Hadestown Oneshots! 🥀

I'd Rather Be Free (Eurydice Songfic)

They said to keep her head low. So low it stayed. Eurydice wasn’t quite prepared for all of this. Not by a long shot. All she wanted was to rest comfortably…to no longer feel the overwhelming hunger that scraped at her body every day. And while she was no longer hungry…there was no rest. All there was work. The noise of the pickaxe rang in her ears at what felt like every moment.

I guess I have to face that in this awful place, I shouldn’t show a trace of doubt…

Eurydice didn’t have time for tears or wallowing in sorrow anymore. There was only work. She was starting to become numb to the pain and the fear. All she felt was regret and longing. Even as her memory of her prior life faded, she felt the ever so strong wanting to feel the warmth of the sun kissing her skin. The feeling of a hand in hers, arms holding her and not letting go as long as she could help it.

But pulled against the grain, I feel a little pain that I would rather do without…

Eurydice held the hammer in her hand, trying her best to do her duties. As she looked around, she saw the other workers, their eyes staring right through as they looked down, pickaxes swinging and hammers falling. While she knew they had all been down there longer than her, she was yet to understand how they did the labor without much thought. Though in all fairness, she supposed there wasn’t much thought to be had. As the Fates told her, “your place on the assembly line replaces all your memories.” Eurydice looked back at her hands, feeling them shake and her grip on the hammer loosening. No tears came out, but even so the regret felt like it was swallowing her whole. She wanted to leave. She wanted to go back! Back to…to…

I’d rather be free…

Shutting her eyes, Eurydice put her hands in her hair, inhaling as she tried to grab ahold on her mind- or at least, what was left of it. She would take anything to be freed from this. She would gladly take being hungry for the rest of her life if it meant having her own free will, her own life. But she had lost all hopes for ever getting that chance to return to what was once hers. She would never again feel the cool summer breeze run through her hair. Never again would she feel the tickling of fresh grass tickling her feet as she walked. Never again would she hear the joyous laughter of those having a fun time in the bar, drinking and dancing. Never again would she hear the sweet singing of a lover as they intertwined their fingers with hers, making her feel seen…loved. Never again. Eurydice was trapped. She would never be free. Before she could even think another thought, however, she heard a loud shout from behind her. Right. Work. Shaking her head, she looked back at the hammer, squeezing the handle. She had to get back to the laborious grind- swinging, hitting, and keeping your head low. No time to rest. There was no time anymore. This was her life now, and that’s how it would be forever.

Free from here…