In the Presence of Gods

Vincent A. Alascia

© 2011 Vincent A. AlasciaAll Rights Reserved

ISBN

This is a work of fiction. Though the names and places may appear in other works the events in this book are the sole product of the author’s imagination.

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my mother, father, brother and sister for helping to fuel my imagination.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank my wife, Jamie, who is my muse, partner, editor and biggest fan all in one. I also must thank the members of the West Valley Writers' Workshop, they are a talented group and

have inspired me in so many ways.

Chapter 1

The bed was so much larger with just Theron in it. Though Ariadne had spent only a

handful of nights with him in this bed, the memories of those kept him awake on many nights

such as this one. One night in particular had just passed late in august only a couple weeks before

they parted before their freshman year of college. Ariadne had stayed with him at the house while

Theron’s parents were in Italy.

Her head lay across his, her hair tickling the soft underside of his arms. He could feel the

soft smoothness of her body pressing into his. She was his first and he loved her desperately even

after their first days together were memories. They were high school sweethearts, but that was

only part of it. They lay in silence, luxuriating in the heat radiating from their bodies.

Ariadne reached up with her index finger and traced small circles on Theron’s chin. “You

should make arrangements to do a semester or two with me at Yale.” Ariadne propped herself up

on her elbows so she could look Theron in the eye.

“I don’t know.”

“You know a lot of American heads of state graduated from Yale.”

“I know,” Theron said. He rubbed Ariadne’s shoulder and down the length of her arm.

“But I am a Greek, an Atlantian no less; my father would shit if I didn't follow in his footsteps at

Athens University. Besides, I’m thinking maybe I don’t want to be in politics.”

Ariadne's laugh tinkled like glass wind chimes. “Good luck with that,” she said after

drawing a long breath.

“Tell me about it.” Theron said as he slid underneath her. They kissed long and deep. “I

don’t want to talk about school. I hate for us to be apart. While we are together I don’t even want

the thought of school in my head.”

Ariadne rested her face on Theron’s neck. He let his hand slide down the firmness of her

back and over the soft round curve of her bottom. He could not help but feel the weight of the

world lift off of his shoulders while he and Ariadne were together. He held her as if letting go

would mean the end of both. He had access to all of her, and she had the same from him. Lying

like this they felt like one being, one heart, one soul. Theron could not get it out of his mind,

though the summer was giving way to the fall and time once again would devour these moments.

The memory of that night had stayed with Theron as clear as crystal. All the sounds, scents and

sensations remained as vivid as if it were yesterday.

In the end sleep did win out and a dream unfolded slowly. Theron stood on the coast of

Atlantis, looking out across the Aegean at Greece. The most powerful nation of the modern

world, Greece, boasted the longest continuous civilization and the only Gods that mattered. As

the capstone that held this civilization together, Atlantis was the hub of Greek life as it had been

for the last three thousand years. Theron stood on the beach outside his home and felt the chilled

promise of a winter yet to arrive. The sky rolled overhead like a cyclone looking for a home. The

horizon drew Theron’s attention. Across the water something held his thoughts.

An small dinghy approached the shore with an old man standing at the bow. His clothes

were all tattered rags and his long gray hair stuck out from under the sides of his hat like straw

from a scarecrow. The old man pointed one long bony finger at Theron.

“Return to the future. Go forward to the past. This way. Come. ”

The words confused Theron, but he climbed into the small boat anyway. His added

weight made it sink more into the sand and some water rose from the bottom of the wood to cover

both of their feet. He sat and the old man turned away from him. The boat left the shore behind

and headed out to sea, but not by the powers of either oars or sails. The old wood creaked beneath

Theron and the water came close to cresting the knotted sides. The sky had settled into a gray

sheet and the ocean was unnaturally calm, neither a ripple nor a wave disturbed the surface. Even

the dingy failed to create a wake. An indescribable power pulled them along or was it the sheer

will of the old man's thoughts. Theron surveyed the ocean around him, hoping for some clue to

what was happening or going to happen next.

“Where are we going?”

The old man in the cloak did not answer him. The boat headed east, towards the Greek

mainland. Theron looked out across the bow. The air was thick with a salty fog that coated his

lips and made his throat cry out for a drink. A low ringing sound filled his head as the air pushed

by his ears. The boat headed right where the whirlpool Charybdis is rumored to churn with the

wrath of Poseidon. The coast guard posted warnings to small boats about strong currents in the

area, despite the fact that no whirlpool had ever been sighted. Still, the myth of Charybdis was

strong enough to keep many from ignoring the warning. The small dinghy began bobbing up and

down in the water. Theron tried to stand up to get a better view, steadying himself with one arm

on the side of the boat. The sea in front of him opened up like a great round but jagged wound.

