The only sound was that of the clock, ticking mournfully upstairs in Hades' office. Not even the wiring of mental clogs were to be heard, those too had fallen silent, halted by the pressure of deadening knowledge.
The once elegant living room of Persephone's Grove was now covered in a thick layer of soot, under which was nothing but scorch marks. Flakes of blacked wallpaper littered the floor, curled up like dying caterpillars, while the tattered carpet smouldered beneath them. The once plush couch and armchairs were no more, all which remained being the coils which had once provided such comfort after a long day, now nothing more than glorified children's toys.
Desperation and sorrow were all that remained. A poignant scene of idyllic homelife, now gone forever, trapped behind this dream of days of joys long past.
At least, that was one way to describe it. The other would be to say that if it were on Homes Under the Hammer, Billy Joel's immortal 'We didn't start the fire' would be playing out with gusto.
The nine occupants of the room were a little more alive than the room itself, though not by much.
Hades still had a pounding headache and was deeply regretting every choice he had ever made which had led to this point, all the way back to the beginning where there were no infernal human beings and most certainly no alcohol.
Spike was contemplating how his boss had just revealed himself to the world and had almost killed seven people in the process.
The six students were sitting on the floor in a huddle, brains still needing time to catch up the events of the morning.
Mathias was leaning against the fireplace, legs stretched out in front of her, one ankle over the other looking at Hades evaluatively, as one would a particularly intreating preserved specimen.
From the ceiling, a speck of plaster, disturbed by the recent explosion, detached itself from its brothers and sisters. Floating through the air, it lazily made its way down, wavering over Hades for a moment before the force of his breath sent it spinning out haphazardly. Next it became caught in Lydia's Lydia's mass of flaming, ever so slightly singed, curls. Then it progressed to Advik upon where it entered his naval cavity setting nerves tingling and twitching until it could no longer be borne.
"Hu, hu, Aaachoo"
It was loud, it was violent, it was just what was needed to wave everyone up from their trance.
"Bless you", said everyone else in the room, stirring from their positions. The only exceptions to this were Mathias who was still considering Hades as though he was the subject of her next thesis, and Seb who was sitting away from the others, head bowed between his knees.
"So", Spike said, placing the empty fire extinguisher he had been cuddling on the floor. "Who would like a drink. Tea, coffee, orange juice, something stronger.
Most requested coffee, Georgie requesting black. Hades ordered tea in a mug, still not feeling up to handling bone china, while Mathias took up the offer of something stronger.
"I might join you in that", said Spike as he got to his feet a little shakily. "My mom sent me a couple of mead flasks last week. It might be time to open them.
As Spike left the room, Georgie looked around the others.
"Seb?", she questioned her friend.
Seb looked up from his kneecaps with a deadened expression. Crawling over to him, Georgie put a hand to his forehead.
"You're freezing", she said, with concern.
Seb, white as a sheet and shaking, said nothing.
Putting her arms around him, Georgie attempted to warm Seb up, all the tasteful throws having been singed to a crisp, a very high quality cashmere crisp, but a crisp nonetheless.
Seb showed no acknowledgment to this, no thought entered his head. Some small part of him registered that he should be taking to opportunity to hug Georgie back but that was the old Seb. This Seb lacked the energy in his arms and, to be frank, he did not care.
Registering Seb's borderline comatose state, Georgie glared daggers at Hades.
"You bastard", she said to him.
"I beg your pardon Hades replied. It was not as if it were a new insult to Hades, and usually he would agree it was well deserved. But just right then he thought it was wholly unfair considering his delicate state.
"I said you are a bastard, a git, a first-rate cad."
"Well naturally", said Hades, hand to his pounding head. "I'm the devil. That is quite literally my job description. On my name tag in the office, those are just some of my many titles, roguish scoundrel and evil incarnate is also on there, thought I have always considered that last one a little harsh."
Spike came back in with the drinks and a large stack of toast, handing them round carefully as though he did not want to disturb even the air, so thin was the ice he was walking on.
"Let's kill him", said Eloise after knocking back her tea like a doctor taking medicine.
"I wish you could", said Hades. Setting himself alight had burned off all the alcohol in Hades' system (as well as his clothes), allowing him full knowledge of the situation around him, but had still done nothing for the dryness of his mouth and the rehearsal of the percussion section which was apparently taking place just behind his eyes.
"But I'm afraid my dear, brutal Eloise", said Hades, continuing, "it would do no good. That's immortality for you".
Hades took a sip out of his mug then peered at its contents.
"What flavour is this Spike?", he asked.
"PG Tips", the demon replied carefully.
Hades tipped his mug to the light to have a better look at the colour of the beverage.
"It's damned good stuff".
"So it is true?", asked Mats. "You are immortal. You are the devil."
"Well obviously", said Hades. "Who else could set themselves on fire and still look as good as this?"
Mats nodded, far too scared and protective of his life to say what he really thought. That Hades, dressed as he was in nothing more than in an artfully placed hat, with rings as big as saucers under his eyes, did not exactly fit the idea of what Mats would call 'looking good'.
