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Barters N Garters Library Chapter Six Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear. The Cross Roads David, as Fate had it, turned out to be right. The Three Judges zealously guarded every inch of the Cross Road and the brothers had no choice but stand before the Sons of Zeus. “You’re not dead we cannot allow you to pass.” Aeacus intoned while thoughtfully looking at his half-brothers, Minos and Rhadamanthys. “He speaks the truth. Turn and go back the way you came, Jackson brothers.” Minos agreed. Rhadamanthys’ curiosity was peeked. “What do you seek down the Cross Roads?” It was highly unusual that a soul, such as David’s, which had resided so long in Tartarus, would willingly return to this place and still in a live state, well that was unheard of. Whatever David Jackson was looking for it must be very important to him. “Answer me and perhaps I will allow you to pass.” “Callie,” David said. “She’s down that way, not too far, we’re gunna git her and bring her outta here.” The Three Judges laughed as though that was the funniest thing they’d ever heard in all of Time. “He speaks the truth.” Daniel said. “Ares sent us to bring her back to him.” “Ares?” Minos asked and the laughter subsided. Then he shook his dark head and dismissed the thoughts there. “It is of no matter to us. You may not pass.” Now Aeacus was curious. “What does my brother want with her? Is your Wife ill, Daniel Jackson?” “It is of no consequence,” Minos insisted, “Hades will never allow living souls to pass beyond the Cross Roads.” “We ain’t goin’ past the road,” David told them quickly. “I know where the girl is, we ain’t gonna cross the road just walk down it a ways.” “You lie.” Rhadamanthys accused. “If you know where the girl is then you know she is halfway to Tartarus and well beyond the other side of this road.” Holding his hand over the side of his mouth Daniel softly asked David, “Did you lie?” “It was a worth a shot.” David returned in the same manner. “How about you let me do the talking now?” Dropping his hand Daniel straightened himself up and looked the Judges in the eye. “Hades doesn’t have to know we’re here there must be something we can do to avoid that.” Souls often tried to barter with them; you should hear some of the things dead people offer up in order to pass through to the Elysian Fields or, at the very least, to NOT be sent to Tartarus. “You’ve nothing we want.” Probably not. “Now, you don’t know that.” Daniel said thoughtfully while keeping eye contact with the three of them and trying to come up with something he could offer. Instinctively he began patting his pockets. I love you, Kitty. “How about this?” Daniel asked taking the Zippo out of his pocket; he flicked it open and lit it for them. “I bet they didn’t have anything like this before you came down here.” Yes, people of all walks of life, shapes, sizes and age groups attempted to bargain their way to what they wanted but the trouble was, being dead they had nothing to bargain with. These two were very much alive. The Three Judges stood on the Cross Roads ooing and ahhing over the amazing thing in Daniel Jackson’s hand. “Portable fire?” Minos inquired reaching for the lighter. “Is that gold?” Oh yeah, Kitty, you’re gonna get a big kiss when I get home. Big big kiss. Daniel flicked it shut then turned it around in his hand. “I think it is.” Sure enough, 24kt was stamped on the bottom. “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is gold.” He held it out to Minos. “What do you say? I give you this and you let us pass.” Daniel bartered. Before Minos could agree, Rhadamanthys spoke up again. “Is that all you’ve got?” “It’s very nice.” Aeacus said. “Very interesting but perhaps you’ve something for each of us?” “Greedy little suckers, ain’t they?” David whispered from the corner of his mouth. “You’d know.” Daniel returned without losing the soft smile on his face and trying to think of what else he had that might interest the Judges. “Ah, well, I have this.” From the other pocket he pulled the 37 piece Swiss Army knife and began opening it to show them all of the blades and useful things the knife was capable of. “Interested?” Almost before he could finish the word Rhadamanthys was reaching for it. “Ah-ut.” Daniel chided. “She’s not alone.” Minos advised in a dark voice. “You are not the only ones seeking the girl.” Daniel handed over the Zippo and the Swiss Army knife. “Who else is looking for her?” “Nothing for me?” Aeacus asked. The bartering game had not yet ended information and passage were still not forth coming. “Ah, for you, I’ve got something special. Something very special.” Daniel said easily and then grinning as he took note of the fact that Aeacus had a bit rounder middle than his companions. “Look at this.” He had two but he only pulled one 5th Avenue bar from his