Chapter 2

       As we entered the Art Gallery Dave pulled me through almost the enter display until he finally found what he wanted to show me. “Now you can’t tell me that it doesn’t look like you.”

            There before me was a large painting of a woman. Brown hair fell down over her shoulders, and the green in her eyes seemed so in love. A light seemed to be coming from behind engulfing her. I looked down in the corner to find the artist’s signature, but it simple read, ‘My Goddess’

            “Well, doesn’t it look like you?” Dave exclaimed, “Hey, look here is another one. On a bad day it looks like you.”

            Dave pulled me over to look upon another painting. This time I stared into eyes of almost pure hatred. There was no light, but complete darkness behind her. Her hair was wet and brought down over the side of her face. This one I had found more interesting as if I had already seen it before.

            “She looks pissed.” Dave finally broke my concentration. “Wonder why?”

            “Look,” I pointed towards the painting, “The bruise coming down the side of her face, and the gash. Her lip is sliced open too. Not to mention look at the skin on her neck. She looks like she went through Hell.”

            “I don’t see anything,” Dave got closer, but refused to see what I had seen.

            “Look under the hair, she’s covering up her disgrace.” My eyes found their way to the bottom of the painting again to find the name of this one. ‘Welcome to Hell’

            There were several more portraits of the same woman, but they were not as dramatic as the first two that we had looked at. Most of them emphasized the small tears or pain inside her eyes. None of the others however were like the first showing the glory of light fixed behind her. I found myself in front of the second one that I had looked at. There was so much hate inside her that I wondered how he was able to find the love that was found in his Goddess painting.

            I reached forward to touch the pain that she was feeling hoping to gain a sense of what she was declaring. “Please don’t touch.”

            I gasped and jumped back looking for the woman who demanded that I stop, “How much is it?”

            “The artist does not wish to sell any of his painting, only display them for the world to see.” She glared at me. I was assuming because I had tried to touch the painting.

            “Is he here? I want to meet him.” I demanded hoping that I could find a way to get this home.

            “I’m sorry he is not.” She continued to glare at me.

            “Hey, Bree, you should look at this section over here.” Dave broke into the confrontation, “Oh, sorry.”

            “Can I help you sir?” The woman turned herself away from me and paid her attention to Dave.

            “Um, yeah, who did all these?”

            “Lucifer Delos. Anything else?” She continued to keep her stare from me.

            I couldn’t help, but ask, “Do you know when he painted this one, Welcome to Hell?”

            Both she and Dave looked at me with confusion. The lady began fumbling through some papers, and finally glanced up at me, “This must be a typo it says over twenty years ago. Would you please excuse me while I attend to something?”

            Dave’s eyes grew wide as he looked down on me, “What was that about?”

            “She wouldn’t let me buy it.” I turned to look back at the portrait. “Lucifer Delos.”

            “No, I mean how did you know what to call it?”

            I pointed carefully at the words at the bottom of the painting, “It says right here where his name should be.”

            “Okay, I think it is time to go.” Dave pulled at my arm.

            “But I want this painting.” I found it hard to leave the sight of the woman staring out at me.

            I looked over at Dave who started looking at the portrait as well, “Nope, sorry, it isn’t going anywhere in the apartment. It creeps me out.”

            “Look at the pain in her soul.” Her eyes began burning inside me.

            Dave grabbed my arm and started pulling me away from the picture. I finally gave in against his persistence and turned around to follow him. “What is your deal lately, Bree?”

            “Nothing,” I tried to shake the image of the woman, “What else did you want to show me?”

            “Don’t worry about it. I’m ready to get out of here.” Dave continued pulling me towards the door, “This was a bad idea.”

            “What?” I tried to listen to him, but someone had caught my eye. The crude lady from earlier was now talking with someone and had her stare on me. I stopped causing Dave to jerk on my arm, but I didn’t give in to his beckoning. She had seen that I was saw her looking at me, and pointed to me while she spoke to the man who had his back to me. Slowly the man with whom she was talking with turned his head towards me, glancing slightly over his shoulder I saw his red eyes coming through his hair falling on me. I knew at once it was the same man who I had just seen earlier.

