Daughter of Hades

Chapter Five

The Daughter of Hades Chapter Five

© 2011 K. Alyssa Jenkins

A/N:This story is doing great! Mystery/Suspense #285 and Fantasy #647 on the What's Hot list and Unknown Presences is at Mystery/Suspense #886!! I love you /all/!

We walked out the door of the school and got into the car. We were supposed to be blending in but my Dad loved his cars. Every year he checked the Top 10 Most Expensive Cars list and choose the one he liked the most. This year he had chosen a blue SSC Ultimate Aero, the sixth most expensive car of 2010-2011 at $654,400. So, of course, we’re driving around rural Alabama in a car that 0-60 in 2.7 seconds and with only 25 of this type of model ever made. Did we stand out? Yes. I guess being a Greek God has its benefits. We opened the scissor doors and slid in.

Okay, the doors that opens upward? Yes, very cool, even I had to admit that.

“Feeling a need for speed, Iry? I know a great road that never has any cars on it. Wanna do all 256 MPH of this baby?” Dad asked, knowing I loved to go fast.

“Let’s rock and roll!” I said, happy for something to do. Unfortunately, Dad’s idea of a vacant road was a Dragway named Curry-Lynn Mountain Dragway. He punched the gas when we got there, scaring the hell out of me as he pushed the car to its limits. We drove for a good half an hour. I laughed as we drove the car back home. The ride had left my heart feeling light. However, pulling into the house reminded me of what Rog had said. He’d never know the pain he caused me. Although, I’m pretty sure I managed to cause him a fair deal of pain as well.

I knew who I needed to talk to. Dad and I got into the Elevator as it quickly shot us straight down into the Underworld.

A few people were also arriving on the ferry. Dad had convinced the ferry man, Charon, to stop charging people. Not like the man left anyway. I watched as my Dad changed from the fine suit of a business man to the robe of a God. The Fedora on his head changed to reveal the Helm of Darkness. It all happened in a bright flash of light. I walked with him to meet the dead. There was a baby girl, still crying and left in the back of the ferry. I walked over to pick her up and quietly shushed her, carefully rocking her.

“Oh no,” Hades said, coming up to me and the baby.

“What’s her name?” I asked, carefully rocking the small child.

“Charon! List of passengers, please.” Hades said.

Charon pulled a piece of paper out of one of the folds in his robe and handed it to my Dad.

“Her name is Caroline. Caroline Johnson. Another SBS? Why these people keep shaking their babies?! I’m so sorry about what happened to you, Caroline…He said, taking the baby girl from me. He really hated all the babies dying from Shaken Baby Syndrome. I always hate when we get a child.

Fun fact about the Underworld? If you die before you reach adult-hood, you can continue to age regularly until you reach a time around your twenties and those who die of old age look like they are twenty again. Oh, and, you get three chances to live, but mostly only the shades tried to be reborn, so they would qualify to pay the ferryman. So, no one had really used all of their lives recently.

“Okay, folks, welcome to the Underworld! I’m Hades, and this is either you’re paradise or you’re torment. Classes on the Imagination are every day and start whenever you walk in. My daughter will help teach you! Now, let’s see if anyone here is a criminal…” He started examining the list. Any criminals would be sent to Tartarus for a minimum of twenty years, or more. Depending on your crime.

“Is there a Mr. Anthony Logan, age 58 in here?” Hades boomed. Oh, he’s pissed… Wonder what Logan did?

A small, scrawny, gray-haired man stepped forward, knees trembling.