pocket. “It’s a little melted but it’s still good.” “What is it?” “Candy,” David said. “You eat it.” “Candy?” Aeacus said in a wondering voice. “Is it like meat? We haven’t had meat in a very long time.” “Its better,” David advised with a grin. “Who’s with the gurl?” “Better than meat?” Aeacus asked anxiously and grabbed for the sweet treat but Daniel pulled it back away from his grasp. “He asked you a question. Who else has been looking for her? What do they want?” As though he had to ask. “Eros? Naganti Kanan?” “Among others,” Aeacus snarled as he reached out for the prize again and again it was taken away. “My Wife,” Daniel said, “the last time I was here you told me she was damned. Is that still true? If she died today would you still send her to Tartarus?” The Three Judges fell uncommonly silent as they held each others stares. The sun over head beat down upon their heads making them sweat and begin to feel light, just the slightest bit tingly but soon, if they did not find some shade, that tingly sensation could easily turn a grey vale which would suddenly drop and whisk one away to unconsciousness and here that was a very bad idea. It was Minos, the youngest of the three, who broke the silence. “It would be Hades’ decision.” With his attention diverted, Aeacus ripped the brown wrapper out of Daniels’ grip. “Hades alone has final say over the fate of the dead. Would you like us to go and ask him for you?” “Of course that might alert him to your presence and your quest.” Minos intoned. “No,” Daniel mumbled looking at the three of them and knowing he would not get an answer to his query. “I take it, we’re square? We can go?” Daniel asked. The Three Judges who were now arguing over the candy bar and who would get to taste it first not to mention the other wondrous treasures which they’d just found, were too busy to pay David and Daniel any further mind. The brothers slipped past the Judges and down the road without any further delay. “Callie’s one smart cookie, ain’t she Danny?” David asked looking behind them as they hurried along so to be out of the sight of the Judges. “You don’t know the half of it. She never ceases to amaze me and I’ve been married to her for twenty years.” David nodded in agreement. There probably were still a lot of things he had to learn about the girl. “Who else you suppose is lookin’ fer her? Hades?” “Maybe. Let’s stick to the road as far as we can,” Daniel said looking down at the off yellow colored bricks below his feet. “At least it’s easier to walk on.” That was certainly the truth and for the next half hour they kept to the well traveled road without incident while the sun overhead kept watch over them with an unblinking eye. Soon David looked over at Daniel and they departed the path for the sod once more. “It’s a forest.” Daniel remarked thoughtfully. They stopped at the ridgeline to rest a moment and take another drink. Now the water in their canteens was piss warm and the heat showed no sign of letting up. If they didn’t find her soon and get out their need for a cold drink might trap them here if they could not resist it. “More of those Sleeping Willows in there?” “No doubt so try to stay awake. There’s lots of odd vegetation in there n’ other things.” David explained. “But she’s not far now.” The trees looked thick and deep. “There’ll be shade in there.” “Ah-huh, so keep your eyes open. Lots a’ things ‘round here hide in the shadows.” “How much farther?” “Dunno, stay close, not too far.” “You keep saying that but I feel like I’ve been walking for days.” Daniel complained. “What is it? A mile? Two? What?” Sooner or later David would have to confess that the reason they both felt so tired was because they had been down here for days and not a few hours. In the Underworld, if one was alive, time moved very quickly, that was mostly because good old Hades wanted to keep your ass here. As far as David could guesstimate, they’d probably been here a day and a half as the Mortal Clock ticks but if he shared that information with Danny all Danny would do is worry about the Callie they left up there with her Pappy. That meant he wouldn’t concentrate on the task at hand. So much time passed and he was getting worried about her too but that didn’t change the fact that they had to get this little one and that it was another day and a half—at least— before they got out of here. “More.” Was all David said and then made his way through the thick brush and out of Daniel’s sight. More than two miles into this shit? The girl had to be out of her mind. Or scared to death. From the heat of the bright ‘sun’ into the depths of the forest they went, Daniel felt the Fairy Tale he was currently apart of darken with the cooling shade. Maybe it was better out in the heat. This place smelled strange. There should be flowers and there were things which looked like they could have been flowers in