Hades Doctor

Screaming Souls

Something cool fell on my exposed arm under folded sleeves and like a binding the sensation tugged at my consciousness and slowly released it from the clutches of sleep.

And I was first aware of the pillow crushed between my legs, but it wasn't my own and I open my eyes to catch a muscled hand fall to its owners side. "You slept for fourteen hours, I was beginning to worry." A gentle voice states with concern and gradually numerous memories and images become clear.

"Good morning Will." But my eyes did not meet blue orbs, but instead they wandered in searching and soon realized the light coloured walls were unfamiliar.

"This is my room, he is not here." Sensing my intentions William states putting me to ease, but was quick to put my mind to chaos. "The palace is in a ruckus since you decided to sleep in the King's bed."

The blanket crumbled to the side was pulled over my head as I decide to keep to myself in my embarrassment and the one standing by the bed crackles without pity.

My spine was suddenly jabbed and frowning at the sting I peek out to glare at the man who had too much free time on hand, his blue eyes as clear as the afternoon sky. "He won't be back for a while so I can give you a free tour."

"You would?" I lower the covers to my chin clearly exited.

"Yes." He smiles and then reveal his pearly whites in laughter for no reason in particular but despite the strangeness to it there was a soothing sense of comfort and assurance in the pleasing sound. And it made me wonder if he really used to kidnap young children in the years he was alive.

And like those unfortunate souls, I too, fell merrily into the trap.

A maze of hallways greeted us and within a minute I could no longer remember the path we came through. "Its a miracle you guys don't get lost."

But no reply would come because like many times before, a guard would walk upto Will and in a hushed tone report something to my good friend who would first frown and then laugh while the speakers expression would gradually turn ugly. And the contents of the conversation was not very hard to guess given the wary glance each would cast me by that did not go unnoticed by my eyes.

And during such intersections I came up with questions I wanted to ask later, and the most prominent one of them being, when my trial would be conducted.

According to greek myths, a soul after its mortal body's death would be judged for its deeds and according to them sent to the afterlife they were worthy of.

But why am I being given special treatment or is this punishment?

Now let me see.

Bad things I have done in my life : Stole money, food and pens from my brother. Lied, lied, lied, lied again...Broke my cousins nose, burnt my best friend's hair for a dare. Made my parents worry over extreme as well as trivial things. Pranked and irritated an unknown amount of people, scared the mail lady, killed plenty of mosquitos to be called a professional, has more than three emails, secretly came to know my friends passwords without their knowledge.......The list could be never ending.

Good things I have done : I saved a cat......

Was that it??!!

I was mulling over this thought in distress when my eyes meet a pair a timid brown eyes and the palace maid startled by the sudden attention bowed and this little incident seemed to have become the new trending fad as the tour continued.

More and more of the people we met on the way bowed in my direction after bowing to William and having been startled by multiple such incidents I began to bow back to ease my heart but this only seemed to leave them more perplexed and some even frozen in shock.