Steriotypical Hades

Chapter two: The Evil Woman is Back

***This chapter was written by my grove mum, not by me***

Mei sighed and leaned on a nearby wall. Her mother had gone into the room to talk to her father. Although they had told her to stay in the garden, her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

She whipped around when she heard a high, nasally laugh. No, she thought, it can't be! Her father had left that woman and wedded Mother. But then, why was she here? Mei pressed her ear against the wall and crept closer to the voices.

"She doesn't resemble me at all! She can't be mine! Explain, you wretch!" her father yelled. Mei winced and peeked around the corner. Lu Gui, her father, and the evil witch were standing up, glaring at her mother.

"Hua-hua, it's such a shame that you cheated on him, isn't it? I would never betray you, my dear!" Mo Xi proclaimed. Father looked at her, the anger on his features softening. No, Mei chanted in her mind, don't fall for her! But he was already ensnared in the witch's trap. Once, when he was saner and more sensible, he had left the witch and wedded Hua instead. But now....Mei was not so sure what her father would decide.

Mo Xi spoke again. "Get rid of her, and take me as your wife again."

Her father looked at her, and Mei could tell that he planned to do exactly as she had suggested.

"No, no, you can't...don't listen to her!" her mother begged. Mei heard the sickening sounds of a slap, bones cracking, her mother's screams, laughter...it was too much. The girl backed away slowly, and began to run, frenzied, seeking a path out, away from that wretched woman, away from this nightmare. The guards didn't question her...why would they? After all, there was nothing too unusual about a young girl running in the courtyard.

Mei dived through the trees, looking for a place to hide. Please, anybody listening to my wishes, save me from them and give me a place to live."

The gods were kind. She made her way slowly towards the cave opening that had appeared before her . Once Mei was safely inside, she exhaled in relief and leaned the stone wall. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she saw that the cave was not as small as she thought it would be. In fact, it continued, with no visible end.

"Thank you, my ancestors, for granting my wishes,' she prayed. She peered into the shadows. If they had shown her the way into this cave, then they must have meant for her to enter the tunnel inside it. "What do I have to lose?" she muttered, taking a few, cautious steps and descending into the darkness.

The tunnel seemed to last forever. When Mei got to the end, she gasped. Inside, immense walls seemed to rise into the sky, lit by torchlight. The path she was standing on trailed off to the right. Mei heard a growling noise, and she stiffened, taking a backwards glance and preparing to run. However, the path that she had came from seemed to have disappeared. At least, the people that my father will send to kill me won't find me.