damn joke and if there is God he must have some pretty twisted sense of humor.

There was a bathroom connected to her new room and she got in a shower with only dark toughs for company.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------

Surprisingly the food was quite good.

She must look like a mess. She never managed the art of pretty crying. Her eyes were puffy and red and her face felt like it double sized.

She was wearing the same clothes from yesterday and she itched for a change.

She was totally going to transformation.

It was midmorning and some people were talking in groups in the cafeteria. They were multiethnic in a way that Leah had rarely seen. Whenever you are on Earth there’s always some race that is dominant.

In here, not so much.

That was interesting. Had Hell managed to eliminate discrimination in what Earth failed for centuries?

And if so, what else was different?

From nowhere a ginger-head girl sit down at her table and looked at the paper that was on her hand:

-Are you FC146547M833?

Leah looked at her bracelet and confirmed it.

The stranger looked relieved, smiled happily and got comfortable in her chair – Do you have any idea how many people I had to go trough to find you? I’m exhausted and it’s not even midday.

Leah nodded. She could care less but it never hurt to be polite: - So, what do you need me for?

-I’m your guide. Welcome to Hell!! –said the read head with lots of energy and a very large smile.

Leah lifted a eyebrow and smirked.

-I hope that didn’t sound like I think it sounded – murmured the girl, blushing.

-It sounded exactly like you think it sounded. – replied Leah, amused – I didn’t think that one of the first people I met in hell would have that kind of hobby.

The girl blushed even more and looked at her feet. Leah laughed out loud.

-So, my guide, what’s your story?

- I have been here for what feels like eternity. In the beginning I was really depressed has you can imagine –the girl looked at her and Leah nodded – then I started – for lack of anything better to do to- to go to  classes, make some friends, choose a name and all that. I’m proud to say that I am a well adjusted dead person.

- You know, that still sounds weird.

- Everything is weird in the beginning. You will adjust too.

-What’s your name?

The girl got a very scared look.

-The new name. – added Leah in a tense voice.

-Oh. I’m Elektra.

-Like de girl who has very big daddy issues?

-Yes. Not that I have them. I didn’t murder my mother for the crime of killing my father like the original Elektra or anything like it. Still, It’s a wonderful name.

-If you like it, who am I to judge.

- Exactly! Do you know how much they nagged me to change my name? They said I was trying to attract a tragedy or something. They even made a list of completely innocuous names like Bree or Monique.

-Bree, like the cheese?

-Yes! Do you see my problem? Why, for the love of god, when finally I can change my name they are completely against it!?

-Did you hate your original name?

-You have no idea.

Leah smiled. – Do you know where I can change mine? I kind of fell like a prisioner in aushwitchz with all the numbers.

-Yes, I can take you there. Do you know you can change your name until three times in your first year here?

-No. Why?

-They said that sometimes people choose old nick names and things got ugly and we might need some time to adjust to a completely and unrelated new name with no power whatsoever. 

 Leah finished eating and they left the cafeteria. The room that they entered was full with people looking at books and writing in papers. Elektra walked to a bookcase and took off a heavy book that gave to Leah.

-What’s this?

-Your new Bible. You’re going to eat and sleep with this beauty till you choose a name, or you decide that you don’t like any of the names there. Then you come back here and choose another one. Now let’s get out of here. There’s too many people here for my liking.

-Good for me.

Leah followed Elektra who seemed to know where she was going without a map to a hall of stairs. –Everyone’s schedule is the same in the beginning and then when you are good enough the prof’s get you in a more advance class. Of course, if you suck ass at languages like me you are going to be stuck at basic babilonian for years before they get so tired of your face that they pass you.

-Does that happen to you a lot?

-No, but hope never dies.

The class was mind numbing. At least it was in English, she had to count the small blessing that the class wasn’t totally in Babylonian.

When class ended, Elektra walked out (Leah followed her) and hugged a girl with very dark hair and blue eyes that gave a very otherworldly feeling.

Then the new girl hugged her too while Leah remained stiff in her arms.

-This is Ariadne. We died at the same time and “woke up” at the same place so we have been together ever since. – said Elektra.

-Nice to meet you. I see that Elektra already gave you the bible for greek names. That means that she likes you.

-Really?