The whirlpool was the size of a city block. The sea spun, churned and vomited up foamy

liquid death. Faces appeared in the water. Hundreds, thousands, millions of faces churned about

in those dark waters riding the whirlpool to oblivion.

“Never end, never begin,” the old man said. He had to shout above the roar of the water.

“Chronos devours his children only to spit them back up. Time is not as you think.”

The boat turned away from the whirlpool and headed to an area of the Greek coast closest

to Atlantis. After a short while it landed on a sandy beach, and the old man climbed out. “Come.

There is one more thing which you need to see.”

Theron followed the old man up the beach to a sea cave about twenty meters from the

boat. The air smelled of decaying shellfish and salt. Theron, despite spending much of his youth

by the sea, had to cover his nose and mouth to keep from vomiting. As they entered the light of a

fire now attracted his attention. He suddenly felt in need of the warmth from the flames and

hurried to the spot in the center of the cave where the glowing logs heated the cold dead rocks.

The sight of Ariadne standing beside the fire surprised him. “Theron,” she said. “You’ve

come back for me.”

“Ariadne, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in the Americas.”

She looked at him. Her gray eyes moistened and begged for his embrace. “What are you

talking about?”

“Ariadne?” Theron questioned. Her her clothes were torn and frayed as if she climbed

out of a hole in the earth. Weeds and cobwebs snaked through her hair. Dirt smeared her face and

and ugly wound scarred her right arm gash above the elbow. Blood had crusted around the wound

making it look jagged and painful. “What in Hades happened to you?

Ariadne stood there and her face went blank as if she no longer saw Theron. “All gone,”

she said. “All is done. Atlantis has sunk beneath the sea.”

“Ariadne you aren’t making any sense.” Theron reached out for her and held her at arms

length. “It’s me, Theron.”

Ariadne looked at him again as her eyes refocused. She threw herself at him and wept on

his shoulder. “All is gone. Nothing will be the same.” Her eyes widened and her lower lip

trembled. “The world, our world is no more. History has played against us.” She looked around

and then turned to Theron. “Theron, I have to tell you something...”

A loud squealing like nails in a blender drowned out Ariadne's voice it grew louder and

louder until the cave around him disappeared. Theron looked around as Ariadne, the fire, the cave

and everything else was gone. He looked up and saw the red glare of the flashing screen with the

time: 7:30. “Son of a Bitch! For the love of Zeus you stupid damn phone.” He grabbed his

mobile and silenced the alarm. A pop up reminded him of his morning class. He dropped the

phone back onto his nightstand.

Theron rolled over. It was only the third week of classes at Athens University and already

he was growing tired of everything. He hated the rush to catch the ferry off the island. He knew

he could have an extra hour of sleep if his parents would only let him take a room at the school.

They wouldn’t. Theron’s father cited the usual reasons. He was an important and sometimes

unpopular man in the government who needed his family close by where he could keep watch

over them. Ettore even went to the trouble of adding on a second wing for his sister Callia and at

the time her fiance. Being head of the Council of Unified Greece may be great for his father but it

was torture for Theron. “The responsibilities of the son of the head of state stunk,” he said to

himself. What made it even worse was his father’s planning and scheming to make Theron follow

in his footsteps. Of the twenty-four credits he signed up for this semester only the three, his

English Lit class, were what he wanted, the rest were political science and justice courses his

father had placed on his schedule.

Theron climbed out of bed and sighed. Another day closer and further from when he an

Ariadne parted. He walked across his room and looked out of the floor to ceiling window at the

Aegean. The sun was just rising over the line of the Greek coast. The sky looked like blue velvet

devoid of any clouds. Maybe today would be different. Sometimes, in the mornings like this,

Theron liked to pretend it would be. He liked to pretend that Ariadne was there with him and that

together they looked out on the glorious morning.

“Theron,” his mother called out. “I heard your alarm go off. Are you out of that bed? You

cannot miss the ferry again this week.” Though the family had a cook, Adonia insisted on making

breakfast for her family. She carried a plate of eggs and bacon across the kitchen to the breakfast

nook where her husband, daughter and younger son sat. It was a step down from the kitchen level

and built out of the back of the house in an octagonal shape. The large windows made it look as

though you were eating breakfast on the beach.

“That child is definitely not one for the mornings.” Adonia said to her husband.

“He is a young man,” Ettore Fedoropoulos said to his wife. He sat up in his chair as he

took the plate offered to him. He lost most of his jet-black hair back when Theron was born and

since then has been aware of how much shorter he was than Adonia. She playfully ran her hand

over his fuzzy head. He pushed her away. “Theron will never learn the responsibilities of a man if

you keep referring to him as a child.” He returned to scrolling through the news stories from the

morning review he had plugged into his personal data terminal. “Well, it looks like the Americans

have a new president,” he said to start a different conversation.

