Chapter 26: Woman from Hell

"Heh...I guess this is the pain of having a dog..." said Erland and almost wept smelling the horrible smell. He covered his nose as his face remained to be filled with visible urge of vomiting.

"Well, you asked for it." said Randi and shrugged. She took the dirty sheets up and walked towards the door. Erland followed her and spoke while keeping his nose pinched, speaking with nasal voice.

"Yeah." Erland sighed. "We have to train him so that he doesn't pee here and there again..."

"Mhm...Go change your clothes first. People are gonna run off by that smell before you even speak to them."

"Yeah yeah..." Erland walked out of the room as well and headed towards the bathroom to take a shower in the middle of the night, having no other choice.

In the morning, the sky was pouring rain that day. Yet, Erland didn't skip his job. He had an urge to go visit his little companions in his workplace.

"I'm here!" Erland opened the door of Frida's Pet Shop. He was drenched in water.

"Hm? Why did you come today? It's raining, no one is going to come just to buy a pet in this weather." said Frida as she took a sip of coffee.

"(Is that coffee? Oh, I missed the taste.) What's the drink called?" Erland walked in.

"It's called coffee. You want some? I will only give you a little. Kids shouldn't have too much caffeine. The amount of tea you drink everyday is really bad you know."

"What's caffeine?" Erland tilted his head.

"It's a...thing. How can I explain this...Go ask your mom. I'll look for it later. Since you have come this far, I'll hand over a work to you. Dry yourself first."

"Yes ma'am."

After he dabbed himself with a towel and took some rest, he cleaned the place, as Frida told him to. Later, since Frida's home was the nearest, he went to her house.

"Hey Erland- A-Achoo!" Frode opened the door. Right at the moment he greeted his friend, he sneezed nonstop.

"Are you okay?" said Erland, looking concerned with frowned eyebrows.

"Yeah. It happens to me every time the weather is cold." Frode sneezed again and smiled.

"Oh...Sorry I couldn't give you a present that time." Erland scratched his head and looked away in embarrassment.

"Why are you still talking about my third birthday?" 

"Because I feel bad." Erland leaned in as if he was insisting to give a gift to make up for it silently.

Suddenly, Frida yelled- "Boys. Get in your room. I will stay home all day long. Ask me if you need anything." said Frida as she kept her coat on a hook.

"Let's go Erland." Frode pulled Erland by his hands and dragged him to his room. He seemed unexpectedly excited for some reason.

"What is it Frode?" said Erland.

Frode closed the door and then turned towards Erland. "You know...Um...don't say anything to anyone about this." Frode held his hands close to his chest as if he was shy.

"I won't. You can trust me. I promise."

"O-Okay then. I want to show you something. Come with me. A-Achoo! Q-Quietly."

"If we are gonna do it quietly then we should do this some other day. Or else we might get caught."

"Don't worry I'll be fine. Come with me." Frode held Erland's hand.

"*sigh* Okay. Let's go. Not my fault if we get caught but I'll defend you anyway."

"Thanks- A-achoo!" Frode smiled.

The boys went to the basement of the house. It was still raining. Even though they were drenched in water, Frode seemed ambitious about it for some reason and Erland on the other hand seemed confused and rather cautious.

Frode somehow picked the lock and walked in, slowly.

"Frode. Who taught you that?" said Erland silently.

"Shh quiet. I learnt it from dad. He often forgets his keys so he picks his lock every time he does it."

"What..." Erland stared him expressionlessly.

The basement was dark and it had a weird smell. Frode slowly closed the door and lit the lamp up. There was a woman sleeping on a white bed with long hair. She slowly turned and turned. It gave Erland a feeling that he will once again see a horrifying face. But unexpectedly, the moment the woman looked at them, she smiled. Her dull blackened eyes looked through Erland's soul. Despite her looking like a normal person overall, there was a sense of despair and unease coming from her.

"Oh. Hello there. I remember you. I scared you last time, didn't I?" said the woman and sat on bed as she stroked her hair.

"Greetings." Erland nodded.

