Bloodied Water

•Chapter 3• My Best Friend Peter

3rd Person POV

Central Park was surprisingly empty that morning. People are usually walking, playing with their dogs, relaxing, and hanging out. Yet no one was seemingly there. Sally and Zoë walked together through the park with Peter in tow. Zoë skipped ahead and playing with pigeons which played along while Sally watch from afar with a sad smile.
"Peter! Come on!" Zoë called. "You're missing the fun!" Peter smiled and jogged ahead to play amongst the pigeons with his friend. Sally cringed at the words and checked the time.

The small watch on her wrist alerted that it was 9:30 AM surprising Sally on how long they were taking to get to their destination.
"Zoë we need to hurry or we'll be late for your appointment!" Sally reminded. Zoë looked down with a sad expression before bidding farewell to her pigeon friends who flew away. The group speed-walked to their location as to avoid being late. This turned out to be worth while as they arrived just on time.

The building before them was small and had glass windows and words written on them that read "Solace Pediatrics" with a small sun where the 'o' in Solace would be. Like the park, the small health center was very scarce of people with only another elderly couple waiting for their turn.
"Ah, Ms. Blosfis, Doctor Solace will be seeing you now." A young lady at the front counter pointed to the office and led them inside before returning to her post.

A few minutes later, the familiar face of Zoë's Uncle Solace appeared in the doorway. He said a quick hello to the two before getting serious. "Sally, you're sure you want to do this?" Will asked gently.

"Will, I'm just as worried as you are but she'll have more trouble when she's older than it's worth." Sally spoke in an equally as soft voice as she looked from Will to Zoë slowly. Will nodded and grabbed a bottle from behind him labeled Zoë Blosfis. Inside were small white pills with small black letters running around their sides.
"Hey Zoë, can you try something for me?" Zoë nodded. "Good, take a big sip of water and try to swallow this along with the water ok? It doesn't taste bad I promise." Zoë nodded naïvely and did as told with surprisingly little effort. Will congratulated Zoë and handed her a small sticker and a lollipop. After a bit of paper work, the two left shortly and headed home.

While back in the park, Zoë saw seemingly the same flock of pigeons and turned to call for her friend to play with her, however, when she turned, there was no Peter. "Peter? Peter!" Zoë called. Sally felt a pang of guilt wash upon her as the pill's effects took hold. Zoë soon became hysterical and ran off to find her lost friend. Sally, older now, couldn't keep up and lost her granddaughter who kept running throughout the park to find Peter.

*************

After what felt like miles for the small child, Zoë found a bench and broke down crying. After a while of being alone, a soft voice called for her. "Honey, are you lost?" Zoë sniffled and turned to face an old woman sitting next to her. She was wearing a fall coat and held a silver purse which matched her silver eyes. Her hair was snow white and she was relatively short.
"M-my friend....h-he he.....I can't find him." The child sniffled.
"Do you think he meant to leave?" The woman asked gripping her purse. Zoë looked up franticly.
"No-no! He would never!"
"That's what I thought." The two sat in silence before the woman continued.
"I lost someone once. Someone very important to me. He meant everything.... Everything." She looked down. "It's been 5 years since then, and I still am sad."
"How can I not be sad though?"
"You really can't. But, If you really truely care for this person, then you will never stop being sad about them leaving. But, the only thing you can do is keep moving forward....I'm sure that's what he would want." Zoë turned to thank the old woman only to find her gone.

"Zoë, baby! There you are! Please don't do that to me!" Sally huffed tiredly as she guided the young girl off the bench and towards their apartment home.
"Grammy! I met someone!"
"Really, tell me all about it." Sally asked, even though she really didn't need to know.

*************

'Peter' POV

"Damn it damn it damn it! Why can't she see me?! Zoë! Princess!" I called. Damn it Solace, you're a great guy, but you just really fucked me over right now. "Zoë! I'm right here!"

"She cannot see you any more Perseus."

In a blink, the world changed around me from Central Park to the familiar gloomy chamber of strings that was the Fate's chamber. "Why the Hell not?! We had a deal!"

The three looked at each other before continuing.

"It seems the mortal medicine has blocked her brain's connection with your spirit. As long as she takes that pill, you will not be able to see her." They spoke. Bullshit I say.

"Bullshit! Your the fates! Do something about it! We had a deal! I get to be with and parent my daughter while—"
"—Camaxotz monitors your body down in Tartarus. We know." I looked down. "Your friend was brave to sacrifice his chance with his child and spend the years in hell."

The room was silent for a while. Strings moved past me, the scissors that Atropos held glinted cruelly, and the braziers glows softly. "What now?" I asked.

Clotho responded shortly after in a soft voice. "You observe your daughter's growth, watch her life, see how she changes."
"And never get to help her? Never be there when she cries? Never guide her in the dark? Never play games with her? Damn it I'm just as bad as the other gods! I swore to be there!"
"And you were." The 2nd Fate stopped me. "And now it's time for her to make her own choices, make her own judgement."
"While I sit back and watch?! She's only five! Five!"

The room stayed silent before it was ironically cut by the 3rd Fate. "It seems so, Perseus." The room faded and I was now with my mother and daughter in the apartment. Zoë cried on her lap and spoke about how she lost Peter all while I sat there and watched.

Doing. Nothing.

I'm just as bad a the other gods! Sitting around and watching my child suffer! I swore I was going to be a great father, a great and faithful husband! Now look at me. Standing like a shadow as my kid suffers.

Forgive me Artemis.

Forgive me.

Hey everyone! I understand this was super late and I'm super sorry! I love writing this story and I pledge to never abandon it! The reason this is so short and late is that one, the transitions weren't working out, and two, I recently lost someone really important to me in my family and it's been really tough. I don't need any sympathy, all I need is feedback and suggestions. I really hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all next time!