-Yes. If she gave you the book of common names I would be running for my life.

-Haha. You are soo funny – said sarcastically Elektra – Now, let’s give a tour to our new girl and stop creeping her out with cursed books.

- Wait, cursed books? – asked panically Leah, dropping her book on the floor.

-  See, you talk about me but you are worse! – protested Ariadne to Elektra, then she picked the book up and gave it to Leah – Relax, this one is not cursed. Just be careful with the books that you take from that place, ok?

Leah nodded.

The two friends surrounded Leah and each one grabbed a arm. –Now let’s give you the tour of your life! – exclaimed Elektra.

Leah got a very bad feeling.

5: ch 5

Today made a month since she was in hell. She was fast friends with Electra and Ariadne and she was finally going to leave the “orphanage”.

Her backpack was bulging in her bed, filled to the brink with things that she thought she might need. She was going with her new friends to explore this new world.

She did her best to prepare for her trip in that month, her babilonian was still awful but as long as she understood people she thought she was going to be okay.

Leah was dressed in jeans and a now-descript t-shirt - transformation helped in that regard and yesterday she selected a new name – Tessa.

They were waiting for her downstairs and she was running late, so she grabbed her backpack and left her room.

In the beginning she was going alone but when her friends learned off her trip they insisted on being included. She was still wary of spies of Fátima but Electra had grown on her and Leah believed when she said that was only volunteering to show the new ones around to get in the good graces of the teachers.

They were in the hall waiting for her

Good to go? – asked Electra
Yap
So, what’s first? – asked Aria – I never did ask where we are going, I just wanted to get out of here.
We are going to see the sea!
Really? But that’s out of the fire country!
Yes. Don’t worry I have a map – answered Leah – We can get fire horses in the city.
Do we have enough money? – asked Electra.
Enough but we can’t really buy anything expansive. And we will need to give them back later.

They left the building and walked through the city. It was called Gandar and there were gargoyles and volcanic stone everywhere. The fire country was in the center of the continent – apparently the only continent in hell – and was surrounded by the water country, the wood country, the ice country and the stone country. Leah was planning to go to the sea though the water country.  

Most of the fire country was deserts so there wasn’t a lot to see.

They entered a big building and talked to the receptionist for the renting of fire horses. She guided them to a office were they made a contract (with their new names and in babilonian) for a month. The pay was done half in the beginning half after use. Them they were guided to their new horses. They were beauties. All three were black with fire in their behind and feet.

Can they burn anything? If I wanted to take them to the wood country could I do that? – asked Leah, concerned.
I thought it was general knowledge. Fire horses are banned from the wood country and stone country for that reason. Are you going to the wood country?
No. Water country.

The girl nodded and helped them to the horses, giving a improvised lesson how to ride.

Some twenty minutes later they exited the compound, found the main route to the water country and left Gandar.

It was so hot that Leah tough she was going to cook in her saddle. Fire horses were faster than normal horses but still it would be at last a day to get to the water country. The fire country was BIG.

They stopped for lunch in the shadow of a fuming volcano. It was farming country. Apparently volcanoes made for fertile lard. Why would anyone bother with farming was anyone’s guess. Leah didn’t need to eat (now one needed to eat in hell), she only did that because she liked the taste and to actually eat something from time to time. A plus of hell is that you can’t get fat. Unless of course your image of yourself is that of a fat person. Or you actually want to be fat, using advanced transformation you can look like anything you want.

The food on the fire country was very spicy and hot. Tea was drunk at every opportunity. When they stopped eating all they wanted was to make a siesta but they got on their horses and rode on. Tonight they would be on the water country, without the ever constant heat that permeated everything in the fire country. Leah could barely wait.

  

6: ch 6

The capital of the water country reminded Leah of Veneza. Sassierra had lots of canals and boats in the center of the city, turning into a normal city the poorer houses got.

Everyone was nice to them and they booked some rooms in a inn that wasn't too expensive. They left the horses there and them got around to explore the city.

-That water looks plain nasty – pointed Ariadne to the canal – do we really need to catch a boat? What if I fall?

-Try not to drink it– said Leah drily. Electra laughed. Aria looked disgruntled then animated again in less than thirty seconds.

-Can I choose where we are going to go? –asked Ariadne.

