The Prophecy of 8 (Ateez Greek Mythology AU)

Chapter 8: The Death

Mingi has always been fascinated by death. Which makes sense because he has been surrounded by it his whole life. His mother always told him that his father died of a heart attack. So he never knew his father. His mother was then diagnosed with cancer, so she passed when he was 12 years old. From there he was put into a loving foster family, his foster mother, Elaine, and foster father, Aaron. always took care of him. He genuinely grew to love them over the 2 years he knew them. They picked him up from school when he stayed after for clubs, and they always supported whatever he wanted to do. They then decided to do their best impersonation of his mother by dying. They were hit by a drunk driver on the way to pick him up from school. 14 year old Mingi was confused when the cops came to pick him up instead. So, he went back into the foster system. A new foster family... well he couldn't call them his family. They really just took him in for the checks from the government each month. It's not like they spent any of the money on him though. They spent it on drugs instead.

From ages 14 to 17 Mingi spent most of his time in his room, trying to drown out the metallic smell of heroin radiating from the bathroom. Or when he did need to go to the bathroom, having to dust off the cocaine residue from the sink. They didn't have jobs, they were living fully on food stamps and disability. They never had food in the house to eat though. Trading their food stamp cards for however many dimes of meth they could get out of it. Mingi had to work part-time while going to high school just so he could have money to eat. Even though 90% of the time they took his money to buy pills. Mingi has trouble keeping track of what drug they were onto next. They seemed to switch between them weekly, or even worse, mix them together. There were times they were both sober. That's when he would get physically abused though. Whether it was bottles or fists, something was always being thrown at him. Mingi was doing Olympic levels of hiding the bruises he got from them, and the scars he inflicted on himself. Always believing he deserved what had happened to him, and how he grew up. He imagined dying very often. Whether it was jumping off of a bridge, or "accidentally" taking a whole bottle of his foster mothers xanax. When he would have these thoughts he would see his mother on the other side, he would see Elaine and Aaron on the other side. He wants to join them so badly, but when he sees them, they always tell him to keep going. So he does... for them.

Mingi started participating in as many after school activities as possible, and picking up as many shifts as possible. He worked part time at the funeral parlor. Which also contributed to his fascination with death. The lady who runs the funeral parlor, Persephone, is also the reason Mingi has decided to keep going. She was his parental figure currently. After she hosted the funeral of Mingi's mother, and then Elaine and Aaron. She decided to ask him if he wanted to work for her. Mingi assumes it was to desensitize him to death and help him realize it's natural. She also told him about the afterlife, Hell. Ran by the devil, who she calls Hades. Mingi was always confused on why she believed in Greek Mythology, but he wasn't one to judge. He almost hoped it was real, it would mean he could visit the underworld and see them. Which actually made Mingi look forward to the potential of something.

Persephone officially took Mingi in when his abusive foster parents overdosed. The day Mingi got home from school and noticed his house was unusually quiet, he knew something was up. He walked to the bathroom where he found both of them laid out on the floor, needles still sticking out of their arms. Both of them foaming at the mouth, Mingi immediately knew they were dead. He called the police and they asked him if he had anyone he could call. The only person he could think of was Persphone. So he called her, and she immediately took him in. He now stays in the front half of the funeral parlor, Persephone's home. A very beautiful house and she treated him with respect. Of course, he also worked for her, which he enjoyed. It was nice that he finally was starting to feel like he was loved and respected again. He is 18 years old now, and has been living with Persephone for a little over 7 months. He graduated high school last year and was taking a gap year to help out at the parlor. The day is February 7th, and it's a busy day. Three different funerals today, so Mingi has to be on his best behavior. Persephone mentioned he would be stationed in the funeral for a young child who died of cancer. Mingi was currently in his bedroom getting ready for the viewing. He had just got out of the shower and got dressed into his suit. He than peaked his head into the living room where he saw Persephone sitting in her chair, reading a book.