“Wha—“

I woke up in a smooth leather seat of a car I did not know the brand too. That was wierd, I feel like I should know the brand of cars. I think—come to think of it was this my car? I don’t think it is, but I can’t remember what my car looks like. Or do I even _have _a car? Why can’t I remember? 

I looked out the window and saw mountains passing. A brown cow was grazed on the small amount of grass. A black crow sped by and landed on a dying tree, she fed her babies. I felt a motherly affection to the familt of crows, I sensed some empathy. Maybe I have children?

Should I know who’s driving? I haven’t seen them yet, for the garage was closed. No—wait, it opened.

“Good, you’re awake. Let’s get this over with, it’s almost my lunch break. Hello, I’m Thanatos. Your new name is H23 and you will be working for Hades in the Hero department.” A flash of red light and we appeared in Hell.

I had so many questions. Like, what was my original name? Was this voluntary or forced? Was anyone in the mortal world worried? Or is this a dream? Why can’t I remember anything?

	“Because we forced you to swim in the Lethe. Everyone you knew in the mortal world had every memory of you wiped, also, this is definitely not a dream. Your dead.” I didn’t notice that Hades was sitting in front of me. 

	His throne was covered in skulls and withered vines, next to him was a woman in a light green dress. The throne she sat in seemed out of place next to the darkness of the palace. 

	“What about my name? Can you at least tell me that?”

	“Your name is H23. You are the 23rd person to work for the hero department therefor, your name is H23.”

	“But—“

	“He can’t tell you what you wish, darling.” The woman stood up and tossed her blonde hair.

	“Persephone, I told you not to speak.” Hades glared at her,

	“But I’m bored! You never let me do anything down here!” she complained

	“Honey…”

	Persephone sat down and crossed her arms, “and you wonder why I like it better on Earth.”

	“Anyway, you will be working in the Hero Department as a Memory Eraser. You work at Lethe and erase the memories of the heroes who want to be reincarnated. It’s an important job, I you don’t do it correctly, the’re going to remember their time in the afterlife.”

	“Wait, but—“

	“Persephone, you can lead H23 to the sleeping quarters. Assign H2 as their guide from there.”

	“Yay!”

	“Wait, but—“ I was cut off,

	“C’mon, dearie! We don’t have all day!” 

	I followed the goddess down the steps of the palace, still wondering what was going on. Hades said I was dead, but I didn’t feel dead. And if I was dead why did they have to erase the memories of the people I knew? This was all so weird and confusing, and the fact the Greek Gods are real is insane! Does that mean only the greek gods are real or not? 

	“Didn’t you get kidnapped by him?” I asked Persephone. I don’t know why I thought of that but it seemed like a valid question. I don’t know what is true or not anymore.

	“Silly, he asked for Zeus’ guidance and the King of the Gods told him to steal me. I was mad at first but Hades isn’t all bad! He’s just a bit stressed after Styx went on fraternity leave and Hermes quit. He took over a modern work system and death rates have shot up drastically. Hades is a dear. A bit moody, but I wouldn’t settle for anyone else.”

	“So why do you like it better on Earth?”

	“I don’t. I just said that so he’d let me do something, and it worked! Ah, we’re here!”

	I found myself standing in front of a mansion, almost as big as the palace. It had stained glass windows and a giant metal door at the end of a stone path.

	I trailed after Persephone and she opened the door.

	“Hello! I have a new employee!” Percephone chirped,

	“23?” a girl with black, chin-length hair, said dully.

	“Yup! I need two, do you know where he is?”

	“SIMON GET DOWN HERE OR YOUR DOING THE DISHES TONIGHT!!!” the girl shouted up the stairs.

	“Coming!” a boy stumbled down the stairs and tripped over an untied shoelace. He had messy brown hair and striking blue eyes. He had pretty big hands but otherwise he was kind of scrawny looking.

      “Ah, you must be the new employee! H23, right?” He put his hand out so I could shake it, “welcome to the Hero Department dorms! That’s H9, but we call her PokerFace. That one right there,” he pointed to someone sitting with their back against the bottom of the couch. I hadn’t noticed them before, they had no defining characteristics. Simple light-brown hair and brown eyes, “that’s H7, or Silent. They, them.”

     I nodded. Honestly, I was speechless. They acted so normally about working in Hell, it was unnatural. I still had so many unanswered questions.

     “I guess I’ll leave you guys to it!” Persephone said, I had almost forgotten about the goddess.

     I nodded again and H2 gave me a tour of the work area.

     “Okay, so any questions?”

     “Yes. Um…” I had so many questions, but was unsure if H2 could give me satisfying answers, “is you name Simon? I heard that girl call you that, but I don’t know my name so I doubt anyone else here knows theirs.”

     “That a new one. No, my name is not Simon, but sometimes we get really bored here and so some recommended a game of Simon Says, and, well… I was really bad, so the name stuck. At least I don’t have one like H1.”

    “What’s H1’s nickname?”

    “H1’s widely accepted nickname is Dad. He literally acts like a father. though, everyone is ninety percent sure he died at a younger age than almost everyone else. My bets’ on 19, but we might never know.” He said the last few words in the most dramatic way possible.

etc.