“Let’s hope this one can keep his Johnson in his pants, huh dad.”

“Julian, your mother.” Ettore reprimanded his son.

“Oh she doesn’t know...”

“For your information, I know what a “Johnson” is,” Adonia interrupted. Julian was her

baby, with his father's dark eyes and square chin. He was growing up too quickly. “English is

such a base language, must you use the worst of it?”

“Ahh,” Ettore said. “I think it is a joke of the Gods that that language has spread so far.”

“Apparently it is easier for the Orientals to learn than our native tongue,” Callia added.

She was more like her father; level headed and strong in her convictions. Most of the time those

convictions matched her father. In many ways Ettore had to face the uneasy prospect of having a

daughter being better able to follow in his footsteps. She did have Adonia's thick lips and high

cheeks, she would make any man a beautiful wife. She wanted a career, however.

“Easier for the Orientals,” Ettore looked at his daughter. “Don’t get me started on them or

the Americans.”

“Yeah right Dad,” Julian said.

“Both of you should give the Americans more credit for than that,” Callia said. “You

forgot it was the ingenious American scientists that helped us land a man on the moon.”

“And you forget it was our theoreticians that gave them the science behind the bomb that

ended their War in the Pacific. Look what they did with that knowledge. They started a damn

arms race with the Soviets and almost brought Armageddon down on all of us,” Ettore fumed.

“Ah Dad, you’re just too old fashioned.” Callia said and punched a text message into her

phone. “The Americans have changed. I think this new president will help them progress even

further.”

Ettore looked up from his tablet but didn’t respond. Old fashioned, huh. He studied his

daughter. She wore her long hair blond and she even had a pair of blue tinted contacts. He

realized she was trying to look American. He reminded himself of the promise he made to Adonia

not to be too hard on Callia. Still, he wanted his daughter, the law student, back and not this

blonde bombshell.

“Here he is,” Adonia announced as Theron stepped into the kitchen. “My sleepy little

college man almost missed his breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry.” Theron said as he placed his shoulder bag on the counter. “I just want

some orange juice. Maybe I’ll grab a bagel on the ferry.” He filled a glass with juice.

“Maybe this bacon and eggs your mother made would be better for you,” his father said.

“Maybe I’m no longer interested in things that are better for me.” Theron said as he

gulped down his orange juice.

“Fine,” Theron’s father said and went back to his news stories. “Hey, there was another

earthquake on the southern tip of the island last night.” He looked up from the terminal. “I didn’t

feel anything. Did any of you?”

His family all shook their heads. “What time was that dad?” Theron asked. The memory

of his dream last night was still vivid.

“It says here it struck at two forty-seven.”

“Oh,” Theron said. He didn’t mention that was also about the same time he fell asleep

and into that very weird dream.

“Theron, will you be home for dinner?” Adonia asked. “Connie’s making your favorite,

lasagna.”

“No, I have some work to do in the library. I’ll be taking the late ferry home. Leave

some out for me and maybe I’ll eat it if it's not too late.”

“You spend too much time in that library,” Adonia started clearing away the empty

plates. “Aren’t there any other places for you to go and enjoy yourself? Work will always be

there, you should try to have some fun.”

“Adonia, what are you talking about,” Ettore shook his head.

“He works too hard.”

“He has a lot of responsibilities,” Ettore replied. “You know my cabinet is already

preparing a position for him in the administration for the next legislative session. I have it all

worked out with the Dean. You will be completing your studies in the capital building.”

Theron put his glass in the dishwasher. “What if I wanted to finish up my schooling on

campus?”

“No, you need the experience. You need to get out of those ivory halls to where the

people are. Let them get to know you let them see the next Fedoropoulos that will head the

Council.”

“Sure, whatever.” Theron picked up his books and left. “I’ll see you later,” he called from

the hall before going out.

“You push him too hard,” Adonia said.

“You know Dad, a third of the council consists of females,” Callia said. “Who’s to say

that the next head of the council isn’t going to be a woman as well as a Fedoropoulos?”

“Callia, you’re my daughter and I love you. But you keep talking like that and Zeus is

going to send down a thunderbolt right into your mouth.”

“And there’s plenty of room for it too,” Julian added.

“Oh you shut up monkey-boy.”

“Don’t call him that,” Adonia said.

Ettore changed the subject, “Listen to this. In a survey, more Greeks watch Athenian Idol

than have read the Odyssey or the Scrolls of Poseidon.”

“Actually Dad, most scientists count the scrolls as forgeries. Especially since the carbon

dating tests proved them to be no older than medieval times,” Callia said.

