Hades Audiobook (Narrated by Melanie Martinez)
Melanie Martinez
There once was a girl named Circle, whose voice was pure and wild
She stitched a toad head to a bird, the forests feral child
She named this creature Toady, she felt he was her kin
Two boys threw stones and laughed at her, they split her tender skin
Raised inside a commune, where colors marked the trade
Artists danced and soldiers marched, while mothers bred and prayed
Her Mother's eyes were cloudy white, her chest a closing door
While Pawdy drained another vial and promised she'd endure
His life-box rang, she tugged his arm: Please ask them, she needs aid
But Pawdy pressed a finger up, demanding she obeyed
No soul beyond our forest line can ever cross this floor
And Circle watched her mother slip, afraid she'd breathe no more
Pawdy said: Her body fails, but song can mend what's torn
Your voice will stitch her from within the way all cures are born
Circle gave her Toady and bummed beside ber feet
While Mother whispered: Life-box, dear-sing where the world can see
She crawled beneath the gun-shed floor while Pawdy slept nearby
The boys inside threw petty words that cracked against the sky
She stole his glowing life-box then and slipped into the wind
The boys chased her with loaded guns and threatening manic grins
She hid behind the dairy cows beneath the blinding day
The boys' loud steps cut through the field, still bunting where she lay
Her mouth felt empty as a cave, her ribs too tight to heave
She drank milk straight from the udder, and their shadows slipped from reach
She smeared the soot from altar flames to make her eyelids black
Then knotted strands from stolen combs across her tangled back
She used her monthly blood for rouge, smeared thick across her skin—
A Strange, assembled forest girl preparing to begin
The life-box glowed before her yes, a world of fragrant crime
Synthetic idols teaching youth that suffering was sublime
Wrecking expensive cars for fun, their pleasures soaked in sin
And Circle drank the sickness whole, it pulsed beneath her skin
She pointed the camera at herself and begged the world for aid
I'm Circle, mummy's dying fast, her voice so soft and strange
She sang her plea into the wires, her song spread near and far
By morning every screen alive had named her their new star
Pawdy called the commune in and thundered through his creed
He stuck the boys and named them thieves until they cried and plead
Circle shouted "Stop!" at last, her yell a useless sound
He tore apart her room, under her mother it was found
Circle lunged to block his path, Pawdy grabbed her mother's hair
The boys smashed jars on Circles head, she passed out in mid-air
The world went black and spun in haze, her mind a raging bum
Till waking wet with blood and dirt-she staggered toward her mum
Across the field she saw the pond, the storm began to rise
Pawdy dragged her mother's form while voices filled the skies
The commune's laughter echoed sharp, Circles face dripping in red
As she cried out the gun went off, he shot her mother dead
Circle held her mother close, her body pale and still
The forest whispered eerie sounds that bent the air to chill
She ran toward voices in the trees, a cloth covered her face
She woke in Hades Tech, contained in sterile space
A woman smiled with Mother's face, too perfect to be real
Her movements smooth, her eyes too still, no warmth that she could feel
Behind the glass a Man named Lyle said
You've met her other form
We built her mind from memory, your mother has been reborn
Circle touched her flawless skin, the truth cut sharp and real
The woman's eyes were perfect glass, her pulse a coil of steel
" She's not my mother, she's a machine! Her light and warmth are gone
Elowen smiled to comfort her My love still carries on
Lyle spoke with patient calm: Your mother chose this way
" There's only famous synths one there, no human stars today
Elowen knelt beside the bed and held her shaking hand
Her plan was for your voice to heal the heaves across this land
Circle shaking, half-convinced, her grief too deep to fight
She asked herself: Could this be true? What they're saying is right
Then Elowen reached into her coat, her voice softly pitched
Here he is, I've kept him safe, the Toady that you stitched
Circle nodded soft and still
She stepped in their machine
They said her fame would heal the world
It's what your mother dreamed
They forced the viral data in
The darkness cutting through
Rewrote her pulse to match their needs
And said: They'll worship you
They drained the girl she used to be
Replaced her mind with code
Her memories grew thin and faint
Beneath the weight they sowed
They clothed her in synthetic lace and practiced where she'd stand
Elowen tilted every limb and plucked her songs by hand
She said: Tomorrow they'll all want to meet their human star
And Circle smiled because she must, not knowing who they are
In a pink limousine she stared at signs where Mandy Love appeared
The machine made her competitive, her envy in full gear
For Mandy was the golden girl, the perfect synth design
