Alone in the Cold [SP 2019]

"Hades, Hades, wake up!" Persephone was already holding him tightly to herself. He was still shivering.

He finally opened his eyes and looked up at her, with the expression of just waking confusion.

"Was it that dream again?" she asked.

Hades snuggled in closer and wrapped his arms around her. "They left me. They flew away in their rocket ship and just left me standing there. I couldn't move. The power was off. Snow was drifting over the retaining wall, building up around my feet.

"It was cold, so cold. They turned the power off before leaving. I couldn't recharge. I couldn't move. My power was gone. Only my eyes could move; to the dead outlet inches from my face; to the last glimmer from the rocket engines shrinking high in the dark sky; to the snow blowing over the wall.

"I stood there still, after the noise was gone; after the rocket fire was gone in the cold dark sky. I could only think... what am I?... a cyborg?... a slave?... muscle for the weak?

"Will they return in ten years, twenty years, a thousand years, to turn the power on again, use me again? Or will I stand here for eternity, my organic parts frozen solid, in the cold, in the dark, left behind and forgotten.

"Am I a monster they created to serve their needs? Who are they? Did they wipe my memory? I don't know what they look like. Was I once like them? Was I one of them? Did they make me into some thing unfit to remain with them? Is that why they left me?

"Cold, so cold, my thoughts slowed down, freezing in place..."

Hades let go his grip and pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. "Persephone, of all things there are to fear, I fear the cold most... well not the cold exactly... not being alone either... but being alone in the cold. That's it... alone in the cold.

"Spring is almost here. You will leave me to bring the dormant plants to life, and food crops to the people up there. But please come back to me before the nights far outmatch the days, before the cold sets in."

Persephone stroked Hades' hair, "Always."

---

The End.

a reply to: pthena

This was wonderful.

What a great retelling of the myth-- that's one that always arrested me.



Hope you're doing great!

a reply to: zosimov
Thank you.

Fair to midling. My cat used to wake me up from nightmares. But she is gone now.
Part of the inspiration comes from this song:

a reply to: pthena

Well written, and thought-out!
Thanks for the offering!

a reply to: Nothin

Thank you.

Well written and interesting: Salute !

a reply to: pthena


Great read! I enjoyed it very much.

I wonder how people can get worried about characters by writing a few paragraphs. It is necessary to have either talent or work very hard to write this. I like it.

a reply to: Osth88

Thank you. I am honored that your first post appears here

a reply to: 727Sky
a reply to: highvein

Thank you too. I thought to conserve space by compounding thank you replies.

a reply to: pthena

Lovely tale pthena.

Cool story to read during the hot days here.

kind regards,

bally

I loved it- but I think Persephone should get a speech too

a reply to: LucidWarrior

Actions speak louder than words.
Spring and Autumn are some very eloquent acts.

a reply to: bally001

Cool story to read during the hot days here.

One man's Summer is another Man's Winter.
That's real.

In story: The Lady's time of action is the Guy's biding time.

Agreed ^^ the story seemed to end suddenly, is all, and I found I was expecting more... If not a speech as such than some further elaboration, lol. To be honest my first inclination was to write, but I didn't wish to intrude LOL

a reply to: pthena

Really liked that.
You made a great job of putting the existence of gods in human terms. Or terms we lowly humans can relate to

a reply to: SprocketUK

Thank you

I like pomegranates.

The myth of Persephone, the goddess of the underworld, prominently features her consumption of seven pomegranate seeds, requiring her to spend seven months in the underworld every year. During these seven months, while Persephone sits on the throne of the underworld beside her husband Hades, her mother Demeter mourned and no longer gave fertility to the earth.
wikipedia: Pomegranate #Ancient_and_Modern_Greece

Whoops! Demeter raises grain.
Well … um …
What the hell would Hades know about it anyway?