He’s definitely dead,” someone said as my arms and back were prodded.
“Why is he breathing then, bimbo?” an annoyed voice replied.
“He’s a vampire,” the first voice, Phae’s I think, said in an alarmed tone.
“Vampire’s don’t breathe and they burn in sunlight!” Nixie growled. I mentally rolled my eyes at them and sat up. Phae squealed.
“Yes, rawr! I’m a vampire,” I said sarcastically. It was what the normal me would do. I’ll just be myself – or I’ll try too. After a few years of pretending to be someone you’re not, it is quite difficult to get back to your regular personality. Though, I could just keep up the ‘bad-boy’ persona.
“Phae! Get back here!” Nixie ordered.
“You’ll have to catch me first,” Phae said musically as she skipped in circles on the field.
“Catch you then kill you,” Nixie muttered. The ground suddenly rumbled, but everyone seemed to ignore it. Yet something was nagging at me in the back of my mind. Phae’s singing was horrendously out of tune as she skipped – it was getting on my nerves. All of a sudden, the ground shifted and Phae fell right into the hole as she skipped around. My heart did a somersault.
“Phae!” I shouted. I drew my sword and ran to the huge crater, only to find that it was a bottomless pit. I couldn’t even hear Phae’s screaming. Though it seemed like a good strategy – make everyone think you’re dead then kill them while they sleep. I shuddered.
“I’m going down,” I nodded to myself. I really do hate love. Why couldn’t I love someone who wasn’t a crazy-psychopath? Eden gave me an are-you-crazy look.’
“You’ve got to be joking,” Nixie raised an eyebrow.
“You’re welcome to come,” I shrugged but I didn’t even need to offer the invitation. The ground gave way beneath them as soon as I jumped down and I covered my ears as the screamed and shouted. I knew this feeling too well. But all I could think was why Pluto would want everyone down in the Underworld. Or was it the Gamemakers? I gave a startled yell as I stopped suddenly then dropped the final few feet to the ground. I landed on my backpack which jingled with small weapons and my metal drink bottle. I slowly stood up and took in my surroundings: we were in a huge, dank cavern. Shadows flickered and lined the walls and down a narrow straight stood two pillars with fire torches hanging off them – it seemed to light of the place like a holy entrance, or rather a deathly entrance.
“This is like fairyland but evil,” Phae whispered in my ear, I jumped at her voice and she giggled maniacally. It echoed of the stone walls.
“Can you stop acting like a five-year old for a minute, Phae?” I growled frustratingly but a part of me was joyous that she was safe.
“Nope.” She popped the ‘p’ and began walking to the end of the path. I rolled my eyes and followed her, with Nixie and Eden behind me. I racked my brain for the things I knew about the Underworld – which, of course, is all just a myth. I knew that you had to cross the river Styx on a ferry which was run by Charon – the boatman – and he ferried the souls across. Then you’d meet Cerberus, a three-headed dog who guarded the diamond gates that led into the Underworld. As for what was in the Underworld – I had no idea. Your parents. A voice whispered in the back of my mind.
Suddenly, Jonah appeared out of a side cave. I pulled Phae back and covered her mouth to stop the anticipated scream. She glared at me as I signaled to Nixie and Eden to stop. I removed my hand and watched Jonah and Charon. They seemed to be talking, only slight echoes made it to our ears. Jonah searched his pockets and shook his head. There was a yell before Jonah went flying through the air and into a the rock wall, Charon then twisted his arm back until a loud crack ripped through the air. Jonah screamed in pain but Charon ignored him, simply by grabbing his twisted out-of-place arm and throwing him into the river. Splashing water was drowned out by Jonah’s cries, he yelled my name but I stood by and watched. Then he went under. Everything was silent. Part of me wondered why I hadn’t bothered to do anything – if Jonah thought he had a chance of help, shouldn’t I have offered?
“Come on,” Phae whispered, “I have a plan.” Only I could hear her – Phae would know that. No one else knew her secret but me. I followed her, sticking to the shadows.
“What happens if we kill Charon?” I asked curiously. The bad-boy me would never have dared to say something that smart. Phae raised an eyebrow, “Charon is the boatman-”
“I know who he is,” she whispered, annoyed, “How do you?”
“My brother,” I shrugged. It was an honest answer. Phae seemed deep in thought, “Change of plans?”
Then Nixie screamed – attracting the unwanted attention of Charon. Nixie’s eyes turned from blue to red– a sign that her alter-ego Trixie had made a spontaneous appearance. Trixie must have had a plan. She tried to stab Eden, but he neatly dodged her attempt. Then Trixie focused on myself and Phae.
“Remember the partner thingy is the Career school?” I asked nervously as she prepared to charge.
“Yeah, but I had no one to practice with.” She said through gritted teeth, not taking her eyes off Trixie – who had now begun to charge at us with a katana in her hand.
“I trust you.” I almost shouted because adrenaline was already coursing through my body. I unsheathed my sword and deflected two fatal blows before slicing her leg, then ducking as Phae swiped her clawed knuckles at Trixie’s face and somersaulting over my back and kicking her to the ground. Phae and I stood side by side, waiting for a blood-covered Trixie to come at us again. But she looked to the left first, spotting Charon. She let out a growl before charging at him – it seemed like Trixie was indestructible, no wonder she volunteered. Before Charon could react, Trixie had him by the throat and strangled him until they both tumbled into the river. Charon instantaneously was mauled by lost spirits that lurked in the water. Trixie, however, had now changed to Nixie. She yelled in surprise and flailed about in the water trying to get to the edge. But the spirits started dragging her down. She bobbed under and came up yelling for help. I started towards her but Phae grabbed my hand.
