Where The Swans Sing- A short story
He clutched his bare chest, thrust with a blazing blade of a sword with a golden hilt, stained with vine red blood. The evening breeze carressed his brown hair, desperately trying to make his fatal pain bearable. He let his head rest on the moist grass doning cliff he lay on and smiled softly.
“Demeter...we will be together” he whispered, as Apollo drove his sun chariot swiftly across the skies, perhaps wanting to avoid the sight of a fair young man slipping into the kingdom of Hades, beaten and wounded deeply, yet with no horror on his face pale as a Heliotrope flower.
" Adonis...Where are you? I have left them...left them all. Answer me!”
Demeter’s voice rang thorugh the leaves of the olive trees that stood proudly amidst the wild yellow flowers. Her long hair, made heavy with bright cloured jewels, chased the winds as her soiled feet passionately searched for the one she loved.
“Adonis!” she cried, catching sight of the lifeless body of her beloved from afar.
Her pace grew fast, her heart beating as it never had before, sweat pouring down her forehead even in the cool air. She ran upto where he lay and sat beside him. Her tender hands lifted his head and laid it on her lap, her silk robes starting to glow red with his blood.
“Wake up...please...you can’t...do this to me! Adonis...You can’t...”
Tears rolled down her rose cheeks.Her delicate lips shivered.
“De- Deme... You- you must...”
His raised his hand with the last of his strength to reach upto her face and stared deeply into her eyes. A chill ran down her spine as she felt his skin turn cold. A part of her had died with him. But there no much time to reflect. She had just let his hand fall to the grass when she saw a crowd with bright lamps moving towards her. She knew those angry voices. They had come for her...To take her home.
They stopped a few meters away. One of them walked forward.
"Basil", she spit on the ground with anguish.
"Demeter...come with me. Let's go home", he said with authority.
" I won't".
" I said, GET UP AND COME WITH ME!" his voice grew fearsome.
Demeter knew her heart was gripped in fear for this beast before her - the man her wealthy father had promised her to.
"You want to know a secret, fair lady? That sword through his worthless body? That's mine".
Demeter looked up at him with fire in her eyes that startled him. She knew she had to do something. Her eyes cast one last look at Adonis' face, which was still admiring her. In a swift movement, she pulled out the sword and jumped up.
" Oh no, sweet heart. All of Greece has never seen such lovely hands. They're not made for a weapon! Listen, now put that down and let's go back to the village. You don't want me to call my friends here, do you?"
Demeter was obviously not listening. She wanted revenge. Her lips thirsted for Basil's blood. And she shall have it.
"For Adonis!!!" she screamed as she hurled the sword at Basil, slitting through his neck. He shouted to his companions, and hurled curses at her.
But the power was too much for her to handle. She fell over the cliff and deep to the waters of the river below.
"I love you, Adonis", she spoke.
Death- Death is never the end. The Gods that watched over them from Olympus were not cruel enough to not see the love that blossomed into sacrifice.
The next morning, a little girl who went to play near the river ran back to her mother, shouting joyfully all the way, "Mama...look....come over here!!!"
Two swans had mysteriously appeared in the waters, one of them larger and more heavier. They faced each other, their large white wings lifted a little and long beautiful necks bowed with ruffled feathers. The calm refreshing blue waters gurgled as they floated about, and they made soft hissing and grunting sounds as if to sing to each other. Some nights, if you walk along the river, maybe you might come upon Adonis and Demeter, walking hand in hand. Demeter ever so gorgeous in a white gown and Adonis in his white feather robes. Both watching over each other in the bliss granted to them by the Gods.
Dreams never cease to come true. Tragic love stories are not always ones to mourn over. For love never dies....
