Chapter 3: Chapter Two
ATHENA
I could do things no human could do, saw things scientist would kill to see, knew things just by looking at them. I didn't have to put any effort into it. All I needed to do was look. I had the strength of a million men, my body was hard as titanium. I was in full control of my new abilities, especially my mind. I could make people see what I wanted them to see, hear what I wanted them to hear.
All in all, the living room was a wreck. The couch, I destroyed as a result of testing my strength. The wall clock broken into two. The knives in the kitchen were broken because of my hard skin. The only significant object intact was my bottle of shocker, everything was an easy replacement. Except for the fact that Dora was levitating in the air while sleeping. I was exhausted and joyous with new energy.
First, I inherited a great fortune, now I'm was goddess. There was one thing I was dying to try on Dora. A part of me knew the end result would be bad, but no pain no gain. I concentrated on Dora, just as I breached into her mind she woke up with a dirty look in her eyes. I swallowed a lump down my throat mildly. She landed gracefully on her two feet, as the first rays of the sun stroke my face, a sharp burn cut across my skin and I yelped. I turned away from the sun as my skin began to heal.
"Good morning" she said kindly, another dirty smile on her face. I grunted deep down and smiled like a sun shine.
"Morning" I sipped my shocker. Dora looked around, not surprised by the mess I made, actually she was impressed.
"Get dressed we have a god to find"
I made up my mind from this time to wait for the opportune moment to enter her mind.
Seeing into Dora's mind was exactly like mining a gold mine. Within the next fifteen minutes I showered and wore a mild blue jeans, blouse and leather jacket. I slipped my feet into an easy wear, took my ATM card and that's about it.
Dora stood at the window staring into sun. I cleared my throat and she looked me in the eye.
"Most people after embracing this lifestyle prefer to remain in their comfortable zone, Ellen. After you leave here with me you won't return the same."
"Ok"
Thank you for your concern Dora, but we both knew she wasn't worried about me. I expected her to teleport us to wherever we were meant to go but she walked out of my apartment, right down to the street. I followed behind like a shadow not uttering a word.
This journey started out awkwardly already.
I felt Dora and I could be good friends, simultaneously, great rivals. I didn't tell her the whole truth about the hospital door which vexes me.
Yet still I felt it was my only leverage over her. Athena's mind prowess was so powerful I could only reach into people's mind but also extend it into the individuals I see in their mind.
As we trekked through the streets, I realized something magical was at hand. Every person who walked past us disappeared, behind me was a murky wall closing in behind us. The wall was a mixture of light cream and cloudy sky blue. The city buildings begin to fade away like footprints being washed away from shore, the people around us dissipated with each passing moment and the air smelled like rotten tomatoes and nectar. 'Where are we?' I thought.
"We're in limbo" Dora responded on que "Be careful not to stray from the path or you'll fall in an endless void."
Yep, classic Dora stating the harmful consequences "What is it anyway, Limbo" I followed in her footsteps amazed at the flow of whatever mist was out there. Minute after minute a new set of buildings rose, new people, cars, boutiques, streets corners, lights and suddenly they faded out again.
"It's a pathway to any destination. Think of it like a shortcut" Dora explained "All you need to do is find the doorway and imagine where you want to go as long as it exists"
"How do you find the doorway?" imagining my destination was easy, the doorway part should be difficult. I was elated now more than ever, as much I was hating Dora I was also loving her, maybe because she was revealing the secrets of the universe.
"You only have to..."
"Watch out for the shimmering ray of Apollo" And just like that the knowledge of Limbo fell to me. I understand the concept of how the limbo worked seeing how my predecessor created it.
I saw Dora's lips curve into a smile. Slowly the path we walked on thinned out, the murky wall behind us engulfed me, a tickling sensation followed and I stood in a locker room. Dora appeared next to me after a minute. I looked around and details of everything I saw began to populate in my mind. It's been thirty minutes already and it's beginning to wear me out
I thought I could control the knowledge of anything I saw but I'll have to put in the effort.
"FitRec Swim School"
Dora exited the locker room, impassive and unconcerned with my outburst of our location. We ended up in a corridor, well bricked in white and tiled in cream, which led to an arched door illuminating white light.
