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My name is Connie Alma, and this is my story...
Oh God, that sounded so corny. Let's restart. My name is Connie and that was just me trying to get into character. You probably don't know what I'm talking about but if you do know, I'm explaining anyway.
I was fifteen when it happened. Nothing too serious albeit a bit dramatic. I was in the car with my dad and we were returning home from somewhere – maybe the supermarket? Who cares?. Anyway, out of nowhere – maybe not nowhere but I don't know where so you get the gist – another car collides with ours, and me being me go headfirst into the glass.
I died.
But I'm not really worried about that part. I'm actually more worried about my family. I mean losing a daughter and a sister must be really tough. But knowing them as I do I know they'll move on and I'll just be a part of a happy memory instead of being one that brings sorrow, depression, and booze. I mean they better fucking cry if I die – at least the first weeks.
Now, as much of a cliché as it sounds, I thought that when I died that was it. The end. Fini. That I was going to stop. Cease to exist. You get the drift.
But... I couldn't have been more wrong. 'Cause I didn't stop. I woke up again in a place totally different.
It was dark. Darkness all around me. I could see myself but nothing else. Then the darkness started to shift. It began to disperse, and I found myself in one of the places I always wanted to visit. I was standing on a street in Venice! Venice! As in ITALY!
Probably not that big of a deal but going to Italy was always my dream when I was a kid. And Venice was the main city I wanted to go to. This was my dream and now I'm here. Yet I honestly don't know why?
I know I'm dead and this isn't the real Venice. Why? Because it's empty. There are no tourists, locals, animals, life, movement in the water, yadda, yadda. No nothing. It's even kind of creepy. And now that that settled in and my high from being in Italy died, I'm beginning to panic. Where the fuck am I?
"Connie Alma, welcome." A voice, booms from behind me causing me to jump and screech.
"Geez! You fucking scared me!" I say as I look at the really tall man before me. The man has sharp features, piercing grey eyes, and white hair – he's not old though, so it just looks good.
"That was the point." He says simply with a smirk.
"Rude." I scoff. Then I close my eyes take a deep breath and turn to the man again, "Seeing as you already know who I am, it would be neat to know who you are."
"I'm Hades. Pleasure." He says casually – as if being the God of the underworld is normal (for him it might be, though.). Wait!
"Hades?!" I ask, then I start to full-on panic and when that happens I talk, a lot, "Oh no! I'm in hell! I know I was kind of bitchy but that's not enough to go to hell. Oh God, I should have helped elders or at least called my grandparents. Is it because I was always pointing out stuff? I know it was the bad stuff, but I like to tell myself it's just the unfortunate truths that need to be told. Is it because I ignored my family sometimes? I mean if you met them you would also need tiny breaks. Oh God is it because that one time I didn't recycle right and threw the milk carton into the paper bin? No that can't be it. Anyone would do that mistake. It's not because of that party with the cops right? I mean I got out of there before the feds came. I didn't even get scolded unless you count my parents, but they were proud I called before that shit went down. I don't deserve to be in hell. I know I joke about it, but an eternity of torture isn't really my thing and I-"
"That was entertaining and all, but you need to relax." He drawls cutting my rant off. "You're not in hell. You're in the Underworld."
"'Cause that's much better," I mutter while I look at him blankly.
"Oh," He realizes.
"Would you care to explain why exactly I'm in the Underworld and it looks like Venice?"
"It looks like this, so you don't see the horrors. The Venice part was what you chose subconsciously."
"Cool, cool, cool, cool..."
"I can take it off though."
"Eh, no, no need for that. I much prefer Venice. Anyway, why am I here again?"
"Because I brought you here." He says simply.
I clench my jaw and say between gritted teeth, "And why exactly?"
"I am the God of the Underworld." He smirks. I'm gonna smack this dude upside down. Seriously?
"HADES!" I hear a woman scream as she approaches us and stands beside him with a glare (at him, not me). She's tall as well, shorter than him but makes me feel like an ant anyway. She has chocolate brown locks (that I need to ask how she treats them) and amber golden eyes. The woman screams gorgeous and rich. She's probably Persephone, right? Isn't that Hades wife? "Why are you talking to her like that?" She scolds.
"What? She was the one who asked me questions. She was the one who-"
"- doesn't know what happened to her and has the displeasure of seeing you first thing after she died." The woman (who I assume is Persephone) finishes for him and I stifle a burst of laughter which gained me a glare from the God of the Underworld – not that scary when you grew up with my mom (she's a sweetheart, though.). The woman then turns to me. "I'm Persephone," and I was right! Bingo! "and I'm assuming you're Connie?"
I nod, "Not to sound rude or anything, but why am I here?" I ask them.
"Of course you don't know, Hades didn't do his job." She says glaring at him then with a smile (to me) she clicks her fingers and a table with three chairs appear. "Why don't we sit down?"
I nod – who am I to refuse the Queen of the Underworld – and sit down in silence waiting for her to continue.
"Well, honey, you're here because you died." She says. Way to be blunt. "But you died too young," no shit, I'm fifteen and a virgin "Like many others do. And when that's the case and a person dies before their time they are sent here to the Underworld with two choices. The first one is the chance of entering the Elysian Fields –"
"Isn't that only for heroes and righteous people?" I can't help but blurt out. And Hades snorts.
