The Tarn of Eternity Part 31

No river, this!

Neither sh.o.r.es, nor the green forest, nor the high mountains of home!

Water, only water! Deep blue water, extending as far as eye could see. Blue . . . and salty. Surely he had landed in the ocean!

"Zeus, Oh, Zeus! I do think you may have erred . . . only slightly, of course. Zeus . . . ?"

"Who dares call on Zeus, when he swims in my domain? How come you here, earthling? Where is your s.h.i.+p? Do you not fear my watchdogs, the great sharks that guard my kingdom. And why call you on Zeus. Poseidon rules these waves!

"I . . . My name is Demo. I was merely doing an errand for Zeus. And, through some mischance, I landed in these waters.

Perhaps you can direct me to the nearest sh.o.r.e?"

"Mischance, eh? Well, Zeus is putting on the years . . . Odd, but he may be losing his grip. Oughta spend more time at the seash.o.r.e. Relaxing. Yes indeed." The voice seemed to emanate from a puff-fish, which floated rather nonchalantly at arms length away.

"The nearest sh.o.r.e. Of course. You earthlings. I would invite you down for a meal, but you lack the necessary organs to join me. Toward the setting sun. A small island. I'll race you!"

Demo looked to the west. Water, only water.

"Is it, well, very far?"

"No, no! Just a good swim away. Ah, forgive me. It could be a bit strenuous for you. I'll take care of it, though." The puff-fish whistled loudly, popped up above the water to peruse its surface.

"Here he comes."

Demo followed the puff-fish's gaze. He wished he hadn't!

The shark was approaching at alarming speed. Its fin split the water's smooth surface, drawing ever closer. Demo's eyes widened.

"Hey, that's a shark!"

"Yes, yes indeed! Actually, merely a minnow as sharks grow.

Actually, he was the only one in the area, so I flagged him down. Oh, taxi, right this way."

The shark circled slowly, at times rising to the surface, its cold eyes regarding Demo with hungry interest.

"None of that, now! Just come over here and let him ride upon your back. Over to the island, and be quick about it. I don't care to wait. And I do so enjoy shark steaks."

The shark stopped dead, then slowly swam alongside Demo, who clambered aboard.

The trip was indeed swiftly completed. Though it ended swiftly, not swiftly enough. Not before the shark, perhaps to show its displeasure, several times dived deep.

Coughing and spewing salt.w.a.ter, Demo suffered the torments with little grace. As they reached the shallows off the island he quickly dismounted, swam toward the waiting beach.

The shark swam with him, circling ahead and behind, and occasionally taking a playful nip at Demo's heels. Amazing how playful nips at one's heels improves one's swimming skills!

As he waded toward the sh.o.r.e a sudden wave roared in. Ma.s.sive torrents of water tore over him, knocked him to his knees. When he groggily arose he saw before him, in all his oceanic splendor, a figure of majestic proportions.

"You are on an errand for Zeus, are you s.h.i.+pmate? And may I inquire to what port ye are bound? I may well give thee favorable winds and gentle seas, if it so please me."

"Sire, I seek the master of the deeps, Poseidon himself. I have this missive to convey to him."

"Well, now, you've laid your course well, and have made already landfall. Lower your sails, matey, for I be Poseidon, he whom you seek. Let me look upon this important missive. My, my, from Zeus himself!"

Demo proffered the missive, astonished at his good luck in so quickly completing his task.

Poseidon opened the package, pulled out a long roll of papyrus.

"Well, a letter from Zeus! I didn't know he could write!"

He read the Zeus' letter, looked contemplatively out to sea, then read it once more. "Have you read this missive, my good lad?"

"Oh, no, Sire. It would not do, you know!"

The calm look on Poseidon's face had disappeared. Anger seemed to be mounting, and his face grew first red, then purple as an angry sea.

"Then let me tell you what this is. This is a bill. And not an ordinary bill. Our good Zeus says, says he: 'Your past bills for the water I have supplied you have not been paid. Your rates are therefore doubled, and the present bill also includes a penalty for late payment and excess water usage. Return payment in full with the boy, or suffer the consequences."

"How dare he! To send such a bill to Poseidon! I rule the waves and all the water under them! Penalties! I am somewhat annoyed by your missive, s.h.i.+pmate. Have you heard the term, keelhaul?

It's an old custom to keelhaul those who arouse the ire of Poseidon. And, in the absence of Zeus, mayhap we shall keelhaul his emissary."

Demo looked around. He saw no sign of emissary, none to serve for the aforementioned keelhauling.

Demo s.h.i.+vered.

"Eh, Sire, he seems not to have an emissary handy. Should I see such an emissary, I shall most certainly direct him to you, so that he may partic.i.p.ate in the keelhauling. Anyway, now my mission is complete, and I must report back to Zeus."

"Oh, no! I wouldn't think of such a thing. Come aboard, come aboard! Ho the dinghy, we'll be going directly to the s.h.i.+p. Look lively, now!"

Demo followed Poseidon's gaze. Where the sea had been empty now floated a three master, its sails furled. And on the beach a dinghy, manned by a scurvy looking crew of ill-clothed sailors.

"Yes, indeed. I can see you are impressed by her lines. Only wait 'til you are on board. We shall have a sumptuous feast in your honor. Ah, you haven't eaten until you've partaken of the food from my galley. Come along!"

Demo examined, surrept.i.tiously, the oarsmen. Though they rowed with vigor, their faces remained expressionless, their eyes empty. He felt as though he were looking on the spirits of drowned sailors, condemned to these ch.o.r.es for eternity.

"Quickly, now, laddie! Up the ladder. Hold her steady, boys. I wouldn't have the youngster get wet, not yet."

Somehow the last two words disturbed Demo. He wasn't exactly sure why.

"Keelhauling, I didn't explain it to you, did I. Well, it's a sport we indulge in at times. Gives the lads a chance to get in their exercise. The way it works is, we take a . . . eh, a volunteer. We tie his hands behind him, wrap a hawser around him, and toss off the bow. The boys pull the hawser from stem to stern, from starboard to larboard, all around the good s.h.i.+p back to the bow once more. Jolly good fun!"

Demo listened wide-eyed and speechless.

"I see you are impressed! And so you should be. I've a very good mind to let you volunteer. Give you a chance to show off your mettle. Yes, I just may give you the chance." Poseidon's voice held a tone of anger to match his angry face.

"And the sea is of like mind. Have you ever seen such waves!

Keelhauling today would indeed be great sport!"

"Sire, I fear I would provide poor sport indeed. With hands free I swim like a rock. With them tied I fear I would never surface at all."