The blinding flash of white light startled me. I stood frozen, waiting for my senses to return. I didn’t know what had happened, and yet - I did. I knew I wasn’t in Greece anymore. I knew it was 1963, after that Jesus guy. I knew I was in Illinois, in a country I had never heard of, a place that had only been wilderness until 100 years ago, and I was speaking some language I had never heard before - English.
Everything had changed in the blink of an eye. But I wasn’t lost or confused. I knew what needed doing, and right now I needed to be delivering a plate of food.
“You alright, Helen?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just felt queasy for a moment.” Zeus had somehow changed reality and I wasn’t a stranger.
“Well get that BLT to Doc Jones, then,” Jack winked and grinned.
“Of course, Jack.” I felt as if I was under water in my head, but my body knew what to do, as if it had done it a million times before.
I finished my shift at the diner in a mental fog. The past and present collided in my head and I struggled to work it out. I knew I could clear my head once I was by myself, but that didn’t happen until after the dinner hour.
Exhausted, I strolled the three blocks to my house and turned the key in the lock. As I did, a beautiful silver cat circled my ankles. She stared at me with striking lavender eyes, and I had never seen a cat so exotic. She rubbed and purred as I tried to enter the house and seemed desperate to come in, so I let her. I thought I might have some tuna or milk to feed her.
My mind wandered as I got the dish and food from the kitchen. I remembered the hearing on Mount Olympus. I remembered Zeus’ voice booming as he raged about the war and his plan for Troy. Humans were too gullible, he said. Too loyal to each other. They had lost their devotion to their gods and deserved the outcome of the war.
“But you, Helen, have cost them too much. Your selfish choices have ruined a nation!”
“Father, I followed my heart,” I had defended my actions, and defended and mourned Paris at the same time.
“Helen,” Zeus pointed his finger in my face. “You once told me you loved Menelaus and I allowed your marriage.” His voice rose as he paced away from me. “You were destined for another. But you insisted that he was your choice, and now you betrayed him. And brought Paris and Troy to death.” The walls shook from the volume of his rage.
More than my betrayal to my husband, my choice to elope with Paris had gone against my Father’s plans and wishes. My father, King of the Gods of Olympus, had built nations around the choices and actions of human. But I had defied him, and brought a nation to destruction.
Zeus stopped pacing and came before me. My sisters, Aphrodite and Athena, and my step-mother, Hera, had been called to the temple when it had been revealed that they had influenced Paris in his decision to pursue me. But I had chosen to return his affection, and now he was dead.
Zeus placed his hands gently on my face. I hadn’t had him in my life when I was young, but I knew he watched me and guided me. Especially after my abduction, when I was nine.
“Helen, my child, my beauty. You must be punished for your betrayal.” Tears welled in my eyes as he spoke, and my throat closed with fear. I knew death was the only price for what had happened.
Athena’s voice broke the glass of silence in the room. “Father,” as she stepped forward, always the champion for justice and fairness. She hesitated only slightly before continuing her plea. “Father, perhaps we can find an alternative to death. Helen followed her heart, as did all the men who lost their lives in the war for her return.” Zeus lowered his hands and began pacing again, more slowly this time. “They followed their hearts when they made their oath to Menelaus. You made them human, with free will, and they all exercised that gift.”
Zeus continued pacing, watching his feet as he walked. He stopped and raised his eyes to Athena. “Well said, Daughter of Wisdom. So what do you suggest?”
Hera stepped in, surprising everyone in the room. She had never shown any love for Zeus’ children, but she had played a part in this affair as well. “Perhaps, my Lord, a new life. One free of the memories of this one and with a new chance to do things right.”
Sparks flew in Aphrodite’s eyes as she stepped into the conversation. “I have not known you to seek justice in the past, step-mother.” She raised her chin, just a little, silently challenging Hera. “You certainly are not advocating for her to simply get another chance. I know you for your treachery.”
Zeus glaced from his wife to his daughters. He knew Hera well and agreed that Aphrodite’s concern was well-founded. “Daughter of Love, what do you suggest?”
Aphrodite blushed slightly as the attention turned to her - not the kid of attention she was used to. “Yes, Father, I do have a suggestion for Helen’s penance.” Her mind raced as she tried to come up with something. “While a new life will save her from death, a clearing of her memory will not teach her commitment, honor, and trust. She must retain her memories, and be cursed for her crimes.”
“How can she be cursed for her betrayal?” Zeus questioned, clearly intrigued by her suggestion. Aphrodite’s jealousy of Helen glowed in the torch light of the temple. She sneered as she opened her mouth to speak.
“Place a mirror in her heart, Father,” Athena added quickly. Everyone turned to Athena as she spoke, but I caught the slight pout that crossed Aphrodite’s face.
“A mirror?” Hera leaned closer, the new suggestion filling her with inspiration and excitement.
“Yes, a mirro, to reflect emotions. She will feel any emotions other humans have toward her. If she betrays another, that pain will be reflected back on her.”
