The Gatekeeper's Sons

Chapter 3B

Hip laughed at the other boy's bewilderment. "That's my brother, Thanatos. Everyone calls him Than. I'm pretty sure that's a first for him."

"He looks a lot like you."

"We're twins, but not identical. I got the sense of humor, the easygoing disposition, and the charm with all the ladies. He got, well, not a whole lot, actually. I suppose he's trustworthy. My father says dependable and responsible, but those are pretty boring qualities, if you ask me. I sometimes feel sorry for him."

"What's he doing with my parents?"

"He's taking them to the Underworld, where all the dead go."

"My parents aren't dead." Again, the vague inkling threatened to return to memory, but Therese shook her head. She willed herself back home in her own cozy bed with her dog, Clifford, curled beside her. Hip was not with her.

"Time to wake up," she said to Clifford.

The brown and white fox terrier licked her cheek.

Therese tossed back her comforter and climbed out of the bed, the warm, wooden floor familiar beneath her feet. She dropped some hamster food into Puffy's hamster cage and turned on the lamp over her Russian tortoise's tank.

"Good morning, Jewels," Therese said.

The tortoise winked at her.

Therese headed downstairs. Clifford bounded behind her, as usual. Her parents were in the kitchen sitting at the granite bar drinking coffee and reading the paper, as on any Saturday morning.

They were still in their pajamas, but she was in her blue formal gown.

She replaced the gown with a nightshirt. Poof: There, better.

"Good morning," she said to her parents.

She went through the screened front porch and out into what she was expecting to be the sunny morning on their wooden deck in the mountains but was instead the night sky over the foggy river. Hip greeted her.

"Nice outfit."

"So this really is just a dream," she said. "None of it's real."

"What makes a dream any less real?" he challenged.

"Hip, let her go!" the boy from below on the raft warned. "They need to revive her or she's going to die!"

"Therese?" a voice came from somewhere above.

Than flew up and pulled Therese away from Hip. "Let her go, brother. You're endangering her life."

Therese felt weak and she tried to wriggle free but nearly fell from the air.

Than held her up. "You shouldn't be here," he whispered, close to her ear. He sent a shiver down her spine, but his breath was sweet.

She didn't like the direction this dream was going. In the dreams in which she was about to die, she usually bolted into the air and changed the events into something happy. Although she couldn't find the strength to jump up and twirl around, she did manage to throw her arms around the good-looking boy holding onto her. She could make the dream into a new romance. "My dream," she managed to say as she clung to him. She put her lips against his lips. "You're...so...lovely."

"Whoa, brother," Hip said. "Today's full of all kinds of firsts for you, man."

Than seemed shocked. He looked at her like she was an alien. "You can't do this," he said, but he didn't push her away. His eyes closed, he sighed, and, almost reluctantly, it seemed, he put his strong arms around Therese, who felt weaker. She could feel his mouth near her forehead. A sound came from his throat, something like a groan.

She liked being in his arms. "You're...so...lovely," she murmured, growing weaker and weaker.

"Take her back." Than seemed to be fighting an inner battle. "I'm to take her parents, but not her. It's not her time."

Therese willed herself up. "My parents? Where are you taking them?"

Than looked into her questioning eyes. He looked as though he wanted to kiss her. She wanted to kiss him, too. His face moved closer. She nearly lost her breath. But her parents! She flew from his arms and down to the raft.

"Charon, don't board her!" Than growled, fast on her heels. "She's not to go across."

"Mom! Dad!"

Her parents didn't seem to hear her.

"This is my dream, dammit. Look at me!"

Her parents turned toward her. "Therese?"

Than gave Therese a look of astonishment. "How did you do that?"

Therese flew down to her parents.

Strong arms went around her and pulled her away from the raft. The brothers were on either side of her. She was fighting a futile battle. The brothers were much too strong for her to break free from them.

Than smiled. "You're right. She's a powerful soul. I've never known someone to follow loved ones down this far."

"You're forgetting Orpheus and Hercules," Hip pointed out.

"But they were demigods." Than's hands tightened their grip on Therese. Hip started to say something, but Than interrupted, "And Odysseus was sent down, so he doesn't count, either." Hip opened his mouth, but as before, Than was too quick with his retort, "And Aeneas had a guide and a golden bough, unlike this girl who came all on her own with no bribes."

Hip finally got his say, "I told you this girl was powerful. You're making my case, brother." He pulled Therese closer to him. "I want to keep her."

Therese wondered if they could possibly be talking about her. Powerful? She was anything but, as her inability to break free from them proved.

Than frowned. "If you try, she'll die, and then what fascinates you about her will be lost."

"Therese?" the voice from above called.

"Let her go!" Than implored.

Hip moved his lips to Therese's ear. "Seek me out in your dreams. I want to find you again. Look for me. Call for me."