this to protect me, my father especially, as he always had. However, there was no protecting me now and seeing scenes like this one, only meant that I had so many questions. Questions that unfortunately I might never have the answer to.
I watched as both my mother and this unknown person came to a wooden door at the end of the corridor. Above it sat what must have first looked like a gargoyle of sorts being some hideous stone figure. But now, having dealt with these creatures for the last day, then I knew otherwise.
It was a Harpy.
“Wow, that is one ugly looking Gargoyle. I mean I have seen scary at Afterlife but this one takes the biscuit.” I had to chuckle at my mother’s humour, as we obviously had this in common. A humour used as a weapon to ease the tension during stressful situations. She said this after catching up to the woman who was obviously leading her through Hell for whatever reason I was still yet to discover. The beautiful blonde looked up at the Harpy who was sat statue still but still watching with a keen eye. Then she informed her,
“That’s no Gargoyle.”
“Eosss!” the creature hissed after leaning forward and spitting this name down at them…no not them, just at the woman next to my mother. I frowned to myself asking where it was I had heard this name before, and then I looked back to the woman I believed the Harpy had called Eos. She looked disgusted in return and with a curled lip, addressed her,
“Podarge.”
Moments after speaking her name, it made me realise that I was about to witness the true murderer of the Harpy sister and let's just say, I really doubted it was going to be my mother. But once again I found myself ignoring this name, insight of another, remembering now that Eos was Latin for Aurora. I felt my features twist into my own look of disgust as this was a name I had heard before. And well, let’s just say that it wasn't ever spoken about in a good light. In fact, I think my mother hated her just as much as she hated Layla, which made me question now what she was doing with the bitch?
Had this been a moment in time before the cause for that hatred had happened? It would seem so.
“Why are you here?” the Harpy demanded, hissing the last word. The Harpy then jumped down from its perch and whereas my mother took a step back, Aurora did not.
“That is none of your business Harpy, you know who I am so you would be wise to have respect when speaking to me!” the bitch Aurora replied, straightening her spine with an arrogant air when staring down at the Harpy as though she was scum beneath her feet.
“Oh, I know who you are and of your traitorous ways,” Podarge said, sneering at who she obviously classed as being a small threat before her.
“What is she talking about?” This question came from my mother who turned to face Aurora with distrust in her eyes. This then confirmed to me that whatever had happened between them must have been after this point and perhaps what I was witnessing now was simply the start of it.
“Nothing!” Aurora snapped making the Harpy laugh in a high-pitched cackle.
“You call betraying your Master nothing?” The Harpy threw back at her in challenge, but it was my mother’s reaction to this I focused on,
“Draven...? Why you…” I could feel my mother’s anger rising in a way that was similar to that of my own down here. And although I couldn't see what I had started to see in myself when it happened, the power I felt coming from her was still there. It was like an invisible wall knocking into me and passing through me like a ghost. However, it only evaporated and released its hold on me when Aurora answered,
“She’s talking about Zeus.” My mother released a visibly relieved sigh before saying,
“Oh…well, that’s alright then I…uh…” Then she paused when the Harpy took a menacing step closer to her and in a comical way, after taking note of the Harpy’s annoyance, changed her tune and added,
“I mean, how could you do that?” Aurora simply rolled her eyes in annoyance before addressing the Harpy once more, obviously choosing to ignore my mother’s comment.
“My business with that ruthless bastard is my own and does not concern the likes of you and your abhorrent