Hellscape

Chapter 7: The Tunnel of Love

    Charon follows closely behind Hades as the pair of them walk the length of a long hallway. Hades carries his head high as he waltzes under a grand arch. He doesn't bother to look over his shoulder for Charon, he knows that even as he steps completely out of view, the demon would be right behind him.

    The space he enters is forged from black obsidian — the walls carved and cracked, the columns spiked and serrated, and the throne at the center garish and glimmering. The dark vaulted ceiling didn't offer much light, but displayed the only color in the room with a complex retelling of Hades' life story, painted by Michaelangelo himself.

    And as Charon steps into the grand space, he watches Hades swing his black robe behind him and sit proudly in his throne. A small fury, covered head to toe in the dull luminescence of underlight dust, rushes into the room from a back door, carrying a silver tray. The creature hurries to Hades' side, lifting the tray high in the air, not daring to look him in the eye. He graciously takes the silver bowl of dark cherries from her, plucking one from the pile and picking the fruit off of the stem with his teeth.

    Charon stands before him, folding his hands behind his back and watching the Lord of the Underworld with a firm straight lipped expression. He clears his throat, bowing his head only slightly before speaking, "did you need me here for this, Sir?"

    "Yes, dear boy," Hades says, cherry juice sloshing into the corners of his mouth, filling the crevices between his teeth and trickling down his pointed chin. "You know, you remind me of myself several centuries ago."

    "Thank you, Sir."

    Hades grins, popping another cherry into his mouth, "I, too, was a loyal soldier once. One of great intelligence, charisma, and beauty but I wanted more and I see that in you, Charon. I also see a lost man, wandering the plane and wondering what could make this eternity worthwhile. I can tell you that you will find it. I did."

    "Your wife," Charon suggests.

    "Yes," Hades agrees. "But also this place. I built all of this for demons, like you and me, to find peace in this hellish eternity. We may have been cast out by the people we care about the most, but we can still find that spark of happiness in what this place has to offer."

    Charon furrows his brows, but keeps silent as Hades plucks another cherry from the bowl and tosses the stem onto the floor into a growing pile.

    "Have you found the satisfaction and peace that I speak of?"

    Charon shrugs, forgetting again who he converses with, "I thought I had."

    "With my daughter?"

    A deep blush creeps up his neck and his eyes bug wide. Charon teeters on his toes, scoffing and laughing awkwardly. He rubs at the back of his neck, avoiding Hades smirk.

    "It's okay," Hades says, laughing softly. Charon nods, clearing his throat and resuming his solid stance. "I figured as much. Where are my manners? Sit, sit! You must be exhausted having spent the afternoon defying me."

    "Sir-" Charon scoffs, taking several hurried steps closer to the foot of the stairs where Hades' throne is held high above the floor. He stomps over a dozen cherry stems, keeping his serious composure but panicking inside at the thought of his master being disappointed in him. "It wasn't like that at all, I can assure you."

    "Tell me, did I or did I not ask you to keep an eye on her after her incident?"

    "You did." Charon nods. Hades picks another cherry, biting down hard on the fruit, squishing it in his mouth and tossing his head side to side — thinking. Charon nods again before Hades can say anything, "and I have kept an eye on her. I would never let anything hurt her, especially not herself."