Did you miss me?

If It Kills Us

Aleta's POV

I sat there staring, just staring, staring at what once were my friends. What once was the people who saved me. They saved me and I can't save them. What does that make me? A failure? A fraud? A lie? I stared at them, the demons, what once was Zale and Becca. I frowned and just stared. Percy and Luke were sleeping in the room next door, or at least trying to sleep. Every ten or so minutes you could hear their yells as they woke from nightmares. They'd been plagued by these tortures since they lost Zale and Becca. Without them there to help they were losing hold all of us were. I stared at them and I felt tears start to sting my eyes and I blurted out "why?" Demon uno stared at me and asked in her scratchy voice "why what?" it felt unnatural hearing it out of Zale's mouth who's voice was soft and silky and flowing like sea water lapping at the sand on a warm summer day at sunset the sun radiating giving a nice orange glow and warmth. I missed that melodic voice of hers. I missed her. I frowned deeper and Luke and Percy yelled having woken up again. I sighed and said "nothing, but may I at least have your names?" This time demon dos answered first in her even scratchier voice "why do you care?" Again it felt foreign Rebecca's voice was so different from this it just wasn't right. Rebecca's voice was mysterious, yet kind and delicate at times. Its like a shadow at noon usually there and large and comforting and cool or the shadow of a night creeping in at the end of a nice summer day or one finally ending the day that seemed to go on forever giving you peace. Demon uno spoke again and answered "I have many names but you can call me Restellia and this is-" demon dos cut Restellia off and answered gruffly "I'm Eclipsta." I nodded a little at least I can stop calling them demon uno and dos. They started singing the song again, but just sat there. After finishing the song (Hanging tree) the screaming started. I dragged Restellia and Eclipsta with me to investigate and saw two girls strung up on the tree a glowing dove right above them still shining, they were claimed just as they died. The demons smiled a cruel smile and smirked but just stayed where they were. Sophia an old friend of ours that sort of just travels around came out of the bushes and said "Two daughters of Aphrodite some of the only one's who ever fight in battles. They were hunting for hell hounds and hoped eventually to take on Cerberus. They got too close to the tree and the demons used the tree to convince them to hang themselves." We nodded and she left again. I think we should consult Hera, Nyx, Estelle, and Morgana again considering the worsening in Tala and Daph's condition....?

Zale's POV

I sat on the shore of where the Cocytus and Acheron rivers meet in the underworld. The rivers of pain and wailing or lamentation in a black chair made of obsidian. There was a fiery table not to far from me where the game board lay. People always say that when your trapped by demons it looks like the scariest place you've ever been and mine is at the meeting place of two rivers. Shouldn't I be at home here with the water? However it really does scare me. I've gone through a lot of these things and years ago I was pushed into the water here. I wouldn't of made it out without Nyx's help. That's the day I met her. I was barraged with feelings of past pain and sorrows. I relived everything bad that had ever happened to me. Death after death, scar after scar, issue after issue. I was giving up and sinking, sinking farther and farther. I would've died there if it weren't for Nyx. I don't know why but she pulled me out. She saved but now I'm back in the same danger. This is what inside my own head looked like fire, darkness, brimstone, and black water.  If Rebecca wasn't here I'd be shaking out of fear in the corner. Wait....there are no corners. I hate this, I also hate lying to Tala. I told her if you win your out but I've won every game I've played and I'm still no closer. I've played 20 games. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I just want out. I can't handle this scenery much longer. I wonder what Becca sees?

Rebecca's POV

I see tartarus and you'd think considering how many times I've been there it wouldn't scare me but it does. I've lost so many...too many to that pit and now here I am sitting in it. It scares me because everyone I've lost I've lost here. Everyone in my life that's died was in this pit. It scares me because it points out my failures, my weaknesses, and puts them right before my eyes for my mind to use against me. For the demon to use against me. The only furniture here are acid yellow chairs and black tables framed by a fiery red. Its terrible. I've escaped here many times but I can't now. I can't just shadow travel out. I'm stuck and it's pulling me apart. I'm panicky and always nervous. I constantly feel like something will pop out at me like when I actually was here but it never does and my ADHD is just getting worse. I can't escape. I need my family back.  Then suddenly Zale and Luke's song started to play. It was For the Dancing and the Dreaming from How to Train Your Dragon. It played and she looked up from her quivering in the chair. She smiled and then frowned and then a look of determination flashed on her face. She started to play the games again. She kept playing and never just gave up. Soon the song ended and another one began it was mine and Percy's song. I listened intently to the lyrics as c'mon by panic! at the disco played. I listened to them and started to sing along "It's getting late, and I Cannot seem to find my way home tonight. Feels like I am falling down a rabbit hole.Falling for forever, wonderfully wandering alone.
What would my head be like? If not for my shoulders?Or without your smile?May it follow you forever. May it never leave you, To sleep in the stone,May we stay lost on our way home. C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me.I'd like to believe in all the possibilities If I should die tonight. May I first just say I'm sorry For I, never felt like anybody. I am a man of many hats although I never mastered anything. When I am ten feet tall,I never felt this smaller since the fall Nobody seems to know my name So don't leave me and sleep all alone. May we stay lost on our way home. C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me. I'd like to believe in all the possibilities. C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me. I'd like to believe in all the possibilities. Try not to mistake what you have. with what you hate. It could leave, it could leave, come the morning. Celebrate the night It's the fall before the climb Shall we sing, shall we sing, til the morning If I fall forward, you fall flat And if the sun should lift me up Would you come back? C'mon C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me I'd like to believe in all the possibilities C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me I'd like to believe in all the possibilities So c'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me I'd like to believe in all the possibilities Yeah Yeah Yeah! It's getting late and I cannot seem to find my way home tonight." I smiled and got back to playing I can do this for Percy. I will make it back. However that wasn't the last song one more played. It was the lullaby we sang to the kids. It was deep in the meadow from the hunger games. I miss the kids. Me and Zale both sang along to this one. "Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes. And when again they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you. Deep in the meadow, hidden far away. A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray. Forget your woes and let your troubles lay. And when again it's morning, they'll wash away. Here it's safe and here it's warm. And here the daisies guard you from every harm. And here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you." We looked at each other and promised each other we're getting out of here if it kills us.