Persephone and Hades

1

I was laying down looking up at the sky. The Sun was shining down on me. I spread my hands over the grass and felt their blades on my finger tips. Every few sweeps of my hands, I felt the pedals of wildflowers brush my fingers. Then I heard it, the snapping of the branches and the crunching of the underbrush, in the woods that surrounded my small clearing. A threatening bark of a dog resounded in the distance. I moved to my feet to search out the source of the sound. When I heard the snapping of the branches become more frequent, I picked up my pace and started running trying to reach the sound before it was too far away. I ran for a little before the snapping slowed. Another bark cut through the woods I was close but I did not slow for fear of the dog resuming its running. I was not in any means out of shape but I was not by any means in shape either. I heard soft growls and then the squeal of another animal.

I should be afraid. I thought to myself. You should be running away not to the vicious sounding animal. However I could not bring myself to turn away from the animal. I loved dogs but it was more than that. I have always had a soft spot for the for the unusual things. I have always had a certain undying awe for the dark side. I mean I do not believe in black and white. I believe in a trillion shades of gray. Darkness can exist in the lightest of places and light could be found in the darkest places. I was in love with finding the light in those moments and in those people that were consumed by darkness but managed to contain that small slither light.

I stopped when I saw movement ahead of me. A large midnight black mass could be seen through the brush and trees. I wanted to get a better look at the dog so I decide to move closer. Slowly I moved my feet never taking my eyes off of the beautiful mass in front of me. I could not see his face yet because his head was down to the ground clearly messing with whatever had made that squeal. Just as I got a few feet from it my foot came down and a snap cried out from under my foot. The dogs head snapped up to me. His eyes were pitch black like the rest of him. The whites of his eyes were bright in comparison. In his mouth a multi colored rabbit hung from his mouth. Blood dripped from the rabbit on the to the ground. His eyes seemed to be curiously taking me in. It was not until I heard a crunch of brush behind me did I realize that a man was nearby. He was tall with broad shoulders and lean muscles. His hair a dark brown almost black was short but long enough for a few strands to fall onto his forehead, it was wavy, he has a bread that was short in length and his eyes were a rich brown. He had olive tone skin. He wore a dark gray shirt, dark jeans and black boots. A chain which I imagine his wallet is laying against his right thigh. There were tattoos on his arms and one peeked out from behind the collar of his shirt.

Beautiful I thought to myself.

"Hello," I greeted him. "I imagine he is your dog." A light blush coats my cheeks he was quite handsome and I realized I had taken my sweet time in taking him in. I turn my gaze back to the dog in front of me and moved closer to him. I try to calm my racing heart. I reach my hand out slowly placing my hand on his massive head. Running my hand from his head down his spine feeling his soft fur I ask, "What is his name?"

There was a silence for moment. I concluded he would not answer but when I looked up back to him, he had a slightly confused expression on his face. He noticed that I shifted my gaze back to him and his face became void of emotion.

He is guarded. I thought to myself Then again I am a stranger to him.

"His name is Cerberus," his voice was deep and like warm honey. I blushed once again. I haven't had that many interactions with men in my eighteen years of life. Mother had made sure of that. She claimed it was for my own good. "You know most young women would not go around petting stranger's dogs. They especially do not feel all that comfortable doing so when the dog is so big and they are so small." I smirked a little. I was definitely a little nervous but that had nothing to do with the dog and every thing to do with the owner to the side of me. "Not to mention the dead rabbit he has in his mouth," he quipped after a slight pause.