Death And His Many Friends: Chapter One

I had awoken on a beach a few hours ago. My whole body was sore with pain, and I couldn't get to my feet, for it felt like I hadn't used my muscles in years. Then again, I've never moved in about 20 or more years. After Hypnos put my into that deep sleep, I had retained most of my memories, but I still felt like something was missing.

I looked into the palm of my hands, and saw a poppy. ''Why in the name of the gods would I need a flower? But then I had remembered about what Hypnos had told me: "The sign of Hypnos is a poppy; it will keep you safe..."''

'Safe from what?' I wondered.

From the looks of it, civilization had grown since I had last seen it. Television, computers, and iPods were new to me, and while I was walking across the street, I felt like I had travelled into the future. Well, I have, but that's not the point. The point is, I don't think it's really safe for you to be reading this.

I stuffed the poppy into my jacket-pocket and continued to walk across, what was it called, Times Square? I'm sorry if I sound dumb or something,but it's really hard for me to navigate across New York like this. I was born during Hitler's time, so I didn't really know what was all the rage at the time. I walked over to a news stand and saw the dates on one of the newspapers. It was already the 21st century, I thought. I've been missing out on so much!

I kind of looked like a fool with my muddy black jacket and my pants, so I went to a department store to get some clothes. But then when I was inside, I saw that someone in a black trenchcoat was staring at me like I was a piece of meat. The funny thing was that when I saw his face, his skin seemed to flicker and became transparent, allowing me to see his skull. I thought I was hallucinating, so I looked away, only to have the mysterious watcher dissapear.

I realized I had no money, until I looked into my pocket and found three large, cookie-shaped coins. Instantly part of me said these were ''golden drachmas. ''When I found the clothes I was looking for, I paid one of my drachmas to the cashier, who had somehow taken something else from my hand, which was just about the right amount of cash needed, with the drachma still in hand. Weird, I thought.

"Aren't you a little young to be on you own, boy?" the cashier said. She was at least 25, with auburn hair that was kept in a hairbun, with the regular department store uniform, and a nametag saying, "Betty."

I laughed sheepishly and put my hand on my neck. "Oh, haha, I'm not alone, I'm uh... here with my mother." I said to her.

She stared at me strangely, and said, "I'm not convinced. I think I'm gonna have to take you to Security..."

"Can I at least get these clothes on?" I told her.

"Fine, but make it quick!" she said sternly.

As I walked into the dressing room, I realized that I had to escape. Once I removed my tattered clothes, something fell out of my black jacket aside from the poppy and a few drachmas. It was a jet-black baton with an ornamental hilt and some words in Greek etched onto it. Once I looked at it, I immediately read it as, Charos, the Greek word for "Deathbringer." Something about it told me that I've used it before, but why would I use a baton? Was I like a cheerleader or something?

I only realized its real use when I held it tightly in my hand. Suddenly a blade as black as a nightmare had appeared on the baton, which was actually a sword hilt. I swung it a bit, and felt that it was very lightweight and versatile. I closed it by relaxing my grip, and put it into my pocket. Once I had put on my new clothes, shoved the poppy and the drachmas with Charos tucked safely in my pocket. I decided I would need to run from here, but I did not know how.

I'm the child of Hypnos, the God of Sleep, I thought to myself. Maybe I could make them all fall asleep? I tried concentrating on putting them to sleep so hard that I felt like my brain would explode. But then suddenly the department store went strangely quiet.

I looked outside and saw that all the people outside had fallen asleep, except for one person standing at the cashier wearing a black trenchcoat. As I stepped out, he turned around and showed me his skull-for-a-face, clad in Greek armour and wielding an iron shortsword and a large square shield.

I reached for Charos, and pulled out the blade, to which the skeleton immediately flinched and started to circle me. Something inside me kept me on my feet, as I started to circle him as well.

Suddenly the skeleton warrior had charged at me, catching me by surprise and pushing me out the window and falling a few feet before landing on the balcony. My whole body suddenly ached in pain, and my head was ringing.

The skeleton had jumped down onto the balcony as well, sword in hand, and grabbed me by the neck. My stength was draining away as the skeleton-man tightened his grip. I tried to swing my blade, but the oxygen to my head was being cut off, making me less responsive.

Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, I used all of my remaining will-power and thrust Charos into the skeleton, who wailed in terror, releasing his grip.

I struggled to breathe, but in my blurry vision I saw the sword start to suck the skeleton's essence like a vacuum. Soon the skeleton was completely sucked into the blade, which fell to the ground. I had sustained heavy bruising from the fall, and I still had trouble breathing. I reached for my sword, which was now a baton, and held out the poppy to the sky.

'You said this poppy would help, Dad.' I thought. 'Right now would be a good time...!'

Suddenly I heard the whirring of an engine, and saw the shadow of a large airship, it had banked left and reached the balcony, and a girl came running toward me with a flask in one hand and a flask in the other.

"It's alright." she said to me. "you're safe now."

"Who are you...?" I said to her weakly.

"My name is Alice, and I'm also the child of Hypnos. I saw your poppy erupt into a large green light. Of course, only children of Hypnos could have seen it, but I'm glad you're safe." she said.

Saved by a girl, who was conveniently in a way my sister, when I wove around a flower in the air. Thanks dad, I thought to myself.