HADES (Death Is A Man)

Black In The Mortal World

AZRAEL

The chirping from crickets echoed from the melancholic background of what the mortal called their underworld, a dark alley filled with absolute desolation.

The portal whirled in the dark alley of the mortals and opened like a portal, a street drug urchin sees the whirl on the wall and is attracted by the sparkling light.

I emerged from the wall in my human form with the traveler still dragged on with a chain. The Street urchin puffed the smoke from his weed into the air and coughed vigorously as I walked past him.

"Guess your time is up. " I whispered to the man. "The ferryman would spare you a space only if you pay."

I watched as the man spilled out black blood before giving up the ghost. Though surprised it happened so quickly, I didn't say a word but continued with my trip.

It seemed mere coincidence to me that the man had died as I thought to myself it was probably one of the many mortal sicknesses. I placed two coins in the man's eyes and watched as they disappeared into his eyes which were already getting sunken.

"I helped you with two coins to pay your way," I whispered to the dead man and walked away.

Black slipped out of the portal, he had just been behind me and had thought the man's death would expose him but I appeared more interested in whatever I had come there for.

Black turned around and took a deep breath in, inhaling the sweet scent and how fresh the mortal air was. He was used to noticing the Smoky air of the underworld and found the mortal's gentle breeze more relaxing.

He stared around at the beautiful realm of the mortals, thinking to himself how lucky I was to have dominion over this part of life.

"This is a very beautiful place ." Black said, speaking to the already dead man on the ground, "I am so jealous of my brother Azrael ." He searched the man's pocket and found nothing.

A rolled paper of weed with dying embers caught his attention while being rolled away by the wind, he picked it up, wondering what it was.

"Now what is this, looks sweet to me though," Black said as he took it closer to his nose, he sneezed loudly but enjoyed the feeling.

"Now I will keep this till I figure out what to do with it," Black muttered as he walked away from the dead man.

The street was not quiet though every sensible mortal was deep asleep at that time of the night. He listened to the hooting from the owls and looked around when he heard two stray dogs barking at him viciously.

He flashed the dogs his hideous immortal face and smiled to himself as they yelped before scampering away.

"Little mortal things ." He smirked to himself.

He walked near a giant clock on the wall that struck twelve as he walked past it; his shadow trailed along the walls as the night felt cold and chill enough to make anyone within the parameters shiver from the cold breeze he was emitting.

Black raised his eyes and looked ahead. He could see the light from an inn across the street and walked toward it.

"Now what do we have here?" He muttered to himself crossing the street.

***

I walked toward the white light of the hospital. I was certain by then no one could see the soul I was pulling along with the long old chain as he had made it visible only to his eyes.

"Now how do I get past that set of people ?" I asked the traveler who appeared still lost and was only still kept from disappearing into oblivion by the chain hanging around his neck.

This was the time I needed a power like my brother's Black, a power to compel people to do his bidding.

I cleared my throat as I walked to the nurse at the table, she appeared to be more busy filing her nails and chewing gum.

"Good evening ..." I paused when I realized I almost called her mortal. "Good evening ma'am, would you point me to the room of the accident victim that was brought in earlier this evening?."

The nurse didn't look up but pointed down the hallway, l walked down the hallway that had faulty lights looking for the traveler's room.

I searched for the door of the traveler and got into the wrong room till finally, I bumped into the room, and right beside the man's bed was also that of a child that was dying from cancer. I placed my hands on the man's chest and watched as the soul slipped in, with my task done I turned my back to leave

I was almost walking out when I stared at the little child on the bed. Though it was not my place to decide if a human lived or died, I felt pity for the little child. I looked around and could see his mother with her head on the hospital bed, she was tired and waiting for the child to die.

I saw the soul of the child slip out of his body, but before it could go any further I placed my hands on his chest and watched his soul slip back in.

"It is not your time to travel back yet, let me save you the stress of wasting your time on the trip," I muttered.

The boy opened his eyes and Azrael motioned for him to be quiet by placing a finger on his lips.

I faded away into fragments waving at the child.

"Mother?" The child muttered weakly. "A man was here ."

His mother jittered as she opened her eyes wondering if she had been in a dream, she peered into the eyes of her child still shocked.

Outside the hospital, I walked down the street as the scream of joy ran through the air. I felt the need to go back home now as the task at hand was already completed.

Walking back to where the portal had been, I waited for it to whirl open again after muttering the words for the pathway to the underworld.

Just before I walked in I listened to the wind whistling again past me, it would be a while till I had to visit again.

A familiar scent came with the wind. " Black?" I muttered to myself but shrugged it off before walking into the portal certain Black wouldn't dare defy our father's order by venturing into the realm of the mortals.