Treasure

From the diary of one of Odysseus' men, Eurylochus:

“Treasure.” Odysseus replied gleefully. “The best present any host could have given to a weary traveler. Nobody touch it. Do you hear me?”

Odysseus with all the spoils. My eyes grew wide with resentment until I caught a reluctant glance of the royal family of Aeolia, waving. It made me feel ashamed of myself. You would think that a royal family would have many more riches. Not only were they out in the middle of nowhere, but they were married to their siblings, too.

“What is it do you think?” I whispered to the soldier next to me.
The idiot shrugged in a stupor. “He said it was treasure, and we can’t touch it! That’s how kings help keep the monarchy intact: the rich get richer. No reason he left us in the brig while he collected the bounty. Perfect repayment for a decade of covering his tail in battle.”

The man I was talking to couldn’t hold a conversation. Another shrug then the doof fell asleep. Perfect.

For a period of ten days and nights I talked to everyone I saw, trying to figure out what was in his damned bag. I was smarter than to ask Odysseus himself. Just until he fell asleep, I would wait. Then all my questions would be answered. Though everything fell apart, awake he stayed.

I knew we were getting close to home when the familiar seaweed began passing the fleet by. “Someone take this.” Odysseus instructed, “I must sleep; I can’t stay awake any longer.”

Now was my chance. With a high jump over what seemed to be the entire ship, I landed over next to the bronze colored commander. ” Let me, captain!” Taking the wheel, my gaze never left Odysseus and the bag of mystery. No one was watching. I leaned down next to Odysseus who had curled up with the bag next to the stern, and I slowly untied one of the cords on the bag. What happened next astonished me.

All eleven ships were blown away. Odysseus was flung off the bag. I was shoved all the way to the prow of the ship. The parts of the ship blew about as if by their own accord. My skin burned from the first burst of wind. The second burst froze me in place. Fellow crew members fell over-board, entrapped by ripped sails. The ships were spun about in the sea from the wind. Then with a sudden burst, as if Poseidon himself had been controlling the situation, we were flung into the brass wall of Aeolia.

Author: Ashley