In the Beginning

The book

I took the book from the stranger and started to feel that I was blushing. Nobody had ever paid anything for me, except for my mom. I was always in my head too much to even notice if anyone was ever trying to flirt or even do me a good deed. I was also scared to approach someone romantically. But I felt a connection to this man. Maybe I was thinking with my heart or in between my legs, so I stayed around for a couple of minutes to talk to him. "Thank you for the book, but can I ask what you meant by this book is made for me and only me?" "It is no problem, seriously. As for what I said, Read it. You'll understand. Trust me." I replied: "Trust you? I don't even know your name." The man responded,"You could ask for it?" "Okay, what is your name?" He told me his name was Hayes. "Huh," I responded. "I wasn't expecting that to be your name. It seems so simple." He laughed and his smile was seemed so sweet. As if he was letting his guard down in his own way. "I don't know what that means, but thank you?? Stranger." He made me grin a bit and I looked down. He pulled his hand out to lift up my chin but without touching me. I lifted my face up back to stare into his eyes. "Don't look down, look at my eyes when we talk," he said firmly. I was caught off guard. He sent shivers down my back because his smile was gone and I was starting to feel nervous again. I wanted to talk to him more because the whole situation was off, but I was also ready to get back to my lonesome in my apartment. I was packing the book in my bag, when he asked me my name. "I told you my name but I didn't quite catch yours. You do have a name right, stranger?" I rolled my eyes and responded: "I do have a name and you didn't catch because I didn't throw it." He laughed and his smile was back, and I wanted to stay, but he was making me nervous. I don't like when others see me vulnerable so I turned around to leave. As I was making my way out, he said "I'll see you around, stranger."

As soon as I got back to my apartment I couldn't believe what had happened to me. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Things like just don't just happened. It was something out of a wattpad story. I was shocked. I drank some water to calm my self down and was hesitant to open the book, but I took it out of its velvet box and opened it. The book was about greek mythology. It began with how there was only chaos in the beginning and then how the rest of the gods came in, and then the Olympic gods and goddesses. However, this wasn't my first time reading greek mythology. If I wasn't reading a gardening book I was reading some sort of greek mythology. I was always drawn to it because as Hayes said, I was attracted to drama and I wanted a big family like the ones in the stories. What was weird about this book was that it didn't involve all the gods and goddesses but only Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Demeter, Apollo, Athena, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, Dionysus, and Hades. It spoke about a few of their stories, but there was an emphasis on the story of Persephone and Hades.

I always loved their story. How they beat the odds and actually fell in love unlike most other gods. Yet as I kept reading there was a difference in this book and all other Greek mythology books. The book explained that the Titans were able to somehow reach witches and curse the Olympic gods and goddesses to fate worse than death. The coven of witches were finally able to defeat the reigning Olympic gods and goddesses. They tried to retreat back to Mount Olympus, even the almighty Zeus who wasn't afraid of anything. The witches created fire balls to throw at Mount Olympus to destroy it in order to stop the gods from running back to their homes. The witches magic was strong enough to even create turmoil in the underworld where Hades resided. As the witches chanted the Olympic gods and goddesses began weeping for their lives would never be the same again. They were stripped of their powers. Brought out to the earth and cursed into becoming mortals. They roamed the earth, as their bodies never grew old, searching for a way to gain their powers again as the years went by. Yet, the gods somehow managed to make the best of it. Throughout the centuries, they were able to gain wealth and mortal power, but it was not the same as before. Not even close. Though with time, the gods and goddesses began to forget who they were and where they came from. However that is not the worse part, the witches wanted the god of the underworld to suffer the most. His queen, Persephone would die of old age every ninety years and be reborn, but never remember who she was unless she were to be reunited with the gods or goddesses. For she was the only one who could break the curse put onto the gods and goddesses. Yet, none of the gods, not even Demeter, her mother, could find where her body would be reborn as a baby, as the centuries past and Persephone died and was reborn over and over. Hades would never find his one true love and the gods and goddesses would be doomed to live forever as mortals.

I was hooked on the book, but I still didn't understand why Hayes said this book was for me and only me. I finished the book, and slept. I dreamt that I was abandoned by my mother again. I woke up screaming, which wasn't something new. This happened everyday during winter. It was simply something I had to live with. I made me a chamomile tea with honey in order to help me sleep again and that's exactly what happened. However I had another dream, but this wasn't a terror. It was a romantic dream. I had a dream with Hayes, but it felt like another life. We were in what looked like a dark castle, what I imagined the underworld in Greek mythology to be like for Hades and Persephone living and ruling together. I woke up peacefully for once, and then it hit me. I knew exactly why Hayes said this book was made for me and only me. I was Persephone. And he was Hades.