The Melody of Grief

A story that repeats itself is a lesson that was never learned. In the first telling of this story, I never understood what they were going for. Guy loses girl, guy chases girl, guy has a chance to bring girl back, guy makes a mistake by looking back and loses girl forever. Orpheus had one rule to follow and still couldn’t get it right. But once every thousand years us gods are impressed by how things can happen over and over again. Same stories, new players. I can say in this version I do make an appearance and maybe a bit of an impression that might just save our hero from the eternal sorrow and heinous death that our once beloved previous hero sees.

            But onto my version of the tale. My heroine is a small girl named Ophelia, a singer who traveled the states with her husband Edison. A young couple with a lot of potential because their music made magic. Love inspired her music and her music inspired others. People who listened to the passionately sweet music said the experience was beyond the auditory. The sun shined brighter and warmer, flowers bloomed bigger, and nature just seemed to be called to them when they performed. Even a small hum or a single strum could capture any living thing’s attention from miles around. But sadly, our story really starts at the end of Edison’s.

            The sky was pouring itself out all over Ophelia to the point that her streamed stained face could have been mistaken for her just standing in the rain too long. She stared aimlessly at the freshly turned soil that was now becoming a mud puddle. She walked, ignoring the burning in her legs from the length and of her continual strides, she walked until she found herself at the mountain of upturned soil that had been long settled by now. She threw herself to the soft earth. Her sobs rang through the empty graveyard.

            The early morning quickly turned to late at night, the pounding rain turned to mist, then to calm nothingness. The cruel death of the fall, and long cold winter led to this start of hopeful spring, but Ophelia's sorrow prevented the beauty of spring from coming out. She would cry and the flowers that tried to cheer her with their beauty would shrivel back into the ground disappointed with their failure. The birds would try to take the stage and sing their melodious morning songs, but the beauty quickly switched to melancholy to support the real singer's tune. The streams that warmed quickly froze again as it passed her sad sight. The world that tried to bring itself back to life refused to do so, for if the greatest sound on earth found the world cold and cruel, the world would follow her command.

            She had sat in the dirt for so long it seemed that she was becoming part of the earth, but after her long moments of rest, she finally picked her first beat. 

She cried and screamed, “This isn’t real you aren’t gone. You can’t be. “She screamed her denials as she tore at the dirt. “They made a mistake, you were just fine, young and healthy. You’re sleeping. Yeah- yeah, you’re sleeping. Or this is some practical joke that you are playing, well it’s starting to not be funny anymore.” She continued to dig at the ground with her nails until her rhythm slowed. 

            Her breathing calmed and the passionate cries turned into pathetic whimpering. On her knees still she looked at his headstone with despair. “Music is the outburst of the soul,” is what his tombstone read.

            Before he died there were moments that she remembered him saying this over and over again. She would start singing as she kneaded the dough for the next morning’s cinnamon rolls. He would be cutting up fruit whilst he snickered at her song of cooking directions.

Ophelia would pout, “What? Is there something wrong with my song?”

He would stop what he was doing, “No your melodies are as lovely as ever. You just remind me of my favorite quote whenever you start your spontaneous symphonies.”

 Ophelia rolled her eyes, “Music is the outburst of the soul,” they would say together.

This would end in giggles and a soft kiss would be laid upon her cheek.

            So Ophelia shook herself out of the memory and did what she did best. She picked up her guitar, and she made music from every sensitivity that was ringing through her body, every ache and pain would be discovered and poked at with the curiosity of blackened bruises. She closed her eyes. When I tell you that this young artist could make magic with a single stroke, that is what she did. Animals came to listen, the breeze stilled, and the trees bent down just to hear her better. Her singing was so powerful that the earth began to dip open for her. Ophelia opened her eyes to the tunnel that formed in front of her. She dropped her guitar and threw herself away from the change in terrain. As she backed away the hole started to fill itself and return to its rightful position. When it closed back up, she realized that the opening was right where Edison’s body should have been. Maybe this is how she could see him. Ophelia returned to her guitar, curiously she started to play her song again, but a little more apprehensively than what she did before. She watched as the dirt started to slip into the earth and create its opening for her once more. The mouth opened wide for her, hungry for more of her music.

            Once the dust had settled Ophelia stopped her playing again. The ground started to return, but before it could Ophelia continued her performance. Once it settled again, she stepped through the entrance of the tunnel and made her way down the path as she continued her sad songs for her husband.

***

            This is the part of her tale where she meets a deviously handsome god to assist her, also known as the part where I finally enter her story. Charon and I stood chatting when we were stopped by a lovely tune. I looked around to see where the music was coming from, I saw the sweet fragile figure along with it. Clad in black she stood covered in brown splotches. As soon as she stepped out of the tunnel and on to the bay, she stopped singing. Her face flushed pale as she looked around the cavern, so obviously lost.