"Hehe. No need to be formal.( Can I talk to you in private?)" 

Erland widened his eyes. "(How can I hear her thoughts...)"

"(Please don't get startled. It's just that-)"

"(I don't know you so I cannot and I won't)"

"I see. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Zelma Adamos. Frode my boy, how have you been?"

"I've been great! Achoo. I've been okay...A-Achoo! N-Never mind. How have you been?" said Frode, rubbing his nose with his finger.

"I have been doing great! The atmosphere here is likable. Is there anything you need today?" Zelma giggled faintly.

"No. I brought Erland here because I thought that it would be great if he sees you."

"He looks flustered to me though. Hehe."

"(It's the same woman...Wait a minute...Can you read my mind?)" Erland kept his face straight.

"(I can only if you allow me to. As an example, I hear your question but I clearly could guess that you are thinking something yet I couldn't hear it.)" Zelma stared at Erland.

"(I see.) Aunty...What are you? I saw you before."

"I am half dead and half alive...but I'm more on the 'alive' side."

"Isn't that cool!" said Frode with his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

Erland kept himself calm and smiled. "Mhm! Really cool indeed. Aunt Zelda, please tell us more about you! If you are half dead, how are you pretty? How are you dead but alive?" said Erland, acting enthusiastic as well.

"Oh aren't you a charmer with words...You are straightforward though. Anyway, I am what people calls draugs but for some reasons I am more alive than being dead. That is why I can handle a little bit of light or heat."

"I see...What do you eat?" 

Zelma raised and eyebrow. "What I eat? I eat bones and coal."

"Huh? Really?" Erland frowned.

"Oh course not, dummy! I like normal foods like any human beings. Oh how much I have craved for these. Little Frode, have you brought any food for me?"

Frode nodded. "Yep. I brought some grapes. It's not enough but I hope you like it." Frode handed her some grapes. One fell and Erland took it and gave it to her. The moment they got in touch of their hands, Erland heard a scream that was echoing in his head.

Hearing such violent scream made him whimper. He backed away and fell on the ground.

"(I hope you don't report to the Naos about this. Your uncle Svend and his family will be in trouble you know.) Oh, what happened to you?" The woman looked worried. Even though she was clearly smiling inside.

Erland slowly got up and then looked at the lady, calmly. "Can I ask you some more questions?" said Erland.

"Sure, ask away. You are more curious than I thought. Even more than Frode." said Zelma.

"Where did you used to live?"

"I used to live inside the ground. It's called Hell."

"So you escaped from there?"

"Yes I did. It was so unbearable for me that I had to escape. You know, they feed you burning coal and keep you in freezing room without any clothes. You can't even die there. It's horrifying."

"Woah. That-That's scary.(It's not...what's scarier is this kind of being appearing in my life...I have to get rid of her.)..."

"But you don't look so scared. Would you like to know how I did it?...How I...escaped?"

"S-Sure.(Should I really have said that?...What if something happens...)"

"I did it because...I missed my family a lot. Once you go to your afterlife, you can't tell the time anymore. There is no time in that place. When I couldn't anymore...I asked for forgiveness to the hell's keeper. The moment I saw him, I stabbed him and escaped."

"Um...It's coming from a five years old but...isn't hell's keeper all powerful and all? How did you do that?" Erland frowned and lifted his head up, seeming like a mature teen living in a small child's body.

Zelma giggled. "I am not weak. How am I that strong? Well, it's secret."

Erland laughed as well, swallowing his fear. He swallowed his own saliva silently and spoke, seeming calm. "Aren't there any consequences?"

"There are of course. As an example: I can't get close to heat or light. Neither can I eat anything made by a holy person(Such as you. The grape you gave me...I will keep it to me until it rots. I'm sure I can sell it with great value.)"

Frode sneezed. "Woah! Hey, Zelma. Can you tell us about one holy person?" said Frode with a large smile over his face.

"Sure. The holy person can be anyone. You may never know. Such as the Holy Birds of Naos.( And the ones who has the power of a Lord. Whether it be deceased or alive.)"

