The Gray Sky Sea

 Okay, so this is a short story I worked on for English class about a year ago, imitating a Greek myth. I hope you guys likey!!! Nothing too special, a bit creepy, but I think it's pretty good (but I'm a little bias). This is a special treat for all my amazing wonderful fans that got me to thirty fans!! *Sniff* I love you guys! Well, without further ado, enjoy!!!                                                                        

Sincerely,

Wonder_Writer ;)

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

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                                                                         The Gray Sky Sea

Aeson was a captain of a fishing boat. He lived with his wife in Athens. Every week, he sailed out to sea to fish for his family. One day, there was a horrible storm. He and his entire crew were swept out to sea. All bearings lost, they were unable to determine which way led to home. They sailed for days, before a heavy fog fell. Aeson had been sailing for years and had never seen anything like it. It was so thick, the men had to feel for the side of the ship, less they wanted to fall overboard. After sailing for three more day and nights, the crew because restless and worried. Their cries rang over the ocean. 

“When will we see home?” 

“Will we ever see home?”

“Are we even going to live through this?” 

“Are supplies are so low!”

Even though it felt hopeless Aeson tried his best to keep up moral. “Don’t give up hope! No fog can last forever! We will see the sea again!” he told his disheartened crew. Just as he spoke those words, the fog parted. But what it parted to show made the entire crew wish they were back in the fog. It was a endless sea, made of rolling gray clouds. There was no land in sight, only the strange misty mass that seemed to stretch on forever.  Alone in the middle of the foggy water, was a single small jet-black rock. Standing on that rock, there was a young girl. Wearing a pink sundress and no shoes, you only had to look at her to know she was inhuman. The crew stared in fright. In the girl’s left hand she held a cage containing a raven. The raven was a black as a moonless night, and it eyes were gray like the clouds. Aeson’s first mate, Ciro, whispered words of warning in Aeson’s ear as they neared the rock. “We better turn the ship around. That girl is clearly not human, nor a god. Why would a god stand here, waiting in this place of dread?” the man whispered nervously. “No, we might be mistaken. What if that is simply a lost girl, far from home? Or a test from the gods? We can’t flee like cowards, we must stand our ground.” Aeson said. In truth he was afraid too, but he knew of no other way home. The crew was so terrified, they tried to turn the sails around and row in opposite direction. But they found that the harder they rowed the faster they headed towards the girl. Soon, they were next to the rock, and the ship ceased to move. The girl who had her back to them, turned around. 

The looked exactly like a normal girl except for her face. It was a face of a child who had seen too much, lived too long. Endured too much suffering, and had caused some. “Who are you? Are you a creature of Hades? Or a messenger from the gods?” Aeson asked. The girl answered in a raspy tongue, “I am not one of the gods, or a creature of Hades’ like. I am older than that, from the time of the Titians. This is the Sea of Gray Skies, and I stand guard.” When she spoke the sea rippled, and the wind blew. Aeson knew he wouldn’t be able to enter the ocean without her permission, or her help. He opened his mouth to speak, but the guardian cut him off. “You wish to cross and return home, don’t you? That is what they all want.” her voice filled with boredom. “But you fail to understand where you are. This is the place time forgot. Where the things mankind and gods are to scared to face go. Past this rock, is the most dangerous place in the world.” she stared at the men. Under her gaze, the men whimpered. Somewhere far away, beyond the boulder, a serpent surfaced out of the water like a whale, then dove back under, it’s spiky body going on for miles. “Is there any way for us to go home? Any way you can help us?’ Aeson asked, showing no fear. She smiled mischievously. “You are smarter than the other. They all run in fear of me, and meet untimely deaths in the hands of a more deadly force. Yes, there is a way. Take my raven. She will protect you. The thing of the sea know her as mine, and they know me as the guardian of all that they live in.” she reached the cage toward them then stopped. “But it comes at a terrible price. For when you reach the end, for you surely will, one of your men must die.” she said. Ciro cried out, “No, there must be another way.” The girl stared him down. “You can brave the sea yourself. You might survive. You’d be the first to do so. But don’t worry, the one who dies will deserve the death.” Ciro opened his mouth in protest, but Aeson spoke first. “Thank you, guardian. We will take good care of your bird.” Aeson took the bird. As his hand touched the cage, a strong wing blew, and began to carry them away. “Oh, and whatever you do, touch nothing. And don’t lay a hand on the bird.” her voice were deadly serious. Aeson nodded, and the entire crew watched as the mysterious girl faded into the mist. 

No one spoke a word for the rest  of the journey. If the had to eat, they simply ate. If the had to sleep, they laid down. No one dared speak a single word, for fear they might say or do something wrong. The air was filled with tension. Finally, on the fifth day out at sea, Ciro spoke up. “Aeson, do you think the sea witch tricked us? Gave us the bird in hopes it would make us in her debt? I certainly haven’t seen anything threatening. Perhaps we should just toss the creature overboard.” he suggested. Aeson gave him a firm look. “Can’t you feel it? This place is filled with sadness an death. No, we keep the bird. Beside, I would rather be in debt to a small girl then take a chance of dying, wouldn’t you?” Aeson said firmly. “But Aeson-” Ciro protested. “Silence! We don’t want to attract any attention.” Aeson said. So quiet reigned over their voyage once more. Two more days and nights, passed. Ciro huddled in a corner and mumbled to him a few times. 

The thick fog of started to part, and everyone on the ship watched like it was a curtain lifting on a play. The bird, which had had not made a noise the whole of the trip, began crowing noisily. The ship stopped suddenly, an they turned to see the same little girl, standing on a rock, waiting for them. Aeson stiffened. “I suppose you are here to take one of my crew member. We have done nothing wrong.” he said. He picked up the bird cage and handed it to the girl. “Here, take you bird and let us pass.” She stared at him for a moment. “No, you can not.” She opened the cage, and the raven flew out, it circled over the ship, then dived down and snatched up Ciro. It seemed impossible that a small bird could do that, but it did. The ocean itself seemed to rumble as the bird flew over the sea, things beyond imagining stirring underneath. Ciro screamed but the raven ignored him. Aeson shouted at the girl, “What has he done wrong?! Please, let him down! He is my first mate and a valuable crew member!” He girl expression turned slightly angry. “No, he isn’t. When he suggested that you throw my bird overboard, he knew exactly what he spoke.” She glared at  the man daggling from her bird’s claws. “He wanted you to be punished for touching my raven. It was mutiny.” Aeson turned to look at his friend and asked, “Is this true?” “Yes, yes, it’s all true! I’m sorry! Please, spare me!” he begged in tears. Aeson did nothing but turned to the girl and asked, “Must one of us die?” She nodded. “Take him away.” he turned his head as the crow flew towards the ocean. In the distance, he could here the scream of torment, but just turned to his crew and said, “Sail on.” They opened the sails, and a powerful wind blew them forward. Aeson could swear he heard the girl whisper farewell into the wind. They arrived home that very day, and his family was overjoyed to see him. 

In order to spare Ciro’s family the humiliation, when anyone asked what had happened to Ciro, they told them he died a noble death, trying to steer the ship during in the storm that had delayed them. So no one knew the tale of the Gray Sky Sea. Until now.