KEEPSAKE

chapter thirty six

36 ZOMBIFIED

APHRODITE'S EYES WATERED AT THE LACK OF BLINKS IN THE PAST FEW MINUTES.

She wouldn't allow her vision to sway, though. She couldn't. Because as she stared at Hades while he set up a stone edged rectangular box in the middle of the throne room and shuffled all of the resurrection accessories together, she realized she had to see everything about this unfold. It was hypnotizing, almost.

"So..." she started, tilting her head as she searched for the right words. "how exactly will you conjure up his body?"

Hades places the alive fish mason jar against the top side of the box. "Simple. When all of these ingredients combine and my chant is spoken—his body will begin to regenerate inside of this here box."

"Also, what is that box?" She takes a hesitant step forward until she stands on the other side of the spoken box, across from Hades.

"It's a coffin." He says it so nonchalant, that it even relaxes Aphrodite's nerves.

"Right."

He moves the hand mirror to the bottom of the coffin and runs his hands together.

      "Now, last thing." He pulls out the vile of golden blood. Before he spills it across the coffin, his eyes find Aphrodite's. "One hundred percent in this?"

       The nod she gives him is sure and stern.

          Without pause Hades' hand tipped over the vial and the blood splattered across the grey stone. The mason jar drooled with the golden substance making a drip-drop noise as it fell to the coffin. The hand mirrors handle was covered in Aphrodite's blood.

        She released a shaky breath at the sight. "Okay. Get on with it."

          He cracked her a look that spoke annoyance.

       "I'm doing you the favor. Recall?"

        She rolled her eyes, "Sorry. Please, hurry. I don't want to cower under Zeus' wrath. Do you?"

        His shoulders tensed. "Could that happen?"

         "Ugh!" She threw her arms and pointed at the coffin in front of them. "Continue, please."

      "Aphrodite..."

         "What, now?" She groans.

           "If Adonis decides to stay here..in Olympus, keep him away from Seph." The pleading favor is clouded with desperation.

        She pauses but nods nonetheless. Holding no complaints at hiding her lover from the one goddess she feels inferior to.

          He smiles sadly, "Move back some." She complies with nervous eyes.

        In a quick motion, Hades swivels his head down to the coffin, his mouth opens and begins tumbling out an unidentifiable language.

         It's the same sentence and it sounds like witchcraft. Aphrodite doesn't care, really. She just wants this whole ordeal to go speedy fast and without complications. The box begins to shake. Not just a small little wiggle or rattle, like it's actually moving across the floor shaking.