1. Death Makes Me Feel Alive


    Date: 8/25/2015, Categories: Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Author: kittykat94, Rating: 3, Source: LushStories

    I have watched over earth for thousands of years, and my existence has faded to myth and legend. Over time, my kin became mere shadows of the beings they once were, until they disappeared altogether. My wife, Persephone, was the first to disappear. More like a companion than a wife, she had long been without purpose. I am the only one left with a job; to care for the dead. Since my wife disappeared, I had become obsessed with my work. Recently though, I had become restless. The vast underworld wasn’t enough. Something was calling me to the surface. It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch. So, for the first time in over a thousand years, I left my post. I abandoned my job. My curiosity got the better of me. What was waiting for me on the surface? .............................................................................................................................................................................. It was another late night. Like most nights, I was the last to leave the library. My Master’s thesis consumed my life, bringing me late nights and early mornings. It also left very little time for a social life, not like I had one. People seemed to avoid me. I wasn’t sure whether it was my intellect, my interest in ancient societies, or the morbid way I dressed that put people off, but I was almost always alone. I checked my cell phone. It was 2:00 AM. I sighed. I was beginning to worry I’d hit a wall, and had spent all night looking for new information. My ...
    thesis on the ancient Greek cult that worshiped Hades was dying. I would have laughed at the irony if I wasn’t so desperate to save it. The cult really was fascinating, but many of their artifacts had been lost through the years. I was scraping the bottom of the barrel. With a groan, I packed up my things, stuffing my books, papers, and computer in to my backpack. I swung it over my shoulder and let out an “oof” as pounds of books bared down on my back. There was nothing more I could do tonight. Not when I was this sleep deprived. I might as well go home and go to bed. I scampered down the flight of stairs to the library door and pushed the lever to open the door. There was a click, but the door didn’t budge. It was locked. “Shit!” I smacked my forehead against the door. Rob must have already left for the night. He’d taken to doing that lately. Instead of kicking me out at closing time, he would just close, leaving me to my work. It looked like it was going to be another long night in the library. I turned around to head back upstairs, hoping to find a somewhat comfortable couch to nap on, and almost had a heart attack. A man stood there, just a few feet away from me. How did he even get in? I know Rob wouldn’t close while anyone was here, unless it was me. His hair was black and slightly shaggy, falling a little bit below his ears. His skin was almost as pale as my own. His bright blue eyes captured my green ones as his eyes roved over me. I was nothing special to look at right ...
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