CHAPTER 96

 

- Can you believe it? The son of a bad mother can’t distinguish between a red light and a yellow one –Hephaistion complained, angry, while Alexander drove back to their house almost 3 hours later. 

 

After a very long and particular difficult day, Hephaistion was driving back to his house when a guy in a truck didn’t stop at the red light, hit his car and threw it against the light pole. The guy’s argument was that the light was yellow when he crossed the street.

 

- I agree, but at least you are fine –when his beloved said “a moron hit my car” Alexander never imagine the scene he found when he arrived. The light pole was about to fall and the police, the fire department and an ambulance were there, roping off the place. 

 

For a moment the blond’s heart seem to stop, imagining Hephaistion unconscious on a pool of blood. But his beloved didn’t even have a scratch on him, and he found Hephaistion he was arguing with the guy of the truck.

 

- Yes, but my car is a useless pulp –his beloved was furious.

 

- I’ll buy you another car –the blond tried to calm him down but Hephaistion turned to see him through narrowed eyes.

 

- You will buy me another car? I’m perfectly capable of paying my own car –Alexander sighed.

 

How many times had they had this conversation? Since the blond had more money than Hephaistion he had tried to pamper him, but his beloved refused to accept his expensive gifts and had made him promised that both were going to share the payments of their house, on equal parts.

 

- Whatever…Phai, I don’t want to fight, we didn’t see each other in 6 months –Hephaistion sighed.

 

- I’m sorry; I…had a terrible day that’s all –his beloved closed his eyes for a moment—How was yours?

 

- Great! You are not going to believe it, Julius said we are nominated in the MTV Music Awards –said a very happy Alexander making Hephaistion smiled.

 

- Awesome! That means we’ll have to celebrate –said Hephaistion in a tone of voice that almost made the blond crash.

 

He had to admit that, the best part of going on a world tour, was coming back to his beloved’s side, because Hephaistion had a very hot way of showing him how much he had missed him.

 

- Where is Aki? –asked his beloved, leaning his head against the seat.

 

- At your sister’s.

 

- So, the house is ours? –oh! they definitely needed to get home as soon as possible.

 

Hephaistion kissed his check slowly, sliding his lips down to his neck and that made Alexander’s body burn.

 

- You truly want to crash again, don’t you? –that made his beloved laugh.

 

- Fine, let’s change the subject then, until we arrived –Hephaistion sat again like a good boy—Guess who call me today? 

 

- No idea.

 

- Publius.

 

- Your Roman friend –said Alexander through clenched teeth.

 

- Don’t be like that, he is coming to visit me and he will be staying at our house –his beloved explained.

 

- Why? Can’t he stay on a hotel or something? I can pay the hotel –said the blond more than eager.

 

- Alexander –Hephaistion scolded him—He is my friend.

 

- Yes, but…if he is dating this Gracchus guy, why does he have to come here? –Alexander protested.

 

His beloved frowned.

 

- How do you know he is dating Gaius? –only then the blond knew he was in serious troubles.

 

- You… told me –he lied but that didn’t fool Hephaistion.

 

- No, I didn’t.

 

- Really? I’m sure you did –Alexander turned to the left, taking a shortcut.

 

His beloved fell silent for a moment.

 

- You have been reading my emails, don’t you?

 

- No… —his beloved kept staring at him—Well, just 2 or 3…

 

- Alexander you have problems, why did you do that? –it was hard to say if Hephaistion was angry, exasperated or just amused.

 

- I…I don’t like your friend –the blond chose to be honest.

 

- Because we kissed once?

 

- Well, yes.

 

Hephaistion smiled and leaned his head on Alexander’s shoulder.

 

- You know I love you, right?

 

- Yes –said the blond calmer.

 

- But you don’t know what I did these past 6 months and that’s eating you –when Alexander said nothing he knew he was right—Next time ask me instead of reading my email. Ok?

 

- Ok.

 

- Good. Now, as punishment for reading my correspondence Publius will be staying at our house –the blond cursed silently but this time he had no arguments to defend his cause.

 

- Fine –he said at last, reluctantly.

 

Hephaistion kissed his cheek again.

 

- So, what’s new with the guys? –that reminded Alexander of his conversation with Ptolemy and he seized the opportunity to change the subject.

