I knew sitting in the freezing cold room would do me no good so I got up, walking to the door and opening it slowly, finding no one in the hall. But it was pitch black. Ignoring the numbing cold that gnawed at my toes and my stomach I extended my hands, walking blindly into the darkness, one goal in mind. Get home. Get back to the world of light and life. I felt like I was drowning in darkness the way a sailor would in the ocean. But how could the dead feel like they were drowning? They had no breath to be stolen. But I kept going, imagining the smile of pure joy upon my father's face when I returned. Suddenly I felt a wall, nearly bashing my outstretched fingers into the material. Running my palms against the wall I found it was a door, a cool knob against my fingers when I reached lower. Opening it slowly I found a pale, sickly light and a room I regretted seeing.
The room was obviously a bedchamber; the objects within the chambers as dark and miserable as the rest of this world. A bed with probably the finest linens sat to my left and a wall of drawing and pictures to my right. Other than that there actually wasn't very much, just a small table that held a mirror and three small golden balls. However I instantly knew whose room this was. Hades. Not wanting to be caught here out of all places I quickly shut the door, using the wall to guide myself down the hall, once more enveloped by darkness. Then I hit another door, and this one had the sound of screaming behind it so I made sure not to open it even a crack. However, once I felt like I'd been walking for a century I saw a light, the same sickly glow that had come from my fiancé's room.
Hesitantly I began to walk towards it, finding to my utter relief, an exit from this maze of rooms. Once I was out I got to fully take in the entire land of the dead. Hades' palace sat forlornly upon a hill, overlooking rivers of lava and dirty, mucky water. But from here I could see the three categories my father had spoken about. Tartarus seemed to churn with horror and hate, as if the darkness was actually alive for it seemed to wail and scream loud enough to make my ears bleed. The Plain of Asphodel was a dull grey; all I could see were the faintest figures flitting about, souls who had done no wrong yet no good. And then far, far away glowed the Elysian Fields; shining with the glimmer of hope that the rest of this wretched world lacked. I couldn't see above me, just darkness. Whether there actually was a roof or some sort of never ending blackness I wasn't sure. Darkness, darkness everywhere. And I hated it all. Suddenly I heard a voice.
"Well, well. A soul that is not within its place. Tell me little one, how did you die?" I whirled around to find a tall man dressed in a grey robe standing behind me, the faintest of smirks playing on his lips. I couldn't see very much of his face, other than his lips so I wasn't sure if he was mortal or god. I sighed dejectedly,
"At the hands of a harpy. Are you here to drag me back to my room to are you to bring me to my husband to be?" He chuckled darkly, revealing blinding white teeth.
"And who might that be? In all my years I've never known there to be a wedding in the land of the dead." I narrowed my eyes.
"Lord Hades is to marry me." The smirk fell from his face and he threw back his hood, revealing a man. It was hard to tell his age, not young but not middle aged either. Much like Hades he was...timeless. His eyes were not the hard black diamonds of Hades but warm brown. His face was deeply tanned by the sun and his hair a deep raven.
"So you are the fairest of them all. I imagined you older, Master spoke of you constantly, but as if you were an adult. Looking at you now I see a young woman, not the goddess he spoke of." He murmured. I raised an eyebrow,
"Master? So you do work for him." I accused. He chuckled.
"Everyone here works for Hades little snowflake. I am Charon, ferryman of the rivers." I gasped, taking a step back.
"You are the one who takes the dead across the river aren't you?" He nodded.
"Indeed, but I am not as greedy as my tale accuses, it is my duty to collect a coin from each soul and if not I must turn them away, no matter how much it hurts my heart." Charon then turned to the view of the underworld. "There is little beauty in this world, so much hate and hideous ugliness. And even the stony lord himself grows weary of the blood and disfigurement and wishes to see a flower blossom, a baby bird hatch, a mother rock her child to sleep. Which is why he brought you no doubt. He wanted your beauty to brighten this world, to comfort him with something that is not jewels as large as fists or gold coins clinking in his palm. He aches for something that will speak back to him, something that will give him emotions once more, anger, delight, passion, not endless misery." I stared at him in wonder,
"How do you know so much about him?" I whispered in astonishment. Charon gave me a wink.
"I am the master's right hand man, though I don't really like to speak about it. He tells me how he longs and wishes for something lovely to be his. And now he has you." I felt a surge of anger.
"But he stole me from my home, from those I loved! Does he really expect me to love him after doing that?" Charon gave a heavy sigh,
"He wishes to please you, to make you happy. He just hasn't tried to do that in centuries." I threw my hands in the air, feeling utterly helpless.
"It isn't my fault this world is so miserable, and does that mean I must suffer along with it?" I demanded. "You have to know a way for me to leave, I will never be happy in such a world, no matter how hard he tries. Help me please!" Charon's face was stony,
"Little snowflake, I know you want to return to the land of the living, but it isn't going to happen. I'm sorry for what you must suffer but if you let go of your past, you could find comfort in Hades, and I. But I cannot help you escape."With that he pulled out a long oar and leapt upon a dark, sleek boat that appeared at his side. He gave a sad wave and began to row, floating down in his boat of death to one of the rivers of death. I watched him row off until he was out of sight, my heart swelling with anger and defenselessness and confusion.Was I really to just sit here as the queen of the dead for the rest of eternity? I turned to go back inside, but knowing neither going down the hill or going back inside would do me any good I lay down upon the rock, letting its coldness encase my body, and my heart, wishing deep down to live once more.
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A Pomegranate Instead of an Apple (A Snow White Story)
FanfictionA twist on the Snow White story in which she lives during the time of the Greeks. And when she bites the apple or in this case, the pomegranate, she wakes up in none other than the Underworld. But this Snow White is no damsel in distress. She intend...
