A Flower in the Dark [EDITING]

*Chapter 9*

Hades teleported us to the front door of a house that reminded me of a suburban neighborhood that you would see on tv or in the human towns. It even had a little white picketed fence and a bright red mailbox that read 'House of Hades' in sloppily painted white letters. The pole that the mailbox sat on had white paint that was chipping away.

"You get mail in the underworld?" I questioned as Hades rose a hand to knock on the door.

"Its where the humans that leave offerings for us go. Some gods have boxes or bowls that fill up with the offerings, but I have a mailbox. Well we, it belongs to Hypnos, Thanatos, and Hecate too."

I nodded in understanding before asking another question, "Why are you knocking on the door? Isn't this your house?"

"Sometimes some gods are doing inappropriate things, like sex or sacrificing the goldfish to Satan."

"Uh.." I questioned in concern, "Why?"

He said it in such a casual tone, that it must happen often.

"For kicks and giggles and to get on my damn nerves. Open the door!" Hades shouted the last part before and banging on the door again.

The door flew open and revealed Hecate. A black cat was lounging along her shoulders, purring. It's yellow eyes taking us in.

"Well howdy there Hades and Kore." Hecate greeted as she shot a look at Hades before turning to me and smiling.

We stepped into the house and I swooned at the smell of freshly cooked bread. My mouth watered and my stomach grumbled.

I miss the wheat fields at home. My mother would always bake fresh bread in the mornings, so it was a little odd this morning to wake up and there be no fresh bread.

Technically gods don't have to eat or drink, but we still do it from time to time for the thrills of it. We don't have to do a lot of things, but we do them anyways.

"Despoina?" A man asked as he came up to me and examined me, "Jeez you look just like your mother."

The guy shared a resemblance to Hypnos, they both had brown curls and brown eyes, expect this guy had white angel wings on his back that arched over his head instead of on a headband like Hypnos.

I wonder if this guy is Hypnos, son. I have heard that Hypnos had a child, I just never knew who. He also shared a striking resemblance to Apollo, the only difference was he had brown hair instead of the luscious golden locks of Apollo.

"Oh, Oh no I'm Kore. Despoina is my sister." I said offering a hand for him to shake.

"Oh my apologies, I'm Morpheus, Hypnos son." Morpheus greeted warmly, he took my hand and shook it.

I knew it!

I heard Morpheus can shift into any person he seems fit to lure you to sleep, he's one of the many gods of dreams. So I couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was appearing to me as this man because it looked somewhat like Apollo or if that's just how he looked.

I didn't want to ask and seem weird, so I kept quiet and just stood there...like a complete idiot.

I began tapping my fingers on my thigh, in a rapid pattern.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious. I mean sure I wanted to have dinner with Hades and his friends, but coming to have dinner also meant having to socialize and I hate socializing.

I can blame my mother for my lack of social interaction and increased social anxiety. I can blame my mother for a lot of things that have led to deepening issues, like anxiety, extreme paranoia, and lack of training for things like this.

You would think that a simple dinner wouldn't be that hard to navigate. And, maybe it wouldn't be so hard to navigate if it wasn't for the fact that I rarely ever left my house.

Once again thank you, mother.

"EY! Koooorreee! Welcome to the party!" Hypnos slurred loudly as he shoved past Morpheus, the dark red drink in his hand sloshing all over the place and onto the white carpet.

Hades sighed beside me and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Hypnos are you drunk again?"

"Mmmmmmm yes! Don't be such a bummer Hades!" Hypnos said, he crouched down next to my ear and whispered, "Hades is just afraid we're going to embarrass him in front of you. The big guy is trying to make a good impression."

My eyes widen and a slight blush rose to my cheeks. The team has already left a good impression on me, Hecate seemed pretty chill, Morpheus seemed like a gentleman and well Hypnos seemed like a party animal.

I laughed lightly, not knowing what else to do.

"Come this way Kore, there's a garden that needs your help," Hecate said as she grabbed my arm and tugged me away from the two males who were getting ready to bicker over the spilled drink.

"Oh- I. Okay." Was all I said as Hecate lead me to the back patio door to the garden that was indeed dying and in need of help.

"So, we took care of it for about 5 weeks after we planted them. By we, I mean Hypnos, Thanatos, and I because the other people are too cool apparently for gardening." Hecate rolled her eyes at the people she was referring to.

"What happened after the 5 weeks?" I asked as I poked a shriveled up fern leaf. It looked like the paper you find in your pocket after you wash your jeans, that upon finding you proceed to unroll to see it what it was.

The fern leaf began to come back to life, slowly the brown faded to a green color and the leaves resumed normal shape.

"Thanatos quit after the venus fly plant bit him, Hypnos accidentally lured the chia pet to sleep which if you ask me was no accident, and I well I'm allergic to half of these plants. Who would have guessed, eh?" Hecate mused.

I had so many questions that I knew would result in bizarre answers, like how does one lure a chia pet to sleep?

Couldn't he just unlure the chia pet back awake?

I brushed my hand over the plants making them bloom again in full health. They had a variety of plants in their back yard. From mini-cactus plants that were potted in cute little pots to a fully grown apricot tree that was full of plump fruit.

That I would pick but after my last encounter with fruit in the underworld, I think I'm good.

As soon as I brought the last plant back to life (a cherry tree), Hecate burst into loud sneezing that left her unable to get any words out.

She gasped for air and quickly walked back into the house, clawing at her throat. I could see everybody jump into action to help Hecate.

Hades led her to the couch while Morpheus called upstairs for somebody and a red-headed female came running down the stairs with a dark headed winged male following right behind her.

The male ran into the kitchen and returned a few moments later with a cup of water while the female produced a needle from thin air.

They all worked together in perfect harmony and synchronized movements. They worked together as a family. Not like the monsters my mother and others portray them as.

1/31/2020
86/2