**_Adele_**

Blood.

That was the last thing that Adele remembered—

before she passed out.

It all began at Heartwood High- with her ex-best friend, Lily Taylor. They had a huge fight. Lily had wanted to do something that rewarded a lot of money- but was illegal and dangerous. She had asked Adele to help her. Adele refused. And then, being a greedy idiot, Lily had refused to speak with her ever since. Thinking that she would realize she was wrong, Adele had not spoken with her either- until the day when Lily was about to meet the drug dealer that she would be working with. Lily had decided to do it at their school, in a secret corner of their school. It started as awkward silence, then quickly became shouting.

And then it happened.

Lily pretended to leave- and before Adele could turn around- stabbed her in the back. In a daze, Adele had pulled it out…finding that it was a cooking knife part of a set that Adele’s mother had given Lily’s mother years earlier. Blood poured from her wound, and she hit the floor headfirst, blood spilling onto the pristine white floor.

**_Lily

_**Her eyes widened as she saw Adele’s body hit the floor with a thud. She sank down to her knees, feeling for a pulse in Adele’s body.

_No__…__.No__…__._

__

__

Lily’s pulse seemed loud as a waterfall in her ears, her heart fighting against her ribcage creating noises that could have been the footsteps of a cheetah on a full sprint.

Thump…Thump…Thump Thump Thump

ThumpTHumpTHUmpTHUMpTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

Tears fell from her face as she desperately felt for a heartbeat that she already knew wasn’t there…

She fell to the floor, and passed out.

**_Adele_**

Adele woke up, but she wasn’t in school. She looked around. She was standing in the middle of a wasteland, and, right in front of her, was a river. Inside floated all kinds of…stuff. Rings, diplomas, the occasional trinket, jewlery. However, none of the items seemed to be wet. Strangest of all, a warmth was emanating from the river, warming her until she was sweating from all pores. On the other side of the river, however, there was a small cabin surrounded by lush forest- her dream home- but, right now, all she wanted to do was to leave this place. She spun around, searching fr an exit, but there was none…

Wait…

Suddenly, a hole in the sky opened, and Lily — _Lily Taylor tumbled out of a hole in the sky?_

**_Lily

_**Lily landed in a desert area, which, strangely, had a river running through. She observed her surroundings, and saw…

Wait…what?

Adele?

She looked around some more…and…just past the river…

Her pulse quickened as her mind wrapped around it…no…it wasn’t possible…

And she started walking towards the river.

**_Adele

_**What the heck was Lily doing?

As she watched on, Lily ran towards the river, An ethreal look on her face.

_What? did Lily see something across the river?_

__

__

She didn’t have time to think about it, because as Lily hit the water…

She sputtered and sank in.

Adele watched, horrified, as her friend began to drown. Then, without thinking, she rushed to her side and pulled her up, but a rush of…Lily’s memories filled her mind. A medicine bill for her sister’s medicine that the family didn’t have enough to pay, that they had to sell their house to keep her sister at the hospital…Adele’s eyes widened as she experienced firsthand how hard Lily’s life had been recently.

Suddenly, it all stopped. Adele pulled up Lily…

And a figure appeared on the other side of the river.

**_Lily

_**As she was washed into the river’s depths, something grabbed her.

Adele.

A rush of Adele’s memories now filled her mind…a college that she didn’t have money to go to, but…

She had refused Lily’s deal for money.

Why?

Oh…

She grabbed something in the water, lifted it…

it was a Yale master’s degree…

with Adele’s name under it.

**_Adele

_**Adele felt realization suddenly hit her like a toyota as she saw what Lily held.

“Adele, we’re on…”

“Yes, I know. The banks of the river Styx. And that...”

Adele shivered.

“Is the god Hades.”

Then, the figure across the banks spoke.

“Very good! Unfurtunately, now you must die, as nobody who is still alive has ever seen the underworld.”

“Wait,” Adele said. “We’re still alive?”

“Yes. However, Adele, tell me what you saw across the banks. You too, Lily.

“A cabin in a green forest,” said Adele.

“Money and medicine bottles,” said Lily.

Then, I was wrong. Adele, you are dead. Lily is alive. You…” Hades pinted at Lily. "will return to the overworld. Adele, follow me.

“Wait!” Lily shouted.

**_Lily

_**"I would like to go in her place,” Lily said.

“What?” Hades sid, flabbergasted. “Why?”

“Adele needs to live the rest of her life,” said Lily. “She has much greater potential than me. Adele…one of the only birds, a type of penguin, that can both walk and dive. Soon, she will be able to fly. Please…”

Lily made up her mind, fear replaced by steely determination.

“I’ll give you my soul.”

**_Adele

_**Lily stood there, shocked.

“Well, well,” Hades said. “The lily has blossomed. You have a rare soul indeed. Try to stay still.”

“Lily, no!”

But it was too late…Lily’s body collapsed to the ground…

as a butterfly emerged from her body, glowing with golden light. It transformed, until it was Lily, standing there, glowing with butterfly wings on her back.

“Here,” Lily said. “Your dream.” She handed her the college diploma.

“Lily…” Tears streaked down Adele’s face.”

“It’s okay,” Lily said. “I am free now. Thank you. Take care of my sister for me, will you?”

Lily crossed the river with ease.

“’Bye,” Adele said.

“Bye,” Lily replied. “See you later.”

Adele laughed.

They departed…

as friends.