Child of Hades

8. A best friend

It was cold and I could not feel my hands anymore. I tried to grind the robe against the pillar in an attempt to free myself but it hurt too much so I stopped. The rough corners of the pillar pressed against my arms. When other students finally started pouring into the schoolyard I had long given up on escaping my punishment by myself. Curious faces stared at me from a distance. Some looked sympathetic, others were barely hiding a raging flame of malicious joy.

I was fighting back tears when Cat pushed herself through a crowd of spectators and hurried to come to my rescue.

She used her metallic fingernails to cut the rope. "I am so proud of you.", she hugged me. "They cannot control us, you know."

I just so managed not to have an emotional outburst right there.

"You probably missed orientational class.", she said, with a smile that almost helped me forget what just happened.

"That's quite an important one, but don't worry. I got you covered."

A silent tear rolled down my cheek as I forced myself to smile back at her.

I was rubbing the deep outlines on my wrists where the rope had been with my thumbs.

"Shoot it.", I said decisively. Despite being relieved that I was still alive, I felt enormous anger inside me. How dare he do this to me?

Cat told me about the different branches of servants under Hades: Successful students got to become contract killers, Bodyguards, and specialized mercenaries. Students that did not manage to meet the school's requirements were sent off to become Danaides, Sisyphus, or Atys. Danaides were mostly female. Hades sold most of them to work for his friends all over Chaus. Their work depended on whatever their master wanted them to be. Sisyphus were male workers sent to mines so they could help in getting materials for Hades's weapons, ships, and technological equipment. Atys were workers on asphodel fields to harvest the only edible plants that grew on Chaus.

The school kept students for no more than 6 years. Every year the school gave the students a challenging task that was required for reaching the next year. In the sixth year, students were expected to find a job in one of Hades's organizations. Some students also graduated school by making a personal agreement with Hades. The students considered this a very rare honor.

In the first year, every student was required to acquire a tech device for themselves. Making money was typically the easiest way to get a techdevice. Cat told me that in the second year, everybody had already found a way to make money.

Cat usually got her money by selling things that she "found". She noticed my scared expression and told me not to worry. "I'll help you."

She led me to her room and gave me a blanket. It felt very good not to be out there in the cold anymore. "How am I ever going to repay you?", I asked. Cold tears were streaming down my face but I wiped them away with my hand.

"I am sure you'll think of something.", Cat said with one hand on her hip, leaning against the wall. My eyes finally stopped tearing and I looked at her face. Something was troubling her. "It's not right.", She said.

"What do you mean?", I asked in convenient ignorance.

"They should not treat us like this.", She sat down next to me.

I lifted my chin and looked around the room to avoid looking at her: "I don't know what you're talking about."

I could hear her chuckle. She put her hand on my still cold cheek. When I looked at her she pulled me close to her and whispered to me: "I don't really want to be Hades's servant."

I gasped. "But what are you going to do?"

She gave me a moment to get over the surprise.

"I'll join the Keres-sisters.", Cat smiled proudly.

I could not accept what she was saying, still, I put on an expressionless face.

"You will come with me, right?"

Why would she risk it? Life with Hades was not perfect, but it was all any of us had ever known. There was a big poster right outside the school. It showed a beautiful woman with a red satin-dress, holding a sharp knife against her own throat: "Find your Destiny. Join the Keres-sisters" The Keres-sisters, a sisterhood of contract killers, rivals to Hades's organization, strictly to be avoided for any Child of Hades.

"Sure.", I said. Cat noticed my hesitation.

"We will live like no Chaus ever has.", she said. "We won't do what they tell us to do. We will do whatever we want."

I could do whatever I want right here.

"But what if they catch us?"

Cat squeezed my cheek. I hated it when she did that. And not just because it meant that her sharp nails went right next to my eyes. "Do you really want to live your whole life serving some ungrateful warlord?" It was a scary feeling for me to consider rebelling against Hades. He was not perfect, but he was just all I had ever known.

Cat was holding my hand when Zookie entered her room without knocking. The door opened with a loud squeaking noise. "Let's go out and smoke", she said to Cat. "You can come to.", Zookie said to me. She looked back and forth between Cat and me, trying to read the room as to whether or not I would join.

Cat got up and took Zookie by the hand.

"Go to the library and read the law of Chaus. It is a very handy guide.", Cat said to me before going outside.

I followed Cat's advice and read the law of Chaus that same day. It was over 1000 pages about Chaus's culture and traditions. Reading through it in one day, I knew I would not be able to remember everything.I decided to re-read it as soon as I could. I went to sleep late that night.