“Please, Alexander.” I begged him as I stood stiffly within the barrel.
He took my face between both his hands, “Please what?”
“Please do not do this. You felt remorse at your friend’s death. Can you not begin to feel forgiveness as well?” My questions came out in the barest whisper as I stared pleadingly into his eyes.
“You know, I have wanted to kiss you for almost seventy-five years now,” he said thoughtfully. We stood silently looking at each other for a moment, his eyes searching, looking for I knew not what. Then slowly he lowered his lips towards mine. As they were about to touch me, I attempted to flinch away, his too tight grip on my head preventing it. But at my slight movement he pulled back and grimly pushed me down into the barrel, sealing me within.
“Please, Alexander!” I begged starting to sob. There were ten spikes placed randomly around the barrel pointing inwards and bracing myself as best I could with my back, arms and legs spread to accommodate them, the barrel was tipped onto its side.
“Until next time, Diana,” he called as he gave the barrel a shove to set it rolling.
* * * *
The Present
I opened my eyes struggling for breath expecting to see Maggie back from the concert but the other side of the bed was empty. Looking at the clock, I saw it was only eleven. It felt like years had passed not a mere two hours since going to bed. I rolled back over onto my stomach and shoved my head under the pillow.
* * * *
171 BCE
It was mid summer in Pisa with just over 250 years to go before Mount Vesuvius was to blow its top. The winds from the ocean were bringing relief from the heat when elsewhere people suffered. We had finally become a colony of Rome several years earlier and dwelt under its famous Roman law. The Republic seemed on a path to compete with Alexander the Great’s one time empire, though he had been gone these 152 years.
Nevertheless, we were all glad for it meant safety for citizens, for me, to be able to walk unmolested about town. So imagine my surprise, and horror, that fine summer day, when Alexander once again entered my life. He had found me! There could be no worse luck than that! What was more appalling, I gave myself away.
When he walked up to the market stall where I was purchasing fruit, I backed away in alarm, my basket falling and scattering the contents in the walkway. He had only been slightly curious at my behavior until he looked into my face and seen what must have been absolute and abject terror. Then he smiled somewhat happily, and I turned to run.
My size was to my advantage among those gathered in the market square that bright sunny day. I could weave in and out, ducking and dodging around people far more easily than Alexander, and I was fleet of foot. However, people took one look at him and parted the way just as the proverbial Red Sea. And then as I glanced back to see how close he was, I plowed into a farmer’s large wife, and we both went down amid tangled arms and legs. The woman started shouting profanities and kicking out at me in anger.
“My apologies good woman,” Alexander said loudly as he approached. “The girl is still flighty, but do not worry, I will beat some sense into her.” He grasped my upper arm and hauled me upright to stand next to him, tightening his hand in warning when I tried to draw away. Not able to gain my freedom, he strode off dragging me with him past the edge of town to a secluded clearing in the nearby woods on the road to Florence. There he flung me away, and stumbling, I fell amid the dirt and leaves.
“So…it has been a while.”
“Hello, Alexander.” He threw his head back and laughed as I coolly greeted him, trying to brush the debris off while still sitting.
“So now what?” I asked, trying to appear unafraid and calm looking up at him, but my insides were quivering. I knew what.
“Now payment continues,” he grinned as he grabbed the front of my dress to haul me upright. He released me when I was finally on my feet.
Then his fist connected against my cheek with bone shattering intensity. Screaming and clutching at my face, I reeled backward and went down again. The sharp and devastating pain in my face unexpectedly receded almost immediately when he grasped my hair to pull me up, yanking a handful out. With a shake of his hand my hair landed next to me in a clump. He grabbed another handful, got me up this time and violently shook me. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or not since I was woozy and could feel myself giving up, with darkness around the edges of my vision.
