Chapter 1- (The introduction)

My tears flow as oceans, as they breathe into my head...

The lyrics roll through my head and I breathe once more and look out at the bleak world that has become a forsaken wasteland. Well, that's how I see it.

Every little girl has that fantasy of being swept away by a handsome prince, on a steed of white. I guess I was never really one of them.

The name's Jarea. I doubt that you've ever heard of me. But I was once like you, so innocent, so true. But let's just say, wishes sometimes come true.

It began as a normal night; I can remember it almost as if it were yesterday. Oh wait, in this world, it was yesterday.

Now, I think I might be getting ahead of myself. I should slow down and explain what it is I'm saying.

In this world, you can live a single moment here and live a whole life in Hell. That is the plot, you're guessing. Or maybe you might think of this as being one of those doomsday type stories. If so, I'd close this book and move on. You won't find that type of story. Well, at least I do not intend for it to be that way.

Now with that out of the way, maybe I can continue on with what I'd been saying.

It started out like a normal night; it was yesterday and was sitting alone in the park, minding my own business.

I didn't hear him as he walked up, but did notice his tall dark shadow upon the sidewalk that run before me. From the smell of him, you could have swore that he'd stepped from a Hellraiser movie set. He smelled literally of sulphur. Not that I didn't mind.

He sat beside me and stared down at the ground, where my listless eyes had fallen. His pale hand clasped mine and he lifted my chin exactly like Humphrey Bogart is known for and said, "Here's seeing you Kit."

Now I'm guessing that you're wondering what I said in reply.

Well, being the cynical bitch I am, I replied, "My names not Kit."

You would have thought he might have reared back to smash me in the face as would any man would in these day and times. But instead, he replied, "I know, I just wanted to see your reaction Jarea. I've been watching you for a long time and thought I'd finally come to earth and find you." He stood and took my hand with him.

I'll admit it, I was taken aback and was wondering what in the Hell he was intending to do. I've dealt with my lot of assholes and jerks and even rapists, but what he had intended was never what I'd expect to hear.

I watched him as he scaled me from head to toe and wondered what was going on. "I'm going to scream," I told him, not phasing his calm exterior.

"Jarea," he says almost as if yawning, "you could scream, but I know you won't. Besides, you know it would do you no good. I've watched this world fall into decline for over four thousand years, it's never changed and no one will come to your aid." He bit into his lip and I watched his wandering eyes crawl almost literally over me.

Watching such movement was disgusting, I almost wanted to puke. Never had anyone in my life shown such regard and interest in me. I had no idea as to what I had standing before me.

"You never said your name stranger," I pursued.

"I know." He replied and placed a hand upon my back and continued on his little scan. "You will find out in due time, well, maybe I should go ahead and let you in on a little secret."

My eyes grew wide and looked him from head to toe with my black and blue eyes.

"Interested now aren't we?" he asked chuckling to himself. "I guess I should tell you before I make my proposition."

"What proposition?" I'd asked the mysterious stranger.

"Now do you want to know my name or not?" he asked, further biting into his bottom lip procuring blood. Well what looked like blood.

"The names Hades. Well I go by many names, but I've become quite fond of this one. It's been so long since it's been in style. That was the name the Greeks gave me and as time passed on, it slowly fell out of favor."

"Hades," I whispered, repeating his answer, as if trying it on my tongue. The name sounded so familiar and how could I not recognize it. Greek Mythology had been my choice of study in high school and I'd dedicated many nights to its research.

'Hades' proceeded to circle me, his expression coy, but I could see his pleasure shining through.

"I knew you'd be worth coming up here." He replied to my note.

"From where," I asked acting dumb, not believing who I was seeing before my eyes.

"Hell, Hades, Tartarus, the Underworld, the list can go on and on. But yeah, I'm what the Christians have entitled, Satan. Hades to the Greeks, Anubis to the Egyptians and you can go on forever what I've been named. But hear this, I am him in the flesh. Besides this is only a rental." He told me laughing.

"If you really are the devil, then prove it to me," I replied scoffing.

"Well I cannot really do it in this body. Come with me and I will prove it to you."

I follow him to the local morgue and watched as he shedded his human skin. The body of the man he'd borrowed lied in a lifeless heap of pale skin and dark features accented by his dark hair. On the toe I notice a skin tag and pull it off. "John Doe," it read, "Died on today's date of Drug Overdose/Suicide."

Standing before me was an ethereal figure. I then realized that all the stories that I'd been told were wrong. He wasn't red and he didn't have horns or a pointed tail. But it was true; he did have a commanding presence. One that was not to miss.

Dressed in a white Grecian robe, his hair hung shaggily upon his shoulders and I must mention, it was blonde. Unlike the stories told by man, he'd kept his appearance. He was still the most beautiful fallen angel in time.

"Ah, if only all the women who met me would feel the same. But they never really get to see the real me. The form that I was left with when I fell."

"What do you mean," I'd asked him, disagreeing with his view of him, "You look fine to me."

"Ah, but what you see is with human eyes. You cannot see what higher creatures such as myself can see."

"And what is that," I replied, a sliver of anger in my voice.

"You'll never see it, so I shouldn't even bother in trying to explain it. Even after eating the apple, Adam and Eve still couldn't see like gods. They knew the difference between right and wrong, but they could never see as I can."

"Suit yourself," I replied and felt myself being pushed out of my body.

I closed my eyes fearing what was taking place. When I opened them, I stared at the empty shell that once had been my home, my body.

"Take my hand Jarea." He beckoned to me. I did as I was asked, knowing that he was the real deal.

"Do you care what I call you?" I asked as he ripped a hole into the fabric of the wall. One moment it was a wall, the next it was a portal into a cooler version of the Christian Hell.

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