            I stood there frozen ignoring Dave as the man placed his hand kindly on the woman’s shoulder, and whispered into her ear. Without taking a second look in my direction he began walking over. I grabbed a hold of Dave’s shirt and gripped it tight as the man came closer.

            “Miss, you were asking for me?” The man was now addressing me. He lifted his eyes until they met mine. His eyes were no longer red, but a light golden brown which caught me off guard. I had hoped that I would have had a chance to stare into the odd color. “I’m Lucifer Delos, the artist of these paintings.”

            “I’m,” I choked on my own words as I studied his magnificent face up close, “I’m Bree Turner.”

            I lifted my hand to shake his. Once he had taken my hand in his he lifted it gently placing his lips to the back of it caressing it so softly, “It is a pleasure to meet you finally. You were inquiring about one of my paintings.”

            “Yeah, the most bizarre one that you have here,” Dave cut into the conversation stepping in front of me as if to protect me.

            “Welcome to Hell, as the gallery director told me. Let us take a look.” He turned waving me ahead of him. “May I ask why you are so interested in it?”

            I turned my head to find him assuming that he was a few steps behind me, but he was almost close enough to touch, “Who is she?”

            “Does she speak to you?” Lucifer stepped up beside me as I gazed upon her again.

            I turned towards him, “I can almost feel her pain. What happened to her?”

            “She lost everything except her faith, and in that moment she vowed to kill me.” His eyes gazed into hers as if he was taken back in time.

            “But you have others of her, like this one where you called her your Goddess. Can you tell me her story?” I stepped to the side to find myself in front of the first painting that I had seen.

            Lucifer had taken my hand in his, “It would be an honor to tell you the story of, my love. Tomorrow night around nine?”

            “She has to work,” Dave cut in before I could answer and ripped my hand out of Lucifer’s. “I think we should go, Bree.”

            “I’m sorry, are you her boyfriend?” Lucifer turned from me to Dave, and calmly welcomed his hand.

            “No, he isn’t.” I glared at Dave for breaking into my conversation, “But he is right, I do have to work tomorrow night.”

            “Sorry to hear that, maybe some other time,” Lucifer kept his eyes on Dave, “You did well tonight. Am I to understand that you are undefeated?”

            “Yes, sir, I am.” Dave gave into his own pride. “Like I was telling Bree on the way here, only God could beat me.”

            “Only God?” Lucifer lifted his hand and cover his mouth and ran his fingers down his jaw as if he were deep in thought, “I like your confidence. It is very, how do I put this, very divine.”

            “Divine, huh?” Dave turned from Lucifer to me confused, “Bree, I think we should go. It is getting kind of late.”

            “Just wait, Dave.” I gave my full attention to Lucifer now, “Would you sell me her portrait?”

            “Which one are you interested in? I have plenty.” I watched as he stretched out his arms welcoming me to view them all again.

            “That one,” I pointed to the portrait that I had asked for earlier. “I only want that one.”

            “How much are you willing to give for it?” Lucifer’s eyes became intent on mine, as if he was trying to read my mind.

            I stared into the golden stones, finding the slightest hint of the sky circling them, “Whatever you want.”

            “Well, you see, the determination that she conveys, is something to be valued deeply. The pain that she had fought through to get to that point in her life is priceless, but for you,” Lucifer had grown closer to me with each word staring relentlessly into my eyes without wavering, “A kiss.”

            “Alright, that’s it, we are leaving Bree,” Dave announced as he grabbed my arm trying to pull me away.

            “Wait,” Lucifer held up his hand stopping Dave. Surprisingly he listened and let go of my arm. Lucifer backed away from me, and lifted the painting off the wall, “It is yours. Let me have it wrapped for you.”

            Without another word, he left with the painting. I watched as he took it across the room, but his eyes now seemed imbedded into me. I tried to remember at the school how red they seemed to be, and when he first looked upon me here at the art gallery.

            “You can’t be serious about putting that in the apartment are you?” Dave shook his head at me, “That thing will give me nightmares.”

            “I will keep it in my room.” I answered still thinking of the man who had just given it to me.