“Don’t talk to me about scientists. The Scrolls of Poseidon recount the story of how

Atlantis came to be. I don’t care what science has to say about it.” He turned to his wife, “see,

Adonia, that’s what’s wrong with this new generation, nothing is sacred.” He shut off his data pad

and placed it in his valise. “My dear daughter I would love to continue this discussion but I must

be along myself. I am meeting the council member over coffee. I need to know that I can count

on his support I the council chambers.”

Callia looked at her father. “Over coffee huh, is that how all the big laws get made now?”

“It's all politics as usual, my dear. Just a friendly discussion to see how this newest

member may vote. Nothing more.” Ettore walked over and kissed Adonia on the cheek. He then

circled back and kissed firs Callia and then Julian on the top of their heads before leaving the

kitchen.

Chapter 2

Theron couldn’t shake the dream he had that morning. Ariadne often occupied his dreams

but never like this. They were together at parties, or out on the beach. They were even in the

market for one. The dream last night seemed too real to be just a dream. He could remember the

smells and sensations of being in that cave. He actually felt Ariadne against him as she wept. The

clarity of the dream frightened him. This made it more of a nightmare than a dream and he had

thought he had outgrown nightmares a long time ago.

“This isn't getting me anywhere,” Theron muttered to himself. He quickened his pace and

soon arrived at the dock. He then looked up and down for his best friend Hector. For once Theron

wished he had someone to talk with while he waited. He didn’t know whom he could tell about

his dream anyway.

The entrance to the ferry was just up ahead. Theron reached into his back pocket and

pulled out his wallet. He had to show his student ID at the ferry gate. He felt so grateful that he

didn’t have to pay full price for the ferry. In truth he didn’t have to pay for it at all. All he had to

do was ask his father and he could have had the family helicopter shuttle him across to the

university in half the time it took the ferry, as his father kept reminding him. Theron liked being

on the boat, though. He liked looking at all the people going off to school or work in Athens.

The building was typical of Atlantian architecture in the modern period. The side facing

land was mostly white concrete with some glass. The side facing the sea was all glass with a thin

frame of steel. You bought your ticket in the front, in a large terminal with a red terrazzo floor

and marble columns in the corners. From there, passengers rode one of five long escalators down

to the boarding area. Overhead a large curved glass tube sheltered the riders from the sun or rain

and reminded Theron of something giant hamsters might run through. The view of the sea was a

sight that only those a head taller than most of the people crowded on the escalators could enjoy.

Inside the boarding area, a glass tower rose up for several stories, high enough to require warning

lights for any planes flying in the area. A white enameled steel frame held the structure together.

It rose up from the concrete walls and spread out and up like a technologically perfect spider web.

The frame’s slender metal bars and connecting hubs were so much more appealing to the eye than

chunky metal beams and columns. Fiber optics wrapped around the steel so at night the lighted

frame could be seen for miles.

One always had to be careful while walking along the boarding area or else you were

likely to get bumped by a tourist whose eyes rarely drifted from looking up and marveling. To

counter this, The Transportation Council worked with the Tourism Agency to mark off what were

called, “best sight” zones. Red circles marked the areas where the view was the best. Only true

Atlantians knew these areas were bogus and all views of the building were the same. These areas

just kept the tourists corralled in certain areas and out of the way of people who actually had to be

somewhere. Advertisements and posters assaulted the eyes along the walk. Occasionally a brave

local band might slap a few handmade posters up for their most recent show. These posters rarely

lasted more than a couple of hours and cost the band members 500-dinar fine if caught.

“Theron!”

A male voice shouted from behind Theron. He stopped and then spotted his friend Hector

struggling through the crowd to catch up with him. Hector was as tall as Theron, five-nine. His

hair was a lighter blondish-brown and his face a bit squarer than Theron’s. A health nut, Hector

enjoyed the body of someone who knew the difference between weight lifting and weight

training. His body brought him closer to the images of his namesake, the famous Trojan warrior

and scourge of Achilles. He never had trouble attracting the ladies, even if he lacked the maturity

to hold onto them.

“Theron wait up.” He ran over nearly knocking into a woman with his heavy gym bag.

“Aw man, this place just keeps getting worse.” No one followed in lines anymore. The whole

dock was just a tangled mass of bodies shuffling about.

“Wait until the solstice celebration. You won’t be able to get through here,” Theron said.

“Hey, where were you last night? Dana’s party was the event of the year. Everyone was

there.”

Theron hesitated a moment before answering. “Ah, I had some reading to do.” He

watched Hector’s face for a reaction. Was he buying it? “Besides the school year is only a few

weeks old, how could that have been the party of the year?”

Hector reached over and knocked on Theron’s head. “Hello, anybody in there. Dana

throws a rave and you stay home to do some reading.” He looked around nervously. “I don’t

know if I should be seen in public with you.”

“What a comedian. Are you on tour or something? Did I really miss anything big?”