"Give it time, you'll learn to control it"
So she cared. I smiled weakly and followed her to the outrageous chanting of particular name 'Marlin'.
Entering into the light, a crowd surrounded the pool cheering for a swimmer in black undies, and he was not alone, I guessed he was the champion of this recreational centre and Dora's mission.
We found Poseidon.
Dora was still and staring at him with nothing but gaudy eyes, which surprisingly makes me jealous.
How come he got her admiration?
Well.
He was handsome, and his hair was plastered across his face, sharp eyes and nose like an owl, thick dry lips even in water, and his manly form was a well sculptured art. He was in the foster care system, has a job at Klegs Auto in the west side of Boston, he lived in an apartment not far from his area of work, two blocks away. He was overconfident, capricious, self-centered, and clever but an ass according to a girl staring at him like he's Brad Pitt. I didn't even need the binary details about Krate Stevenson's livelihood also known as Marlin, soon to be Poseidon.
I felt like he'd been rooted in me, including every person in this area. I knew everything there was to know about them which was creepy yet exciting.
I didn't even know how my brain was storing all this knowledge.
"I bet there's not even one swimmer here can who defeat Marlin" The tall coach who trained Marlin announced.
Oh Really?
"I know someone who can beat him"
All heads turned to me and I was suddenly the centre of attention at the moment.
Who the hell is she? I hear Marlin's thought clearly.
Dora, on the other hand, nothing, and I'm consciously reminded of the sun burn back at my apartment.
Marlin hauled himself out of the pool like a boss, not that he looked intimidating or fearful, but my heart pace increased with every step he took and it was all because of the malicious look in Dora's eyes.
I bet if looks could kill I'd be dead.
They can Ellen
As of now, I was literally staying out of Dora's business.
"I'm the best in all of Boston with a record of 19.23 100 men's back" Marlin said proudly; he smelled of chlorine which made me want to puke. He engaged my eyes wildly "If you think you can beat me, let's go, right now, me and you"
After the brazen invitation, the crowd burst up in an uproar. I'm quiet, frightened as a turkey whose throat is about to slit open for thanksgiving.
My next move was outrageous and death sentencing.
"I didn't say I could beat you, dumbass, I said I knew someone who could " I'm wasn't even confident with the words coming out from my mouth.
"Who?"
I'm sure it was obvious by now so I signed my death sentence "Her" I pointed to her "Dora, my elder sister"
"WHAT?" Dora's voice echoed.
"She swims like a torpedo and has never lost" I boasted, a devious smile crossing my lips
Marlin shifted his wildling gaze to Dora.
You must be joking. He laughed This puny, oddly attracting girl, beat me? In my home turf? Why the fuck do they think I'm called Black Marlin?
Oh wow
Marlin walked in the direction of Dora, as all eyes turned on her, his team mates shadowed his lead and together they encircled Dora like a pack of wolves.
Marlin will nail her in a jiff
This is so funny
Is this really happening?
They kept thinking in their minds. Dora was relaxed, not threatened by their deathly glares and energy. If anything, she cared less of what happened right now.
She probably wanted to embed Marlin with Poseidon's power and be rid of us.
I felt a sting as I realized after Marlin was bestowed with Poseidon's power, I won't see her again.
"If I beat you, you'll lend me fifteen minutes of your time in the locker room" Dora bluntly spurts out "That's all I'm asking"
Marlin shrugged "Fine" A smirk crossed his face "But If I win, your sister goes out with me?"
"Agreed"
WHAT
I didn't even know how that came as a shock to me, or how the words escaped my mouth.
BUT, I'm not going out with an egotistical, self-serving ass who knew nothing, and has very miniature impression of women. If only Dora saw what I saw in his head, she still won't care.
I strutted to Dora with urgency "You can't be serious?"
Her face was serious as a hungry lion searching for food "Yes, you are" sadly for me.
Marlin made his move to my side, I'm forced to look in his dark variegated eyes and stop him, forcefully touching his wet chest with my index finger "That's close enough"
I'm too out of mind to even read his own thoughts, but I kept a steady gaze at him.