            “That guy was weird if you ask me, but no wonder if his parents were cruel enough to name him Lucifer.” Dave put his arm around my shoulders and leaned on me, “Lucifer Delos, I’ve honestly never heard of him.”

            “Lucifer, Lucifer,” I dug in my thoughts as I said his name, and then it finally came to me, “Lucifer was the Angel of light before he fell.”

            “Yes, but he fell.” Dave turned to me almost startled, “Since when are you into religions?”

            “I just remembered it from when your parents used to make me go to church.” I rubbed my temples trying to make sure that it where I had heard it. “The priest had mentioned it or it was in Sunday school or something, I don’t remember.”

            “Here you go, ma’am.” The woman came back with the painting wrapped in cloth protecting it until we got home, “Lucifer sends his regards, and asks that you forgive him for not being able to bring this back personally.”

            Dave took the frame in his hands, “Thank you. Bree, can we go now?”

            “Tell Mr. Delos that I forgive him, and may I ask, how long will he be in town?” I had hoped that he would be in long enough for that dinner that he had mentioned, or maybe even a lunch.

            “A week from yesterday.”

            “Alright, thank you so much.” I was now determined to stop in tomorrow on my way to work to see him again.

            Dave and I left together with the painting and found our way home strangely enough without a word being said between us.

            “Give me the light that he has placed in your keeping!” Hades roared causing the stones to shudder making smaller ones fall to the floor. “He has fallen and lost everything, including his life, now just give it to me!”

            “No!” I screamed back just as viciously, “I will never give you what he has left me to protect.”

            “I will find it, and pull it from your body!” Hades turned into the darkness flew into my body hurling it into the wall. I screamed for Apollo to come save me as the darkness inside me ripped through my entire being. I cried for Apollo when the pain was no longer bearable, leaving me broken on the floor. He tore from everything inside my body, and returned to his human form after what seemed to be forever. “Give it to me. I can see it lying there upon your skin so I know it is within you somewhere.”

            I lifted myself facing Hades with the only strength that I had left, “It belongs to my Apollo, not you or I.”

            “Let’s see if a hundred years of being plagued by demons changes your mind.” As Hades disappeared from the room it fell into a deep gloom leaving only the small amount of light there to protect me from whatever the demons might devour.

            The evil alarm clock beside my head began buzzing. I hit it as hard as I could to get the sound from my ears. It finally gave in with several blows and I rolled back over on my bed to hopefully get more sleep. Even though I had slept for over twelve hours it didn’t seem to help any. Between waking between dreams, and the echoes of them pouring though me, I didn’t sleep well at all.

            I rubbed my face trying to get the demons from my mind. As I lowered them I found myself staring at the portrait sitting on the floor. I sat up and stared at it for a moment trying to remember what happened last night after we got home, but it was just a darkened memory.

            I groaned and got out of bed stretching the pain from my dreams out of my body. Looking at the clock I knew that Dave would already be gone for class, so I decided that there was no need to get dressed before leaving my room. I would be the only one here which would be nice for a chance, allowing me to shower as long as I wish, and I didn’t have to worry about being late for work.

            I opened the door to find someone was waiting patiently for me to emerge from my room. I threw the door shut, and got dressed quicker than I had wanted to. I was now upset that I was not alone for the day, and this visit was not going to be fun either. I couldn’t wait to hear what she would have to say today. Too bad that Dave wasn’t here to help with her, or maybe she came before he even left allowing him to deal with the blunt end of it.

            Entering the room again I tried to smile and greet her without sounding to pessimistic, “Hi, mom.”

            “How are you, sweetie.” She smiled right away almost scaring me. Usually by now she would be complaining how unkempt the apartment is. “Did you sleep well?”

            “Fine, what’s up?” I rubbed my face and sat down next to her not really wanting to.

            “Dave called he said he was worried about you. So I figured I would come and see what he was concerned about.” She gave me her concerned smile, but I knew that there was probably a lecture waiting behind it.

            I stretched trying to wake up, “I’m fine. He’s just upset because I got a painting last night that is a little different. It’s nothing to worry about.”

