FLASHBACKELIJAHTOKYO CITY, UNDERGROUND BARI went to the underground bar to seek for answers. Immediately I pulled the door open, every conversation in the big room halted. They all turned to me with curiosity in their eyes. It wasn't every day I stopped by. I waved, signalling them to continue their discussions. I was going to speak to everyone later, but first, I stopped by the bar."Hey Lewis." I greeted the very dead bartender. If there was anyone who should know about missing souls, it was him.Regardless, I was a bit skeptical. If Green who was an anchor couldn't say what really was happening, then it was sure to be a difficult task."Hey Elijah. I'll say I'm surprised to see you here. But if you're here, then it means you've come in contact with Asher.""I have." I nodded.He smiled. "One bottle of human spirit for the god." He said, rolling a half full glass towards me."Human spirit?" I raised the glass up, examining it."It's whiskey Elijah." He chuckled."Tha
FLASHBACKELIJAHI stayed up all night thinking about my encounter with first Asher, and then Blue. The god of mischief and the goddess of love. It was confirmed. There were other gods out there. We all had a past. While they had their memories, I didn't. I wasn't entirely sure I wanted those memories.I was still on my bed when I heard the sound of my doorbell. Dragging myself from the bed, I took the stairs down to find out who it was. I opened the door, and Blue was standing before me. Out of reflex, I smiled."Hey, handsome." She stretched her legs and planted a kiss on my cheeks. Instantly, she recoiled, an instant frown forming on her face."Are you okay?" I tried to pull her to me, but she easily moved out of my reach."Nothing. You just seem different." She said, walking past me into the house."Different?" I followed behind her, shutting the door. "What do you mean different? Good different or bad different?" I tried to lighten the mood with some lame ass joke, but th
FLASHBACKELIJAH"Where are we?" I looked around the pitch-dark room, trying to see if I could make out anything."You need to listen carefully," Cleo said.I whipped my head around, but could only see her shadow. "What are you doing?"She snorted. "Saving you?" "From what?"There was thick silence followed shortly after by heavy, frustrated breath. "Do you have any idea what just happened?""You tell me since you do.""Oh, I will. Your little girlfriend set you up.""Blue?" I scoffed. "That's not true. I saw with my own eyes how the big man manhandled her. Why would she put herself in harm's way to set me up? What the hell is she setting me up for?""Asher, hello! Why don't you see it?""Because everything is happening so fast. I've known Blue for about six years now. Asher and you for three days. Why should I believe anything you're saying?"She began to pace. I could only see her shadow moving back and forth, but I heard the sound of her feet. Once again, I wondered w
FLASHBACKSELIJAHI went back to the bar the next night. This time, I was in emergency mode. Thankfully, Lewis was on duty."Hey man, sorry I couldn't come as planned. Something happened." I nodded a thanks, as he slid me a glass."What happened?" He raised a curious brow."I was with my girl when someone came crashing down my door. Never seen someone as huge as that. That's not even the strangest part.""Hmm," He squinted in concentration. "What is?""His hands reached behind his back to dig out a chain. Once the chain landed on my body, I couldn't move. It was as if he was drawing every breath from my body."Lewis's face instantly changed. It widened with recognition. "Definitely Asher." He quickly said."Asher turned into a big man with unusual abilities?" I couldn't help the surprise in my voice. If it was true, then there was absolutely nothing a god couldn't do. Another thing I was clueless about."No," He shook his head. He turned around and tapped the first guy he saw
FLASHBACKELIJAH"Lewis, let's find Green," I said, walking out of the room.I didn't care if I had to speak to every walking thing in the room. Not even about the hours I was about to invest in finding him. Because something was wrong somewhere.I walked into a half-empty bar to my surprise. Lewis and I had barely spent twenty minutes in the room. If I remember vividly, it was an overpacked house when I left with him. All of a sudden, I was staring at gloomy faces. The first man I approached was buried in a bottle labeled V. I tapped his shoulders, and my hands went through. This was still a fresh ghost."Hey, man." I tilted my head to the side in greeting.He froze when he raised his head. Suddenly, everyone else turned to me. I looked around, watching their disgusted face as they looked at me."Hey guys." I waved a nervous hand.I was usually welcomed in the bar. Not even withstanding the dirty looks I had gotten lately. However, this was different. They looked like they w
FLASHBACKELIJAHI stayed up late contemplating if I should go or not. First Lewis, and now the strange girl. Could it be a set-up? There was just so much unclarity. Everyone said I should trust my instincts. It was telling me right now that I should stay back. But if I do, I may never find out what happened to Green, or where the hell he was."I should go," I muttered to myself. Grabbing my keys, I ran out and headed straight for the bar. I had never been to the bar in the day. I didn't know what to expect, considering the fact its location was at a spot usually occupied during the day.When I arrived at that particular spot, I found a little bit of construction work going on just a few meters ahead. I stopped to consider my options. It could get weird, and dangerous fast if someone saw me opening a covered drainage that led down an underground building. Imagine they followed me? I was still contemplating when I suddenly felt someone's presence behind me. It was just the third
FLASHBACKELIJAH"What the hell is going on here!" I struggled to say, despite the tightness in my chest. "We caught the thief, and now it's time to punish him." Asher shrugged."If Green stole anything, then I can vouch it was with good reasons." I defended him, but deep down, I was curious. He had acted like he knew nothing about the missing souls the last time I saw him. If he did commit this crime, it would be hard to prove to people hell-bent on punishing him he had no malicious intent."Oh is it now?" Asher chuckled. "Lewis, let the man go. I have a few questions to ask." He ordered and walked over to the two men."Don't you dare hurt him!" I tried too move, but my body's motion was frozen.Asher spared me a quick disgusted glance. But as quickly as the disgust formed, it disappeared and was replaced by an amused gleam in his eyes. "Maybe one day you'll learn I don't take orders from anyone. Especially not from you." He scoffed mockingly and turned to Green."Please,
FLASHBACKELIJAHI had been played. Several years of loving someone gone into flames. Everyone was right, and once again, I was wrong. I had given Blue my soul. She held my life in her hands. What had she done? Crushed it right in front of me. I staggered, and almost lost my footing. Lewis chuckled, and my shame was complete."That's enough baby," Asher murmured across her lip, as he pulled away."Elijah, leave." Green pleaded again, but I couldn't bring myself to.It was in my nature to know why I had been betrayed. I couldn't think of anything bad I had done to deserve this kind of betrayal. "I know you're wondering why all this is happening," Asher said as if reading my thoughts."Why?" My breathless voice was directed at Blue, who was looking straight at me without any hint of shame. Rather, her shoulders rose with pride."Because playing the long game has always been better. My darling here has always been my eyes. Through her, I watched you. Studied the so-called god of