“Do not pass out on me!” he growled menacingly but it was too late. My next awareness came when icy stream water covered my head. I was lying with gravel biting into my legs amid scrapes and bruises. It felt as if I had been dragged along the ground for a ways. My face was being forced down into the water and pushing up against the pressure on the back of my head, a grasping hand to the hair again helped me upright with one strong pull. Water and blood trickled down my neck and shoulders, and trying to focus, I blinked.
Bringing my face close to his, he said, “You will not get out of this so easily.” Releasing my hair, he took a step back to gain room to punch me again. This time his knuckles split my lips against my teeth, snapping my head back and I again landed amid the dirt and leaves. I turned over onto my hands and knees, spitting out blood, and at least one tooth but probably more, trying to crawl away from him. I knew I couldn’t escape, but some stubborn streak insisted that I at least try. He brought back his foot and kicked me in the side, causing my ribs to cave inward and ending it quickly just the same, for bone pierced through my lungs. Instead of air only liquid existed to breathe, and I knew no more.
* * * *
The Present
I groaned in despair when I looked at the clock. It was only twelve-thirty! Maggie was back and asleep on her side. She had left one light on but had turned out the others, so it was easy to see in the room, though it was dim. Was I not to get any decent sleep this night? Realizing I would be up for a while, a shower seemed like a good idea. The hot water, as always, seemed to soothe my worries away. Even though Alex knew where I was, even though he had actually come here, he had gone away. I just couldn’t quite convince myself that was the end of it as I crawled back in bed.
* * * *
88 BCE
The Greek island of Crete was a long way from Mount Vesuvius and would not be touched when it erupted 167 years later. Though Alexander the Great had been gone for 235 years, people still spoke of his military genius, praising his strategic abilities. I was neither concerned with Vesuvius nor with Alexander, for it was Rome that was extending its power, and so far, I had escaped Alexander’s notice.
My home was in Knossos, and as a daughter to a politician, I was the frequent hostess to many of my father’s friends and fellow statesmen—one of which was Alexander. The first time he was in my house, I thought he had found me out, but he had just looked at me politely and smiled! I had smiled back in sheer relief, realizing that my father had just introduced me using the Greek form of my name ‘Artemis.’
My mother had died when I was extremely young, and as the sound of ‘Diana’ reminded him sharply of her, adding to his sadness, he never called me by it. I might actually have a chance this time, I had thought.
Alexander became, not a frequent visitor, but certainly no stranger to our household, which included not only my father and me, but also my cousin Magdalena. Always nervous of him, I watched him carefully whenever he was near or even when I saw him in the streets. A merchant was cuffing a young beggar boy one time, when apparently the boy had tried to acquire some food. Alexander saw what was happening, as had I, going over and grabbing the man’s arm as it descended toward the boy.
“Enough,” he had said. The man tried to bluster and pull away while accusing the boy of thievery, but Alexander had merely shoved the merchant away in disgust, causing him to fall into his cart, toppling it over. He then grabbed an apple and tossed it to the boy who ran quickly away. Odd behavior for a demon, I had thought.
While I was not with him all the tim
e, still I never saw an unkind gesture from him towards anyone that did not deserve it. In fact, it was the opposite. There were many acts of kindness such as with the boy. I thought that everything would be fine as long as I did not reveal myself. Truly best laid plans pave the way to Hades.
Magdalena’s birthday approached and a large celebration was arranged, inviting many far-flung relatives. Her parents had died in a plague that left few alive in their small town to tell the tale, and my father had been adamant that she live with us, not only to provide a home for her but also as a companion for me. When the day dawned bright and clear, the guests began to arrive.
“Tellus, how wonderful for you to make the trip. It must be twenty years since I saw you last,” my father greeted him as we all stood by to shake hands and embrace those we had missed. He was an older uncle of my father’s, and as a boy he had sailed to far lands and experienced many adventures that he loved to share with anyone who would listen.
