Cryssarina’s First Visit - Part 3

This is the third part of a continuing story. The first and second parts need to be read beforehand to better understand this part. As previously mentioned, Anthi Psomiadou has graciously agreed to be included as a fictional character in this unusual visit by Cryssarina to Greece where she hopes to speak to Goddess Athena and find Patrick who may still be alive.

Cryssarina could not even entertain the idea of sleeping during her second night in Greece. She was simply too excited from the two events of the past day and not sleepless at all. She had met Anthi and they both saw Goddess Athena move her right foot. How could she sleep after such happenings? She was sure that Anthi was also having the same feeling of exhilaration. Goddess Athena was there with them. Goddess Athena was on Earth. Cryssarina felt like dancing and breaking plates as she had seen in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. She eventually calmed down and fell asleep, looking at the Moon and the stars through the opening she had left between the curtains, dreaming of Goddess Athena and apparently Patrick.

She was awakened by the rays of the Sun before her wake-up call. Only trees truly welcome the Sun after a night of Moon and stars. She was meeting Anthi at 6 a.m. for breakfast in the hotel. Cryssarina did not generally have breakfast given her intermittent fasting and keto diet, only eating her first meal of the day in early to late afternoon. But not having eaten the evening before, a breakfast was being demanded. She was ready in the lobby before 6 a.m., waiting for Anthi who arrived a few minutes later as the clock showed 6:05. Cryssarina was the one who hugged Anthi this time, pointing with her head to the clock. Anthi did not understand at first what Cryssarina was alluding to. Five minutes is not considered being late. But then she remembered that five was Goddess Athena’s number. Did they get a second sign from her?

After breakfast during which they kept looking at each other with excitement in their eyes, they took a taxi to Athena’s statue. It was just after 7 a.m. when they arrived. They forgot to look at the time but I can tell you that it was exactly 7:05. A coincidence? Perhaps. Time will tell. I mean, I will tell. Methinks I just did. There was no one there this early in the morning, not Patrick either when they looked around for him, but not before kissing again the bottom of the pillar on which Goddess Athena stood tall like Mount Olympus. They looked intently at the goddess but could not discern anything unusual. She did not move. Yet now was the best time. There was no one around and she had already moved her right foot in front of them. She could have moved her left. She must be right-footed, they reasoned while keeping their eyes on her statue.

They conversed about their lives as the hours passed. Cryssarina learned many things about beautiful Anthi but promised not to say anything to anyone, not even M. But Anthi did not know M as well as I did. He could be trusted with anything, even a woman’s panties. Cryssarina also talked about herself but seemed not to have much to tell. She was almost like a blank slate. Cryssarina could be a perfect prototype for a female AI. It may be the reason why M finally accepted to be with her. She looked artificial, yet she was human, all too human. Anthi hugged her at one point, as if to make sure that she was made from flesh and bones. But Cryssarina hugged her back and kissed her on both cheeks, again taking longer with the second one, which again was her right. Her heart was beating faster than normal and Anthi felt it but did not say anything. She knew that Cryssarina was worried. Will they ever find Patrick? Is he even alive?

When Goddess Athena had not shown any sign by the beginning of the afternoon, they decided to go not far for some lunch. Cryssarina had decided to forget about her intermittent fasting while in Greece, but her keto diet could be maintained to a certain degree. She loved Greek salads which in Greece were simply salads and she also liked souvlaki of the chicken and fish variety. White meat under blue skies and not far from the blue sea seemed like a peaceful symphony. A Greek tragedy would have involved lamb, a baby that never got the chance to jump and live for a decent while. Like M and Patrick, Cryssarina never ate lamb or veal, considering them babies and thus off her menu. Eating their parents seemed more humane, but it was not, of course. But life was thus made. Humans needed other animal protein to be healthy, but only organic given all that was injected and fed to the poor usual variety of for-food-animals.

They spent the rest of the afternoon near the statue of Goddess Athena, the evening too, and then it happened. I am still thinking about the way in which to tell you this part of the story. Maybe I should just retell it exactly as it unfolded. Cryssarina kissed Athena’s pillar from time to time, displeased that she could not reach her. Goddess Athena was standing high overlooking the entire area and beyond. When almost no one else was nearby, Goddess Athena suddenly stepped down from her pillar and floated to the ground next to Anthi and Cryssarina. Yet when they looked at her statue, she was still there. Anthi and Cryssarina looked at each other but did not say a word. Goddess Athena approached them and said: O Pátrik eínai mazí mou (Patrick is with me). Cryssarina understood what Goddess Athena had said, having heard it in her head. Will he return home with me? Cryssarina then asked. Exartátai apó aftón (It is up to him), Goddess Athena replied. I love you, Cryssarina then said. Ki ego se agapo (I love you too), Anthi added. Xéro, ta paidiá mou (I know, my children). Pigaínete spíti kai epistrépste ávrio taftóchrona (Go home and return tomorrow at the same time). Óla tha apokalyfthoún (All will be revealed). Cryssarina asked Goddess Athena if she could kiss her hand but she disappeared before she finished her sentence.

Like the evening before, their taxi ride back to the hotel seemed to have elapsed like a dream. Again, Cryssarina and Anthi had no appetite for any earthly food. They had just been nourished by a goddess. Even words became uncalled for. It was as if they understood each other’s thoughts. They kissed again good night and see you tomorrow but at the late afternoon this time around. Athena is the greatest. What a goddess! Even I love her. Do you?