190. A Boy and His Dog
A Boy and His Dog
The boy looked up at us
and I saw the devastation
that leaked from his sorrow-filled eyes.
He lifted the bundle towards us.
‘Please can you help him?
He is my only friend.’
My heart clutched at his words.
I knew what it was like to have
familiar love taken from you.
I turned to Thanatos,
who simply shook his head.
Of course, this was death’s duty.
But I had to help this boy,
even if it was just a kind word.
So I knelt into the hot sand
and reached for the small animal.
‘I am so sorry,’ I whispered,
as he drew his final breath.
My hand felt him go still.
The boy’s sobs turned into a wail.
But then, just as his heart broke…
A spark inside the animal grew
till it began to glow red and gold.
The pup took a deep breath
and as though the last moments
had not even happened,
he leapt out of the boy’s arms
into mine and began
to lick my face.
I sat there, shocked,
as the boy whooped with joy,
picking the little dog up
and holding him tight.
‘Careful,’ I heard Thanatos say.
‘You do not want to squeeze
the life he just got back out of him.’
The boy nodded and set
the wriggling pup on the ground
where he ran circles around us.
Thanatos smiled and knelt
so the pup could rush towards him.
The boy took my hands and kissed them.
‘Lady Goddess, thank you,
thank you, thank you
for bringing Argos back to me!’
I numbly shook my head,
‘No… I am no Goddess. I did nothing.’
I felt Thanatos’ hand on my shoulder.
‘Hekate, you did.
You brought that animal
back to life.’
The boy beamed. ‘Goddess Hekate,
when I am King of Ithaca,
we will raise a statue in your name.’
I managed a smile,
I could not imagine
what he possibly meant,
but he had called me Goddess.
‘Thank you,’ I whispered,
unable to think of anything else.
‘And what is your name?’
My voice wobbled this out.
The pup was now racing
around us barking playfully.
It wanted to go
and play, it seemed.
The boy stood up
and gently helped me to my feet.
‘My name is Prince Odysseus
and this is my dog Argos.’
Years from now, the poets
won’t tell this story.
But Odysseus’ name will be
as immortal as any God’s.