“What good is it for me to tell you that you missed a good party?” Hector put his arm

around his friend. “I wouldn’t be able to call myself your friend if I didn’t help you with this. You

got to get out more often. You don’t want to be some forty year-old just realizing that you let

your youth slip away. Now is the time to live. Now is the time to forget about tomorrow because

we may not have a tomorrow.”

Theron looked at him. He’d seen this attitude in many of the other students at the

university. The new Greeks, inheritors of the civilized world, he thought. They lived like it too, as

if there were no tomorrow. He’d often envied those that could live as though there were no

tomorrow. He knew he couldn’t. “I just don’t see what I should be celebrating. I mean, is missing

one party going to make that big a difference?”

“You seem to have a goal of missing all the big parties. Look we’re only a couple of

freshmen. We have plenty of time to buckle down and get serious. I have a cousin who said you

can party through two thirds of your college career and still make it out with an impressive vitae.

You know I was talking to Andy Gelasius; he’s in charge of the students' pirate radio station. I

think I’m close to letting him give us a spot.”

“The radio show?” Theron remembered the fun he had with Hector and Ariadne doing a

show for their high school radio station. “We might be able to resurrect the show? Now that could

be something.”

“Right,” Hector said. “I bumped into Andy at the party. They are looking to fill a couple

slots next semester.”

“I hadn’t thought about getting on the radio again.” Theron wanted to take some

communications classes but his father’s program didn’t leave much room for that. He hoped he

could sneak it in by saying it would aid his public speaking. “Do you think we could really get a

spot?”

“We’ve got some more legwork to do on that,” Hector said. They worked their way into a

line in front a cafe. “I have to get some coffee in me.”

“I’ll think I’ll get some tea,” Theron said. He reached for his wallet. “So how much of a

dick am I for missing this party?”

“Not much, but you miss the next one and you better watch it.” Hector smiled. “The old

radar was working overtime last night. There were quite a few ladies there.”

Theron shook his head. He thought about pretending if only to get Hector to leave him

alone, but he knew he could never look at other women. One day Hector might understand, but

not today. “You know there is only one woman I want to look at.”

“Yeah, and where is she?” Hector walked up to the counter and ordered a coffee, black.

“Look I know how much you care for Ariadne,” Hector said. “But I gotta tell you, she left you.

She went to the United States. You didn’t send her away.”

“She may not be here right now, but that doesn’t mean we're apart. That doesn’t mean I

could forget what we have.” Theron ordered a cup of orange juice instead. “We are still

together.”

Hector looked at him. “Do you know that for certain? You’ve heard what it’s like in the

United States. People are running amok. It's the Wild West out there. How do we know that she

isn’t snuggled up in bed right now with some basketball star or heroin-shooting rock musician?”

He walked away from the counter.

Theron stopped walking and almost spilled his juice. “Why do you even open up your big

mouth? You’re such a dick sometimes.” He started to walk away. “No, I’m not talking about this

any more. I trust Ariadne.”

“Okay, okay that was stupid of me.” Hector apologized. “I know Ariadne’s not that type.

But still, you're here and she's there. It’s no reason for you to isolate yourself. What are you going

to do, hide in that big house of yours like some turtle until Ariadne returns?” Hector looked at

Theron’s eyes to see if he was getting through. He was. “Good, look. At the party last night there

was a friend of Rachel’s. Her name’s Kay. She’s perfect for you, I know it. Long dark hair,

gorgeous hazel eyes and a body to die for, I’m talking thirty-four double Ds here.” Hector cupped

his hands and held them a few inches in front of his chest.

Theron shook his head. “Even if I was to meet somebody it would strictly be as a friend.

Just someone to talk to. How do you know she’s perfect for me? Is she a student? What’s her

major? What political party does she conform to, Aristotelian or Platonist? Does she like to read,

listen to music?”

“Slow your row there,” Hector turned his head to watch a blonde open the gate to one of

the shops that lined the boarding platform. She wore a short skirt that rode up her legs as she bent

to release the gate. “I think she’s wearing a thong.” Hector whispered, then noticed Theron had

walked away. He ran to catch up to him again. “Okay, okay, so I don’t know all that much about

Kay. I only talked to her for a little while.”

“You talked with her long enough to know her bra size.”

“That’s different. We didn’t talk about that. I could tell that on my own. It’s my gift, I’m

touched by the Gods.”

“You’re touched all right.”

“This isn’t about me. It’s about you. Look, tonight is your late night right?”

“Yeah,” Theron looked over at a couple that stood to his left. In that instant they

reminded him of someone he knew. “I have my astronomy lab tonight. I was thinking of blowing

it off though.”

“You,” Hector laughed. “I got a better chance of going celibate than you do of skipping a

class. Come by the Underground after your lab. I’ll be there with Rachel and Kay.”

Theron was serious thinking about skipping that class. Now he was even more serious.