The students all looked at each other, Georgie still holding Seb close as though she feared he would fade away to nothing if someone did not keep him attached to Earth. This was really not how they had expected their first term at university to go.
"It's not as if we're surprised", said Eloise, speaking for the group. "It's just that I don't think any of us meant it figuratively when we called you the devil."
"Interesting", said Hades. "You called me that Eloise? You're report said nothing about instinct or intuition. I must look into this further."
"We are not experiments", said Lydia stamping her foot with fury though still managing to keep a seething Eloise at bay with a soothing hand on her shoulder.
"Actually, you are", Hades steepled his fingers together and grinned like a homicidal maniac having a really good day.
"Now hang on", said Mathias, but Advik interrupted her.
"I'll do the killing for you Eloise", he said leaping to his feet and landing in a fighting pose.
"Yes!" said Hades with glee, throwing his arms wide as if welcoming death.
Advik was halted in his tracks. Looking around for support, his eyes fell on Georgie, pleading her to make sense of this all.
Georgie sighed. "What's going on Spike".
Spike, having tried to avoid entering the conversation, wished he could make her understand. Wished none of this had ever happened. Wished he was back home working some dead-end job, going out with his mates even though they thought him soft, and then going home to his ma. But what good was wishing to a demon.
"This whole thing", he began, waving his arms around generally. "You lot. All of you are an experiment. The Gov – Hades, wants to start a corruption program of students and you are the first lot. That's the short and long of it." Spike looked each of them in the eye, finishing at Georgie. Holding her gaze he said with a catch in his throat, "I'm so sorry".
"Don't apologise Spike", said Hades, inspecting his fingernails, "its demeaning (Footnote 1). Yes, my students, you are my lab rats. Advik please, kill me, stab me, strangle me, perform horrors unspoken on me, I welcome it. Especially as I am unarmed and defenceless, it will help you on your way to corruption."
Advik shook his head, clenching his fists at his sides. "You're not worth it", he said with disgust.
Hades shrugged as though it mattered little.
"As you have no doubt gathered", he said. "You have all proved to be disappointments. You are about as bad at being evil as....." Hades said no more but looked up.
"Well good", said Georgie, "because in that case....."
Georgie did not get a chance to finish as heavy footsteps could be heard above them, causing plaster dust to fall from the ceiling, lying on their hair like fine icing on a Victoria sponge.
Hades stood up, alarm oozing out of him.
"Spike", he said hoarsely. "Spike, it's Them".
Spike went to stand beside his Gov, ready to protect him from anything. Mathias raised herself into a crouch, ready to spring into action while the students huddled together, Eloise putting a protective arm around Lydia and Georgie pulling the still unresponsive Seb closer towards her. Mats just surreptitiously shifted himself behind Advik, figuring the big guy had enough muscle to protect the both of them.
The footsteps continued, slow and long, beginning to travel down the stairs.
"Humans, protect your eyes", Hades warned.
It was this order which meant only Spike and Hades saw the first image of what entered the living room.
"What the?", Hades said.
Georgie, dared to look, though still covered Seb's eyes with her hand. She was not going to be left out of any more secrets, and something in Hades' voice told her there was nothing to fear.
What she saw caused her to experience an equal level of confusion as the Lord of the Underworld and his demonic PA.
"Ummmm", she said. "You lot can open your eyes."
They did only to see what the others saw. A tall black girl with braids down to her waist standing in the doorway, bleary eyed as though she had just woken up from a deep sleep.
"Did you lot have a party or something?", she asked, her Scottish accent thick and heavy.
"No", said Hades carefully.
"Huh. You wouldn't know it from looking at you".
Hades opened his mouth to responded but nothing came out.
"I'm so sorry", said Spike, trying to dust ash off his hair. "But who are you."
The girl looked affronted. "Don't you know? I'm Nyala. I live here".
"Oh good", said Spike, eyes squinting, "just wanted to clarify. Ummm, since when if you don't mind me asking?"
"September fifth", Nyala replied. "Are you ill or something?"
"No no", said Spike, "quite well thank you."
Nyala nodded. "Good", she said in a way which said she thought Spike was lying. "Well, I'm just going to get some food before I go to bed".
She started to walk off but turned back to look at them all. "You all could do with a bath".
With that, Nyala left them and the noise of her rummaging about in the pantry could be heard.
"Thank goodness for that", said Spike hand on his forehead, making his hair stand up. "I thought we had rats."
"I am very ... confused", said Hades slowly.
Georgie understood. "She must be the seventh student who never turned up. We just haven't seen her. For some reason."
Georgie sounded less sure of herself as she reached the end of her explanation. But Lydia was there to clarify things.
"Don't you see", she said. "Oversized hoodie and stained tracksuit bottoms. She's a computer scientist."
A chorus of oooohs, echoed around the room.
"So weird", said Seb, shaking his head as if clearly away centuries of cobwebs.
Georgie gasped in relief, "You're back", she said throwing her arms around him.
Seb nodded, emphatically patting her on the back for 'mercy'.