“She’s dangerous, and one less for us to kill.” She hissed quickly as Eden came over to watch the scene. Her grip on my hand didn’t release. I thought about a smart-alec comment I could make: ‘Handing holding!? Phae, I think we better slow this relationship down’ but I thing that would earn me some red cheeks. I turned away as I watched Nixie drown and get devoured. Soon the water was a white mist, mixed with a few bits of flesh, bone bits and skin. I shuddered. We could have paid Charon to get past – avoided losing Nixie, if only I could turn back time….
“Let’s get on this yacht!” Phae cheered, dragging myself and Eden to the dinghy.
I wouldn’t even call this a dinghy. It’s more like a few bits of rotted wood with a spooky lantern on top that is rusted to the point of extinction. I would call it rubbish – it belongs in the bin. That was part of the reason I volunteered to row the boat though. If those hungry spirits came for me – I could beat them away – I’m not sure how that would work though. I wasn’t sure how they could even consume a human if they were supposedly transparent.
“That’s a big shadow,” Phae gawked, interrupting my thoughts. I looked over my shoulder to see a large shadow – Cerberus. As we got closer, I could also see a shadow sneaking up along the bank of the river. I did a quick count in my head and figured that it must be the only remaining tribute who was not in our alliance – either that or Nixie/Trixie had made a reappearance. My bets were on it being the boy from District 5. I slowed the boat down and coasted into the bank, hitting with a soft thud that made the rubbish-of-a-dinghy groan. We silently slipped out – something Phae excelled in – and ducked behind the bank. I had lost track of the whereabouts of the boy from 5.
“How do you plan on getting past that big three-headed puppy?” Phae whispered, looking at myself and Eden.
“His name is Cerberus,” I began quietly, “And I’m hoping we can use someone as bait.” They both went wide-eyed, “We have an unwanted visitor from District 5,”
“So we can use him as a distraction and slip through the gates,” Eden nodded along. I knew Phae would grasp the plan – even if she was supposed to be dumb, but it was how she worked. So we glided like ghosts up the top of the bank. Cerberus seemed to be sound asleep with an enormous amount of dribbled drooping from all of his mouths.
“Or we could get past,” I suggested, as just as I was about to rise from our position – Mr. 5 crept out of the darkness. He treaded carefully and went slowly – not even noticing us. He didn’t even realise that the three-headed dog had stopped snoring, I almost – almost – wanted to warn him but stopped myself. The beast rose up silently, like a growing shadow. Mr. 5 only stopped to look up when the shadow came over him. I heard him gulp loudly. Cerberus snarled, making dribbling topple to the ground. Phae, Eden and I took the chance to soundlessly run up to the gates. There was a painful cry before the chopping and growling began. One of his arms was tossed into the gate and I watched as the blood and organs splattered as the three heads tore the poor boy apart. Even without his arm he was screaming. I stood, frozen – too shocked to move because the beasty had turned to me with Mr. 5 still hanging motionless from different mouths. I felt Phae’s soft hands grab my wrist and yank me through the gates then she slammed them shut quickly as Cerberus went psycho trying to reach us. I was panting from the shock of almost being eaten alive. I turned to Phae to apologize but she held up a hand.
“Don’t ever do that again, okay?” she said angrily, but I could see the worry in her hazel eyes.
“Okay,” it came out in a hoarse whisper. She nodded to herself – as if she had completed her duty. And spinning on her heel, she led the way that was supposedly into the depths of the Underworld.
A blinding pain in my chest made me fall not even a minute into the walk. I moaned in pain and put pressure on my chest to somehow ease the pain. I closed my eyes to see an image of Jewel. I shouted and opened my eyes.
“You alright, Tyber?” Eden asked. Phae was leaning over me, wearing concern on her face.
“Jewel!” I murmured. I pulled myself up and saw her – my beautiful sister – standing in the center of the barren Underworld. Dione said she was alive – had he lied, or didn’t he know? I shouted her name and ran to her. I could hear my allies behind me and kept running but she always seemed out of reach. But I stumbled through her body and landed in front of the castle, which I would assume, was Pluto’s. I looked around for Jewel. I had just gone straight through her – like she was a ghost, or a hallucination. I cursed and got up. She’s still alive. I told myself. Phae arrived breathlessly behind me.
“Jewel,” I panted, “She was just here.” I exclaimed.
“Tyber, she probably fine.” Phae squeezed my hand, “Almost everyone loves your sister,” I caught Eden staring and Phae ripped her hand from mine and mouthed ‘cooties’ to him. Why couldn’t she just be normal? Why couldn’t I find out if Jewel was alive? Did Pluto live in this castle? Too many questions pondered my mind. I kicked the ground in frustration. I hated this world! Mum and Dad are gone. Maybe Jewel too. I blinked away a tear. Then I felt a presence behind me.
“Hello children,” a familiar voice said from behind us. My questions would have to wait. Eden, Phae and I turned around in unison and gaped. Standing in front of us was Pluto – God of the Underworld – and in one of his hands he held a limp body. He threw it on the ground.
“I’d be worried, if I were you. Who knows who is controlling the Games now,” he smirked and threw down the body. It was none other than the notorious Gamemaker.
Antonio Silver.