Hook's Daughter

Myths

"Calypso," Grimsby says.
Calypso is a name everyone knows. Whether you know her background or not, everyone recognizes the story of a girl forced to stay on an island alone, entrapped forever because of something she did not even do. I do not know how it did not click earlier that Calypso was the one Grimsby was talking about.

"You're the one that wanted this flower?" I ask Calypso.
"Yes," she says. "I'm sorry I had to chance your smarts against the Sphinx, but part of this purgatory is not being able to get it. And now that I do have it, I finally will have the chance to get off of here."
"Can you send a message to the gods?" I ask her.
"Hermes comes once every 100 years. Next time he comes, I will give it to him. Even the gods are not so cruel as to leave me here, without one of their quests. I will have the chance to have a trial on Olympus, and hopefully leave."
"I hope you get to leave," Grimsby nods, sincere.
"Thank you, sir," Calypso says. She looks at Grimsby for a while. "You have been here before. You helped me make some herbs."
Grimsby smiles and nods. "Yes."
Calypso returns the smile. "Thank you, I appreciate it."
"Right, well we came out here for a reason."
"I know," she says. "You want to know about your boyfriend. And I can tell you, but that does not mean you want to know."
"After everything I went through to get to you, I think I would like to know," I reply.
"Then let us go back to my house. We can talk there."
With Calypso leading, and the island bending to her will, it was not even a twenty minute walk before we saw her house. It was beautiful. And not something you would see in the Enchanted Forest. It was royal, made of golds and whites and glass. She has gardens on all sides and a fountain in front. There were birds and butterflies and bees and I realize something. The gods are not trying to just abandon Calypso on this island. They are completely torturing her. Giving Calypso this beautiful house, beautiful land to plant flowers and give the chance to do what she loves. And they make her feel completely alone. What are all the things in the world, compared to having them all, and no one to share them with.
"Before I tell you, I am warning you, what you find out will not be what you want," Calypso says when we are seated down on a balcony of her house.
"I want to know," I say for what has felt like the millionth time. "It's better than being blind."
"Very well. As you know, this curse that I have seen been cast brought everyone back to their home. Many citizens returned to all parts of the Enchanted Forest, some even returned to other homes they have sought out since their birth. When your friends were swept up in the curse, they were returned to their rightful home."
"Yeah, which is the Enchanted Forest."
"Technically, yes. But when they gave their lives to another home, to a magical island, and left their homes, they changed their birthplace. Their whole history."
"They're in Neverland...?"
Calypso nods.
"Well, how can I get back?" I ask desperately.
"When you were all returned, the portals were closed. Without another curse, you can not leave to go anywhere, and Neverland is a much more complicated place. I've had visitors from there, and I am afraid it's impossible to get back."
"But, I-"
I what? How can I possibly end that sentence. I can not think, I can barely breathe. Everyone I know leaves, they get killed, they get hurt.
"There's no way to get back?" I ask Calypso.
"You can probably find a way. There-"
"I don't want false hope."
"I'm sorry," she says. "But there's just no way.
I nod.
"Grimsby, are you ready to g-"
Grimsby's eyes are glassed over.
"Grimsby?" I shake him. "Grimsby?" No response.
"Lay him down," Calypso commands and immediately grabs the flower we have just retrieved to make a brew. She works quickly, and I watch as Grimsby's breaths get slower and slower until it looks like he is no longer breathing.
"Calypso, hurry up!"
She rushes over and pours the liquid down Grimsby's throat.
His breathing picks up again and soon his eyes open.
"What the bloody hell was that?"
"That, was Mr. Grimsby dying."
"Dying...like, actually dying?"
She nods, "And even this flower can not stop death. Sir, I am very sorry. You will have enough time to make it home and say goodbye to your loved ones, but that is all the time you have."
"I don't have any loved ones," he says softly.
"Well, you are very welcome to stay here. I can make sure you are comfortable. Time passes a bit differently, you will have longer here."
Grimsby nods and smiles. "I have been trying the longer part of my life to get back here to prove that I am not crazy. I don't need to show others I am not, I know it myself now. Ashton, thank you for helping me. I only have one regret now. The flower, you used it to help me, didn't you?"
"Yes," Calypso replies.
"How will Hermes know you have completed the only quest there is to be done here?"
"There will be other ways off this island. And I do not regret helping you have more time to live. Ashton, every time a visitor comes here, a boat shows up at sunset to take them away. You can take it back to the Enchanted Forest, with no harm coming from the Sirens."
"Thank you," I say. "For the information also. It's better than thinking he was able to be found."

As I get on the boat that comes at sunset, and ride slowly back to the Enchanted Forest beach, I am not sure that is entirely true. And I give up trying to pretend to be alright. Tears come, and they do not stop, even after the boat hits the sand of the beach, back in the Enchanted Forest.