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Description
The echoing screech was the last thing I heard. The chill of the air, and the way time had seemed to slow down as the one ton hunk of metal painted a very pretty blue came rushing at me. I could see the driver’s face through the glass, her expression of horror as she leaned back, pulling on her wheel as if that would stop the car’s momentum as it slid on the ice. I couldn’t move, it was like I was frozen. When I closed my eyes, that was it, I didn’t feel anything.

Hours, or perhaps even days later, my mind returned to me. The first thing I was aware of was a dryness in my mouth, that thick cotton feeling that meant I had been snoring again. I rolled over off my back, and curled up against the silk sheets. I was at peace for a brief moment, before I sat upright. I did not own silk sheets, I couldn’t afford them, not with the sheer amount of student loans I had behind me. I looked around, and realized with quickly dawning horror that this was not my room.

I looked down, picking at the black silk nightshirt I wore, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. None of this made sense, I should be dead, not sleeping in silk on silk. “Where does anyone even get this much silk?!” I asked the open air, before jumping slight at a knock on the door. “U-Uh, come in?” I called, staring at the door with wide eyes. The door opened carefully, and a butler walked in. He was huge, eyes pitch black and teeth full of fangs.

“Good morning. I have brought you your morning coffee. Would you like for me to pull out an outfit for you today?” He asked, setting a tray on the nightstand. I could only mutely nod, and watch as he walked over to a massive wardrobe. “What gender are you feeling more like today?” He asked softly. I had just begun to inspect the coffee and my heart nearly stopped at his question.

“Male.” I replied, watching him nod and begin pulling out suit pieces and of all things a binder. My hands found their way to my mouth, covering it. This couldn’t be real, I had to still be dreaming. The butler turned and walked over to me, placing the things on the bed before looking over. His brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

“Sir? Are you alright?” He asked softly. I managed another nod, not trusting my voice, knowing it would crack if I spoke. “Ah, you don’t remember, do you?” He said, expression softening. “Sir, we are all aware of what you are. We have the supplies here to handle it. I know your human years were rough on you, but you needn’t worry about some things any longer.”

“Where, am I?” I asked softly, lowering my hands, trying to get my mind to focus on everything. I decided to start small, and work from there.

“You are in Hell.” He answered. “In the castle. All of this can be explained in due time. Come, let’s get you ready.” He said, moving and offering me a hand to help me up. I stood, and when I did, I looked down at myself. I blinked a few times, and studied my hands.

“I haven’t looked like this in years.” I said softly.

“Upon your death, you returned to your peak conditions.” The butler said, straightening the bed sheets.

“Does that mean I’m seventeen again?!” I asked, momentarily horrified. The butler chuckled and shook his head.

“No, not like that. You are still the age you were, just….”

“In better shape. Which is semi-arguable, seeing as I got to this condition through relatively unhealthy means.” I said, running my fingers through my short hair, rearranging it into it’s intended style.

“Hm, fair point sir. As it is, you’ll have full opportunity here to correct everything.” He said, bowing slightly. “I will leave you to get ready.” He said, walking out and letting me get dressed. Once I had myself ready for the day, I sat on the edge of the bed, sipping my coffee and thinking carefully. I was in Hell, the butler and possibly several others knew my gender and coffee preferences.

“Definitely dead.” I said to myself. “Hell’s castle… what an odd place for me to be. It doesn’t seem bad at all. Thought I would be in a far worse place than this.”

“It helps when you’re a king.” A voice behind me said. I turned my head and looked back at the speaker, startled. Behind me was quite possibly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. My brain short circuited, and my coffee cup slipped from my hands. I quickly stood, turning to face her.

“H-Hi! Uh, my name’s Alex. Nice ta, nice ta meet’cha.” I stammered out, flashing her a smile. To my surprise, she actually started laughing, walking over towards me.

“I know who you are, darling.” She said softly. “I, of all people, would know my husband when I saw him.” I stared blankly at her, then looked down at my hands, making sure I wasn’t wearing a ring. She tilted my face back up, she being much taller than I am. “Your ring is in our room. You’re not going to remember just yet. When you went to the human world, your memories were wiped out. It will be some time before you regain them.”

“I’m…. I’m not sure how to take all of this. This is all becoming a lot. Quickly.” I said, looking around before sitting on the bed again, putting my head in my hands. “I got hit by a car, woke up in a very accommodating version of hell, and turns out I’m married.” I said. “Great, wonderful. This is fine. Perfectly normal.” I drug my hands down my face slowly.

“Just give it time. Get adjusted, relearn everything. Soon you’ll be back to ruling again. Come, let’s let the people know you’ve returned.” She said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, bringing me back out of the room.I followed her, I didn’t have much choice, she was very strong. She guided me through the castle, I quickly got lost on the way. We passed through a set of double doors, the sun blinding me for a moment. A loud cheer filled the air and I blinked, looking out at a crowd of people before me. We stood on a balcony, above millions of people. They were yelling something, but I couldn’t really make out what it was.

The woman, my wife, wrapped her arms around me from behind me. “Long live the king.” She said softly. I stared out into the crowd, transfixed, and felt a warmth in my chest. I was home.