            The hooded figure next to me looked as confused as I was. Humans haven’t been able to find their way down to the Underworld in what seems like forever, they definitely don’t stumble upon it like this one has.

            She stumbled her way over to the station that we had been standing at. “Excuse me, I am looking for someone. I think that they may have found their way down here somehow.”

            The ferryman and I looked at each other and back at the small girl. She either had no fear or no clue.

            “I am sorry, but I don’t think that they could have just wandered their way down here. You have mistaken. Everyone down here is supposed to be here. Well, that would be everyone except you,” I said.

            “Well how is it that I just wandered down here?”

            I smiled, “Well that was about to be my next question for you.”

            She sighed, “Look I just need help to find someone else who I think mistakenly came down here. Can you help me?”

            “Oh, there is no question that I can help you.”

            “Okay well—”

            “The real question is if I will help you,” I shrugged.

            The irritation rose to her face, “Well are you willing to help me?”

            “Hmmm. Let me think,” I strolled in a small circle, “What are my pros and cons? Is there truly anything that I get from this?”

            “Look, are you going to help me or not?” She shouted. “I am not in the mood for this! I am looking for someone and if you can help me, great then help me. If you are not willing to, then let me do it myself and quit wasting my time. I have very little patience for your games. I need to find him now, not when it is convenient for you so if you will move on over, I have places to be.”

            She stomped over to the edge of the bay and started to look across the current of the river. I was taken aback. It has been a long time since a human has had that much gumption in speaking to a god.

            Maybe I should have not messed with her as much as I did, I mean this woman was an obvious wreck. “I will help you.”

            She turned back to me, “You will?”

            “Yes, but there is not much that I can do. I can direct you to your next destination, be a travel guide of sorts, but I can’t promise that you will be getting exactly what you are looking for,” I claimed my seat on the ferry, “I hope that you are okay with some stowaways captain, because me and the young lady will be joining you on your next journey.”

             Charon nodded.

            I gave the young woman my hand to assist her on the boat. Charon prepared the ferry to take us on our voyage as I gave my blessing for the journey that was ahead. Sitting  down in the center I studied the frail being, her eyes were puffy, her skin as pale as a white winter’s day. You could see the bones of her hands under her skin as she fiddled with the strings on her guitar.

            “Do you mind playing for us, songbird?” I asked, “It is a long ride when you have nothing to do but twiddle your thumbs.”

            She gave me a weak smile, “Sure, any request?”

            “Anything you’ve got.”

            She took a deep breath and started to sing, it was a new melody. Not one that I have ever heard, but the music gave me a familiar feeling. It pulled at me; I was entrapped in her song. It made me want to cry, to scream, to curse the earth for injustices that I wasn’t accustomed to. I wanted to move mountains, drain oceans, uproot every living thing in search of what was causing this. Did I have a clue what this was? Not at all, but I knew I would do everything to get it back.

            She finished her first song and I realized what kind of trance I was under, one like the sirens, a spell like a hero before was known to put people under. 

            Ophelia started on another and another one after that, she kept pushing out songs as we kept moving forward. Now knowing her power I worked my way out of it and watched others who were seized by her beautiful voice. There was a ghost that had been pulled out of their haze and back to their mortal emotions. The furies made their stop over the ferry and breathed heavy at the sound of her sorrow. Even the river flowed differently, so that it may quietly and calmly move us along. Cerberus, the poor pup, didn’t stand a chance. She sang her song for him and he couldn’t find the heart to even lift his head to her. Nothing but a wince came from his three heads.

            Ophelia stopped singing but she continued to strum. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around the vast caverns. All that surrounded us was the black rocks that made up the walls. The little light that we had gotten was a mix of the green glow from the river and Charon’s lamp that hung lit with green Greek fire. Smog floated over the water dimming the little light that we did have.

“Does it always smell like the fourth of July down here?”

            I laughed, “Yes the fire and chemicals often makes the stench bad, today is one of the better days.”

            Her face scrunched, “I’d hate to be here on a bad day.”

            “I have been meaning to ask, what are you doing down here? I mean I know what you are doing, but who are you looking for?”

            She gazed down at the instrument in her hands, “I think my husband found his way down here.”

            “So, what’s your plan?”

            “My plan?”

            “Yeah,” I sat up, “What is the goal here? What do you want from him? Are you expecting something from this visit, or is it just that, a visit?”

            She looked at me with her brows furrowed, “Well I would like him back.”

            “Well, songbird, it doesn’t really work like that. Hades and Perse are pretty strict on the rules now-a-days.”

            “What am I supposed to do?”