Then another voice came to him. A female voice. It reminded him that Hector was only going to

find another way to get them together so why not play along? Theron knew that voice was only

testing him. After all, the Gods were everywhere. Theron looked at his friend. “What do you have

against Ariadne all of the sudden?”

“Nothing, I miss her too. I just don’t want to see you moping around so much. We’re just

gonna have some fun, nothing major.”

“I can see that if I say no it might be a long ride over to the university.” Theron laughed

at the thought of throwing Hector overboard, but knew he lacked the strength to do it. “I mean if

it’s all of us together, then it really isn’t a date.”

“Of course it isn’t,” Hector replied. “If it makes you feel any better I’ll speak to Kay

beforehand. So there are no hard feelings.”

“Why would there be hard feelings? What did you tell her about me?”

Hector looked out the nearest window, avoiding Theron's gaze. “I might have told her

you just went through a breakup.”

“A what?” Theron glared at his friend. Did he say breakup? “Hector how could you say

that?”

“I wasn’t thinking. It was the alcohol.”

Theron took a long swig from his juice. “You better do some talking or the only breakup

will be the bones of your ass.”

“Yeah, you and who else,” Hector laughed. He looked over at his friend. “Leave

everything to me. I’ll set it all straight. You don’t have to worry about a thing. Tonight will be

just a bunch of us getting together after class.”

“Good.” Theron shook his head. “I can’t believe you told her I broke up with Ariadne.”

“She doesn’t even know Ariadne. She’s actually from Crete.”

The sign announcing the boarding of the 9:15 ferry to Athens lit up and passengers began

making their way to the boat. Theron and Hector headed for the gangplank.

“So aren’t you going to fill me in at all about this party last night?”

“You missed a good one,” Hector started as they boarded the boat. “Girls and more girls,

two for every guy, I swear. And the music. We had Dana's laptop running through the house PA.

It was Techno until you puked. Speaking of that, you remember Dana’s boyfriend, Ramos? Well,

he made a batch of this stuff he called ambrosia punch. This one guy got so drunk off it we had

to fish him out of the water twice because the asshole thought he was Poseidon. Ah man what a

night!”

Chapter 3

Ariadne sprawled across the couch in the living room of the apartment she shared with

her roommate, Cloie. The apartment was too small for two people to share and not constantly be

aware of each other. It had a phone booth inspired bathroom and a galley kitchen, if you consider

a stove, refrigerator, sink and four feet of counter space a kitchen. The other half of the apartment

consisted of the combination living and dining room. Cloie had the left bedroom and Ariadne had

the right. Only two posters and a Yale pendant hung on the walls in the living room. One of the

posters was of a bare chested Adonis in leather pants leaning against a red Ferrari. The other

poster was of some puppies. Cloie picked out the Ferrari guy. The puppies were Ariadne’s

choice. Outside the only window, traffic buzzed by on Temple Street. Though it was only a one

way street, there always seemed to be cars going by.

Ariadne had skipped her first class this morning to work on a paper for her Composition

class that afternoon. She would have done it last night but the sociology paper took longer than

expected. Then her computer corrupted the file when the power blinked off and came back on.

She had to retype it from her notes and memory. At that moment she knew it; college sucked.

Did it really have to be this hard? Would any of it be worth all the effort? She wondered if

Theron had this much work at the University of Athens.

Her roommate Cloie was out last night with her boyfriend. An 8 x 10 glossy picture of

him sat on the television next to Ariadne's 4 x 6 of Theron. She couldn’t imagine what Cloie saw

in Mark. Theron was easily much better looking; she only wished she had a bigger picture of him.

She fought with Cloie over going on a double date with one of Mark’s friends. Ariadne had

changed her mind and went to the library instead. She expected that Cloie wasn’t speaking to her

again, but that should only last a few days.

“It just didn’t feel right going out with all this work to do,” Ariadne convinced herself

that was the reason. The most important of her father’s lessons was the one on responsibility. She

was in New Haven for an education, not to go bar hopping. Though the bar sounded like a cool

place, a new one on that had just opened up. The few times she had been out with Cloie were fun.

Well, maybe she deserved to have a little fun now and then.

She got up off the couch to grab her mobile. She wanted to text Cloie and find out where

she was. She could meet her there. Ariadne caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror.

She picked up a brush and ran it through her reddish-brown hair. She liked the color. She could

only hope her parents would too. Cloie said it was perfect. It really brought out the hazel in her

eyes and even made her soft rounded cheeks a little redder. At least her hair was one good choice

she made.

A figure appeared in the mirror behind Ariadne’s right shoulder. She instantly

recognized the short brown hair, crystal blue eyes and the way her skin glowed with the

luminance of a full moon in a clear January sky. “Athena,” Ariadne said.

