Ogygia-part five

The blue and white fishing boat loomed overhead, providing shade from the pounding afternoon sun. Up close, it looked battered, with peeling paint and splinter-infested wood. On the outside it looked perfectly fine. Old, but fine.

After looking at it for a moment, Calypso asked "Well, what's wrong with it?"

"The bottom is practically ripped open. Must of gotten snagged on coral or something." Adonis stared up at the boat, squinting.

"Well how do we fix it. It's out last chance at getting off this stupid island."

"We could try taking off excess wood and nails, and hammering them onto the bottom? It won't last forever, but it may be enough to get us to a different shore."

Calypso stared at the boat. "I'll do anything I can"

They found a few problems with that plan as soon as they started. The hull was still full of water, and even if it was empty they wouldn't have been able to flip the boat to get at the underside. After an hour, they gave up all hope on that plan and began a new one.

"A raft has to work. It's how Odysseus got off." Calypso told Adonis after an hour of searching for a way to empty the hull.

"How are we going to make a raft?" He asked her "And besides, his raft was blessed by Athena. A blessing we don't have." He looked bitterly over at the cave.

"It's not her fault, the fates forbid her from helping" Calypso responded, feeling protective.

Adonis rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything more. He took the hammer they had found on the boat and started to pry of boards off the deck. He threw one down, narrowly missing Calypso. She yelped and jumped out of the way, slipping on the wet sand and landing with a splash in the ocean. A high pitched scream escaped her throat as her body came in contact with the salty water. Adonis laughed and held out a hand for Calypso to take. Effortlessly, he pulled Calypso to her feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked, not succeeding at keeping a straight face.

She gave him a murderous look and shivered as a wind came in from the ocean. "I'm fine. But be more careful about where you throw those boards." She tried her best to keep from smiling, but the corners of her mouth started to turn upwards. Soon she started to laugh uncontrollably. Hiccups came and the laughing subsided. Calypso sighed.

"I'm sorry, I really needed something to laugh at." She managed to say between hiccups, the broken look having returned to her eyes. "I can't stand having no control in my life. I used to get mad at teachers for telling me what to do." She giggled a little at the memory, but it was half-hearted and her eyes still looked sad.

"I-I'm going to look for some dry clothes. you don't have to come."

Adonis took that more of 'I need to be alone', so he busied himself in the production of the raft when Calypso headed back to the cave, shivering in the wind. She tried to forget her problems in the walk, but seemed unable to. If she were back home, she would have been able to leave her problems in the ocean and enjoy the feeling of hot sun on her back and sand between her toes. But now it seemed like she couldn't be happy. She couldn't forget about her troubles. It almost seemed like a betrayal, to her self, to her family. Calypso was having trouble understanding her emotions. Whenever she tried to force herself to face the facts, another part of her refused.

I have to try, I won't get anywhere by denial. Calypso took a deep breath and spoke out loud.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Even if I went home, it wouldn't be the same."

The words lacked meaning and effect. I'd be able to do it, my family would help me. Jason would help me. He'll see that I'm okay and he won't move on.

"Useless" Calypso muttered under her breath, and she gave up trying to 'face the facts'. The sounds of yelling got louder and louder as she approached the cave.

"Do they ever stop yelling?" Calypso grumbled, and walked to the cave.

"Well, maybe they don't want to!"

Calypso stopped at Athena's voice. She stood against the wall and peeked in, feeling like a child playing spy.

"Marriage is something to be arranged. Children like them can't chose their own spouse!" The voice that belonged to Aphrodite sounded exasperated, as if on the verge of losing an argument. "Parents don't let their children decide anything while they're growing up, but all of a sudden they are allowed to marry whomever they choose and put the future of society in jeopardy? As the goddess of Love, it is my duty keep children from making foolish choices when it comes to Marriage. And the only way to do that is to not let them choose! They are still young, and if they choose themselves, there is a high risk of divorce. When an adult decides for them, they do not fall madly in love, then crash, like coming off a sugar high. It is slower, more peaceful, and they fall deeper in love over a longer amount of time."

"That is our way, yes. But it is not their way. Things have changed since our age of greatness. Calypso and Adonis have grown up believing they have the right to choose their own spouse. I wasn't even permitted to help Calypso overcome this. I was allowed to give aid to Adonis, and he may not be content, but he knows and can accept the truth now. Calypso has to deal with this on her own, a hard thing for a girl like her."

"She will not be alone. She will be married to Adonis in two days time. There is nothing you can do about it sister."

The sound of footsteps neared, and Calypso realized what was happening just in time to duck behind a different wall as Aphrodite walked out the cave. Fear welled inside her, terrified of what the already angry goddess would do when she discovered she was eavesdropping. Much to her relief, Aphrodite faded and disappeared. She took a sake breath and leaned against the wall, staring out at the garden. It was one thing to know something, and another to hear it. Many hints had been dropped, and Calypso wasn't stupid. Still, there was a faint hope marriage wasn't what Aphrodite had in mind. Now there was no doubt about it. The raft was their only hope. With a shiver, Calypso realized she was still wet, and she slipped inside. The warm, spicy smell of the cave greeted her, and the lamplight was almost soothing.

"I--I fell in the water. I came back for dry clothes."

Athena twisted around and set a midnight blue tunic on the bed, beautifully embroidered and more for a special occasion than building a raft.

"There isn't a way off this island, Calypso. It took your namesake thousands of years, and she is a nymph."

"But there has to be a way! Odysseus got off!"

Athena flinched. "Odysseus had the blessing of the gods. Something I am not permitted to give you. This island is surrounded by currents, and if you simply take the raft, it will lead you back here."

Calypso could feel the blood draining from her face. It really was hopeless. She could feel a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I promise you Calypso, it won't be that bad. You will learn to love him. Even though I am strongly against this marriage, there is nothing I can do to help you. You will have to learn to love him, or this already empty marriage will be worth nothing."

Calypso was unable to do anything but sit. She felt completely broken, a feeling that was always intolerable for her. The only other time she felt like this was when her father died. No hope.

Athena looked at her sympathetically. "Fetch Adonis, you two can sit in here. I will teach you to weave. A necessary skill for any Olympian wife."

Blindly, Calypso walked out of the cave. She felt defeated, broken, and lost. But she refused to let anymore tears fall.