Leah and Electra looked at each other then shrugged. –Sure- said Electra and Leah nodded.

In spite of Ariadne comments the water was a blue-green color, quite attractive, even beautiful in Leah's opinion.

They entered the water taxi and left all the work to Ariadne. It was still hot but not as much as it was in the fire country, there was not a cloud in the sky, nevertheless something was troubling Leah.

-Does it rain in hell? – asked Leah to Electra.

-What do you mean?

Leah pointed to the sky. Electra followed her hand and looked. She shrugged – I haven't seen it but it doesn't mean it doesn't just that it doesn't rain were we were. Maybe it rains here? Ask Aria to ask the ferry man.

-Good idea! – exclaimed Leah, careful to not make the boat swing she got to Aria and made the question. She stopped her conversation with the men when Leah neared then asked their question. – Does it rain here?

This time the man commanded the attentions of all three girls and seemed to get self-conscious in a quite daring blush – Y-yes it does. Just not a lot in summer. Rest of the time it's always raining.

Their curiosity appeased, the girls enjoyed the view and their guide regaled them with story's about the bridges that they passed by. Them he stopped at a square.

-The palace is right here, just go straight down. Be careful, girls. Sassierra is not a safe place for young one's.

Startled they looked at the man, trying to think of what gave them away but he just winked. Aria paid and they got off.

The square had drawings on the floor and they tried to keep away the pigeons (that were everywhere) to see it better. there were other people too, in groups observing the drawings. They found the artist, painting the floor and they stayed some time observing him.

-I can't remember the last time I actually painted something - said Aria

Leah looked at her in surprise. Electra had gone somewhere else- You were an artist?

-Yes. I was an illustrator not an a street performer but still i miss it.- There was a silence then she continued - What were you before, Tessa?

-Before I died? -asked Leah. Electra nodded - I was an researcher. A good one too.

- What did you research, medicine?

Leah laughed - Oh,no. Nothing like that. I was specialized in marine biology. I loved it.

- I'm sorry.

- Why? It was not your fault that i died.

- But still I felt like saying it.

Leah stared at her, trying to understand her but them gave up - Thanks. Let's go find Electra, I haven't seen her in a awhile.

There was some kind of explosion that drove Leah and Aria to their knees. When they got up they saw that everyone around them was similarly affected.

-What was that?

-No idea. Some kind of gas leak? - responded Aria.

Leah made a negative gesture but didn't say anything -Now, seriously where is Electra?

Electra tackled them from behind - You won't believe what i just saw. I think i saw someone die!

- Die? Are you kidding me? - asked Leah.

Electra nodded with very guileless eyes - I'm telling it was what i saw. He just like, puuf gone like a smoke. I had never saw something like this. It was like seeing a vampire being burnt alive by the sun. He even left his clothes behind!

-We need to find a cop - said Aria, looking for the people around them. - We need to tell them what Electra saw.

7: ch 7

They punctured though the crowd looking for a cop. She didn't know how a cop looked like but surely they would know when she saw one right? Everywhere was people who had fallen and it was total chaos. Then the cops arrived they had to fight to get to them. (They were uniformed in blue). Even so they were dismissed out of hand. There were too many emergencies and they thought we were lying or exaggerating.

Electra fell and Aria grabbed her and looked at me - She is burning up. We need help!

We got Electra to a stretcher and when a nurse got to us, Elektra was still unconscious. The nurse wrinkled her nurse when she saw Elektra, them looked at us.-Let me get this straight, all of you were together during this explosion?

Aria and Leah glanced at each other, concerned - We were not together at the time. She was exploring or something. She got frightened and ran back. Why? What's wrong with her?

The nurse looked thoughtfully at Electra -She must have being nearer to the center of the explosion. She is poisoned by radiation.

-OMG!Is she going to die?

The nurse looked at me as if I was crazy - It takes a lot to kill a spirit, if she is still alive she is going to make it. We just need to put her in ice to take care of her temperature and something fresh in her eyes.

-She said..she said she saw someone die. Someone just dematerialized before her eyes - said Aria hesitantly in the beginning and then with more confidence.

- Are you sure?

- Yes, I am sure. Why else were we looking for the cops in the middle of this if it was not for something important! - exclaimed her.