another place or another life but everything here was dead or dying. Nothing was green, all around was brown or black, even the grass at their feet was dried and crunched beneath their feet. There should be moss, it should be heavy with moisture in beneath the thick canvas of trees but it was drier here than it was out there. The strange smell which greeted them rolled in their nostrils and rambled through their brains until it was recognized as being the faint scent of roses in a funeral parlor, a little something sweet and pretty but not strong enough to completely mask the stench of Death and Decay. The air was so thick with it that a layer of its ghostly despair built up a heavy mist swirling around the ground at their feet. One thing was certain, whatever was in here it was alive and hungry. Daniel could almost hear its stomach grumbling. All around them from every gloomy corner of the forest they felt the weight of a thousand eyes staring at them from the darkness. The farther into the murkiness they went the cooler their surroundings became until the heat of day faded away and goose bumps rose on chilly flesh. “I don’t suppose you’ve got a lighter?” Daniel asked as they walked side by side and keeping note of a full 360 radius. David padded his pockets; sure enough there was a Zippo in the top breast pocket. “Yeah, here.” He handed it over. “Wot’cha gonna do, MacGyver?” “Funny. Make a torch, there’s dried wood all over the place, use the bandanas. Maybe then we’ll be able to see a bit better when we have a fire.” All around them came a loud creaking and a deep moaning. The forest was alive and was not fond of Daniel Jackson’s idea. Well, it was very dry in here. “Don’t worry I won’t drop it.” He said to no one other whoever might be listening amongst the trees. “It’s just so damn dark in here, is it always this dark?” “No,” David replied picking up a hefty stick from the ground. He watched as Daniel wrapped his bandana around it then secured it tightly to the wood. “Any extra lighter fluid on ya?” “Me? No, how about you? When I’m carrying it it’s usually in my leg pocket.” David reached down and sure enough there was a small plastic bottle of lighter fluid accompanied by a small package of fresh flints. “Wonder wot else I got.” “Check yourself and find out,” Daniel advised as he soaked the rag with fluid and then slipped the bottle into his leg pocket. “She’s done really well so far.” “Yeah, I guess she has.” David agreed with a smile, next to him a small cheery flame sprang to life chasing away the immediate darkness. “Dat’s better. Wot’a yew got left?” “I got the lighter fluid, Zippo; I still have a candy bar and about twenty feet of rope.” Daniel moved his hands around to all of his pockets just in case he’d missed anything and indeed he had, something bulged in his thigh pocket. Reaching in he pulled out a small can of first aid spray but that seemed to be it. “You?” “Flints, Swiss Army knife, got a candy bar too and wot are these?” He held out a small package for Daniel to look at. “Mints?” “Gum.” It helped keep his mouth moist when there wasn’t any water or the road was particularly dusty he plucked the packaged out of David’s hand. Overhead came the rapid flapping of beating wings, a rush of air tussled their hair and brought more bumps rising on their chilled skin. They ducked low to the ground as it passed by. Daniel raised the torch to the murkiness but saw nothing but darkness and fog. “What’s that?” “Dunno. C’mon, keep walkin’.” “When you said she was in the woods this isn’t exactly what I pictured.” Daniel groused as his heart slowed to a normal pace. “Yew know wot bothers me?” “What?” “Well, how are we gittin’ outta here?” David asked. “Any idears? I mean, even if we do git the gurl and make it back to the River bank, how we gittin’ her across and how’s Ares gonna know when ta open that crag?” Very valid and thoughtful questions and, for which, Daniel had anything but a valid and thoughtful answer. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “You got anything else or is that it?” “Be nice if she gave us a gun or sum’thin’.” David remarked as he continued to pat himself down. “A gun? What good would that do? These things are already dead we can’t kill them again.” “Yeah, just remember what she said a’ight? They’re dead and we’re not that means they can’t do us any harm. If you forget that you’re fucked.” End Of Chapter Six Of This story and all stories in the Barters N Garters Library are copyrighted to Lisa Beth Darling these stories
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Back Into Hell
by
Moon Mistress
a/k/a
Lisa Beth Darling
How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air.
T'was in the darkest depths of Moordor, I met a girl so fair.
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her
Ramble On
Led Zepplin
Back Into Hell
Continue to
Chapter Seven