 

- Oh, glad that you ask, we have plans for tomorrow –Hephaistion frowned.

 

- We do? What plans? –Alexander smiled mysteriously.

 

XXX

 

- These are your plans? –asked Hephaistion, standing outside the abandon hospital the following night. 

 

It was a horrible neighborhood and Hephaistion was sure that this was the kind of place where people killed for free.

 

- Oh, come on! Phai, this is going to be fun –said Alexander, excited like a small child, and his beloved saw him in silence for a moment.

 

- Alex, you and I have very different concepts of “fun” –How was that Hephaistion had ended here? He would have never let Alexander convinced him of coming, but the blond looked so excited that he had no heart to say no. 

 

- Why am I here? I didn’t ask to come and I didn’t bet anything –Leonnatos complained with his arms crossed, he was scared but he wasn’t going to admit it.

 

- What? Are you scared Leon? –Perdikkas teased him.

 

- Of course not –said Leonnatos, gathering all his courage.

 

- You sound pretty scared for me –said Perdikkas and his friend punched him.

 

- So, ladies, who goes first? –asked Kleitos and nobody moved.

 

- You know, if you keep doing this you are going to lose the bet, Ptolemy –Alexander mocked him, walking to the rusty gates.

 

They entered through the narrowed opening of the gates and crossed the front yard of dry plants. Hephaistion took a moment to look at the building, it was very old and several windows here broken or covered with planks of wood, again he thought this was a terrible idea, not because he actually thought they could encounter ghosts, but because the place looked on the verge of falling apart.

 

- What’s wrong? –asked Alexander, walking at his side.

 

- You know perfectly well what’s wrong, this could be dangerous –said Hephaistion.

 

- Don’t worry Phai, nothing is going to happen –and the blond’s tone of voice only served to worry him more, but he decided to say nothing.

 

The doors of the building were old, covered in a mixture of mold and rust and several pieces dropped when Kleitos pushed them with all his strength to open them.

 

- Shouldn’t the doors be locked? –asked Leonnatos, tightly holding his flashlight against his chest. 

 

- Maybe the ghosts let the doors open –Perdikkas teased him and Leonnatos tried his best to look as if he didn’t care.

 

- What now? –asked Hephaistion, lighting up the walls with his flashlight. The painting was falling and some doors were hanging out of their place, several walls were painted with aerosol and one lamp was hanging dangerously from the ceiling, it looked as if it were about to fall at any moment.

 

- Now, we walk around the place and go –said Ptolemy.

 

- Right –said Leonnatos watching the place with apprehension.

 

- Fine –Alexander didn’t wait for them and took the left corridor with Hephaistion behind him. The place was full with garbage and old furniture, many doors were jammed and couldn’t be opened, others were broken and the rest only lead to storage rooms or old examination rooms.

 

- So, what’s the story of this place? –asked Alexander, checking a shelve full with old reports.

 

- Well, Thais said a girl died here…

 

- No? Really? I found that hard to believe since this place was a HOSPITAL –the blond mocked him.

 

- If you let me finish –Ptolemy protested.

 

- Go on.

 

- Thank you. As I was saying, a girl was brought here after her house was consumed by a great fire; she suffered severe burns and unusual high fever, she couldn’t open her eyes, she barely breath and every doctor was amazed that she was still alive because that seems almost impossible in her condition –said Ptolemy dramatically—They said a demon was keeping her alive –Leonnatos swallowed—After she finally died, the nurses found her wheelchair on the third floor, moving by itself, and they could hear her screams echoing through the hallways at night… 

 

- Ptolemy that’s enough, you will make Leon piss his pants –said Kleitos.

 

- Oh, shut… —but Leonnatos fell silent in the same moment they heard a scream outside.

 

- What the hell was that? –asked Kleitos alarmed.

 

- A scream, what else? –Alexander was almost bored. If there was something he hated were ghosts’ stories. He didn’t believe in ghosts.

 

- I know that, but whose scream? –said Kleitos. Now he was worried, but his pride didn’t allow him to look as scared as Leonnatos. 

 

- Let’s find out, unless Ptolemy wants to give up now and play naked in our next concert –the blond teased him.

