Feel Something

“Who are you?”

A pair of dull brown eyes belonging to a young woman stared at the man currently holding the skies on his shoulders.

“Does it really matter?” was her simple reply.

The man took in the arrival with a careful gaze.

Or as careful as he could allow.

She seemed harmless enough, albeit a bit oddly dressed to him. Her tunic was much shorter than what he was used to and was a shade similar to the orchids he remembered from home.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “Are you on a journey? A trial?”

Twice the woman shook her head no.

“I’m here to relieve you Atlas.”

He almost lost his grip as he stared at the woman with shock.

His mind went wild with so many thoughts, so much that it began to pain him. He didn’t do much thinking. Not when he only had one task to do for all of eternity.

“Is this some cruel joke? Has Zeus sent you to mock me?”

“No,” was her simple reply. “He doesn’t know that I’m here.”

Atlas frowned. “Then you must no he wouldn’t be pleased to know you’re here, making such an offer.”

The woman shook her head.

“He wouldn’t even notice. Too much going on for him to know you’re gone.”

She stepped closer. “To know someone’s taken your place.”

It was tempting. To be free of his punishment. But to relinquish it to a stranger? He didn’t know what to make of that.

“Why do you want the task?” he questioned. “Do you know what you are asking? What you are requesting?”

For the first time since she stood in front of him, a flash of emotion passed across her face.

“I do.”

He felt a pang of sympathy.

“Why would you want such a burden on your shoulders? This weight is not light by any means.”

The woman pressed a gentle hand to his cheek, the touch warm. He reveled in it.

But when Atlas looked into her eyes- and truly looked-, a shiver ran down his spine. All warmth he felt immediately disappeared.

He’d never seen such a cold and lifeless stare in his entire life.

“Any weight would be better than the lightless, emptiness I feel now.”