The howls coming from the river's fetid waters chanted the mortuary symphony for the dead ones I knew well. It's been a year since I died and my sempiternal dwelling was the hideous pits of hell. No one ever escapes from the Avernus, that's what they say, but for those like me who had as human living beings more than a half brain know that more than one came down to the underworld and managed to strut, even with a prize on shoulders out of these dreadful cavernous lands.
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Since when the custom was established, I don't know. I guess it was maybe after Persephone was granted to leave once in a year to make spring bloom on Earth with joy. But us, filthy scum of rotting corpses were no gracious goddesses gently carried out in Hephaestus' chariot. Still, we were given a 'Death Day Pass', as it was named. It's some sort of present, a birthday present but the other way around. On your death anniversary you're allowed to leave to torment the living ones from dusk till dawn.
The nauseous greenish surface of the Styx smelled like rotten fish and the floating bodies of those who found no rest in hell tried always to grab a leg of the 'fortunate' ones who have the boarding pass.
We were ten of us onboard the boat. Ten miserable souls that died on the same date. The others, more experienced, where more confident on the trip, while I only kept wondering how it would be or feel to go back. To get to see your beloved ones once again. Would they be able to see me? What I would do or say if they can perceive my presence like some humans are capable to do.
My trail of thoughts was interrupted when Charon broke in his grave tone, "Remember to grab your golden coin or you won't be able to take the boat back. You wouldn't like to end like floating putrid bodies in the Acheron, do you? Once you're out you must choose one place and stay there throughout the night until dawn or you could get stranded. That's even worst than becoming a lost soul in this river. The rule a soul for a soul still applies, but remember to never interfere with free will, destiny or natural pace of life. The punishment can be worst than death itself", the bearded skeleton dressed in a dark cloak recited the instructions.
The boat hit the dock. I grabbed a gilded coin from the sack and walked out. Outside the cave it was a beautiful night. The stars flickered in the sky and the full moon glistened illuminating with its white subtle beams the valley. I took a deep breath -as if breathing was ever needed- feeling relieved to be in the outer world once again, even knowing it was only for a few hours.
"Where do we go now, what I should do?" I asked the woman standing by my side.
Think of the place you want to be, someone you want to see and close your eyes. You should be there in a second." She replied, closed her eyes and disappeared in the air.
There was no doubt of who I wanted to see in my first Death Day. I smiled, closed my eyes and whispered her name, "Amanda".
I had just finished pronouncing that vowel sound and when I opened my eyes I was in my house... In my room. Well in the house I used to live, in the room I used to sleep when I was alive.
She was my wife. So beautiful like an angel she cuddled up in her bed... In our bed. Of everything in this or that world she was the only one I missed. Every day and night locked down in hell I only thought of her. I messed things up when I was with her. I made her unhappy. So many nights I left her alone to bed with whores. But this time I would do things right. I was going to spend the night with her and only with her.
I climbed onto the bed and lay down next to her. I wrapped my arm around her waist. The warmth and the sweet scent emanating from her body was hallucinating. I leaned closer and kissed her shoulder. Amanda jolted and shivered. She felt it, I knew it.
Quickly she turned the bedside table's light on. "Simon." She whispered.
"Yes", I replied.
In that moment the dormitory's door opened. I jumped off the bed when a young and handsome man entered. "My dear, is everything okey? You look as if you've just seen a ghost", he stroke her cheek.
"No... It was only a nightmare." Amanda replied.
***Whohooooo done! 800 words on the dot! This is my Death Day story for the #HappyDeathDay story to celebrate the ParanormalCommunity first Anniversary. Thank you guys for creating this challenge up! It was fun to do. I hope you like it.
