Long Past Dawn

His voice then softens slightly, "Don't touch them. Trust me when I say it's best not to."

I simply nod and follow him further down the hall. And, rather similar to when we were at Artemis's palace, suddenly I take a step and the dark marble hallway is gone. In its place is a huge field full of different blossoming flowers of all types and the air smells sweet and comforting, maybe even a little bit familiar though I can't place it.

If a place could bring back memories and only the happy ones then this is that type of place. I close my eyes and let the warm breeze sweep over me. For the first time in what feels like forever I let myself drift away.

After a moment I open my eyes, feeling more refreshed than ever.

And that's when I notice them, or to be more specifically her. She has long c.h.e.s.tnut hair and tan skin, I can't see her face from here but I'm sure it's beautiful. And surrounding her are around twenty figures that look like 3D shadows, or what shadows would look like if they were 3D. From here it looks as if they're playing a game like tag.

I'm so focused on what they're doing that I don't notice one has appeared before me. I lean down a little since they only seem to be around four feet. Suddenly a soft voice comes from it that sounds neither female or male, "Hello miss, are you here to play with us?"

The little shadow reaches up what looks like a hand to me and I touch it just as I hear footsteps running towards me and Hades scream, "Dawn! Don't touch it!"

But suddenly all of that seems very far away as my world is swallowed in a wave of black. I'm standing in a black void with the small black shadow, which I'm surprised I can actually see since there's no light.

I start to look around but there's nothing. I try to reach for the shadow but it seems too far away. I open my mouth to speak and that's when it starts. The visions flash through my mind at hight speed.

A dying fire. Thin blankets. The last leaves on the trees in Autumn. Broken glass. A crying kid. A scrap of blue fabric. Running water. A scar. Green eyes with tears in them. The smell of almonds. Trust. Betrayal.

The images flood and flash through my brain at a speed that almost tears me apart. It happens so fast I can barely process it.

Screaming. Crying. Hospital rooms. Smiles that are a bit too bright. Snow. Christmas. Blood. Something staining the snow red. A horrible accident. Grief. Pain. Loss. Highs. Lows. Hangovers. The smell of vodka on someone's breath. A noose has woven its way around my throat and suddenly I can't breathe. And finally, death.

"...wn."

A voice is calling me from somewhere but I don't know where and who's calling me, or maybe they're calling someone else with the same name. Or maybe that's not even me, the memories that flash through my mind are of someone with a different name and a different face, maybe that's who I really am and whoever Dawn Foster may be is just someone I dreamed up.

"...awn."

There's the voice again, it sounds worried and I feel as if I know it but the pain in my head is too much and I can't recognize who it is. Who are they? I feel as if I know them and trust them, though I don't even know who they are. What's going on?

"Dawn!"

And suddenly the black wave is gone from me and I push myself up and gasp for breath at the same time. My sides heave as I fight for breath and space in my own head as the images start to finally fade. Words and pain and grief that aren't my own slowly start to fade away as I finally start to notice my surroundings and facts start to hit me.

The first is that I'm covered in sweat.

The second is that I'm back in the field of flowers and am surrounded on all sides by various buttercups, daisies, primroses, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.

Third is that Hades and the woman from earlier are leaning over me with worried looks on their faces.

"Are you ok Dawn?" The woman whose name I don't know asks as she offers me a hand up.

I stretch out my right shoulder and groan as a numb pain sets in but never the less I push myself up so that I'm standing and wipe my hands to get any dirt off. "Nice to be worried about," I say to no one in particular.

The last thing I notice is that all the shadow-like things are now gone, well from where we are. I can see them in a group at the other end of the field. Curiosity and the memories of the pain from whatever that thing was fills me and I have to ask, "What are those things?"

Hades turns to face them but the woman keeps her gaze on me. Hades's pale skin shines slightly in the sun as I look up at his unreadable features. After a moment he answers my questions, "Wraiths."

"Wraiths?" I echo as I look across the field at them. Something ironic almost about the black shapes that all look the same in a field of flowers where nothing looks the same and everything besides them is in color.

"Yes," Hades says solemnly as we gaze across at them. "The souls of those who are good but the world has not been good to them. Abused, murdered, r.a.p.ed, assaulted, anything. You have to be glad that after a time here they forget it all, and when that happens they can finally leave."

Then those memories… they really were real… I try to discern the one from that time out of the others but it's no use, they're all identical. I give up and turn to ask Hades one last question, "You said they can finally leave after they forget, where do they go?"

A small smile graces Hades face, though it's almost a sad one, "Somewhere where the pain they experienced during their time in the mortal realm will never affect them. Somewhere nice, somewhere peaceful."

Someplace where pain will never affect you? It sounds like a nice place, I might like it there. But I don't think that I'll ever go there. But never the less, I say to myself as I gaze across the field at the Wraiths, it's a nice sentiment.