 

- All right, let’s go –said Ptolemy with all his dignity.

 

They reached the hallway but couldn’t find anything, so they opened the emergency stairs door and went to the second floor. The sound of heavy things falling at the distance made them all jump at the same time, with the sole exception of Alexander who had iron nerves.

 

- Phai, you are like a scared woman –the blond teased him.

 

- Shut up!…I told you this place is dangerous, I wouldn’t be surprised if the roof falls over our heads –Hephaistion grumbled.

 

They had to push the stairs door to open it and finally reached the second floor. They walked around with their flashlights until they heard Perdikkas screaming, killing the quiet atmosphere and making Leonnatos jumped so high that they thought he was going to reach the ceiling.

 

- Holy Mother “$%& With %&/$ On Top! –exclaimed Perdikkas.

 

- What? What is…? –but the question died in Hephaistion’s mouth as soon as he saw the blood stain on the floor, it was as if someone or something had dragged a bleeding person to the elevator where the doors were slightly opened and also covered in blood—Ok… I think I have seen enough. 

 

Alexander came running, and saw the bloodstain without emotion.

 

- Do you still think this place is not haunted? –asked Ptolemy at his side, he too was scared.

 

- This only proves that a psycho was here not that ghosts did this –said the blond with calm.

 

- And, what if the psycho is still here? –asked Leonnatos trembling and 5 pairs of eyes settled on him.

 

- I don’t want to be here –said Perdikkas, walking back to the stairs door.

 

- I think we should go and call the police –was Hephaistion’s opinion, he turned, with all the intention of following Perdikkas when he saw a shadow running at the far end of the hallway. He felt all his hair standing while a cold shiver ran down his spine—Oh…great! –it was official now he too was very scared. 

 

Kleitos tried to open the stairs door but it was stuck, he kicked it and pushed it but it didn’t move one inch.

 

- How’s that possible? We just open it –said Leonnatos, truly wishing he had stayed at his house playing Devil May Cry. 

 

- It’s an old building, it’s not big deal, we just need to find something to force the door –said Alexander—Like a steel pipe or something like that, lets look in the bathroom.

 

They went to the bathroom walking very close to each other, like a group of sheep behind the blond. Again they had to force the door to enter and went to look for something useful.

 

- This place smells horrible –Perdikkas complained while Alexander and Kleitos pulled an old pipe from the wall.

 

Hephaistion wandered around, all the doors inside of the individual toilets were opened, except for one. He tried to open it but it was useless, probably stuck or broken.

 

- You should knock –Ptolemy mocked him—Maybe someone answers.

 

Hephaistion rolled his eyes.

 

- Yeah, sure.

 

Ptolemy walked at his side and knocked the door of the bathroom.

 

- Very fun…—someone knocked at the other side and both went pale—Ptolemy how did you do that? –asked a very scared Hephaistion.

 

- I…I…didn’t. 

 

Then the door opened by itself, slowly, with a squeak and inside they found the toilet and the wall covered in blood as if someone had been cut in pieces there.

 

- Let’s get out of here –said Hephaistion, feeling a cold sensation in his stomach.

 

Kleitos used the steel pipe to force the stairs door, because there was no way in hell they would use the elevator, and went to the first floor with only one thing in their minds: get out.

 

- Ptolemy, if we go now then you lose the bet –said Alexander, the only person in that group who only saw one creepy thing there: the blood on the elevator.

 

- Fine, whatever, just keep walking –said his extremely paled friend.

 

- Honestly, you are just like children, first you want to come and now…

 

But they never heard the rest. Alexander tripped on the stairs and rolled down landing on a pile of rubble. 

 

- Alex, are you all right? –asked Hephaistion running at his side.

 

- Mm…I think not –answered the blond watching a long wooden stick stuck in his shoulder, blood was sliding through his chest scaring his beloved even more.

 

- We have to get you to a real hospital soon –Hephaistion helped him to stand up, while Kleitos came rushing to help him— You know? I should have a premium membership for every time I go to the ER with either you or Aki.

 

Alexander would have said something but he was starting to feel a little dizzy.

