Part 72

A red and angry sun rose on the horizon. Twisted, bent, huge trees brooded along the river bank. The sun's rays hardly penetrated into the depth of the forest. Birds flew high, dashing wildly away as a hawk fell into their midst. A large fish leaped from the waters' surface, splashed back and disappeared.

His empty stomach growled in anger over lack of breakfast. The thought of meat and eggs cooking on his mother's fire would not leave his mind.

He searched his pouch, found only day old remnants of bread, which he quickly devoured. Still, visions of venison roasting, of warm loaves of bread from the oven - enough! He must quit this foolish dreaming, must find a way to return!

Listlessly the young man let his hand dip into the water. Only were he able to catch a fish, anything to provide sustenance.

With a start he felt an object brush against his fingers. Quickly he grasped it, pulled it to the surface. Perhaps a fish, careless of predators.

"No!"

He thrust it from him! The headless body of a man! Shuddering he watched it slip away. In his mind he recalled the story of one so killed, doomed to the endless wandering of the Meander.

The broad river seemed to wind endlessly, going nowhere. Along its low banks huge trees dipped their limbs in the muddy water. A turtle swam by near the shore, then dived below. In the tree limbs above birds sang their mating calls. Serenely the placid river flowed. A lifeless stretch of jungle bordered it.

But was it lifeless!

Something moved among the brush and tree trunks. At first he thought of the unseen companion. No, this was different.

He watched carefully.

Farther along, more movement! Something, or someone, was following his boat!

They stayed well back from the shore. Still, from time to time he saw again the movement, glimpsed once more a stern visage.

He tensed as the current moved him closer still to that shore and its unknown inhabitants.

The boat ground to a stop, its lower hull lodged on the shallow bottom.

Demo took a deep breath, using the oar tried to pry the boat from its anchorage.

A small stream flowed into the river within feet of his position.

The bushes along the stream were moving! The motion came ever closer!

He climbed into the water, attempted to free the boat again.

It was to no avail!

He turned to the shore. They stood silently, stoic, watching.

Waiting!

The Sileni!

A distant cousin of the centaurs, with much the same appearance. Their lower haunches were horselike, while torso and head were that of man. Their history was dim, their homeland unknown.

There was no escape! The boat was lodged tightly. He stood, waded slowly to the shore.

"We rarely see visitors from the outside." This Sileni stood tall above his companions. "And on the river Meander some come and go, never to be seen again. What seek you on this river?"

"Ill fate sent me to this stream. I merely wished to cross the river Styx, carrying a missive sent by Zeus. Strange forces diverted my passage, and I floated unwillingly here."

"Tarry with us a bit. To follow the Meander is useless. It never ends, never repeats a passage. An eternity is too short to follow all its windings. Perhaps we can aid you, help you return to the river Styx. Though it, too, is a river of ill repute."