Thanks for taking the time to read these, it’s a great prompt! I’m still learning how to write better characters

Checking the footage, I could see people going in and out of the tenants home, the way they moved was odd. There was no motion to imply that they opened or closed the front door as they were entering my tenants home. The camera angle doesn’t capture the front of the door, only the hallway, it seemed that they just walked right through. Though every time I’ve visited my tenant to remind him of rent he’s never as much as budged the door an inch to answer me.

Not one to leave the apartment either, piles of food outside, Panda Express, McDonalds, empty pizza boxes with the crusts still in them. Who leaves the crust of the pizza anyway? Pretty much a jobless lowlife for all I know. Probably a junkie who smokes up the place with the ol’ devils lettuce with a buddy or two.

“Mr. Piers, your rent is due, you’re three months late. Not to mention you’ve not paid rent for the last three months either. Do you want me to bring a lawyer? I’ve got plenty of time to spare and I can file your eviction quicker than you can order another Panda Express, and so God help me if you don’t clean up your trash on your front door, I’m really going to get pissed.”

I kicked away some boxes to make way to his door and knocked on it playfully, akin to a child desperately trying to get his parents attention. I didn’t even need the money, I just liked messing with the guy.

“Do you hear me? We need to talk right now.”

‘Piss off, get a life you gold sucking bitch. I ain’t got time for you.’

I could hear what sounded like the flicking of a steel lighter on the other side of the door. I knew it. A junkie.

“Excuse me?” I jingled the “master keys” in front of his door. Little does he know those were just my car keys and the jingling noise was from a cute little keychain I attached to it.

“Want me to come in there myself and drag your ass out?” I pretended to insert the “master key” into his lock while jiggling the knob.

‘Fine fine, fuck outta here Robert, the fuck do you want?’ He nudged open the door an inch hitting it on the frame, the door chain jangling loudly from the impact, then looked me in the eye.

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier, the rent dumbass. Also, I can see from the camera footage that you’ve got people going in and out of your place. That’s fine for visitation hours but I’m pretty sure I don’t see them leave sometimes. That is absolutely not allowed under any circumstances, period.”

‘Shit, you can see them too?’

“Yeah I can see them. The other tenants can see them. My security guys can see them. What does that matter. The fact they show up on the camera is proof enough that you’re full of shit.” I smirked cheekily, Mr. Piers here looks like he was about to shit bricks.

‘Fuck. I suggest you get the fuck outta here Robert. I’m serious Robert. S-E-R-I-O-S.’

“That’s now how you spell serious but okay. And no, I don’t think I will.” I decided to humour him. At this point I was just taking the piss, he’s probably high as a kite anyway, this was fun.

‘Come in.’ He sounded defeated, probably from me annoying the hell out of the guy. He unhooked the door chain and invited me in.

If the outside of his home was a mess, the inside was beyond a mess. Weird drawings and symbols strewn across the walls on sheets of paper that looked like they were printed in the 1800s. At the centre of the living room was a weird circle drawn in…dried blood? It was surrounded by wax candles of varying sizes.

“What the hell did you do to my unit Piers?!”

‘Shhh shhh, shut the fuck up. I’ll show you. Take out your phone and look at the camera footage again, slowly this time.’

“What about it?”

‘Notice how there aren’t any shadows on the people walking in?’ I reviewed the footage, increased the brightness, and still couldn’t see what he wanted me to see.

“It’s in 480p, I can’t even make out a man from a woman in this pixelated crap, your point?”

He sighed, tugged my hand and dragged me closer to his summoning circle and began chanting in a language I don’t understand.

‘Now place your hand in front of you.’

An invisible force stopped my hand, slowly, something materialised and a visage of what looked like a human appeared.

“Holy shit. What the fuck?!” I recoiled backwards.

‘These are my uhh…servants. They uh…do stuff for me, keeps food on the table. They were not meant to be seen, seems I got sloppy, either that or a prick like you got a priest to live in the compound now. So…you now know my secret, I’m going to have to ask you to forget what you saw and delete all the footage. Otherwise, I’ll have to…’ He made a clicking sound while motioning his hand like a pair of scissors.

The visage followed and made an arcing slice with its…appendages.

“S-s-sure, fine. Whatever.” I stumbled backwards and ran for the door. Behind me I could hear him loudly exclaiming.

‘Don’t even bother coming next time, dickhead. And while you’re at it, turn the fucking security cams off.’

“Come.”, the voice behind the mask said enchantingly.

I followed the strange man across the landscape of myriad souls. I couldn’t see where the souls were headed to, only the path that was laid down before me.

“Welcome to Hades. the Fates decree your life is due, and so I stand before you.”

The figure held his scythe up, stopped and turned to point it at me. Wicked, strange energy flowed out from the scythe and into my being. Suddenly, a wave of a realisation hit me. With my mouth agape, I stood there while my memories that were etched into my being flowed before my very eyes.

I have lived many lives and slayed many creatures. It all started with a deal with the Fates and that snob of a king Eurystheus. I knew the man that stood before me was indeed Thanatos, so-called God of Death. More like Hades’ errand runner if I had to give him a label, though I am pretty much already an errand runner myself.

“Most souls pass on without my greeting, but it seems the Fates declared we must do this again. I trust you have remembered, but just in case, I am Thanatos, guide of the dead.” he said with authority.

I walked forward to greet him yet again, the same lines I remembered from the many times I have been here, over and over and over. I had to owe it to him though, he kept his promise with the Fates well enough.

“Thanatos, it’s been a while. How’s Hades holding up? Still trying to earn favour with the Gods? Must be boring sitting in that corner of his all day staring at souls.”

“That is none of your concern, child of Alcmene.”

Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. None of the Gods ever use my name. I’m but Zeus’ bastard after all.

“That’s Heracles to you, so are we doing this or what?”

Annoyed, Thanatos looked upwards, I followed his gaze.

“Stop. Do not stare directly at the Fates or Atropos will sever your thread, focus solely on my palm.”

A coin appeared in his hand. The shallow image of the Fates engraved onto them. Clotho and Lachesis on one side, and Atropos on the other.

“Now, place your hand on the coin and declare.” He held his palm out towards me.

“May the Fates witness this epic coin flip, yadda yadda what the coin says is final, yadda.”

“Take. This. Seriously. Heracles.” I can tell I struck a nerve. Behind the mask, he most certainly said that through gritted teeth.

“With the Fates as our witness, may the coin write my destiny”. I said cheekily.

Thanatos shook his head.

Shortly after he clasped his hand over mine, said more wicked enchantments, and let go.

I tossed the coin upwards.

Thanatos reached out as the coin fell and grabbed it.

“Clotho and Lachesis smiles upon you. Your soul is free to return to your body. Now make haste, capture Cerberus before King Eurystheus finds out you perished once more.”

“Hey, you’re keeping count aren’t you? How many lives has it been?”.

“Leave.”

“Come on, I know you’re counting.”

“Eleven.”

“Huh, one more to twelve. Though it hurts like a bitch to have my heart ripped out by that demon dog.”

Thanatos waved his hand, and I awaken once more.

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Totally had to do some research for this one, not too familiar with Greek mythology but I decided to try my hand at it. Also sorry if I didn’t exactly follow the prompt.