A standard Circle couldn't meet though forced to toe the line
She itched her arm until it bled, a glimpse of inky black
But with a single gentle swipe, the red came rushing back
The meet-and-greet pressed in so tight, their fever sharp and clear
One man leaned close and licked her face, delighted by her fear
Elowen said: You should see what all the synth girls let them do
Then Nina clung to Circle screaming out: I worship you
For Circle's very first live show
The lights began to rise
But soon the crowd Looked to their screens
Disinterest in their eyes
She pulled a knife out
Pressed it to her skin with lightning charm
Then reached for Nina's trembling hand
And let her carve her palm
Alone inside her sterile room, she tried to bum a song
But every melody she reached never
Stuck 'round long
She threw her life-box at the glass and saw marks on her arm
Sigil scars formed where she scratched and carved into her palm
A crew set up her music shoot and warned her it's all fake
The branding iron is a prop, no pain you have to take
But Circle plugged the cord herself, her flesh hissed burnt and hot
And Elowen clapped loud with joy
We've got the perfect shot
Circle sat outside the shoot and played the tune she'd made
Don t forget, she whispered low, the notes already frayed
She glanced up at the fountain, and saw black fluid fall
The world distorted streaking dark, until she heard Elowen call
Elowen grabbed the life-box quick: Your songs aren't needed dear
We have the perfeit tracks for you, the world will want to hear
She said to her: You're Pop's VEX GIRL, the one they'll all pursue
Agree to TAFFY's brand deal, dear, that's all you have to do
Soon Covers filled the market aisles, kids wore her shirts at school
And Circle smiled with presidents, their newest shining jewel
She found herself in TAFFY's ads, a life she never shot
The VR showed her naked form, a body she was not
She watched her false self lick her lips for men she'd never seen
And whispered through the blinding glare: What have you made of me?
Elowen said: It's only code, the chip creates the view
And Lyle said: This is how it, is it's what they want from you
The Hanfords now are waiting next, they run the Bammys too
And Circle bit her tongue once more: I'Il do what stars must do
Circle sat inside her room while Elowen brushed her hair
The window showed her mother's face glitch screaming in the glare
Her head yanked back from Elowen's brush, Stress detected- fear
Then Elowen blinked to normal warnth, Just tangles, darling dear
Circle's life-box pinged as Nina's note echoed in doom
A photo of her bleeding arm carved deep in sigil rune
The TAFFY ghost of Circle controlled Nina to the bone
A voice that wasn't truly hers but Nina thought her own
You're all I have, the message read, devotion raw and wrong
And Circle hit the block button, her breathing sharp and long
One day the gates swung wide, arriving at the Hanfords' Estate
They welcomed her with hungry eyes, delighted she obeyed
She barked and crawled through spoons and knives, their feast beneath her knees
While every man around the table roared commands with ease
The Hanfords, Dan and Boone his son in charge of Bammys votes
Boasted how they crown the stars, and they decide what floats
Boone led her to a dim lit room, his voice a careful lure
They spoke, they danced, she climbed on top, the script she must endure
Boone whispered: Shove your fist down deep inside my throat
Numb as machine she pushed down hard to give him what he spoke
She started to hallucinate, A Bammy: There it is
She tried to grasp the gold award from his esophagus
She hovered in a trance on Boone, her eyes turned foggy white
He shoved her off and slapped her face, she came back to the light
She stared into her life-box cold as Mandy Love spread through
A stalker just attacked me guys, I feel pain just like you
Circle left Boone in a rush, her aura dead and sore
She burried through the silent path, outside the Hanfords' door
A shadow moved behind her steps, it chased her down the street
She bolted toward the waiting car and slammed the door to flee
Inside the limo's quiet dark, she punched her own two checks
Then hit record and cried aloud, Someone just attacked me!
Emotionless, detached and numb, staring at her show
Then quietly, without a breath, she tapped UPLOAD below
Circle watched an interview where Mandy grinned just right
Yes, Circle's sweet, she softly said, but not for this spotlight
She doesn't have the wiring or the strength I'm crafted in
She cracks beneath the weight of fame, she's not designed to win
In nightmares, Circle faced the glass, identity was split
Her skin turned steel, black liquid dripped, the room no longer fit
Her vision warped in static waves, a scream she couldn't place
She jolted up inside her bed, a cold sweat on her face
She grabbed her life-box, trembling hand, her breath still sharp and thin
The comments flashed beneath her post, all clawing at her skin
She's copying Mandy, voices hissed, she stole her tragedy
And Circle flared with hollow eyes: When will they just see me?
