The Grandsons of Hades

Chapter 4: Playground Encounter

Amara didn't come to school for a whole week after that first day. They found themselves constantly wondering about her absence, their thoughts filled with curiosity and concern. Each brother felt the void in different ways, their minds lingering on the new girl who had unwittingly captured their attention.

On the Saturday of that week, seeking an escape from their own lives,the cousins decided to visit their favorite playground again.This spot had always provided them with a sense of normalcy, and a place to heal their inner child as they didn't get to do all this as kids,this is a place for them to unwind from the weight of their lives.

As they arrived, the sun hung low in the sky, casting warm golden hues over the swings and slides.Silence,as there always is,should fill the air the air,but it's different this time. They hear laughter. "I thought kids were scared of this place" Orion jokes. They all go closer and see two people by the swing. One on the swing and the other one pushing.

It's Amara,with a child who they assume to be her brother. She looked just as he remembered, her long braids catching the sunlight.

"Isn't that Amara?" Damian asks, breaking the silence.

"Is anyone else here?" He asks again.

"No" The other two answer in unison

Damian's ability to see ghosts has always affected him,confusing the dead and the alive has taken a toll on his social life. This playground is close to a cemetery,the ghosts actually never here which may sound hard to believe, In reality, ghosts rarely linger in cemeteries. Instead, they tend to be found in bustling places, keeping watch over their loved ones.

"Hm,what do we do? Do we say hi?" Orion suggested, and with a collective nod, they approached.

They silently approached the swing. Stopping when they got few feets away from it.

She turns back and sees them. She stops swinging her brother immediately.

"Um,hi," she replied, her voice steady but her eyes revealing a hint of nervousness.

"Do you guys want to use the swing?"

They say nothing.

Amara's brother, a younger boy with a shy demeanor, offered a small wave. "I'm Samuel," he introduced himself quietly. Amara panics and tells him to stop.

"Nice to meet you, Samuel," Orion says ignoring his sister,stepping forward. "I'm Orion and these are my cousins,Damian and Theo. Are you enjoying the playground?"

"It's cool," Samuel replied, looking around. "I like the swings."

"We love the swings too" Theo says.

"Um,we're almost done,you guys can have the swing soon"

"But we just got here" Her brother says quietly earning a look from her.

"You can swing as much as you want,we will wait our turn" Damian interrupts.

The three boys stand around the swing,with Orion offering to swing Samuel.

Theo and Damian sit on the floor and Amara walks over to them and sits next to Theo. "I'm Amara,I forgot to introduce myself earlier"

"We know,you're in our class" Damian replies with a smile.

As they all settled,they began taking turns,each of them began pushing themselves, the rhythmic creaking of the chains filling the gaps in their conversations. Amara seemed to relax, her laughter mingling with the sound of swinging, creating a sense of normalcy.

"So, where have you been?" Orion asked, glancing at Amara, eager to know more.

"Ummm,I just needed some time," she said, her gaze drifting. "It's been a bit overwhelming, moving here and all."

"We get that," Theo replied, nodding in understanding. Making Amara laugh.

"So,you're from Nigeria yeah?" She nods

"From Lagos?" Theo asks.

"Actually,yeah,how do you know that?"

"I google in my free time" He replies making her laugh.

"Wow,why'd I think everyone here would be weird and ignorant?"

"Well,they are." Damian says

"Oh,this one talks" She says

The conversation felt different now, she seemed less nervous and not intimidated like she did before. Samuel and Orion came to sit with the bunch and Amara shared bits about her life in Nigeria, talking about her passion for art and how she felt distraught about moving because of the fear of feeling like an outsider.  The cousins just sat there and listened.

"Why did you move?"

"Mom got a job here and they wanted a "better life" for us or something like that"

"Well you're stuck with this dead town and us now"  Orion laughs.

"Wow,this was fun!! too bad we have to go" She says. Making the boys a bit sad,they don't converse with anyone except themselves and their nannies so this was a new experience.

"Let's meet here again," Damian suggested, breaking the comfortable silence. "We can hang out more and get to know each other better."

"I'd like that," Amara replied, her smile brightening. "It feels nice to have friends?." They nod.

She leaves.