A chill went down Erland's spine. He felt as if his peaceful life was close to get ruined as Zelma spoke.

"(This woman...I have to get out.) The way you say things scare me, geez!" said Erland, trying to seem normal on the outside.

"Oh? I'm really sorry then sweetie. I hope you don't mind if I call you that." said Zelma and got up from the bed.

"(What are you going to do with the grape?) Where are you going?" Erland frowned.

"(I will sell it, I told you.) I brought something from hell the moment I came from there. I was thinking that I should hand it over to some people as bold and smart as you two."

Erland quickly held Frode's hand in a second "We will be going." said Erland and pulled Frode out. Erland locked the door from outside in an instant.

"Achoo!...Why did you pull us out?" said Frode and pouted with a frown.

"Shut up Frode! You got any idea what a person can do!?!? No matter how good they looks like they can always do bad stuffs." said Erland.

"Why are you yelling- *cough*. I know her, she is not a bad person." Frode breathed heavily. It seemed that his cold was worsening.

"Frode, you never know! Remember that she came from hell. The people who does something bad goes to hell."

Frode pouted even more. His eyes were getting watery as his breaths were getting as frequent as a newborn baby with Asthma. "You are so mean..."

Erland's stern demeanor faded away the moment he saw his friend about to cry. "I-I didn't mean to. I was just worried-"

Frode pushed his friend away and backed. He kept backing until he bumped into his father.

Frode looked up at his father with watery eyes yet with a surprised expression. "D-Dad?" 

Svend seemed gigantic from Frode's view. The words he uttered were filled with cold rage. "You are gonna get an earful, Frode Metis." 

"(Busted...)" Erland kept a straight face.

Svend grabbed Frode's collar and lifted him up. "Get in. And you too, Erland..." He took Frode in the house and Erland followed them from behind.

In the house, Frode was sitting on the ground with his face nodded and cheeks filled with air of guilt and shame.

Svend on the other hand was filtering his rage as much as he could so that he won't harm his sick son even more. "Why? Why did you go there when we warned you so many times?!? Don't you have faith in us?" Svend yelled.

"Sorry dad. B-But... *cough* *cough* She is a good person. She calls me many good things when I go to her and she tells me stories." said Frode and wept as his voice was cracked.

Svend dabbed his son with a towel and yelled,

"Shut it. I am gonna have to get her out of this house. Erland was right. She is someone who came from hell. You can question the matters of the Lords but you cannot question one thing that the ones who go there must have done something bad. I have given her shelter here only because she seemed to need help. She told me, she promised me not to let anyone know about her. But look what she did."

"Dad! What did she even do?!?" Frode looked up at Svend.

Frida opened the door and entered the room. "What's the ruckus here?" Frida frowned and looked at her son, being in a sorrowful state. She rushed towards her son as the frown faded away. "Oh, dear. What happened to you? Come to mommy. Why are you yelling? What happened?" said Frida and held her son tight.

"He went to that lady with Erland." Svend kept his fingers on his forehead and looked down as if he was distressed.

"Oh Lords...Why did you? *sigh* It's our fault. Let us tell you something Frode. You are still so little so we didn't want to tell you. The lady killed her family and escaped with a person just to live a fancy life. She left her daughter all alone. Now tell me my son, does she still look like a good person to you?" Frida held Frode's face up. 

Frode moved his face away and looked down. His silk white hair covered his hair as tears fell off his face.

"If that bad...Then why... *cough* *cough* why love me so much...Why tell me so many stowies...Why call me so many good thingies...Why..." Frode wept even more. Svend pulled him close and caressed his son as he spoke,

"It's okay. You have a long life. People like her, will hurt you. Don't cry..." Svend looked at Erland. "You should thank Erland for saving you."

Svend sniffled and looked at Erland with tears still falling from his eyes. He stood up and walked towards Erland. "Thank you Erland...I will never push you away awain. Nevwer..." Frode pulled Erland close and hugged him.

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you." Erland hugged Frode back. "Can I go home now? The sky seemed to clear up."

