Page 72 of Dead End

“Not a rock,” I said. My fingers tightened on the pole. At least I had a weapon. I climbed onto the rail.

“What are you doing, child?”

“Preparing to greet whatever’s trying to capsize us.”

“You’re the one who will capsize us if you don’t get down from there.” His eyes pleaded with me. “You’re frightening the souls.”

I hopped back into the boat. “Don’t blame me if a giant monster swallows us whole.”

“There are no monsters in Acheron large enough to eat us. Even if there were, they wouldn’t…”

The boat pitched to the left, causing Charon to knock into me. I helped him regain his balance. “You were saying.”

The vessel came to a dead stop. The river rushed around us like we were an insignificant boulder in its path.

His bushy white eyebrows rippled as he gazed at the water. “This shouldn’t be.”

“I get the feeling Acheron doesn’t want to deliver these souls to the gates of the realm.”

Charon’s stunned gaze drifted to me. “It isn’t the souls. It’s you. The river doesn’t know who you are. All it senses is a living mortal.”

I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Acheron, it’s me! Melinoe!”

Charon gently lowered my hands. “That won’t convince it.”

“Why not? Convinced you.”

“You spoke to me. Told me things only Melinoe would know. The river doesn’t communicate like we do.”

“Then what?” I asked, but I already knew. I thrust the pole into Charon’s waiting hand. “Don’t let me drown, okay? Hestia won’t appreciate another thousand years on the throne.”

He balked. “Have you forgotten? The water is poisonous.”

“Not to me.”

“This is your human form, you said so yourself.”

“I’m still a goddess of this realm.” Achilles was only a demigod when he was dipped in a river of the underworld and enhanced by its powerful properties. If he could survive, so could I.

I climbed onto the rail and dove headfirst into the icy water. If Acheron wouldn’t recognize my voice, maybe it would recognize my soul upon contact.

The water churned as its defenses rose to meet me. Eels undulated toward me, hissing. I swam down to the depths of the river to avoid them, conjuring as many happy childhood memories with Acheron as I could muster. Splashing along the riverbank with Cerberus. Swearing an oath to protect the hellhound as he protected the underworld. Emotions and imagery together with my physical presence might help close the river’s knowledge gap faster.

The flow of water slowed, and the hissing of the eels came to an abrupt end as recognition filtered through. The water rushed around me in a whirlpool, an excited embrace to welcome me home.

I shot to the surface and swam to the boat. Charon used the pole to assist me. The souls cowered behind him, uncertain.

“It’s all good now,” I told them. “We won’t encounter any more trouble.”

They appeared to relax, which made me feel better. Being newly dead was difficult enough. No need for drama on your way to the afterlife.

Charon wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. “I only have the one, I’m afraid. I don’t normally need blankets for my passengers.”

The boat picked up speed, and I opened the blanket to let the wind dry my clothes. By the time we docked, I was only mildly damp.

I looked at Charon. “Do I need to do anything with the new recruits?”

“No, child. You go speak to your aunt. She’ll be pleased to see you.”

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