“I have not traveled in some time, and it feels good to be out and about again. So this is the lovely Diana,” he added, as he held out two hands to draw me close for an embrace. When he addressed me, my heart nearly stopped, and I looked around quickly. Alexander was somewhere as he had arrived earlier. And there he was. Staring at me. It appeared to me as if we were the only people in that crowded room, for silence seemed to descend as my searching gaze found his eyes—which were blazing with recognition and sudden rage. Abruptly there was a rushing roar in my head as sound returned, and looking back at Tellus, I smiled tremulously.
“Excuse me, please. I must see to the final preparations.” And I sedately walked to the doorway leading out to the courtyard where, as soon as I rounded the corner, I simply ran for it. I hoped with so many people that knew us both that he would not follow. Surely there would be some instinct to hide what he was from them. He would not want them to see him kill the daughter of a friend. A vain hope apparently as I did not realize that he deliberately gave me a lead so that we would not have witnesses.
“Diana, you had me completely fooled. Did you ask your father to call you Artemis?” he asked as he approached. He had gotten his horse and simply rode up beside me. “I guess you forgot about hiring the young boys to walk the horses. Fortunately, Max was handy,” he added as I looked around in surprise. I had gotten several blocks away and was heading for the outskirts of town as he caught up with me.
“Alexander, please. We have known each other for years now. You are friends with my father. We are friends. I recognized you from the beginning. Please.” I was backing away as I pleaded, but I knew there was no escape. When he gestured without another word for me to take his hand, I did so and was pulled up in front of him with his arms effectively caging me on the horse.
“What are you going to do?” I asked with just the slightest quiver in my voice as I leaned back against his broad chest. I could feel his muscles flexing with the movement of the horse and knew that should he so desire, he could easily crush my throat.
“I agree, we have been friends this time, Diana, but still you must be punished. So I am torn,” he paused thoughtfully as Maximus slowly continued to pace towards the town boundaries. For a time we were both quiet, I too worried, and he contemplative. Then I recognized the path we were on.
“What have you decided, Alexander?” I asked, fearing I already knew the answer.
“What do you think about dehydration and starvation?” he asked musingly.
“You would cause me such extended pain?” I asked clutching at his surrounding arms with shaky hands.
“Do you not think it fair as you have caused me pain for all these years?”
“What occurred was not through my intent but yours, Alexander,” I said with the stirrings of anger.
“Diana, all that I wanted was to be with you and you betrayed me!” he said with flaring rage.
“Are you a lunatic? I betrayed you? I spoke politely to your friend, that was all!” I was nearly shouting in his face, my fear forgotten momentarily. He had dismounted, pulling me down to stand facing him, his hands still holding my waist. We had arrived at our destination—the Labyrinth of the Minotaur.
“You stabbed me in the back with a dinner knife!” he gave me a slight shake.
“Well, you are a demon!” I was pushing on his arms trying to get him to release me, but it was as if I pushed against stone. As my back was still to the horse, I was effectively pinned. Looking up at him I saw his lips twitch in amusement, and the anger drained from us both.
“Please, Alexander, do not do this,” I pleaded quietly.
“I swore you would be punished each time I found you,” he answered.
“But you do not want to do this now. Look, you are willing to send me into a maze to die so that you do not have to do it yourself.” He looked to the entrance and then back down at me, clearly weighing the validity of my words.
“Remember the evenings sitting in my home with my father and me discussing the fate of the world as well as the smallest gossip of the marketplace. Remember all the times I prepared your favorite foods just to please you. Please Alexander…do not do this,” I gestured towards the cave as I ended in a whisper looking up at him.
His gaze was searching as he looked into my eyes and then his head slowly moved towards mine. I knew he was going to kiss me, but I was afraid…afraid of doing the wrong thing. If I kissed him back, would he think I was just trying to fool him? If I did not kiss him, would he take it as an insult? My heart was pounding, and my stomach felt sick. It was no time for a kiss, and I simply panicked. So as he lips descended towards mine, at the last moment, I turned my head, and he kissed my cheek gently.
“Goodbye, Diana,” he said quietly. Taking the dagger he always wore at his belt, he rammed it under my rib cage and into my heart.