“Hello my child. What do you see in that mirror that is more important than what is in

your books?”

“Do you think I’m pretty?”

The goddess looked at her. “That is what you ask the Goddess of wisdom? You are many

things. If pretty must be one of them then yes, I do think you are pretty.”

“That sounds like an answer my mother would give me.”

Athena smiled. She stepped from the mirror and walked around Ariadne. Her long silk

toga flowed like a cloud about her long slender torso and legs. The air parted before her every

step and it sounded as if someone strummed a harp with every move of her limbs. Though she

was there, she was more transparent like a ghost or a fine mist on a rocky shoreline. Athena

leaned against the small kitchen table. She almost fell through it and struggled to keep her

balance.

“Oh, I have to work on that.”

“You’re still having trouble appearing,” Ariadne said.

“Unfortunately, despite all the myths you heard about hind’s blood, the only thing that

really can kill a God is disbelief, and unfortunately few in this country believe.”

“So you’re not as powerful?”

Athena’s lips met in a thin red line. Her eyes looked more focused. “Powerful enough,

but we weren’t talking about me. I want to talk about you.”

Ariadne put down her hairbrush. She walked back and sat on the couch with her hands in

her lap. “What’s to talk about? I’m miserable.”

“I can see that. Why?” Athena glided over to where Ariadne sat. She alighted upon the

couch like a small bird upon a thin tree branch. “You are one of only twelve Atlanteans to study

in Yale in all its history. You’re doing well in your classes, making your parents proud and you

have me here for guidance. You know not too many Goddesses make house calls these days.”

“Athena, do Goddesses have wants, desires?”

“Desires yes. But wants?” Athena thought for a moment. “I’d have to say no. When

you’re a goddess, you pretty much have it all. It’s a really neat club to be in.” She winked.

“Yeah I’m sure,” Ariadne continued. “But, what about dreams? I mean this was my

dream. Attending Yale was my dream almost all through high school. I studied and worked hard

for this. I finally make it here and I’m miserable. I want to be home. I want to be with Theron.”

Athena looked at Ariadne. She stepped away from the makeup table and took a few paces

towards the window. “I see my sister still has a hold on you.” Athena said and turned around to

face Ariadne.

“No, she doesn’t. If you taught me anything, it was that even though we are mortals we

have a hold on our fate, our own destinies. The Gods can only tempt us but in the end we decide

what we want.”

Athena smiled. She touched the knuckle of her right index finger to her eyes as if to stop

a tear. “You make a Goddess so proud. Still, it pains me to see you so unhappy. You’re future is

so bright. You have so many options open to you. How do you know a life with Theron is still

one of them?”

Those words stung Ariadne. She tried hard not to let it show. “How do you know it is

not?”

“I asked you first, and I am a Goddess.” Athena smiled.

Ariadne stood up and walked over to the window where Athena stood. “Everyone has

that one special person they’re destined to be with, a soul mate, right? What if Theron is my soul

mate? What if he is the one? I could be wasting my time looking. Surely you don’t want me

alone. Theron and I could have a family. I want children. Wouldn’t you like to have some more

followers, some more Atlantians paying you tribute at your temples?”

Athena reached out and held Ariadne’s hands. “My child.” She looked into Ariadne’s

eyes. “My dear child, how this love has affected you.”

Ariadne pulled her hands back. She felt the Goddesses eyes x-raying her soul and cat-

scanning her psyche. Athena could say nothing that would change her feelings. Ariadne wanted to

walk away but didn’t. “Haven’t you ever loved someone, Athena? What about Odysseus? I’ve

read the texts. I know you were very close to him. Did you love him? Did he love you?”

“Odysseus was a very wise man. Yes, he was special to me. Don’t forget, though, he was

a mortal.”

“So a god cannot find love in a mortal? Then how about another god?”

“Child, love does not come easy to the Gods. To some who are lucky, who have it in their

fates love is a wonderful thing. There are some of us who are not so fortunate.”

“What about me? Am I one of those less fortunate? Am I fated not to have love, to only

read about it, hear about it see it and never have it for myself?” Athena didn’t answer and Ariadne

grew angrier. She looked out on the City of New Haven; actually she couldn’t see much of it. Her

bedroom window looked right across at a large vacant billboard. “Tell me or don’t tell me, but

know this, if I suspect that I am one of those who’ll never know love, then I hope Hades has a

place in Tartarus for me because I’ll be joining him soon.”

Athena rushed to her. She covered Ariadne’s mouth. “Child, do not say such a thing!”

Ariadne didn’t fight her.

“You already know love. Is it not what is troubling you now?

“Yes.”

The door opened and Ariadne’s roommate, Cloie stepped in alone. She saw only Ariadne,

and her mobile sat on the end table at the other end of the room. “Who ya talkin’ to?”

