Asha tried to find the bowl of her food, running her paws along the counter. She had just put it down now where was it? She heard the soft scrape of metal on the counter and paused a moment, it was nothing she had done so Kiranta must have moved something. She continued searching and finally found the bowl. She sat near her brother, sensing his warmth nearby and began to eat. It was so quiet, with only their breathing breaking the silence.
In the quiet, she could hear Kiranta sigh and shrunk away a bit. He wanted to go see that girl that he had met earlier today. She had overheard them speaking and heard her invited him to hang out tonight. She lowered her head a bit and stopped eating her dinner. She was scared to be alone but how could she not let him go.
"You should go.” Asha spoke softly, feeling a terrible guilt inside her stomach, “I will be fine for a night.”
“Really? You mean it?” She could hear the excitement in his voice and struggled to hide the stab of pain it caused her.
“Yes. Go.” Asha was short, just wishing he would go already and listened to him jump up and put his bowl on the counter. She remained where she had been sitting, slumping slightly with pain. There had been such excitement in his voice as she released him from the duty of watching over her. Did she really cause him that much trouble? Was she really such a burden to him? She stood and gathered up the bowls before walking the path towards the river.
The water sounded angry as Asha approached and she thought about the storm that had occurred the day before. That much rain must have caused the banks to swell so she would have to be careful. She made her way slowly towards the water but miscalculated the distance, stepping into the rushing water and slipping. As she slipped into the waves, she felt a hand try to grab her.
Kiranta? What are you doing here? Her head was pulled under and she was battered around in the water. She tried to reach out to take a hold on anything, a branch or rock or perhaps Kiranta who was up on the bank. The weight of the water was crushing and it didn't take long for Asha to stop fighting it and slip into further darkness.
Asha was used to darkness but this darkness seemed different. For one, it was awfully cold here. And she could hear voices mumbling. The voices seemed far away however as she couldn't pick up what any of them were saying. She sat up and turned her head in each direction to try and pick up the sounds but to no avail. She was spooked when a voice came from so close.
"I am sorry my dear. I did try." The voice sounded masculine and Asha turned her head towards it.
"Try? What do you mean? Where am I?" Asha's voice was weak and she could feel her heart clench with fear.
Where was she? She could no longer hear the river and she pulled her legs up to her chest.
Where was Kiranta?"I tried to catch you when you slipped. You fell into the river. And I am sorry to say that you have died," The voice came again.
"D-died? What?" She stuttered and suddenly remembered the hand trying to catch her. It hadn't been Kiranta. He wasn't there after all.
"Do not be afraid. I am Hades, God of the underworld and Death. I am here to greet you and to help you get settled in."
Asha curled up tighter and felt tears stinging her eyes, "But.... Kiranta.... I want to see him again...."
Asha felt a hand on her back as Hades tried to comfort her, "My dear. You have died. You will see him again eventually."
Asha started sobbing and Hades kept his contact with her back. He frowned, although Asha couldn't see it, and pondered how he could help such a poor soul. She had suffered so much already.
That was when he heard a calling from the world of the living. Someone was begging for him. He left the poor child in the hands of one of his angels and went to see who was asking for him to appear. He found himself on the River bank that the girl had fallen. A boy was holding her sobbing and begging for her to come back. Perhaps the girl wouldn't have to suffer any longer.
Asha felt herself wake up and could feel someone embracing her. She shifted slightly and heard a soft gasp, "Asha?"
“Kiranta?” Asha opened her eyes and touched her brother’s arm, “What happened?” She no longer felt cold and could feel water lapping at her legs. The river was back. She could hear it.
“You died…. You died Asha….. But I saved you…” Asha could hear Kiranta begin crying.
Saved me? Could he have? Asha thought of the underworld and frowned.
“You silly boy….. That was a foolish thing of you to do.” Asha scolded her brother weakly and heard Kiranta laugh a little. She stirred more in his arms, she was awful sore and tired from everything that had happened.
She heard another voice speak, “Ready for your part of the deal, boy?”
Asha knew that voice, it was the same she had heard in the darkness. Asha felt Kiranta tighten his grip on her and she could hear his heart speed up, he was afraid. “Please. I need to take care of her though.”
Hades spoke again, “You will be able to. I’m not that heartless. You will be able to return to her each day to help care for her. However, during the night, you will work for me.”
“Work?” Kiranta tugged on Asha to stand and she did so weakly.
“Oh. Excuse me. I never introduced myself. Im Hades.” Hades seemed amused as he spoke to Kiranta, “Congrats boy. You now work for the god of death.”
Asha felt a slow sinking feeling in her stomach.
What had Kiranta done?