            “I am going to be honest kid; I think it might be better for you to turn around now. If you keep looking over your shoulder to the past you will be stuck here. I don’t want to see you lose everything by—”

            “You expect me to go back without him? Without even trying! I cannot leave him behind and how dare you assume that I should.”

“Hey, hey, hey don’t shoot the messenger here!”

“Who do you think you are anyway?”

“You don’t know who I am?” The wings on my heels fluttered with frustration, “Well let’s just say you could not have chosen a better travel companion.”

“Well I could have chosen a more supportive one,” she turned her back to me, her strumming harsher than what it was previously.

She was a stubborn one, wasn’t she? “Look,” I sighed, “I am sure that if you plead your case with them and explain why you need him, they may help you. They have helped others before,” She turned back to me. “You need to plead with Persephone, she will like you. If you get her on your side the king will have no choice.”

She gave me a weak smile, “Thank you.”

I grinned, “Don’t thank me yet, we haven’t even reached shore.”

She looked down at the guitar once more and returned her voice to the music she was making. The fog continued to clear, and the smell lightened.

***

We approached the front of the castle as she finished another song. She finally opened her eyes and looked around the vast cavern. Her eyes widened as she saw the black obsidian tower in front of her.

“Very nice songbird, your music made this trip bearable for once.”

She stood and Charon was the one who helped her off the ferry. She turned to me and asked, “Are you ready?”

“I’m not going in with you.”

“But I thought you said you would help me.”

“I did,” I motioned around us, “I got you here and I will get you back. You are on your own in there.”

She shifted, “Okay, I just go in there and ask?”

“Couldn’t hurt.”

“Any other tips?”

I thought for a moment, “Play to their romantic side. They are suckers for cursed lovers.” I rolled my eyes.

“And you will be here to help us back out when I am done?”

“I said that didn't I?”

She nodded and headed to the castle. So I didn’t technically lie when I said that I wasn’t going in with her. But I am a nosey god and I needed to know how my hero would do on her own. So I did go inside after her, to hear how she would do.

She walked in strumming. She started to pick up pace and determination. On a mission; she had her goal and she was bound and determined to achieve it. 

Of course the King and the Queen knew of an odd arrival in their kingdom. Everyone was talking about the beautiful music, and the heartbreaking tale of the young girl. A young woman being left behind by the person she loved most. They knew exactly what she was here for. Ophelia made her way to the center of the large throne room. The room was brightly filled with jewels and precious metals of all kinds. The most adorned area were the thrones at the end of the room, especially where the queen sat. Jeweled and gilded flowers covered her and him, riches glittered beyond all compared.

“What do you want?” the king asked, “Or better yet who is it that you are looking for?”

“I am looking for my husband. I was told that you could help me find him and help me bring him back home.”

“My dear, that is not possible. Your husband is here to stay.”

“Please I am begging you, we just need a bit more time. We haven’t had any time.” She got down on her knees throwing the guitar off of her, “Please I will do anything it takes. I will give up some of my time. I will return and stay here if that is what it takes. We just need more time; we did not get enough time.”

The king sighed, “I understand that you are still grieving, but he can’t leave. I can’t just let him go.”

She reached for her instrument, “Please if you will just listen you will understand—”

“No, we cannot go through this again.” He looked over at his wife, she nodded with a saddened look, “We have hurt one this way and I will not be disappointed again,” he stood. “It is time that you go home. There are others that are still with you that need you now. Be with them.”

She stood up, “Could I please just see him once more?”

“No, it will not end the way you plan. You must return home.” The queen spoke.

Ophelia looked down at her instrument. Looking at her you could see a plan brewing in her eyes. She picked up the instrument and started her hazardous melody once again. The king and queen were quickly sucked in.

Their eyes drooped and they sighed heavily, but not audibly, in case they accidentally stopped the sweet tune. They cuddled closer to each other, holding on tightly so that they may not lose one another in space. Hades tried to fight out of the music and focus on his queen, but Persephone so grasped in the music her flowers were now with her in the underworld. The flowers bloomed between the spaces of the jewels; ivy spread its way across the walls. The cold, dark castle fills itself with bright and lively things as Ophelia sings of reunited love. The underworld warmed and smelled of new spring. The king and queen’s time was almost at an end, making this music even more bittersweet. Entranced, the queen started to tear up.

Once she finished her song she looked up at the stunned royalty, “Now do you understand? I cannot leave, not without him.”

The king rose, “I am sorry my dear, but I made a promise to myself years ago that I will not allow another one of you to disappoint me. Orpheus was—"

“A different person,” The queen stood and moved herself to her husband. She grabbed his hands, “Look at her my love. She is frail and lonely; all she longs for is to be with her husband. Does she remind you of anyone?”

