Chapter 6

When I woke up I felt nauseous once again expect this time I was sweaty. I was sweatier than an old man at the gym.

I could hear people talking all around me, it sounded someone was shuffling papers or ripping them apart. It was hard to tell.

I didn't want to open my eyes, because I knew that when I did open them I would see nothing but disappointment and grief. So I kept them close.

"You said she would be awake by now Hypnos, why isn't she awake?" My mothers voice said, a hidden irritation buried deep beneath.

"Maybe she doesn't want to wake to see your ugly face, Demeter? Have you ever thought of that? Poor girl has spent her entire life looking at your ugly guzzle, I don't blame the poor girl for not wanting to wake." Hypnos said.

I fought the urge to laugh. My mom wasn't ugly, but it was still funny.

There was a loud bang as something dropped to the floor and a scuffle of feet. I heard a few people grunt and my mom shout.

"Ey! You old crazy bat! Watch your hands before I knock you into a long sleep that you cant wake up from!" Hypnos hissed angrily.

"Watch what you say about my daughter!" My mother snarled back.

"I didnt say anything about your daughter! I said things about you, you crazy ass farmer!"

"That's enough. Hypnos, can you try again?" Zeus asked.

As soon as Hypnos swiped his hand across my forehead I opened my eyes wincing slightly.

I opened my mouth but it hurt to even do that. So I settled for the second best thing.

My middle finger.

"Kore don't be like this. We did it for your safety." My mother said. She was standing next to me, clutching my hand.

I tore my hand from hers and turned my head away from her. I did a quick sweep over the room and saw that Hades was gone, along with Aeacus and Hera.

"Well that's comforting." Hypnos smiled. "Thank you for that."

I glared at Hypnos who simply smiled back. Should he even be smiling? He was born in the darkest part of hell, I feel like he should be glaring and hissing.

It was angering.

Zeus and my mom both looked at me with apologetic faces. Their sympathy felt suffocating, it was almost like I could hear their thoughts, their pity.

Poor girl, stuck in the underworld for 3 months.

Poor girl trapped in the darkness.

Poor girl, poor girl poor girl-

"Stop looking at me." I hissed, which really was more of a rasp. I sounded like a heavy chain smoker with lung that were deteriorating faster than my will to live right now.

Zeus sighed, "Call me when she's done acting like a brat."

Before I could show him my finger, he disappeared leaving me with only Hypnos and my mother.

What a lovely time.

"I'll get Apollo." My mother murmured before she too disappeared. Leaving me with Hypnos who was eating my ice chips.

Bastard.

What the hell is my life right now?

All I did was eat some fruit and next thing I know I'm trapped in this dark place for Olympus knows how long!

Oh gods!

Granted I probably shouldn't have eaten said fruit, but it was whispering to me. Like some paranormal demon.

"Well I- I mean you need some more ice chips. Be back, don't go anywhere." Hypnos said breaking the silence and my midlife crisis. He walked out the door without another word, giving me a peek info the bland white hall.

Gods this truly is hell.

White is such a bland and ugly color.

I sat there for two whole minutes before I got bored and began growing plants. First it was a venue fly trap, then poison ivy. Maybe I could take someone out with them.

When the thirty minute mark passed of being alone I got angry. Even more angry then I had been when I first woke up.

At minute mark forty I pulled myself up like a big girl. It took five whole minutes but I did it. I was in extricating pain but I did it.

I grabbed the empty plastic cup and began growing a mini Aloe Vera plant. I hated the bitter taste of Aloe Vera, but it would soothe the pain in my throat. With cup clutched in hand I slid out of bed, grimacing occasionally.

I stumbled out of bed, un-purposefully tearing out the IV in my arm. I huffed in annoyance at the small trickle of blood now coming out of my arm and staggered out the door and into the bland hall.

I had no idea where I was going, which is why within my first 20 minutes of wondering I got lost. My method of trailing against a wall worked unto I left the hospital looking place.

Don't even get me started on why there is an hospital in the underworld. Why the hell would you need an hospital if you live in the world of the dead? Its not like the dead can get injured after they die.

It turns out that the hospital doors spat me out into a city, or small town I guess you could say. The sun beamed brightly from above making me question my life even more.

How long was I out? HOW IS THERE A SUN IN THE UNDERWORLD?

The city itself was something you would typically see in a childern's book. There were mini stores with large windows displaying what they sold, homes, and restaurants sat side by side lining the street. A fountain sat in the middle, golden coins glimmering at the bottom. I squinted at the things that passed by and throughout the town.

The things almost looked like humans.

Wait a minute! THEY WERE HUMANS!

They looked like humans and even had the same aura as humans.

Where in the world was I?

It's that's impossible to think that I got teleported back to above, Hades said my soul was binded to the underworld. There was zero leaving.

I walked up to one of the people and lifted my hand to touch them but my hand went straight through them. I stumbled forward and collided with the ground.

Fucking ghost! Okay not humans, not humans.

I will not cry. I will not cry. I am strong I am powerful, I am a goddess. This is just a small challenge. Everything is going to be okay.

HA!

I'm going to die here.

I found a mini café and sat down at one of the tables. I placed my head down on the table and treid to collect my thoughts and control the pain I was feeling.

I am going to be okay.

How funny is it that just yesterday I was out exploring the fields that my cottage sat on, sketching the plants and wildlife that grew in them?

Was that even yesterday? That could have been months ago for all I know, I still had no clue as to where I was or what time it was.

Well I had some clue, I was in the underworld but where in the underworld was the question. There were no signs telling me where I was. Maybe if I click my heels three time like in that human movie and say there's no place like home over and over I will magically get teleported home.

"Hey pretty lady, you look a little lost, maybe I can help you?" A rough voice said from infront of me. I heard a chair scrape against the floor as someone sat down.

I scowled and lifted my head up, "Didn't your mother ever teach you to ask before you sit?"

Was I being rude to somebody who probably just wanted to help me?

Yes. I'm in the underworld. Its not exactly a place known for creatures to want to just help out of the goodness of their soul...or body if their soul less.

"Woah there. Just trying to help. Its not everyday you stumble across a goddess that doesn't belong here." The guy said lifting his hands up in defense. I took this opportunity to take in what he looked like.

He had flaming red hair and bright golden eye, (yes I said eye, he only had one eye, a black eyepatch sat over his left eye), freckles were scattered across his face and a deep red colored scar ran across his face.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Captain Obvious." I said a little too harshly, I winced once I realized how that might effect him with the eye patch and all. "Sorry sorry, its been a stressful few hours."

"I can tell. I'm assuming your looking for Hades?" The man asked, leaning back and placing his arms behind his head.

"N..Err yes. Either Hades, Hypnos, or Aeacus."

"I can take you to Hades. Hypnos is not someone I like socializing with and Aeacus can be a little busy at times with judging souls and all." He stood brushing off imaginary dust as he did. "I'm Ajax, not to be confused with the hero Ajax, he's in Elysium."

I nodded before saying, "I'm Kore." I stood up and brushed off my stained dressed that I was still in.

I must have looked crazy, my hair was a mess, my eyes were puffy, and there were red stains on my light blue dress. No wonder nobody came to help me.

"Grab my h- Don't grab my hand." Ajax said taking a step back from me.

I rose any eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

"You drank the fire. I can't touch you." He dug a red ruby diamond out of his pocket and tossed it to me. "Touch the diamond and think about the person who you are searching for."

I nodded. "Thank you, Ajax. Truly."

Ajax bowed before turning on his heel and disappearing into the crowd of ghost.

I clutched the amulet in my hand and thought of Hades.