“The One and Only” Ch. 5

Something bright was being shined in his eyes. He squinted, then heard a yelp as slowly he rocked himself into a sitting position. It was night, the moonless evening illuminated only by the paltry light of the stars. Dionysus gripped against his chest, pain screaming across his nerves. Fighting against it, he turned towards the source of the light, the young police officer, who was struggling to contend with what she was seeing.

“You are alive!” she said in shock.

Dionysus sighed heavily as he gritted his teeth and stood up. Sitting next to him was the scythe, his blood rapidly drying on it. He ignored it and instead grabbed his flask and pack as he began to walk away.

The officer quickly stood, calling after him.

“Hey...Hey!”

Dionysus didn't turn around. He just kept walking.

“What...where are you going”? I need to get you to a hospital. The fact you are even walking around is a miracle.

”No it isn't,” he called back as he continued down the road. Officer Lawrence ran ahead of him, retrieving her firearm from her holster.

”Now really, if that damn thing didn't kill me what chance do you think you have?”

She ignored his observation. ”Please, what the hell was that?”

Dionysus stopped. He was breathing badly, his lungs still reforming. ”You wouldn't believe me.”

“That's a bunch of shit,” she said. ”I just watched you tie me up with vines. Then I watched you get pinned to a tree by someone impossibly strong. I am pretty sure I am pretty open minded at this point.”

Dionysus took some time to think as he rolled the events over in his mind. All of them. The bugs where out, or at least what was left of them, their calls a low drone.

“Help me get a fire going. I can't feel my fingers very well.”

“Are you kidding me? If we aren't going to the hospital then we have to get back to town. I have to report in or people are going to come looking for me.”

“No one will come looking for you and the sooner I get to civilization the sooner that thing finds me again,” he said. His face lacked concern or fear. Simply a cold matter of factness that convinced her he was telling the truth.

“What do you mean no one will come looking...”

“Are you coming or not?” he asked, cutting her off.

“Alright,” she said with a sigh. “But you have to promise to tell me what is going on.”

Dionysus looked her up and down, sadness clouding him. He hadn't thought about what had happened for a long time. He hadn't wanted to think of what had happened.

“Fine," he said.

And so they descended into the woods, Dionysus grabbing the scythe as he passed it, the blood now gone from the blade.

“My name is Patricia," she said as they walked.

He ignored her.

Several minutes later the two of them sat around a fire. It was small, but as she added wood the fire took shape. Dionysus smiled. It usually took him longer. She clearly knew what she was doing. When at last she was satisfied she sat down across from him, her eyes clearly indicating it was time. Dionysus thought for a moment, and then spoke.

“What do you want to know?"

“Who was it that attacked you?"

”He is called Typhon. Two thousand years ago he killed all gods save for myself."

Patricia stammered, but despite her confusion she managed to get her next question out.

“Ah...and what was that thing he used on you?”

Dionysus looked down at the scythe laying next to him. “It's a weapon older than most of the gods. Before today it was last used to castrate the god Uranus."

The officer's jaw was slack as she tried to process what she was hearing.

“Bullshit," was the best response she could manage.

“I thought you said you would be open minded."

“I...I am. It's just...kinda unexpected."

Dionysus didn't respond, simply taking the silence sitting between to stare into the fire.

Patricia thought for a moment. A long moment before she spoke again. “Which god are you. And why can't that thing kill you?"

He was silent. Silent long enough to make her assume he wouldn't answer. But at last he spoke.

“Dionysus. God of wine, revelry, and madness. As to why I can't die I can only guess it is because I was supposed to die at birth. Due to my father's intervention I was brought back to life which I can only imagine affected the plans of the fates. It's the only reason I survived. I certainly didn't earn the right to."

“So," she said, ”are you telling me that thing can kill gods? Why aren't we all dead?"

”Honestly," he responded, “I think he just wants to win. The fact I'm alive pisses him off. He by strength alone is entitled to rule over all living things. But the fact I escaped him, that he can't truly finish what he started has left him looking for ways to end me."

Patricia sat, processing. Thinking. Until the question she knew she wouldn't like the answer to came to her.

“So what happens now?"

Dionysus frowned. “Now I am going to get you back to your car and have you forget you ever saw me."

“You can't...” she cut herself off. He could and he certainly would. Unless convinced otherwise. “Even if you make me forget do you really think that that thing will let me live after I pulled that blade from your chest?"

“No," he said blankly. “I don't think he will."

She was stunned. “And you are just okay with that?!"

“Listen mortal," he yelled, his anger building. ”Do you really think your lives matter at all to me? Nothing matters. Nothing at all. Everything is fleeting. Everything will die. But me. Give me one good reason why your life should count for anything?"

Patricia was unable to respond, wrestling with the fact that she was likely going to die soon and wouldn't even know why. And as hard as she tried she couldn't figure out how should convince such a being of her worth. And as she thought on it, she thought about what had been lost to him.

“You feel guilty," she said. Almost in disbelief.

Dionysus grimaced. “Shouldn't I be? I am nothing. By the powers of the gods I was always minor. And yet when all was said and done the only one left over was me. Not my father. Not my uncles. The most powerful of us fell and the weakest one survived. There is nothing right about that. Guilt is the only emotion that would be reasonable to feel, and I haven't felt that in centuries."

She couldn't figure out how to respond, the revelations leaving her mind frazzled. It was simply too much for her to be asked to process at once.

“Do you have anything to eat?" she asked at last.

“What," he queried, puzzled.

“I haven't eaten since this morning. The least you can do is make sure I'm not hungry when I die."

Dionysus stared at her. Then he started to laugh. And he continued laughing, to the point where Patricia was unsure if he had lost his mind. Finally he stopped, wiping his eyes of tears. He nodded, then stood up and grabbed the pan from off his bag along with an arrangement of smoked meats he kept with him. He spread out part of the fire and set the pan directly on top, placing the meat in soon after. Then he gathered some sticks, placing them in a tripod position over the fire.

”Keep an eye on the meat, he offered more than ordered. “It won't take long to warm up." He then ventured into the woods, a pot in his hand.

Patricia obediently watched the meat, aware that if she was going to run that this was the perfect chance. But something stopped her from doing so.

Around five minutes passed before Dionysus returning with a pot of water and some greens, which he promptly placed over the fire to cook. Then he grabbed some utensils and a plate, handing the arrangement to her along with the meat.

“Aren't you going to eat?"

“My stomach is upset," he said simply.

And so she sat and ate what she assumed was her last meal, enjoying the cooked greens and trying to not let the growing panic rise up in her. She wanted to call someone, to let them know she was going to die. And maybe explain why. But she couldn't bring herself to call Matt or anyone else. And when she at last got tired she set her head down on her vest, the gods cold eyes staring off into the wood as she fell asleep for what may be the last time.