King Elementary
All Odysseus had seen for weeks was water -- miles and miles of water stretched across the world. Odysseus had grown tired of seeing water; so much water would make any man go mad. He slowly closed his eyes as drowsiness took over. “Stop,” he murmured to himself. He had to stay awake. With his eyes wide open, he dreamed of tall mountain peaks, vast forest, and smooth hills. Yet he wasn’t dreaming. He was seeing land. Odysseus blinked twice to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. For the first time in weeks, Odysseus smiled.
Odysseus could see the tall peaks of the mountains rising up to the sky. The rolling hills rolled over the Earth, squeezing the ground. Yet even as Odysseus looked farther, he could see the large stretches of plains. As the anchor was let down, Odysseus walked aboard the island with nothing but his head held high and a bundle of confidence. He started walking; step after step morning came. And that’s when the first living creature came into view. Right as he saw it, he knew he was not mistaken by its beauty. Its long, auburn hair was braided in a side braid with green scales glistening in the morning sunlight. Odysseus knew this was a siren. Sirens were mermaid-like creatures that lured sailors in with their voices. Trying not to be seen, Odysseus crept along the bank of the small lake and carefully dove into the water. It was cool and squished beneath his feet. As quiet as a mouse, he dove in and swam to the island inside of the lake. Once he got there, he saw a man. A man who looked like he could age no more. “Help me get out of this island,” the man whispered. His voice cackled with age. “On one condition, you help me get out of this island.”
“I can try,” the man replied, “This prison is my home,” he whispered again. Odysseus took the man’s hand and together they crept into the lake and everything was going well, until the sirens started singing.
“You have to fight their voices!” Odysseus screamed to the man. They both dove underwater to block out the sound. Reluctantly, it worked. And as they got aboard their ship, they sailed into the unknown.
“I can try,” the man replied, “This prison is my home,” he whispered again. Odysseus took the man’s hand and together they crept into the lake and everything was going well, until the sirens started singing.
“You have to fight their voices!” Odysseus screamed to the man. They both dove underwater to block out the sound. Reluctantly, it worked. And as they got aboard their ship, they sailed into the unknown.