The nurse smirked - You would have been surprised with what people come up with.

The nurse looked for something that she had in her hand, wrote something, them put it back in her pocket - First we are going to move her to a place were her needs can be taken care off, and then the police is going to want to talk to you two.

-We haven't much more to say. She was the one there. Why won't they talk to her when she wakes up?

-Oh. They are going to but that is going to take a awhile. They are going to need something to work on before that.

-I see. - said Leah

- If you don't mind we want to stay with her, they can come talk to us if they want to. - said Aria

The nurse smiled, a half smile that had a lot of humor - I will tell them.

The nurse left. Sometime later, two new people got there, asked their names and took them and Electra to the hospital.

The hospital in hell was not that different form hospital in Earth. She still hated the smell and the colors made her want to cut her wrists. They settled at either side of Electra after a doctor saw to her.

Electra was covered by ice inclusive her head leaving only her mouth and noose out. The temperature of the room was lowed to the max by the doctor before leaving. the silence of the room was oppressive and Leah broke it because she couldn't stand it anymore.

- Do you know of any type of explosion that would need an ice treatment?

Aria made a negative gesture.

- Anything at all?

Aria shrugged - the only thing i can think off is that this is a very high fever but that's it. I always sucked at biology.

Leah felt bad. She should be the one being questioned not the reverse. The Spirit thing trowed her out of left field. She knew too little of anything to know what the hell was going on. For starters what the hell was that explosion?

It didn't seem to be a nuclear explosion. There was no material damage at all even to the supposed center of the explosion was still standing. The radiation poisoning was treated by ice or not treated at all. Electra couldn't have been that far away if she could come back running in less than a minute so, it was logical to consider that she and Aria had radiation too but was just too low to be that bad. Or maybe it was highly concentrated radiation. That only left the man who vanished and left is clothes behind. He could have just left, transmuted somehow but normally a spirit takes their clothes with them.

A knock to the door interrupted her musings. Aria didn't move so Leah got up to answer it. There were two men there, when she opened the door. They were dressed like cops so Leah let them in. Even if she asked for an identification she didn't know enough to know if it as a fake or not.

The oldest one had a notebook and a pencil in his hands and started to make questions:

- I am too take it that i am in the presence of miss Ariadne of Gandar of the Fire country and miss Tessa of Gandar of the same?

- Yes. I am Tessa, she is Ariadne - said Leah - How can we help you? And who are we talking to?

- I am inspector Hugh of Sassierra and this is my assistant Isac.

The two girls nodded. Aria continued to say nothing so Leah got the conversation in her hands.

- I am sorry. But we are kind of blind here. What kind of explosion happened in the plaza? I can't figure it out.

The cops glanced at each other - You are new here aren't you? - Leah felt like a deer caught in headlights. Hugh laughed kindly . Don't worry it's not like it is a crime. hm.. the explosion was an EMP. I believe you are familiar with the term? - Hugh raised a eyebrow

Leah nodded - I always thought Electromagnetic pulses only interfered with technology why is Electra sick?

Hugh leaned against the wall and got himself comfortable while Isac walked to the window and stayed there. - EMP's interfere with electromagnetic waves and we spirits are made of energy. So, EMP's are one of the only things that can kill us. Your friend was very near the center when it exploded so that's why she is sick. The only reason she isn't dead is because the bomb was actually very weak but was we are very sensible to it everyone in the square felt it.

Leah blinked. - If someone was in the center, more than Electra was, that person would die right?

- Yes, we are here because it was reported that your friend saw something of that nature. Can you tell us?

- You have to understand, we weren't actually there. - Hugh nodded and she continued - She said she saw someone burn and leave is clothes behind.

- Her exact words were: it was like a vampire being burn by the sun and leaving behind his clothes - said Aria, speaking for the first time since the cops got there.

The two cops glanced at each other - Can you tell us where it happened?

- We cannot. The only person who would know is Electra. But you can always search for abandoned clothes in the most affected zone.

Hugh waived her last commentary - Did the doctor said how long it would take for her to reach consciousness?

-No, he did not. You can talk to him yourself.

- I see. Thank you for your testimony. - said Hugh - We will come back in a few days to get Electra's testimony.

He and Isac left.