"You're crushing me", he wheezed.
"Oh, sorry", Georgie let him go. "Right. We'll be off then."
"What", said Hades as the students all stood up, following Georgie's lead. "Where are you going".
"Somewhere other than here I'd say", said Lydia as she was pulled firmly from the room by Eloise.
Hades, looking at Spike, pointed at thumb at the students as if to say 'Get a load of this lot'.
Hades knew he was clever, very clever, that's why he had been chosen as lord of the underworld, that and one other reason. But he had always been humble and never considered himself possessing a far superior intellect then everyone else, but you live and learn.
"You can't leave", said Hades speaking slowly and very loudly; not dissimilar to Englishmen in old films when they want to buy a loaf of bread but, gosh darn it, they are in Egypt with no knowledge of the language so they try annunciating their English words more carefully as if that just makes everything so much better.
"Actually, we can", said Mats pointing. "There is a door, and we are going to walk through it".
A clinking of the chain lock on the front door as Eloise marched out with Lydia in tow were testament to Mats words.
"No", said Hades, slower still, "You are contracted to live here for the next three years. Nothing you can do will change that. And, until you become little evil demons running amok in Exeter, your standard of living will not improve. In fact, it might even get a bit worse. I've some new ideas for Hell which I wanted to try out.
"Three years", said Advik, eyes wide and startled like a well-built mouse in a trap, cat fast approaching.
"Not three", said Mats reassuringly. "That wasn't in the contract."
Hades just stood there smiling. Spike stepped in.
"Did you read the appendix?", he asked mournfully.
The breath went out of Mats as if he had been punched in the stomach. He had not seen an appendix but maybe..... yes, there had been another attachment to the email containing the contract, but it had been in Chinese. He had thought it was a mistake. Mats hung his head, struggling to breathe, he had let down his new friends.
Advik looked ready to have a another go at Hades, this time actually going through with it. The man may be immortal, but he could still be beaten to a pulp.
Georgie, supporting a still dazed Seb, once again took matters into her own hands. She was going to have to teach the boys to stand up for themselves, she thought.
"Don't worry about that, Hades", she said, pushing the others towards the door. "We'll be back. You can be sure of it".
Hades eyed the girl warily, glancing at Spike, he saw that the demon looked pretty scared. Hades wondered if he should be concerned.
"Good", he said with a firm nod. "We'll see you for supper".
Georgie appraised him then said, "Yes, why not".
With that, she made to leave, taking the boys with her. Then she stopped. Georgie grinned as a sudden thought hit her. Hades did not like the look in her eye. It was not right.
"Do you like Elvis?", she asked.
Hades thought about this. There did not seem to be anything sinister behind the question.
"Wasn't he a singer? I think I have heard some of his compositions. Why do you ask?"
Georgie spread her hand. "Well, you know. You're the devil, and you came to earth, in disguise."
Hades blinked. He really did not understand this human.
"Come on guys", Georgie said, looking around at her fellow students. They returned her look with despairing gazes.
"Too soon?", she asked.
They did not respond.
"Fair enough", Georgie said, before leading the way out. That was two things Georgie had to teach the boys then; standing up for themselves and music humour.
When they had left, Spike went to close the door.
"That went well", he said, going around clearing up cups and plates. Spike pondered for a moment.
"Don't you think you are being a little harsh on them Gov?"
Hades shook his head. "You will never understand, Spike. It is far too complex and depraved for a gentle soul like yours to ever understand".
"Oh", Spike said, not quite sure whether to be hurt or flattered. "Would you like another cup of tea, Gov?"
Hades barked a laugh. "Is the Pope Catholic? That's a firm yes Spike."
Spike nodded, grateful of the confirmation.
A voice from the fireplace made them both jump, Spike sending crockery flying across the room.
"I think I'll join you".
"Emily", said Hades, his voice only slightly high in pitch.
Hades had forgotten the lecturer was still there. She was so quiet, and he had been dealing with the children. Hades felt a hot blush run up his cheeks, for some reason caring what this strange person he had met less than twenty-four hours before would think of him now she knew everything.
"Of course, you are welcome for a drink. Spike can bring up two cups, if we have any left."
Spike was on the floor, trying to salvage fine pieces of crockery.
"Excellent", said Mathias. "We will have a drink and a little chat. Right after you put some clothes on".
Hades looked down. Swallowing, he refused to be embarrassed. All right, he liked his biscuits but he did quite literally have the body of a Greek god so it was not as bad as it could have been. Hades eyes flicked towards the hat he had been using before. It lay on the floor where it had fallen in his panic at Nyala's approach earlier. This day just had to get better at some point.
"Why don't you wait in my study", Hades said to Mathias as he backed out of the room. "Spike will show you the way. I'll be with you in two ticks."
With that, Hades turned and legged it up stairs.
Mathias looked at Spike, eyebrow raised.
"He'll be a bit longer than two ticks", Spike told her, half a cup cradled in his palm. "He's a bit of a fussy dresser".
Mathias nodded. She would wait.
Hope you enjoyed it :)
1 - Ha!