Ariadne looked at Athena who appeared translucent to her now and still invisible to

Cloie. “No one.”

“Ariadne is it Athena again?” Cloie looked around the room. “You’re really starting to

freak me out with this.”

“It’s really no different from what you do in church.”

“I pray in church. My God doesn’t talk back to me.”

“That should tell her something,” Athena said.

Only Ariadne heard her and she had to fight hard not to laugh.

“I just wanna to drop these books off. Mark was really pissed last night that you blew off

his friend.”

“I’m sorry. I just wasn’t up for it.”

“Do you think you’ll be up for it on Saturday night?”

Ariadne looked at Athena, who made a snooty looking face at Cloie.

“I’ll be up for it Saturday if it means that much to you.”

“To me no,” Cloie said. “If you want to spend all you time up here pining away that’s

okay by me. It means something to Mark and when Mark’s happy I’m happy.”

“I think this little sheep needs to spend a little more time out at the personality farm,”

Athena said.

Ariadne laughed. She couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“What’s so funny?” Cloie asked Ariadne.

“Nothing, you wouldn’t understand.”

Cloie looked around the empty room. “I gotta be some where. You can talk to your

Goddess all you want but don’t come looking for me when the men with the straight-jacket show

up.” Cloie turned and headed for her bedroom. She closed the door behind her a little harder than

she meant too.

“Boy, princess bitch is in a good mood,” Athena said.

“I guess last night didn’t go so well for her.”

“With her attitude I bet a lot of things don’t go so well for her. Please don’t do things just

to make Cloie happy or fulfill whatever designs she might have. Anyway, child, I have to get

back to Olympus.”

“Before you go could I see him?” She had that look about her, partly of want and mostly

of need. She knew Athena could see what was in her heart and she couldn’t refuse.

Athena looked at Ariadne. “Okay but not for too long.” She put her hands together and

then opened them. In one motion she traced a circle in the air.

A luminescent cloud of silver appeared and in the center of it an image came into focus.

Theron was in the image. He sat at a small study cubicle in the library going over his notes.

“Look at him,” Ariadne said. “His head buried in his books, just like me. We have so

much in common.”

“Athena smiled. I guess you could do worse.”

Then as if aware of two pairs of eyes upon him, Theron looked up. He looked right at

Ariadne through Athena’s illusion. He smiled. His face was so warm, masculine, but in ways

other men could only hope for and other women could only dream about. Immediately Ariadne’s

heart warmed in a way that pictures alone could never achieve. She could stare for hours into his

eyes that were like a warm blanket on a cool night or the constellations to a sailor at sea; they

were two stars guiding her across the ocean that separated them. All at once the words of John

Keats came to Ariadne. ‘Truth-beauty, that is all ye need to know.’ She knew that somehow that

English poet saw in that Grecian urn the face of her only love, Theron. Ariadne sighed. How

could she love any other? The image faded.

“My child, you do not have to convince me of your feelings for Theron. Unfortunately I

fear your father will not be so easy.” Athena said. “Please, for me, stick with your schooling. I am

certain given enough time you will see this for the opportunity it really is. If it is the will of the

fates, Theron will be there for you.”

Ariadne knew she was right. Her father never cared for Theron. Mostly he didn’t care for

Theron’s father and the differences in their political positions. As the Speaker of the University

Council he often had to face his budgets being cut by Ettore Fedoropoulos. So when Ariadne

started seeing Theron it was like dating the son of her father’s mortal enemy. She wasn’t going to

leave Yale, but she also wanted to spend as much time with Theron as she could this semester

break. Convincing her father of that would not be easy. She knew, though, that he would listen to

her. He had to and if not him, her mother would listen.

“Just promise me don’t get in too much trouble tonight,” Athena said. “You do have a

paper to do, please finish it. You will make your Goddess so proud.” With those words Athena

left.

Ariadne finished her paper in the hour. Cloie returned from the bedroom. “I just got a text

from Mark he's just up the street at the record store with the coffee bar. His friend Ben is with

him.” She arched her eyebrows high. “You could get lucky.”

“I prefer company to getting lucky but I'm in the mood to get out of here.”

“Cool, I already told the guys we'd meet them there.”

“How fortunate of you,” Ariadne said, heading into her room. “Let me just change into

something else.” She returned five minutes later in a long skirt and sweater. Cloie didn't say

anything so the two of them headed out of the apartment.

Read More

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vincent A. Alascia is the author of In the Presence of Gods and Xristos: Chosen of God

available on Kindle and paperback, as well as work that has appeared in anthologies and online.

Originally an East Coast native, he makes his home in the Phoenix Arizona area with his wife and

three attention seeking felines. He is a librarian at the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public

Records and an active member of the West Valley Writers Workshop.

HTTP://VAALASCIA.COM