Persephone

i

"Persephina! Don't stray too far from the fields!" A warm voice calls from the kitchen just as I step foot out of the house. A sensation of warm air blasts, combatting with the cool air from behind.

"Of course, mother." I reply already walking towards the rows upon rows of crops ready for harvest. Corn sits in its cob ready to be picked along with an area of grain. This harvest will be plentiful.

I walk slowly around the edge of the crop land, brushing my fingers on the vegetation. With each gentle brush I receive a vision of my mother, smiling as she puts the essence of everlasting spring into each plant. 

A bird chirps in the forest, to the beginning of a sweet song. I turn in between the last two rows of corn that border the edge of the great forest. Suddenly the bird goes quiet, and an erie silence fills the thick summer air.

A howl of a wolf rips through the silence. I slow my pace as I walk with the feeling of horror creating a knot in my stomach. The same howl sounds again, closer and more defined. I stop listening for more disturbing sounds, a creaking then a cracking breaks the suspenseful quiet. Birds fly up from the trees with loud exclamations of fear. Yet another howl sounds but this time it has three different distinctions to it. Three different beasts were howling.

"Cerberus!" A deep voice calls as if demanding 'Cerberus' to stop. I cower into the second to last corn row. Out to fear from the voice. It was powerful, demanding, terrifying, and alluring. Everything falls quiet again, but is filled with heavy footfalls and a low rumbling. A tree falls in the forest, then another, then another. Curiosity floods my thoughts as I poke my head up to see a large beast slowly emerge from the edge of the forest. On it were three heads, each snarling and yipping at different things. The far left head snarls at a bush of poison ivy, running its wet nose gently on it. And instantly regretting that decision and rubbing the itchy nose in the dirt. The far right sticks it's head upon the air and growls at the sun with its bright yellow eyes narrowed. The head seems to be pointed in the direction of the sun.

"Why would it never had expirenced the sun?" I gasp aloud, cupping a hand over my mouth after the realization of what I had done, the middle head snaps to look at me, right in the eyes, the deep black eyes glaring into my being. I screams loudly and nervously slide down to hide. The beast known as Cerberus comes closer, it's movements heavy and slow. I move on my hands and knees, slowly and quietly moving in the dirt.

"Stop! Stop child of Demeter!" The same voice from earlier demands, a hint of desperation makes its way into his statement.

"M-mother!" I shout her name then scream for so long and so hard that my throat grows raw. Slowly the row of corn grows taller, along  with the posts that grow into thick trees. The newly grown barrier stands up much taller than Cerberus. I hear my name being called. I hear my mother running, running to save me. I hear a creak, a louder creak, then a crack, followed by a snap. Branches fly from the barrier, some flying to the other side of the field. I scream again but it sounds like a mangled version of what it was supposed to be. I see holes being ripped from the other side of the tree barrier, bits of Cerberus appear and I see that then beast is taking parts of the limbs and ripping them away. I open my mouth to scream again, but a hand on my shoulder stops me.

"My child, you must run. You must escape." My mother begins as she helps me to get up, leading me away from my home. I nod unable to talk. She repeats what she says, pushing me away as the three-headed beast finally brakes through. An ear-piercing screech erupts from behind me as I run as fast as my legs can carry me to the other part of the forest. I make it into the cover of forest I slump down against a tree and place my head in my hands.

"Did my pet scare you?" I look up to see a captivating man. His eyes are dark with a twinkle of light in them. I open my mouth to answer but when I begin I realize I lost my voice. Instead, I nod my head slowly. A sad expression covers his face.

"I am sorry about that. He is a tame beast, although your mother did startle him." He tells me slowly extending out a hand for me to take after he finishes talking. I take his hand hesitantly and stand up slowly.

"Where.... Is my mother alive?" I ask even though my throat burns and my voice is barely audible.

"Demeter is quite alive, slightly bruised. Albeit alive." He responds, a tinge of disgust in his voice. My heart drops and tears spill from my green eyes. His face morphs into multiple expressions, finally deciding to be reassuring. I smile weakly up at him and wipe the tears.

"I am Hades. Ruler of the underworld." Hades introduces himself. I nod in understanding. A small smile forms upon my lips, he didn't seem so menacing. His skin was pale and his hair was dark in contrast. The long strands fell down his shoulders pooling on them. Hades dark eyes, glanced at me, showing emotions the rest of his face wouldn't. The anguish, the stress, the apprehension.

"Twas a journey to get here, dodging my brother's all seeing vision." He added after a bit of quiet. An odd sense that I should curl up rolls over me, the feeling of vulnerability, and I do. I back against him the tree, bark jabs my skin. I cringe and shut my eyes, blocking away any pain.

"Persephone, you are harming yourself! Please stop!" Arms wrap around my waist and gently pull me away from the tree.

"You are not worth any pain that comes to you." Hades says lowly, a dangerous edge to his voice. A tiny gasp erupts from my throat as I collide with a strong and well defined chest.

"How could you believe such a thing?" I ask looking up at him, trying not to sound as blunt as I happen to be. "There is no reason on earth, or in the underworld, or up in Olympus, that a statement like that tis true."

"Will you come into the underworld with me? It's lonely, there is nothing down there, nothing but my pet, nothing but me." Hades blurts out still controlling the tempo of his speech and upholding his calm demeanor. His eyes lighten, filling with a hope unfamiliar to him.

"Only for a short while, I must go back to mother and help tend the crops." I tell him earnestly, looking into his black eyes with my brown ones. A delighted grin rests on his face. He puckers his lips, a high-pitched whistle rips through the quiet.

Slowly the sound of heavy feet sound and it moves closer until I hear trees fall. I look up from the chest in front of my to see a large, three-headed beast in front of me. Each head had a happy expression, the two side heads had their tongues falling out of their mouths, the middle sniffed at Hades, smelling an odd scent. A wet nose nudges my arm gently moving so my elbow was resting on its muzzle just behind its nose.

"Hello, Cerberus." I chirp nervously, petting the rough fur. I turn away from Hades and continue to stroke the muzzle of the best. The other two heads make a whimpering noise and nudge more of my sides. I giggle quietly to myself and pet the outer two heads.

"All of you just need some love." I hum quietly and turn to look at Hades, searching for approval.

"It is time to go." Hades smiled, nodding towards the beast. "Take my hand, the trip will be long, you should ride on Ceberus' back." His hand finds its way to mine, helping me up onto the back of the beast, him following in suit. He sits behind me, he whistles again. And Ceberus starts off running through the forest. I scream as energy fills my veins and my vision blurs.

"GERONIMO!"