33. A Hand Touched My Shoulder
A Hand Touched My Shoulder
and I turned to see Styx.
Her bright yellow eyes met mine
as she floated easily beside me.
Of course,
as one of Oceanus’s children,
the water was her closest friend.
As she swam down to the crevice,
I felt my panic subside.
At least I was not alone here.
Styx pushed and pulled
at the rocks until finally
my foot was free.
My movements panicked as
I thrashed in my hurry to
escape from this near-prison
and broke through the water’s surface,
grasping the rock wall
as I gulped in a deep breath of air.
Behind me I heard Styx rise too.
And as I hauled myself up
onto the rock, I watched her
swim over to me, the strange,
slimy, serpentlike creature
swimming circles
around her.
It was as though lightning
was escaping out of its tail,
but this did not bother Styx.
I reached out toward her,
offering my hand.
I thought she would refuse.
I think she wanted to.
But then
she took my hand
so I could hoist her
onto the rock next to me.
For some time,
neither of us spoke,
catching our breath.
The voices in my head
had soothed to a chatter
that brought me comfort.
My heart still thudding hard,
I turned to her
and said two gentle words.