Page 49 of Orpheus
As I studied him carefully, I noticed he held that same grim look on his face, not once showing an ounce of expression. He remained silent. I began to fear that he could not speak at all. Yet somehow, I knew he was listening to me. For some reason, I was so certain that he was heeding my words.
What was he thinking?
Was he disappointed I did not come to rescue him?
Was he jealous of my new love with Eurydalos?
What if he was actually thrilled for me instead?
Perhaps he did want me to move on and find someone else to love.
So many thoughts swirled through my head, but I was unable to pin down one of them, for Calais was giving me nothing.
He proceeded to take a few steps closer to me. I hung my head low, not wanting to directly look at him in the eyes as he came so close to me. “But you are a part of this world now, aren’t you? There’s no human left in you any longer, is there?” I softly whispered.
I felt my chin being lifted up by Calais’s fingers. His silvery skin was chilly to the touch. I shivered as I was forced to gaze into his dark charcoal eyes. His irises blended in with his pupils. I sensed a tear shedding from the corner of my eye as I stared at him.
Still, Calais remained emotionless. His hand that held my chin moved to caress my cheek. His other hand reached for the opposite cheek, holding my face firmly. I was stunned, rendered motionless. I felt so numb and just allowed him to hold me.
And then, I saw it. Staring into his eyes, I could see a flame behind them. A dark and ominous flame that burned with enmity and resentment. My eyes widened with horror, and before I could even react, he was already in complete control.
I felt my head being twisted. Calais squeezed my face tightly and forced me to turn around. I tried to fight it, but could not override his strength. I tried to close my eyes in time, but it was too late. For the second I was spun around, I caught sight of Eurydalos, just barely, before I could shut my lids to hide my vision.
“No!” I screamed, pushing Calais off me. I ran over to Eurydalos, who fell onto his knees, stretching his arms out to me. I reached out to him, but before my hands could reach his, Eurydalos had completely faded. He was gone, without a trace.
I angrily turned back to Calais, but he had disappeared, too. And the next moment I blinked, I was no longer in the Underworld. As I opened my eyes, the sun was out, blistering as ever. Beneath me, the grass was once again vibrant, green and lush. The atmosphere around me was less dense.
I was in a bare field. Out on the horizon, I could see many stone structures clumped together, much of which were familiar to me. I was just outside the city of Iolcus,alone, without Eurydalos.
I fell on the ground to my knees, crying. I had failedhim. I had failedus. Eurydalos was stuck in the Underworld and I was back in the land of the living. I was so close to having him, but now I had lost him once again, and this time, I fearedforever.
I planted my fist into the ground, beating it mercilessly. “Arghhh!!!” I grunted aloud, my tears flowing like a waterfall.
How could Calais do this!?
How could he be so cruel?
Why did he want to see me suffer?
He was vengeful and full of hate. It was not the Calais I knew. The rancor of the Underworld must have had a dramatic effect on Calais to make him do such a contemptible thing to me.
I would never forgive him. I would never forgivemyself. I gave Eurydalos and me so much hope only to disappoint the both of us in the end. Hades had given me a simple task, and I could not succeed.
Now, I was beside myself. Alone in this vast world on the surface. I continued to weep for Eurydalos, still in shock from this traumatic experience. How much more could I endure? How much heartache must I suffer through? My soul had been crushed. I had now lost the love of my life not only once, buttwice. I could not bear it anymore.
Chapter 22
This had to have been a nightmare. A curse from Nyx, goddess of the night, herself. This could not be reality. It had to be a dream. I could not accept it. None of it seemed real. I remained on my knees in the fields of Iolcus, still refusing to accept all that had transpired. I made a foolish mistake in letting my guard down and allowing myself to feel remorseful towards Calais. In my moment of weakness, his envious self took complete advantage of my vulnerability. He forced me to face Eurydalos, so that I would lose him forever.
And Hades’s warning proved to be true. For the second I gazed upon my lover, he vanished right before my very eyes. How could I have made such a fatal mistake? It now cost me my future. My happiness.
Eurydalos was gone. I could no longer hold him in my arms, make passionate love to him. No more could my insides tingle at the very sight of him. No more would his radiant smile make me giddy. I had lost everything in the blink of an eye.
How could I go on?I thought to myself. But I shook my head as the tears continued to fall from my cheeks. I simply couldn’t. There was no way I could go on in this life without Eurydalos by my side. For a life without him… was that a life worth living? No. It wasn’t.
I rose to my feet, feeling light-headed. I became dizzy, my mind flipping about in so many different directions. I could not think straight. I was irrational, with so many mixed emotions. Anger, fear, anguish, confusion, shame. My heart was a turbulent sea storm sent forth by Poseidon. Its waves were unpredictable, crashing against any cliffside in its path with ferocity.
There had to have been a way to get Eurydalos back. If I got into the Underworld once, I could do it again, right? Yes! That was precisely what I would do. This time, I would have to try to avoid Hades and Persephone, though. Surely, they would not grant me a second chance after I had disobeyed them and not followed through with their conditions of leaving the Underworld without gazing upon Eurydalos.