* * * *
The Present
I woke clutching at my chest with the sun’s morning rays shining into the hotel bedroom at last. I was exhausted and didn’t feel as if I had gotten any rest the night before, not remembering a time when so many different dreams had spun through my mind in one night. Had they been stimulated by Alex’s presence in Rome? It must be, because they were all about him. I could hear the others in the sitting room of the suite so got up to dress. A black M-Cube t-shirt was laid out across the chair, a clear invitation to wear. I pulled it on and went to join the others for some breakfast.
“Hey,” I said, walking in to sit at the table loaded with covered dishes from room service. “Thanks for the t-shirt.”
“No problem. You really missed the coolest concert! They were awesome!” Sam was still stoked obviously, but then I saw them exchange a significant glance as I bit into a piece of luke warm toast.
“It was fun, but we did run into someone there,” Maggie said, pouring some orange juice in a glass and pushing it over to me. I looked at her and flapped my hand, gesturing for her to continue as I chewed.
“Alex was there,” Sam said, and my eyes flicked to him in alarm.
“What?” I coughed up a few crumbs of toast, took a swig of juice, and then cleared my throat.
“He was there. He recognized me from the café and came up to us afterwards. He said he wanted to make sure we got back to the hotel safely.”
“Yeah, he said that sometimes it gets a little rough at those promotional gigs. They’re a new band just starting to make a name for themselves, and he said he’d been worried that we’d get hurt if there was a ruckus,” Maggie added.
“And you believed him?” I was stunned. “Why would he even care? What were you thinking?”
“I think he just wanted to see you,” Maggie said. “He kept looking around like he expected you to be there too.”
“Well, he was here earlier, and I didn’t let him in. So he should’ve known that if I’d seen him, I would’ve run for it.”
“He came to the door?” Sam asked. I nodded, my appetite gone. “I wonder what his game is?”
“What do you think? He’s goin
g to kill me. AGAIN!” My heart rate wouldn’t calm down, and I got up to pace around the room.
“I don’t think so.” Maggie looked thoughtful, and when I raised my eyebrows, she said, “I mean, if he’d been here earlier when no one but you was here, wouldn’t he have done it then? What did he say?”
“That he just wanted to talk.” I sat back down and propped my chin in my hand on the table.
“Well, from some of the dreams you’ve told us about, he never wanted to talk before.”
“Maggie, what’s the deal? You liked him didn’t you?” I asked incredulously, and she slowly nodded.
“Yeah, I guess I did. He seemed really nice, you know, concerned for us. And just a little bit sad.”
“That’s because he has no reason to kill you!” I couldn’t believe that Maggie and Sam actually liked him! I felt betrayed and infuriated at the same time. “Look there’s been other times when he’s talked to me, but then he’s still killed me. I can’t trust him! You can’t trust him!”
“Okay, okay, calm down. Di, we’d never choose him over you,” Sam assured, patting my shoulder, obviously concerned that crying was about to begin as angry moisture formed in my eyes.
Helen came in and told us that the others would be over shortly so that we could work out our game plan for the catacombs. We went back to finishing breakfast so the table could be cleared off before they arrived. Even so, it was a while before my heart rate settled down to a more normal pace.
Who would have thought that something that could fit in the palm of your hand could feel so heavy? It was only fourteen ounces, but it felt like I was holding a bowling ball…its metal casing cold against my skin—a grenade. It was unbelievable. I was in a complete state of shock thinking that I was about to go into “battle” against demons. I’d dreamed about them for most of my life but never imagined that they were real. Was I about to die before I had even really had a chance to live?
The guys had shown up with the weapons already arranged. The grenades attached to straps that would cross over our chests and sticks of extra silver ammo along belts for our waists. The night vision glasses were the most amazing and cool looking. They had a slight amber tint, and on either side at the temple, there was a tiny hole through which ultraviolet light would shine out, powered by a tiny battery. The objects that were so illuminated could be seen through the amber haze.