            “It was the painting and a few other things, but I just wanted to give you something.” She pulled out a large folder from her purse, “I think it is something that you should look at when you have some time, and a clear mind. If you need to talk to someone, then let me know.”

            I held the brown folder in my hands looking it over, “What is it?”

            “What do you remember before the accident?” My mom clasped her hands together as if she was ready to tell me something horrid.

            “I’ve,” I watched her intently before I finally decided to answer, “I’ve had some dreams of memories, but not much.”

            Placing her hand on the folder, “This is everything that was given to us, pictures, drawings, doctor’s records, and your report cards from school. I would have given it to you sooner, but I think this is the right time. You will understand why when you look inside. I didn’t understand it until Dave called me this morning, and then it all made sense.”

            I couldn’t help but feel slightly dumbfounded and there were not words that I could say to her. I wanted to tell her thank you, but it just didn’t seem to fit. My past was my past and I didn’t want to deal with it. I hated the idea that I had forgotten mostly everything in the accident, but she was the one who told me that God was allowing me to start a new life with a new family. I knew that my parents were wonderful loving people. It was almost a blessing when I couldn’t remember a whole lot about them. It would have been more painful I’m sure if I had all the memories. Knowing that I should have died with them was the worst because they were my only family.

            “I’ll go and let you get ready for work,” My mom leaned over and kissed me on the top of the head, “Remember if you need to talk, give me a call, anytime.”

            Giving a faint smile I watched as she walked out of the door. I sat the large folder on the coffee table and stared at it wondering if I really wanted it at all. After debating on what to do with it, I just let it sit there and decided to take my nice long shower.

            While I had gotten ready for work I tried really hard to ignore both the painting and the folder sitting out on the table. Finally when I had had enough of both of them nagging at the back of my mind, I rushed towards the door. I needed the fresh air in my lungs and to feel the sunlight on my face.

            I had gotten two blocks from the apartment when my mother’s voice came again, just as it had while I had gotten ready, “But I think this is the right time. You will understand why when you look inside.”

            Regretting what I was about to do, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get it out of my mind unless I got it. I turned around and headed back to the apartment. I hoped that maybe just having it with me would ease my mind, and if it bothered me too much throughout the night I could look at it at the library. I’m sure there wasn’t going to be too many people. Then again there never was a lot in there ever.

            When I picked up the folder I glanced at the clock and realized that I only had about an hour and a half until I had to be at work. I wanted to get to the art gallery to see if he was there to see about setting up a lunch date or something. I stuffed the folder into my bag, and I almost ran back out of the apartment. I found myself jogging most of the way to the gallery.

            I slowed down as I got closer and caught my breath. I carefully fixed my hair in the windows that I passed. I took one deep breath of fresh air before I opened the door and walked into the gallery. The lady from last night was standing in front of another painting sitting on an easel.

            “Um, excuse me.” I announced myself stirring the silence of the room.

            The lady turned to me and didn’t seem surprised to see me. She greeted me with an odd smile as if she was expecting me, “Hello, Mr. Delos isn’t here right now.”

            My heart dropped into my stomach, “Do you know when he will be in?”

            “I think he was coming in around six. Would you like to leave a message for him?” She left the painting and headed towards a counter off to the side of the room.

            I sighed, “No, that’s okay. Thank you though.”

            “You’re welcome. Come back anytime.” She smiled and returned to the painting that she was viewing when I had come in.

            “I just wish I could come back anytime, around six would be great.” I mumbled to myself as I made my way out the door.

            I moped the whole way to the school trying to take as much time as I could so that I wouldn’t be too early and have to listen to Cora. By the time that I had reached the school I still had twenty minutes before I actually had to go in. I found a bench close to the doors, and decided that I would enjoy the fresh air. I sat my bag down beside me, and reached inside grabbing the mythology book that I had gotten yesterday.

            There wasn’t much inside the book that I didn’t read, but maybe I missed something. Something that could explain why I was dreaming about Apollo’s light. As I reread the pages I tried to think back to my old world cultures classes, but everything just didn’t seem to fit. Not the dreams, the painting, Lucifer, my mom giving me the folder none of it fit together. Should it though?