 

XXX

 

Hephaistion woke up inside his cabinet and as soon as he was aware of where he was, he cured his luck. Again on a bloody ship. He had been onboard for weeks, taking every chance to disembark, go with the groups to the rivers with the pretext of supervise the the transfer of water and rest on firm land, but since he was the commander of the fleet he couldn’t disappear very often leaving his men. 

 

Again those strange dreams. The General rolled until he was resting on his back and rubbed his eyes, hearing the cracking sounds of the ship and feeling the gently rocking that always made him sick. Something was going to happen to Alexander and that worried him; he wished he could stop having those dreams; he never understood them and always left him concerned. What could he do?

 

Maybe I should write to Alex, warn him to take care –he thought taking a seat on the edge of his bed. He would write to him even if he knew Alexander was too stubborn and the only way to keep him out of trouble was to be there, at his side, watching over him like his guarding angel. 

 

Hephaistion lifted his head and found Alexander’s letter on his desk. The King was worried for him and asked why he hadn’t written to him. He had received this letter 2 days ago and still he had no idea of what to write back. The General sighed, how could he explain to Alexander that he hadn’t written because he missed him, he missed his King so much that, if he wrote to him that would make things more difficult. It was easier this way; he focused on his work and left everything else behind. 

 

He stood up and took the letter, caressing the same parchment that Alexander had had in his hands a few days ago.

 

This is why I don’t write when I miss him the most –he told himself, it made him sentimental.

 

But, for Alexander it was more difficult to cope with his absence if had no news of him, it made the King worried and Hephaistion knew that, when the King was worried, he was in a terrible mood. He shook his head, and sat down at his desk. He would write then, and tell Alexander to take care.

 

XXX

 

A week later the earthwork in front of Gaza was complete. The army was in battle formation and Krateros was checking that his taxei were ready to advance in the same moment the King gave the order. Alexander had briefed his commander with precise instruction of marching on the earthwork to attack the city. Now that the siege equipment, catapults and artillery were in position, the King was confident that Gaza wouldn’t last for long.

 

Before dawn, Alexander, with the ceremonial wreath upon his head and dressed in full armor, went to make an offering to the Gods before the attack. His high officers, commanders and generals were at his side with Achilles at the place of honor wearing a white chiton, with golden embroidery. The boy kept looking at his sides and when he found Kleitos he noticed that his strict teacher had black shadows under his eyes but, even if he were tired, the hipparch didn’t showed it and he stood there, in his full armor, like a rock. 

 

Achilles tried to copy Kleitos proud way of standing, but found this a little difficult to accomplish without looking like a fool so he gave up but made a mental note to practice in his room. 

 

Alexander stood immobile, while Aristander, his seer, made the appropriate prayers feeling the soft, hot breeze made his tunic dance. As always the King wanted to be sure that he had the Gods blessing before starting the assault, it was important to him and for the men, to reassure them that what they were doing was the right thing.

 

A young man, one of Aristander’s apprentices, came pulling a lamb by the rope around his neck. The lamb advanced with all laziness and saw the King almost bored, oblivious to the fate that waited him. Aristander showed Alexander an especial dagger holding it by the scabbard and the King took the hilt made of gold; he pull the dagger, freeing the blade that shone under the sunlight, but before he could approach the lamb, a small stone hit his head.

 

The King lifted his eyes and found a falcon flying over them, his silhouette framed against the sun, and then, he saw the small stone at his feet; apparently the bird had dropped the stone he was holding in his talons. The men around him were terribly quiet, they had witnessed the event and all looked as confused as their King.

 

- Aristander –Alexander called the seer, his eyes still on the small rock.    

 

- Sire –the thin and old seer approached. 

 

- What does this omen mean? –he lifted his head to look for the falcon, but it had gone.

 

Aristander took a moment to think, and then, with great drama, he lifted his arms to the sky. Achilles watched him with curiosity not knowing what was going to happen.

 

- “Sire” –the seer replied suddenly, making the boy jumped—“You will capture the town, but today you must take care for your own safety”(1)

 

The King nodded, meditating the words carefully and taking the warning seriously. He truly believed in omens and this one had been clear enough to ignore. Then, he proceeded to continue with the offering.

 

XXX

 

(1) Arrian. The campaigns of Alexander, p 145