Six

Ava's

POV:

It had been almost half an hour since I had woken up. I was in a room. A very big room. And that scared me so much that my legs had refused to get up.

There was no window. Just a black door. This whole room would've been pitch black if it wouldn't have been the dark grey gloom coming from the ceiling. The transparent ceiling overlooking a stormy, grey sky.

I once again found myself clutching the silk black sheet over me. The bed was huge. With a couch in the corner. And a glass table at the other corner. The walls were white. Almost grey.

The only thing keeping me from screaming out loud were my clothes. At least, they were the same clothes I had worn in that party. The party at our house.

Mom.

I didn't even realize how I had started crying. Unclenching my hands from the sheets, I covered my face with them.

This wasn't fine. This was wrong. I shouldn't be here. Where was I? Why was I in a room? What if that boy had kidnapped me?

Oh

my

God, what

was

he

going

to

do

with

me?

Another small sob escaped my lips as I looked around, once again through my teary vision.

How

was

I

supposed

to

escape

from

here?

Sniffing, I finally got up, my bare feet coming into contact with the surprisingly cold floor. Even if there were no mirrors in here, I knew clearly well how bad I must be looking. And for once, it didn't bother me.

Because all I needed to do was escape.

Wiping my tears with the back of my hand, I went towards the black door and opened it. Fortunately, it wasn't locked. The moment I stepped out, a cold shiver escaped through me. The long hallway led towards a giant black staircase.

This house looked more like from a black and white movie. As if all the colors just got sucked out. And for some reason, it was bothering me so much. I had to refrain myself from breaking into tears all over again.

When I had come downstairs, I found myself in a hall. It should've been a normal lounge. But this place was even bigger than my house. Mom could've invited two times as many guests as she did back in our house.

A sudden pang in my chest reminded me about my family.

No, I

will

escape. I

will

see

them

again.

"Why are you up so early?"

I turned around so abruptly that I almost slammed against the edges of the staircase. My heartbeat seemed to increase the moment I saw him.

In an angry way.

"Why am I up so early?" I repeated. "What am I doing here? I don't know this place! You brought me here without my permission!"

I hadn't even realized how angry I was until I saw his face.

"I didn't need your permission." He replied, tilting his head a bit. The calm and collected aura around him seemed to radiate authority. That just angered me more.

My eyes seemed to widen at that. "What? Who do you think you are? You can't do this. I have to go back!"

He blew out a sigh as if he couldn't believe we were having this conversation.

"Look, you can't leave this place." He stepped closer towards me with his hands slightly outstretched as if trying to tame a wild animal.

I just stepped back. I could feel the lump forming in my throat. When he saw me stepping back, his hands went back at his sides.

"You can't force me." I whispered.

His eyes widened a little at that. Those same dark black eyes which looked grey for some reason. For the first time, I actually bothered to notice him all, besides just his eyes.

His hair were just as dark as the night sky, almost coming in his eyes. Apart from that, he was tall and lean. Wearing a black shirt and dark black jeans. That made him look pale. And scary. But attractive at the same time.

"I can't." He answered. "Besides, I don't have to."

I furrowed my brows at that.

"This is Underworld, Ava. I don't have to force you to live here. Because there is no

escape."

Dread filled me completely. And the lump in my throat was increasing. "I–I need to see my family. My parents."

He just gazed back at me. As if he was tired telling me the same thing again and again. I turned around looking for doors or anything to lead me out of here. My eyes spotted a black door.

"No, there has to be a way." I turned back towards him and pointed my finger at his chest. "You're lying! I will escape."

He seemed slightly amused at that. "Fine. I will wait here until you find that

way to escape."

A tear escaped from the corner of my eye. But nonetheless, I went over to the big black door at the corner of the hall. He didn't stop me.

When I opened it, another room came into view. It wasn't outside. Still inside that house. But I still went in there, just to get away from him.

That room wasn't as big as the hall. It looked more like a library. And it was warmer. But the same black and grey vibe made another sob escape my throat.

I

can't

give

up.

I pushed open another door and went inside. This room looked like another bedroom. Frustration clouded over me but I still kept on opening doors.

It was the sixth door but I still hadn't found a way out. I was still inside. Either it led to bedrooms. Or small hallways. Or the library.

I leaned back against a wall as everything came crashing down on me. I was trapped here. He was right. There was no way out.

"You don't have to do this, Ava." I hadn't even noticed him coming here, in front of me, few steps away.

"Why can't you help me escape?" I demanded. "Why can't you tell me how to get out? You got out. You must know a way."

His eyes traveled lower down my eyes and his gaze seemed to soften when he realized I was crying.

"I do." He said. "But you are supposed to live here."

I looked at him unbelievably. Maybe he was a psychopath. Kidnappings girls just for his crazy reasons. Or because he loved calling this place as Underworld.

"I'm not going to die here just because of you! However crazy you are, somebody will

come here looking for me." I shouted.

He raised a brow at that.

"You are already dead. And secondly, mortals don't come out here unless they're dead. So no, nobody is coming here for you. And even if they do, they would already be dead." He spoke.

I blinked, trying to digest in the information he just told me.

"If people do come here when they are dead, where are they?" I asked. "Why is it only me here?"

He seemed slightly taken back by that question. As if he was expecting more of my whining rather than a serious question.

"Because...they all are supposed to cross the river." He was still looking at me. "To their life after death."

Horror wasn't even the feeling I was going through at that moment. As much as I remembered, thanks to grandma, in Greek myths when you died your soul was supposed to cross the River Styx. One of the rivers of the Underworld.

And

I

did not

remember

crossing

any

such

river.

"You are not."

"Why?" My voice came out even lower than a whisper. But he heard it. Maybe it was just me or maybe it was real. But his expression seemed to harden, his eyes seemed to turn obsidian black.

"Because I chose you."