"Shall we" he arches an eyebrow to Dora.
Like a stripper she stripped in front of the crowd.
"Holy...Shit" the words loosen from Marlin's tongue.
Indeed, the tattoos on her skin illuminates in the sunlight, bearing sigils of all gods and goddesses. The most illuminating tattoo was shaped like a wave; Poseidon's power I conclude.
I saw a grey mark of a man burning in flame, his soul being pulled out by two claws and another man standing beside the claws just watching, Hades and Thanatos, and I'm educated.
I saw my own tattoo, a grey shield with the head of Medusa dented on it.
The grey marks were inactive which simplified the gods or goddess had been chosen by Dora. So Hades, the god of the underworld, is out there somewhere and Thanatos, the god of death walked among the living. Darkness and emptiness all in one universe, I felt like saliva had been drooled all over me.
Marlin stood at the edge of the pool, mesmerized by Dora's tattoos, even the crowd had their attention on her, whispering to one another, some go to the extreme of taking photos yet for some reason the photos come out blurred.
The referee stood by the side steps of the pool, a whistle in his mouth. Dora touched her toe, and Marlin takes the same position, his mind was cleared and not a thought flowed through, only pure concentration.
'On your marks'
'Set'
And he whistled
They dived into the pool like a piece of VCR cassette being inserted into a deck.
It all happened so fast the crowd was so silent, and Marlin was not aware of the fact that Dora was already on her way back from the other end of the pool in less than 8.43 seconds.
'Impossible' The referee murmured
10.00 seconds, that's how long Dora took to complete the race. She emerged out of the water, and wore her clothes.
On the plus side I wasn't going out with Marlin, and the god of seas will be crowned.
My tummy cringed when I thought this will be the last time I see Dora.
Marlin finally makes it back to the surface, panting heavily.
"17.34 seconds" Dora chuckled, "that's a record for you."
What was that expression on Marlins face called, oh yeah, Embarrassment, Disgrace and Envy. It's all written on his face.
"You still have a long way to go kid" Dora pats his back, I would have felt insulted by that, but what can I say
"Now follow me"
I converged with Dora at the arch doorway to the locker room, a cynical smile braided on my face "You can't leave me alone"
She opened the door "You won't be; you'll have Marlin"
I almost scream That ass, "You can't be serious"
"In the few time you've been with me, when have I ever not been serious?"
Okay, yeah, not even once "You can't expect me to get by with him, he knows nothing"
"When I found Hades and Thanatos, they felt the same way, now they are more powerful compared to when I first met them."
I could say a million things all in accordance with reason, with the aim of changing her mind but I knew she still wouldn't change her mind.
Marlin interrupted us, a revered look clouding his wild eyes. I think he's learnt a great lesson for the first time in his sorry life. I stood next to Dora, without delaying, Dora explained everything to Marlin.
Unlike me he didn't wave it off, maybe out of respect for Dora. Instead he took the letter handed to him by Dora and read it.
"You think I'm Poseidon?" Marling gave back the letter
"Not think, we're very sure. You have an affinity for being in water. You sing in the shower for approximately thirty-minutes every day. You were a coast guard at Miami beach before you moved to Boston, and you take ten bottles of water a day to keep yourself hydrated."
"How _ How did you know all that?" Marlin stammered
I exhaled painfully "I'm Athena, I can see into your mind"
He swallowed and surprisingly came to term with me in his mind. Although I just told him what I could do, he imagined himself on a date with me, which I find____ never mind.
"Now that is settled, my work here is done" Dora walked past me, my heart skipped a beat. I grabbed her wrist sharply, halting her as she opened the door.
I can't accept this, I've always had the strength to stop anyone from walking away from me, I'd do something crazy to stop them. Now, even with all this power, there's nothing I could do to stop Dora.
"Listen up kid"
"I'm not a kid" I grimace.
For the first time she shrugged, an unfair smile curling on her face and she's gone. I'm holding nothing, I'm seeing nothing, and I'm feeling nothing at all.
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Nani_Reynolds
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