Description
The echoing screech was the last thing I heard. The chill of the air, and the way time had seemed to slow down as the one ton hunk of metal painted a very pretty blue came rushing at me. I could see the driver’s face through the glass, her expression of horror as she leaned back, pulling on her wheel as if that would stop the car’s momentum as it slid on the ice. I couldn’t move, it was like I was frozen. When I closed my eyes, that was it, I didn’t feel anything.

Hours, or perhaps even days later, my mind returned to me. The first thing I was aware of was a dryness in my mouth, that thick cotton feeling that meant I had been snoring again. I rolled over off my back, and curled up against the silk sheets. I was at peace for a brief moment, before I sat upright. I did not own silk sheets, I couldn’t afford them, not with the sheer amount of student loans I had behind me. I looked around, and realized with quickly dawning horror that this was not my room.

I looked down, picking at the black silk nightshirt I wore, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. None of this made sense, I should be dead, not sleeping in silk on silk. “Where does anyone even get this much silk?!” I asked the open air, before jumping slight at a knock on the door. “U-Uh, come in?” I called, staring at the door with wide eyes. The door opened carefully, and a butler walked in. He was huge, eyes pitch black and teeth full of fangs.

“Good morning. I have brought you your morning coffee. Would you like for me to pull out an outfit for you today?” He asked, setting a tray on the nightstand. I could only mutely nod, and watch as he walked over to a massive wardrobe. “What gender are you feeling more like today?” He asked softly. I had just begun to inspect the coffee and my heart nearly stopped at his question.

“Male.” I replied, watching him nod and begin pulling out suit pieces and of all things a binder. My hands found their way to my mouth, covering it. This couldn’t be real, I had to still be dreaming. The butler turned and walked over to me, placing the things on the bed before looking over. His brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

“Sir? Are you alright?” He asked softly. I managed another nod, not trusting my voice, knowing it would crack if I spoke. “Ah, you don’t remember, do you?” He said, expression softening. “Sir, we are all aware of what you are. We have the supplies here to handle it. I know your human years were rough on you, but you needn’t worry about some things any longer.”

“Where, am I?” I asked softly, lowering my hands, trying to get my mind to focus on everything. I decided to start small, and work from there.

“You are in Hell.” He answered. “In the castle. All of this can be explained in due time. Come, let’s get you ready.” He said, moving and offering me a hand to help me up. I stood, and when I did, I looked down at myself. I blinked a few times, and studied my hands.

“I haven’t looked like this in years.” I said softly.

“Upon your death, you returned to your peak conditions.” The butler said, straightening the bed sheets.

“Does that mean I’m seventeen again?!” I asked, momentarily horrified. The butler chuckled and shook his head.

“No, not like that. You are still the age you were, just….”

“In better shape. Which is semi-arguable, seeing as I got to this condition through relatively unhealthy means.” I said, running my fingers through my short hair, rearranging it into it’s intended style.

“Hm, fair point sir. As it is, you’ll have full opportunity here to correct everything.” He said, bowing slightly. “I will leave you to get ready.” He said, walking out and letting me get dressed. Once I had myself ready for the day, I sat on the edge of the bed, sipping my coffee and thinking carefully. I was in Hell, the butler and possibly several others knew my gender and coffee preferences.

“Definitely dead.” I said to myself. “Hell’s castle… what an odd place for me to be. It doesn’t seem bad at all. Thought I would be in a far worse place than this.”

“It helps when you’re a king.” A voice behind me said. I turned my head and looked back at the speaker, startled. Behind me was quite possibly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. My brain short circuited, and my coffee cup slipped from my hands. I quickly stood, turning to face her.

“H-Hi! Uh, my name’s Alex. Nice ta, nice ta meet’cha.” I stammered out, flashing her a smile. To my surprise, she actually started laughing, walking over towards me.

“I know who you are, darling.” She said softly. “I, of all people, would know my husband when I saw him.” I stared blankly at her, then looked down at my hands, making sure I wasn’t wearing a ring. She tilted my face back up, she being much taller than I am. “Your ring is in our room. You’re not going to remember just yet. When you went to the human world, your memories were wiped out. It will be some time before you regain them.”

“I’m…. I’m not sure how to take all of this. This is all becoming a lot. Quickly.” I said, looking around before sitting on the bed again, putting my head in my hands. “I got hit by a car, woke up in a very accommodating version of hell, and turns out I’m married.” I said. “Great, wonderful. This is fine. Perfectly normal.” I drug my hands down my face slowly.

“Just give it time. Get adjusted, relearn everything. Soon you’ll be back to ruling again. Come, let’s let the people know you’ve returned.” She said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, bringing me back out of the room.I followed her, I didn’t have much choice, she was very strong. She guided me through the castle, I quickly got lost on the way. We passed through a set of double doors, the sun blinding me for a moment. A loud cheer filled the air and I blinked, looking out at a crowd of people before me. We stood on a balcony, above millions of people. They were yelling something, but I couldn’t really make out what it was.

The woman, my wife, wrapped her arms around me from behind me. “Long live the king.” She said softly. I stared out into the crowd, transfixed, and felt a warmth in my chest. I was home.