8: ch 8

Leah left the hospital to get clothes for everyone and a shower. Aria was unresponsive most of the time and just sat there when Leah talked about that. Leah shrugged and walked away.

People called her cold all her life and it’s not like sitting there looking at walls was going to make Electra feel any better.  Anyway the visiting hours were over so they were only in the waiting room.

She found a gondola and gave the driver(?) the directions to her hotel.  The driver was a non-descript person you could see anywhere, with brown hair and brown eyes and a plain face. Twilight was falling and it was beginning to get cold.

Even thought there was an attack the mood on the streets was quite normal, even relaxed. 

Is it normal to have attacks here?

The driver looked at her and shrugged – Sometimes, if a person angers the mafias. But they are actually quite careful to target only that person. And normally they deserve it. 

But there were a lot of people injured today!
Oh! They just got severely nauseous. In about a day they will be fine. Don’t worry.
I have a friend in the hospital with more than nausea. – said Leah, offended.

The man looked contrite. – She must have been right beside the target then. Did she see it happen?

Yes – said Leah nodding.

The man just stared at her, then blinked and looked around – Does anyone else know that?

The police knows, why?

The man grabbed her arm with wide eyes – You and your friend need to get out of Sassierra right now!

Why? What’s wrong?
Are you deaf? Didn’t you just heard me talk about the mafias? If your friend was right close to the target then she saw who planted the device and the mafia does not like to lose operatives! She is a witness!
So?
So, they are going to kill her!

Leah stared, then after a time, replied – With another EMP? It’s the only way that you can kill someone here, right?

The man looked exasperated, shook his head and said no more. They had arrived at her hotel. She paid and thanked him for his concern.  She got a little splashed when she got out and the water was freezing.

Has she entered the hotel she was trying to think. It would be at least three days until Electra got out of the hospital. Till then they were stuck in this city that Leah choose. It was her responsibility to choose a place and she had picked one so plagued by criminals that they considered it normal like Sicily of old.

More worrying was the plain panic in the men’s face when he had grabbed her arm. He was truly worried. A reaction like that could not be faked. Leah wondered why Electra had no one guarding her room. Or if they truly had ripped off a page of italy’s book by having the cops do the mafias “work”. In that case, should she be happy there was no cop guarding Electra’s room right now? Ruminating, she bit her lip and bumped into a wall of muscle.

Leah fell ass first and looked at the reason for her indignity.

It was her finding-patronizing-jerk! Just when she thought her day couldn’t get worse, she got one more surprise. If there was a God she was going to process him.

-Are you a stalker?!

-Nice to see you too, princess – he smirked – It seems we always meet in the oddest places. Shouldn’t you be in school or something?

-I thought a trip was in order. Anyway, what the hell are you doing here?

-Well seems like there was a mess someone wanted me to look over. I have already done that so I’m just wasting time now.

- Really – said Leah, not really convinced. He looked as responsible as a teenager with his first alcohol and no parental supervision.

He nodded with energy. He seemed to have enough of that to go around.

-Please tell me you are not part of a mafia. If you do, I’m going to scream.

-Why? What’s wrong with the mafias? They are actually quite nice, you know, as long as you don’t step on their tails. So, the question is: what did you do? – He looked at her with all his attention, serious for once and waiting for her to spit it out just because he was pressuring her.

She huffed. She actually huffed! As always, she regressed to brat level when she was with him. – I did NOT do anything!

He raised an eyebrow – Seems like someone thinks you did.

She glared at him and he raised his hands in a pacifying gesture – I’m not the enemy here, just trying to help!

She looked incredulous at him – Don’t give me that! Aren’t you just bored?

He smiled with no shame and then sighed dramatically – You found me out. So, what’s going on?

She rolled her eyes, and then looked around at the people filled hall; anyone could hear her conversation in here– If you really want to know you’ll need to get into my room. Are you up to that? I’m not comfortable talking about this here.

He looked pensive then nodded.

By the way.
What?- responded him
What’s your name? Your never did say it even tough I nagged you till I got tired of my own voice

He smirked – It’s Loki.

She stared – you are kidding me.

-Nah. It really is.

She looked at him – I guess I can see how you would like the name, but nicknames from when you were alive aren’t supposed to be a Big no-no?

Loki laughed.