“A mirror.” Zeus tapped his mouth with his fingertips as he considered the matter. “A mirror.”
The saucer shattered as I dropped it on the floor. “A mirror,” I murmured to the cat. “I’m a damned empath.”
Everything had changed in the blink of an eye. But I wasn’t lost or confused. I knew what needed doing, and right now I needed to be delivering a plate of food.
“You alright, Helen?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just felt queasy for a moment.” Zeus had somehow changed reality and I wasn’t a stranger.
“Well get that BLT to Doc Jones, then,” Jack winked and grinned.
“Of course, Jack.” I felt as if I was under water in my head, but my body knew what to do, as if it had done it a million times before.
I finished my shift at the diner in a mental fog. The past and present collided in my head and I struggled to work it out. I knew I could clear my head once I was by myself, but that didn’t happen until after the dinner hour.
Exhausted, I strolled the three blocks to my house and turned the key in the lock. As I did, a beautiful silver cat circled my ankles. She stared at me with striking lavender eyes, and I had never seen a cat so exotic. She rubbed and purred as I tried to enter the house and seemed desperate to come in, so I let her. I thought I might have some tuna or milk to feed her.
My mind wandered as I got the dish and food from the kitchen. I remembered the hearing on Mount Olympus. I remembered Zeus’ voice booming as he raged about the war and his plan for Troy. Humans were too gullible, he said. Too loyal to each other. They had lost their devotion to their gods and deserved the outcome of the war.
“But you, Helen, have cost them too much. Your selfish choices have ruined a nation!”
“Father, I followed my heart,” I had defended my actions, and defended and mourned Paris at the same time.
“Helen,” Zeus pointed his finger in my face. “You once told me you loved Menelaus and I allowed your marriage.” His voice rose as he paced away from me. “You were destined for another. But you insisted that he was your choice, and now you betrayed him. And brought Paris and Troy to death.” The walls shook from the volume of his rage.
More than my betrayal to my husband, my choice to elope with Paris had gone against my Father’s plans and wishes. My father, King of the Gods of Olympus, had built nations around the choices and actions of human. But I had defied him, and brought a nation to destruction.
Zeus stopped pacing and came before me. My sisters, Aphrodite and Athena, and my step-mother, Hera, had been called to the temple when it had been revealed that they had influenced Paris in his decision to pursue me. But I had chosen to return his affection, and now he was dead.
Zeus placed his hands gently on my face. I hadn’t had him in my life when I was young, but I knew he watched me and guided me. Especially after my abduction, when I was nine.
“Helen, my child, my beauty. You must be punished for your betrayal.” Tears welled in my eyes as he spoke, and my throat closed with fear. I knew death was the only price for what had happened.
Athena’s voice broke the glass of silence in the room. “Father,” as she stepped forward, always the champion for justice and fairness. She hesitated only slightly before continuing her plea. “Father, perhaps we can find an alternative to death. Helen followed her heart, as did all the men who lost their lives in the war for her return.” Zeus lowered his hands and began pacing again, more slowly this time. “They followed their hearts when they made their oath to Menelaus. You made them human, with free will, and they all exercised that gift.”
Zeus continued pacing, watching his feet as he walked. He stopped and raised his eyes to Athena. “Well said, Daughter of Wisdom. So what do you suggest?”
Hera stepped in, surprising everyone in the room. She had never shown any love for Zeus’ children, but she had played a part in this affair as well. “Perhaps, my Lord, a new life. One free of the memories of this one and with a new chance to do things right.”
Sparks flew in Aphrodite’s eyes as she stepped into the conversation. “I have not known you to seek justice in the past, step-mother.” She raised her chin, just a little, silently challenging Hera. “You certainly are not advocating for her to simply get another chance. I know you for your treachery.”
Zeus glaced from his wife to his daughters. He knew Hera well and agreed that Aphrodite’s concern was well-founded. “Daughter of Love, what do you suggest?”
Aphrodite blushed slightly as the attention turned to her - not the kid of attention she was used to. “Yes, Father, I do have a suggestion for Helen’s penance.” Her mind raced as she tried to come up with something. “While a new life will save her from death, a clearing of her memory will not teach her commitment, honor, and trust. She must retain her memories, and be cursed for her crimes.”
“How can she be cursed for her betrayal?” Zeus questioned, clearly intrigued by her suggestion. Aphrodite’s jealousy of Helen glowed in the torch light of the temple. She sneered as she opened her mouth to speak.
“Place a mirror in her heart, Father,” Athena added quickly. Everyone turned to Athena as she spoke, but I caught the slight pout that crossed Aphrodite’s face.
“A mirror?” Hera leaned closer, the new suggestion filling her with inspiration and excitement.
“Yes, a mirro, to reflect emotions. She will feel any emotions other humans have toward her. If she betrays another, that pain will be reflected back on her.”
“A mirror.” Zeus tapped his mouth with his fingertips as he considered the matter. “A mirror.”
The saucer shattered as I dropped it on the floor. “A mirror,” I murmured to the cat. “I’m a damned empath.”
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