The Boy On Fire (A Caleo Short Story)

Chapter 8 (Tagged Again)

               Calypso entered. She was wearing a jacket over a simple white dress, like the kind she used to wear on Ogygia, and her hair was still wet from the shower that Leo had carefully explained to her how to operate. "Hi, Leo. I'm ready. What are you working on?"

               Leo hid his creation behind his back and shot Calypso one of his trademark grins. "Oh, you know, the usual. Just a special little present I whipped up in my spare time for my special girl." He brought the present out from behind his back. It was a mechanical rose, colored gold and bronze, like the colors of the sunset. When Leo pressed a button on the base of the celestial bronze structure, the rose began to sway back and forth, as if caught in a gentle summer breeze.

               "Oh, Leo! I love it! It reminds me of my garden back on Ogygia..." She sighed at the thought.

               Leo handed her the rose and she put it in her pocket. Leo wasn't worried about it getting crushed. That was the beauty of metal flowers!

               Leo and Calypso strolled down the corridor and passed Festus who was curled up on his platform, watching them leave with one eye open probably wondering where they were going this early in the morning, but he didn't say anything which Leo appreciated. He didn't feel like explaining anything right now.

               Leo immediately regretted coming outside with only jeans to cover his legs. The early morning was beautiful in its own way. Little bits of dew were holding on to the ends of the grass, sparkling under the moon and the silence was rather romantic too, but it was the cold that made Leo uncomfortable. Calypso probably didn't feel any better in that thin dress, but she didn't show it.

               When they arrived at the Big House, Chiron was in his wheelchair mode and was waiting for them with mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate. Several little marshmallows floated around in each cup. He handed them both a mug and motioned for them to sit down.

               Chiron spoke. "So, Calypso is coming with you then?

               Leo sipped his hot chocolate. "Yes. That's okay with you, right?

               "Yes, of course. I was just wondering. Anyway, about the council. I have no sure idea of what they will discuss nor why they invited you, but like I said yesterday, I'm going to assume that it has something to do with our last war with the Giants.  So, first things first, let's discuss the rules. Always be polite in front of the gods. Otherwise everything could end of not as much in your favor as it could have been. Secondly..."

               It went on like this for what seemed like forever and by the end even Chiron looked a bit bored with himself. "And for rule number twenty-seven... Or was it twenty-eight? I don't know. Anyway--"

               "Chiron, I think we got it." Leo interrupted. They had all finished their hot chocolate and Leo wanted to start the journey to Olympus.

               Chiron seemed insulted by this comment but even he realized that he was going a little overboard in the rules department. He sighed. "I'm sorry, but it was just that the last time that I attended one of these councils, someone got decapitated."

               "Say what?"

               "Never mind. That was ages ago. Things were a bit more barbaric back then." Chiron turned to the clock. "Goodness! Look at the time!" The clock read 8:00. They had spent an entire hour discussing something that could have taken fifteen minutes! "Quickly, to the camp buses! Argus will drive us!"

               Surprisingly enough, Leo had never actually been to the Empire State Building (I think?). He had been teleported up to Olympus by the gods before, but he had never actually been to the structure that fastened it to the earth. In Leo's opinion, it wasn't as regal and imposing as it was brought up to be. Sure, it was one of the tallest building in all of America but Leo could see a few spots just from glancing at it where it could have been improved.