Hades looked down at Ophelia and he paused. Breathing desperately he looked between his wife and the young girl. He let go of his queen's hands and walked away, “I am sorry, but I cannot help you.”

“What?” Persephone asked. Hades turned and sat himself back down in his jewel studded throne.

Honestly out of the pair I had my money on the big man breaking first.

“I have made a promise all those years that I will not let what happened to Orpheus happen again. He was brilliant, but due to his mistake he threw that all away. You need to go home. You need to let go. And you need to move on. That is the only thing that will make you feel better, and it is the only way you will ever get better. Move forward and don’t look back,” he smiled at Ophelia.

“But Hades—”

“That is enough Perse. I have made up my mind.”

The queen's mouth pressed into a hard line, “Well if your mind's made up so is mine.”

She ran down to the small girl and in her hands, she started to work her magic. A mix of pink and green lights melted in her fingers. Sparks of gold flickered and sparked out of her grip. Persephone smiled as she spread her magic over Ophelia.

“May this help your power grow and help you find what you’re looking for,” the queen winked.

What was that sneaky woman up to?

“That is very kind my love. But now it is time for you to go,” He straightened himself and looked at the young lady, “I am sorry.”

Ophelia nodded and exited with dignity. Once out, I was to be found waiting for her where she left me.

“How did everything go?” I asked.

She walked past me, not even looking at me. Stepping on the boat she denied help from both the ferryman and I.

The whole ride was silent, not a strum, not a hum, not even a tuneful sigh. Everything heading back seemed to move as normal. No acknowledgement was made to our boat. The attention that followed us there no longer existed. The hustle and bustle of everything was back to what it normally was, the smokey green river flowed as normal. It was a long ride.

Once we got to shore Ophelia jumped out and ran back to the spot she had first entered. She pushed at the solid stone. Pushing and pushing the rock would not give in. Ofelia did, turning her back to the wall and sliding down the side of it sitting herself down. Her body jerked as she pulled at her hair. I moved myself next to her.

“Are you okay?”

She shook her head, “I don’t know what I am going to do. I don’t know how to feel. I am so lost right now.”

I nodded, what is there to say?

“I need him. How dare they decide that they just have the right to take him, how dare he leave me to be here. What am I supposed to do without him?”

 I pressed my lips together, “Can I answer that question?”

She gave me a slight nod.

“Keep looking forward, keep moving forward. They will always be there with you, not in the way you can feel, but they are there.”

“How do I move forward when I feel so stuck?”

“Now that is the difficult part. It takes time, patience with yourself, and kindness to your heart. You are beautifully emotional and it’s okay to be. Know that grief and loss is a forever process. You never get past it; you just learn to live with it.”

 “It’s just so much to handle,” her tears flowed harder.

“It is, but I believe that you can make it through. You just have to take the first step,” I placed her guitar in her lap.

Ophelia picked up the instrument. As she studied it her tears consistently ran, but the corners of her mouth rose into a complication of emotions. “Where do I begin my return?” she asked.

            I pressed my lips together, “I would recommend starting the same way you ended up here.”

            She turned the guitar in her hands and pulled the strap over her as she stood. Taking a deep breath, she strummed and hummed and played, capturing everyone's attention. The song this time was no longer of sorrow and despair, though there were pangs of sadness, her song was now about love that she had for him. Her voice flew through the caverns and shook the ground. Looking at the walls there was now an opening slowly making itself. Once it had completely opened, her song reached its finish.

            Ophelia slowly opened her eyes and looked at the wall. Seeing its opening she ran her fingers over the rough edge.

            “Well done,” I said. “I am glad to see that there is still good music in you, songbird.”

            She smiled, “Thank you, I really couldn’t have done it without your help.”

            “All in a day’s work,” I smirked, “but you should really get heading home. You have a long journey ahead of you.” I left, so that she may finish her hero’s journey on her own.

            She turned to the exit and took a deep breath. It was already beginning to close; she prepared her guitar again.

            “Ophelia,” she was interrupted.

            Her breathing hitched; it was a voice that she had been longing for. She froze still staring at the tunnel that was slowly closing in on itself. The walls crumbled and the dirt started to fall and fill itself in.

            “Ophelia, it- it’s me Edison. I am so glad to see you,” Edison said.

            “Is that really you?” she asked.

            “Turn around and see.”

            Ophelia’s body shook, her feet faltered, and her body was ready to move.

            Now I cannot say very often that I am surprised by the actions of humans. They rarely learn from the lessons from their own cautionary tales, and us gods can only do so much to the minds of humans. But the one lesson that I wished Orpheus would have learned… Ophelia was a person that had a choice to make, I can just hope that she made it back out of the other end of the tunnel. I prayed for her sake; she kept looking forward.