"Stay here a bit longer. Frode might need you." said Frida.

"Yeah. Fwode needs you." said Frode, still crying.

"But mommy's been sleeping all day. I have to go to check how she is doing.( Before that...I have to tell Svend about the lady somehow. I feel like it was planned that she was going to leave today.)" said Erland with a calm and gentle voice while on the inside, his voice sounded stern and cautious as his mind was racing with thoughts.

"Okay then. Frode, that was enough playing for today." said Svend.

Frode gently pushed Erland away and looked at Svend. "N- achoo! no, we didn't even play for an hour. I couldn't even play with him. We just talked." Frode wiped his eyes.

Erland walked towards the door "I will come back tomorrow. Bye Frode." He walked outside the room, waving at Frode.

"Bye bye..." Frode waved back sounding like a weeping puppy.

Svend walked out with him. The moment he opened the door, he saw raindrops falling from leaves. A scent of soil reached Erland's nose. He breathed it in with pleasure as the worry from earlier faded slightly from his face.

"(I feel like I know this scent. It's more intense in rural and marine areas.)" Erland was in deep thoughts for a moment. He then looked at a puddle and jumped on it, turning to a playful child from a deep thinker.

"You like it? It doesn't rain much in Gaion so you may not experience such scent of petrichor and fun of clean puddles so often." said Svend as he closed the door.

Erland turned towards Svend. "Uncle Svend. The lady...she said something to me. Before we left, she wanted to give us something. Was that to scare us? I mean...is there really anything you can get from hell?"

"Damn it..." Svend frowned and put his hand on his chin. "Did she tell you anything?" 

"She said that if I tell others about her words, you guys might get in trouble."

"That evil jerk. You did a good job telling me. Don't worry, nothing bad will happen." Svend sighed. "The matter involves us after all. If you are worried about any promise you made to Frode, well, now we already know about half so it won't hurt to tell us the other half."

Erland stroked his chin and spoke. "I gave her a grape that fell and...she said she wants to sell it. I don't know the rest.( I shouldn't tell him how we spoke)"

"What...I can't make any sense of it." Svend looked down, pondering.

"Should we talk to the Naos?-"

Svend immediately interrupted. "Are you trying to lock us up in the jail?"

Erland shook his head. "No no no. But wait, I know a Hierius who might be able to help."

"The young Hierius named Arne Gothi? He seemed like a pure soul to me but still I have doubts."

Erland rested his chin on his thumb. "Hm...Hey uncle Svend. You are an adult. I read on a thriller novel that an adult detective gave a fluke to a person and somehow got his answer. Say, you are pretty cool too. Can you do that?" said Erland with a bemused smile.

Svend lifted his head up in confusion, being taken aback by the suggestion."Huh?(I have no choice it seems. His idea isn't half bad.) Let's go then..." Svend placed his hat on his head and started to walk slowly as Erland followed him.

They walked to the Naos instead of taking a carriage. They had all the time in the world so they spent it chatting about their daily lives.

Suddenly, on the way, Erland's eyes widened as he remembered something. He stopped walking for a split second and then started to run back to a certain direction.

"Wait!"

"What's the matter?" said Svend as he saw Erland running away. 

"I will be back from home. Please wait here."

"(Is it an urgent matter?)I can't let you go alone after such thing. I will go with you." said Svend and ran towards Erland to catch up with him, seeming like a savior, a detective in a doctor's apron on his way to save the day.

At Erland's home:

Randi spoke with sheer enthusiasm and an unnatural smile. "Oh! Erland! I made some papers. You take ten I take ten. You just have to get their signatures on it. Good luck on getting on all of them. You know, if we can get a sign from at least twenty people, we can start the bu- I mean school. Try your best because it costed me three thousand deben in total." said Randi with a dazzling smile which is unnatural for someone like her to smile like that.

"Oh...so you came here for this." said Svend with a disappointed face as if his polished face has turned into an art of a toddler. 

"Yep! So, wanna give me a signature?" Erland smiled and gave a paper to him.