Page 100 of Half Dead

“I’m guessing she doesn’t ply us with tequila and tell bawdy jokes.”

He snorted. “Not tequila. The broth of oblivion. You drink before you cross the bridge. By the time you reach theother side, you will have forgotten your past life and can be prepared for the next one.”

“How’d she manage to snag that glorious job?” I couldn’t imagine standing beside a bridge all day, handing out cups of soup to people who didn’t want to be there.

“Lady Wang is the goddess of plague and pestilence.”

I gave him a disbelieving glance. “You’re supposed to accept a drink from the plague goddess? Why? Why would you do that to your people?”

He shrugged. “Tradition?”

“Gods, I hate that as a reason for anything.” A thought occurred to me. “If that’s the process, then how do you remember me?”

“Because you’re memorable?”

“No, I mean how? Didn’t you drink the broth of oblivion? In fact, how are you here? Shouldn’t you be well on your way to reincarnation by now?”

Bruce flinched. “I… I don’t know. I guess I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “Haven’t gotten around to which part?”

“The broth, the bridge, any of it.”

“Why? It isn’t like you can go back and reclaim your old life. Why not let go?”

“Because of what comes after the bridge. Sie-king T’ai. The magic mirror.”

“Magic mirror? What’s so bad about that?”

Bruce’s expression darkened. “The mirror is used to judge you before you’re assigned to one of the ten hells.”

Realization swept over me. “You’re afraid to be judged.”

His brown eyes met mine. “Can you blame me? You know who I worked for. I fear the mirror’s judgment. I fear my place in Ti-yu.”

“That’s the real reason you’re roaming around this island?You’ve been evading the entrance to the underworld?” I crossed my arms. “Doesn’t your culture have creatures who specialize in capturing souls like yours?”

“They know I am close by. They’ve exercised patience.”

“Because you’re so awesome?”

“Because I’m a fuzanglong. It will be an honor to receive me.”

I could understand that. Dragonswerepretty awesome. “Maybe they won’t make us do all that if we explain why we’re there. I’m not dead and I wouldn’t be sent to your underworld even if I was. We’ll just tell them Leigong sent us to see the god of mercy.” There was only one way to find out, and if the tablet was in Feng-Tu, then I had no choice but to take the chance.

“I don’t know what will happen if you refuse to drink from the cup. You may not be permitted to cross the bridge.”

I winked. “You know what they say—ask for forgiveness, not permission.”

“Lady Wang is…”

“I know. Plague. Pestilence. All the good stuff. What happens after the mirror?”

Bruce ran a hand over his face. “I can only tell you what I learned as a child. I have no idea how much of it is accurate.”

I looped my arm through his. “Then I guess we’ll learn together.”

This part of the island seemed far less threatening. No locusts. No monsters. Just a vast landscape that grew increasingly dramatic. The sloping hills became steep ravines. The docile creek became a raging river, which inevitably led to the Bridge of Pain.

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