Claudia D. Christian

Estimated reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

Yukio’s attention flicked away with insulting indifference.

“Are you ready to meet her?”

“I am.” The words pulled out of him like teeth, rotted and resigned to a shameful demise.

“Goody.” Director H. clapped his hands once in glee. “Well, there she is.” The hallway vanished, leaving them both suspended over a large pool presently occupied by a floating girl.

Yukio wilted beneath the steam. His body itched and burned with discomfort. Something else to place on her unwanted doorstep. He thought to ask on what was expected of him before killing that idea. Yukio would not be party to his own disgrace anymore than he already had.

“Oh, as I expected. The poor dear has allowed herself to drown.” Director H.’s casual tut sounded as mournful as a baby’s laugh. “Yukio, please help me get her out. Director K.?”

“Have they met?” The tiny shrill came from everywhere.

“In a matter of speaking.”

“What matter?”

“She’s dead.”

“Dead, Director H.? Did Yamagata-sama kill her already? Couldn’t he have waited until tonight?”

“No, I’m afraid he is the innocent party in this case.” Yukio carried only half of her weight, touching Alice no more than necessary. His repulsion of her heavy in his blank face.  Director H. shouldered Alice. Unnecessary for the task but his compassion demanded more care than the one finger Yukio used.

“If Yamagata-sama didn’t do it, did you?”

“No. I’ve already performed my share of slaughter.”

“Then how did she die?”

“She drowned.” Director H. placed her limp body on the tiled floor. He disliked the marble sheen of corpse flesh. He checked his watch. Apparently, he had taken far too long indulging the prideful demigod standing with back turned to them both. “Alice has been dead for thirteen hours, twelve minutes, and fifty-two seconds.”

“And I suppose you’d like me to turn back time?”

“It is your specialty, my dear director.”

“Hmph! These two are taking far more of my precious attention than I would like.”

“I do sincerely apologize. Your brilliance is so underappreciated by the likes of this world.”

“Hush. No one likes a suck-up.”

“Of course not.”

“Fine. Fine. I will bring the Alice back to life. Again. When would you like it to happen?”

“One moment.” Director H. turned to his silent companion. “Alice, my dear, would you like to be brought back on the verge? So your handsome, priggish, but sensitive father of your future babies can breathe his kiss into your mouth?”

Yukio strangled on his ire, his silence was so void of warmth.

“Ah, I take it that would not suit you?”

“No. I would not.”

“Too bad. You both could’ve started so smoothly. The hard way it is.”

“Director K.?”

“Yes? Have you decided?”

“Mmm. Bring Alice back to the point of safety. I will ensure she doesn’t venture too far into the Styxian Realm. Whoever designed it to share bathing space should be scalped.”

“That would be you, Director H. Would you like to visit Ana?”

“Oh, yes. It was me.” He smiled in wonderment. “Yukio? Please exit the chamber. I will bring your darling girl to you as soon as she’s presentable. Is that agreeable?”

Yukio barely dropped his head in a nod. He pivoted on his heel and walked away. Alice appeared more animated than he did.

“The more you love, the more you hate. Your passion will definitely be the death of you, Yukio.”

The snow god remained liquid in stride.