"No." He simply says, "Not only."
"Exactly the fields are offered to those who couldn't reach their whole potential in life. I and Hades fought so it would be that way." Persephone explains, "But if you go in you won't be able to get out. Not that you would notice it anyway. Once you're in is like you restart your life again. But better. More up to perfection. And each time you die you get a better life than the prior."
"But that's bullshit!" I blurt out. Fuck's sake keep your mouth shut and dial down the fucking profanity. Persephone gives me a look – that I saw many times in my mom – and Hades is just plainly amused. "Oh, um, sorry. What I mean is that the fields sound like crap. I mean yes it's perfect and all and I wouldn't notice it inside it. But life isn't perfect, and it wouldn't be real. No one would. After all my family isn't dead. In the fields, they wouldn't be the real deal. My life might have not been perfect, but I loved it. I don't have to go there, right?"
"No. There's the second choice." Persephone says with – what I'm assuming is – a proud smile.
"Which I personally think you'll like." Hades smirks, "Most just want their family or have traumas and so on, so they go to the field. But personally, the second choice is much better."
"Yeah, well I think I'll go for it I don't really want a fake family" how ironic this statement is, oh well you'll see. "I mean it wouldn't be the family I love."
"What would you say about reincarnation?" Hades asks bluntly.
"You sure have a way of giving news." I mumble, "What do you mean by reincarnation?"
"We mean, you can choose to be reborn into a universe." Persephone answers.
"A universe?" I ask.
"Yes. My favorite times are when people choose fiction. I personally love to watch." Hades grins.
"That's not creepy... But what do you mean fiction? Like if I wanted I could be reborn in Harry Potter?"
"Yes..." Persephone says, "It's actually your choice. You'll be reborn where ever you want and still have all the memories from your past life."
"That's wicked" I mumble in awe, "Why don't people usually go for this choice?"
"Because of family or other problems. Like traumas. Like Persephone says you still have your memories intact, so the traumas and other things don't go away. In the fields they do." Hades explains to me.
"Oh... That makes sense." I mumble, "So I choose a universe and that's it? Do I get to choose who I am?"
"Urgh... No, actually." Persephone says, sighing in exasperation while Hades grins. "Hades liked to surprise people."
"Oh well... Eh" I shrug my shoulders. It couldn't be so bad. Even if I wake up as Tom Riddle – if I choose to go to Harry Potter – I can change him or some shit. Plus I get to see what it's like being a guy.
"But we do concede you... gifts." Hades smirks.
"We do?" Persephone asks then he gives her a look - like I'm not watching this play out - and she nods, "Wed do, yes."
"What kind of gifts?" I question.
"Oh, you know... Gifts." Hades says unsurely and when I look at him blankly e clears his throat and says, "It's a surprise."
"Oh ok." I shrug. Either way, I'm gonna have fun.
"Are you ready to choose?" Persephone asks me with a smile - God she's beautiful. She and Hades are both like... Urgh... Anyway...
"Will I see you both again?" I ask sheepishly. What? I liked them. I see Persephone looking at me with a sad smile about to answer when Hades cuts her off.
"Of course you will. We need to plan, what you'll do in this Universe and so on. I'd like to have a say in it." He says. Persephone looks at him surprised and she shrugs slightly. Seriously, I can see them.
"Then yeah, I'm ready. I just need to think for a sec." I tell them and they nod.
Ok, let's analyze. What will I choose?
Well, Harry Potter was my first choice but it's now a no-go. Maybe next time. Is there a next time? Eh. I mean it would be amazing to be a witch – even though I could wake up a squib or a muggle – but I don't get to choose who I am so that's not good. I would probably ruin really good characters. Imagine I'm reborn as one of the twins? And then I ruin their dynamic? I would never forgive myself. Nope, not doing that shit.
Star Wars? I mean space would be awesome but at the same time is .... Urgh. Too complicated and way too many stars to destroy.
TVD? Oooooh, there's an idea. I mean that's a universe I wouldn't mind to fuck up. I mean there are so many things I would do differently and if I end up as some random I'll just grow up get turned into a vampire and live life to its fullest. That's actually a good idea.
"Ok, I got it." I tell the two gods that probably spent the moments prior watching me make faces at my thoughts, "Can I go to TVD?"
"Really? The Vampire Diaries?" Hades asks in disappointment.
"Why not?" I ask with a frown.
"It's so messy and dramatic and senseless sometimes."
"Are you describing yourself?" Persephone smirks and I laugh. I mean, LOL.
"What?! No! I am not messy, dramatic, or senseless! How dare you accuse me of that?"
"I'm really sorry you're not dramatic at all," Persephone answers with sarcasm dripping from her voice. HEHE, they're funny.
"Glad to see we're on the same page." Hades answers promptly, "Now, TVD. Are you sure?"
"Uh-Huh. I'll mess with the plot! It'll be so much fun!" I grin. Then Hades grins too, but not the good grin. The, I have something planned grin. I shrug.
"Can we send her?" Hades asks eagerly to Persephone.
"Are you ready honey ?" Persephone asks and I nod.
The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Hades' smirk and Persephone's reassuring smile.
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