Emil Wrocławski and the Squirrels and the Giant Who Will Eat Them

Abstract

Emil Wrocławski bumbles through a life of dreadful boredom in Hong Kong. The only thing he loves in the world is an annoying family of squirrels near his apartment – but they don’t even know he exists. He hopes fervently to move on to the next world in as undramatic a fashion as possible – and Emil gets his wish when a clerical error lands him in Hades. Emil is thrilled. He finds a crush; he adventures; he reads works like Leviticus and Dragon Ball; he sparkles for reasons no one understands. Hades’ administrative staff finally catch Emil after realizing their mistake – but they come with a warning: Hades is so short-staffed that these mistakes are happening more frequently – and it’s not just getting into hell that is easier; the gates are weakening the other way as well. The imbalance caused by Emil’s absence upstairs sparkles like a beacon, and a hungry realm-crossing devourer has noticed – the Giant Who Will Eat Them. The Giant will enter through the void Emil has left. Any lives entangled with Emil are in danger – including an annoying little family of squirrels. Spurred to action (and equipped by the administrative staff with magical weapons from the Hades lost-and-found), Emil leaves his beloved Hades and heads back upstairs to protect the squirrels from the Giant.