Calypso

The Story of Percy - Part 2

I looked up from my flowers to a voice.
"Hermes," I kept the growl out of my voice. "Go away."
His reflection formed in the water. I wanted to smack that self-righteous grin right off of his face. "Calypso," he hummed. "It's a bad idea to order a god around."
I didn't answer. I just ripped another weed out of the flowerbed.
"I see you have another visitor," he said calmly, as if he were simply discussing the weather instead of my awful curse. "One problem -- he's needed back in the real world."
I took a deep breath instead of throwing my shovel at Hermes' hologram. "Of course he is. They all are. Needed. Away from my not-real world."
"Anyhoo, you know what has to happen next, right?"
I stabbed another weed. "Of course I do," I said, unable to hold back the resentment this time. "It's happened a thousand times already. I know the ritual. Make the girl fall in love, take away that love and never let them see each other again, break her heart, repeat. Why am I immortal again?"
Hermes didn't reply. I looked up to see the boy, Percy, walking towards us. I wiped my eyes once Hermes vanished completely.
I attempted a smile. "Well, the sleeper finally awakes."
"Who were you talking to?" His voice was weak, thick. He was probably thirsty.
I glanced back at the water. "Oh... Just a messenger," I half-lied. He was the god of messengers, anyway. "How do you feel?"
"How long have I been out?"
"Time," I muttered. Another thing I was robbed of on this stupid island. "Time is always difficult here. I honestly don't know, Percy."
His expression portrayed distrust. I didn't blame him. If I were him, and I knew the tales of Calypso, I wouldn't trust me either. "You know my name?"
"You talk in your sleep."
His face flushed red. "Yeah. I've been...uh, told that before."
"Yes. Who is Annabeth?"
"Oh, uh. A friend. We were together when--wait, how did I get here? Where am I?"
A friend. Of course. My heart sunk. All of them had a girl waiting at home.
I saw a bug land in his matted rat's nest of a hair. I brushed it away, and he stepped back nervously. I tried my hardest not to blush. "I'm sorry," I said hurriedly. "I've just grown used to caring for you," I lied compulsively. "As to how you got here, you landed in the water, just there." I pointed across the beach. "I don't know how you survived. The water seemed to cushion your fall. As to where you are, you are in Ogygia."
I waited for him to wince, or frown, or take a few more steps away from me. He must have recognized where he is by now.
"Is that near Mount St. Helens?"
I tried to hold in my laugh, but it ended up coming out anyway. "It isn't near anything, brave one. Ogygia is my phantom island. It exists by itself, anywhere and nowhere. You can heal here in safety. Never fear."
"But my friends--"
"Annabeth," I guessed. "And Grover and Tyson."
"Yes!" he exclaimed. "I have to get back to them. They're in danger."
I tried to keep the pained expression from my face. I was already falling for him. I reached up and touched his cheek. He didn't back away this time, which made my heart -- against all of my willpower -- do a flip-flop. "Rest first. You are no good to your friends until you heal."
I noticed the weary look falling onto his features. "You're not... You're not an evil sorceress, are you?"
I couldn't hold back a smile. "Why would you think that?"
"Well, I meet Circe once, and she had a nice island, too. Except she liked to turn men into guinea pigs."
I laughed. I realized that I haven't laughed this much in centuries.
"I promise that I will not turn you into a guinea pig."
"Or anything else?"
"I am no evil sorceress," I promised. "And I am not your enemy, brave one. Now rest. Your eyes are already closing."
He blinked, trying to stay awake, but his knees buckled right out from underneath him. I caught him and held him upright. He was almost scarily skinny and light. I helped him over to the nearest couch, by the fountain, and set him down.
"Rest," I commanded unnecessarily. He was snoring seconds after reaching the cushion.