Wait For Me ✓ (Hadestown)

chapter 9

"Is she alive?" A woman's voice said.

"Yes, she's breathing, you idiot." Another woman's voice said.

"I wonder what happened to her, she was so beat up when I found her."  Said a young man's voice.

"Laea! Is the tea prepared? I want it to be prepared for when she gets up!" Said the first woman.

"Coming Euphrosyne!" Said a third female voice. The clinking of glassware rang throughout the hollow walls of the house.

Eurydice stirred at the noise. She couldn't quite find the motivation to get up. There was a searing pain that coursed through her body with each flinch, so she stayed still. Eurydice also had a headache that flamed from her temples. She didn't want to wake, no not at all. She didn't want to go back to the world of the living, nor did she want to go back to the world of the dead. She wanted to find a realm in-between.

"She's moving hurry quick!" Said Euphrosyne in a manic voice.

Then a giant crash followed.

"Gods damnit Aglaea, what did you do now?!" Said the second voice.

"Watch your language Thalia!" Said the man.

"Well I'm sorry Linus, I got scared!" said Thalia.

Eurydice's eyes shot open from the ruckus. Her head felt like it breaking into little pieces with the fall of the cups. A hint of blood still lingered in her mouth. She felt the soft warmth of a blanket and the airy cushion of a mattress, or maybe a couch. The smell of Lemon Verbena wafted through the home. The sight of three people who stood over her.

"She's awake!" Thalia squealed. She was a smaller girl, very young. Her skin was porcelain with a natural pink tint to her cheeks. Her hair was a light blonde that contrasted with her dark brown eyes. She looked doll-like and Eurydice thought if she even touched the girl, she would shatter into a million pieces.

"Gods, don't scare her!" said Euphrosyne. She was taller than Thalia, probably older too. She had long brown hair that would flow to her mid back if she took it out of a ponytail. Her skin was tan, with a golden glow to it. Her face was longer and beautiful, but tired. Bags hung over her eyes from stress of some kind. Eurydice though she looked like what she thought Hera would look like.

“I’m so sorry” mouthed the man, Linus. He was tall, and his hair was curly. His skin wasn’t as pale as Thalia, but not as dark as Euphrosyne. He had a good amount of stubble on his chin and his eyes were as dark as an oak tree’s trunk. He had a sturdy build. He scared Eurydice, but he only looked at her with kind eyes.

“Where am I?” Eurydice said abruptly, shooting her body upwards from a couch. A pain shot through her body. Her face cinched up like the lace of a corset, her face turned a bright red and her body felt like it was aflame in Hadestown. Each muscle contorted with each pain she felt.

“Love, please don’t move, you’re hurt. And you have a fever!” Euphrosyne said in a worried tone.

“You’re safe with us. I’m Linus, that’s Euphrosyne, Thalia is over there, and Aglaea is in the kitchen.” Linus said laying her down carefully.

“You can call me Cee.” Eurydice said, reverting back to her old nickname. Her brother had called her that all the time. It was either “We’re going to be okay Cee..” or  “Cee, don’t move.”

“Can you tell us what happened to you, Cee?” said Thalia.

“I rather not.” Eurydice said sadly.

“Don’t worry about it, it is none of our business.” Euphrosyne said concerned. She gave a sharp look at Thalia who shrugged.

“I managed to get a little bit of tea for you love. Here, this will help.” Said a woman coming out of the kitchen. Aglaea, who had the tea, had long brown hair and a complexion that almost matched Linus. Her face was rounder than Euphrosyne, and had a sweet smile plastered on her face. She helped Eurydice drink the tea and sat her back down.

“We think you broke your arm, but we’ll bandage it after you get cleaned up.” Linus said concerned.

“What were you doing?” Thalia asked curiously.

“Why are you so nosey?” Euphrosyne said in an angrier tone

“Well she had a pistol on her, I’m just a little...creeped out.” Thalia said quietly, but Eurydice still heard it.

“It’s a revolver, dumbass” one voice whispered.

“Language” whispered another. Eurydice couldn’t tell which voice belonged to what person.

“It’s fine, I can tell if it gets you to trust me more. But promise, please don’t view me in a different way and please don’t hate me.”  Eurydice sighed in a defeated tone. All the heads turned and they nodded quietly.

//Recap for the people who skipped chapter 8//

“So, I technically died… I went down to Hadestown and sold my life away.  I almost got out once, but that backfired. In Hadestown, basically you sell your life away to become a machine in the mines to make Hades a profit. The workers didn’t like that they were manipulated into giving their souls away, so this sparked the idea of a revolution, and for two other workers and I, it turned into the flame of freedom. A riot broke out, so we escaped during the riot when everyone’s guard was down. I almost didn’t make it on time because some loyalist, someone who is in favor of Hades’ rule, tried to apprehend me.

Cut to about a month later, we’ve already escaped and travelled quite a bit, turns out we’re being followed by a search party. I told the others to run to safety, that I'd hold them off. One gave me the revolver. I've seen one before, but I have never shot one in my life. I took a lucky guess on how to fire it.  Turns out the same loyalist from the riot was in the search party. We got into a fight, and it's all fun and games until he takes a knife out. He cuts me up and tries to slit my throat. To save myself, I took out the gun. My plan was to shoot him in both legs and then knock him out. Once he was knocked out I'd tend to the wounds and dash. Except, it was my first time using a gun, and I miss. I ended up hitting something important. I-I tried saving h-him. I-I'm so s-sorry." Eurydice said breaking into tears. "I really tried to save him."

Thalia felt guilty. Her stomach pooled with grief and sympathy. The poor thing had to relieve her trauma because of her. She was a horrible person. I mean her sister, Euphrosyne, constantly reminded her about that, especially with the dirty glare she was getting.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of you." Thalia said in remorse.

"The best thing you can do is to nap and drink you tea." Euphrosyne said in a concerned voice, feeling the songbird's forehead.

"I'll help you take a bath when you feel like it." Aglaea said in a lighter tone. It lightened Eurydice's mood, knowing that they didn't care.

"Get a good sleep." Linus said as all four of them vacated the room.

Eurydice couldn't fall asleep for each time she saw her victims face each time she closed her eyes, but then she eventually passed out from exhaustion again.

The nice feeling of numbness covered her like a shroud. She wished she could feel like that forever.

// Hi loves! I had a little bit of a housekeeping chapter for today to;

1. Introduce new characters
2. Do the little recap

I promise it gets more interesting!

QOTD: What did you have for breakfast? And if you didn't eat, go eat.

Stay hydrated, get sleep, and love yourself,

Mia