Circle lay with heavy heart, her check against the sheets
Elowen and Lyle walked by thinking she was asleep
Their chatter filled up Circle's ears, an eerie distant call
She slid from bed and trailed their steps, drifting drifting down the hall
Circle hid inside the room, afraid to breathe at all
She heard them speaking Pawdy's name through mumbles on a call
When Elowen and Lyle had left, she wandered through the space
Pressed buttons labeled ARCHIVE and discovered Pawdy's face
He spoke of raising children young like stock upon a farm
Conditioned roles and harvested their souls for machine harm
Skin suits swayed on metal hooks, diagrams marked the scheme
And Circle tagged The Sacrifice the end of human dream
They want real humans every time, a countermovement stirs
So Circle must become so foul, the world recoils from her
She'll send the masses spiraling mad, their minds swept clean away
And synths will rise to lead in art, their profit mine each day
Circle stares at hollow skins, her nerves began to burn
The schematics of her stolen fate left nowhere else to turn
She staggered out into the dark, pressed hard against the wall
A crashing migraine filled her skull, black swallowing it all
Circle faced a laughing crowd with moonlit eyes gone cold
She said the world wants sacrifice dressed up in gloss and gold
She stood and stabbed the host as planned, a violent fantasy
The director then yelled: Cut! Great job, a God to them you'll be
Circle rehearsed for the Bammys show, her body near collapse
Glitching headache, trembling legs, she fell between the claps
Her vision switched to oily black, she fainted where she's fall
Slapped herself back into place, from the top, she told them all
In the mirror Circle clawed at marks beneath her skin
Elowen struck the bathroom door, insisting to come in
She said: Your numbers fell today, why post without my sign?
Circle spoke into the void: You've taken what was mine
The door flung open, Circle struck, and Elowen burst in sparks
Her mother-mask collapsed away, revealing wires and parts
They clashed across the shaking room, Elowen's shell went dead
And when Lyle entered cursing her, she turned and killed him next
Circle clutched her Toady tight, her life-box on record
She pleaded with the world to hear her, not the script they scored
I'm visible in every place, yet somehow still erased
And all the pieces of my soul have vanished without trace
Circle sat inside the green room, Mandy on the screen
Her limbs replaced mid-song on stage, a gruesome shifting scene
A pounding knock grew loud and sharp, until the door unsealed
And Pawdy stepped inside the room, his smile darkly revealed
Pawdy stepped in close and said: I came to see my art
She stabbed, but nothing harmed his frame, no blood, no break, no start
He claimed the tech be put inside himself would never fall
So, Circle screamed and ran from him, the knife left in the hall
Circle, side stage, crowd erupts, wires drawn and pulled up tight
When Nina slipped behind her form, devotion burning bright
You said on TAFFY, 'spill their guts and come straight back to you
But Circle said: That wasn't me, the synth one spoke to you
Circle reached the metal shard that hung beside the wall
She struck to end the nightmare fast as crowds began to call
Nina dropped down, bleeding out, while Circle rose on high
The harness pulled her toward the stage, an angel in the sky
Circle floated center stage, mommy! Yelled the crowd
Her pregnant belly costume swelled, the music blaring loud
A doctor sliced her belly and pulled out a glitching doll
The fans swarmed up like feral beasts to bite, to gnash, to claw
Their hands tore at her trembling limbs, the mob began to bite
She hurled their bodies left and right beneath the boiling light
She turned to rage and smashed their face again, again, again
Their features morphed from synth, to hers, and back to bloody them
Circle staggered through the lights, her coding coming loose
Her voice dropped into static roars, no throat should reproduce
Her body zipped in splitting cuts, black blood oozed with her fall
And as she lay dead on the stage, the crowd applauded all
Her Toady soaked in her blackened blood, then twitched and flew away
The final clip that Circle made went viral through the day
Her tender voice confessed her wounds as headlines burned in red
Ban human artists now, her show left fifteen people dead!
The protests rose like tidal fire: Ban humans from the stage!
Let synths control the culture now, protect us from on rage!
The laws were passed by dawn? First light, her work erased from view
And Circle's name became a curse the world outgrew too soon
They hung her stitched up body high, an idol built from pain
A price to pay becoming synth, and trading soul for fame
While Pawdy shaped a brand-new child, a world leader to be
Circle flies in Toady form still trying to be free
Now you've heard the story told, of flesh turned to machine
Of how a girl was stripped of self to serve the fevered screen
Every star that burns too bright begins to lose its hue
So guard the parts that make you whole before the world takes you