Ferryman Gregg - Introduction

This is the story of Ferryman Gregg. A friend and I started writing it a long time ago. I had planned to scrap the project, but on finding my notes found it might be better put up as a serial here. The initial story is more background to the future exploits of Gregg and is a little choppy and lacks a bit of my normal fluidity. Future installments will be much better, I promise. Without further ado, the beginnings of Ferryman Gregg:

Charon was ferrying Persephone to the world to be with Demeter. Charon opened up a hidden part of his gondola, which had bottles for mixed drinks and offered to mix a drink for Persephone. She initially declined, but somehow Charon accidentally drops his pole into the river Styx. After some awkward conversation, Persephone decided to take him up on the drink offer, indecently one that has pomegranate flavored vodka! Many drinks later Charon and Persephone get it on. After which Charon put his hand over the edge of the gondola and said some words of magic and his gondola pole flew up out of the water and into his hand.

Persephone goes to the living world and soon has morning sickness. Demeter is perturbed that her daughter, a god, is getting sick. Demeter questions Persephone relentlessly, but Persephone stays quiet. When Persephone starts showing, she breaks down and tells her mother the whole story. Demeter, known for being ruthless, becomes livid that her daughter is making her a grandmother, and to have an illegitimate child as well sends her over the top. The night before Persephone's return to Hades while she is asleep, Demeter plots to rid this unholy child from her daughter. Borrowing Cronus' scythe, she slices open Persephone and takes Gregg out, her intent to expose the child in the elements. Gregg looks up and smiles confusingly, to which Demeter melts as she realizes that she cannot in good heart abandon her own flesh and blood.

Demeter decides that Gregg should live, but cannot have his birth sully the family name. So to assure that he will never know whom his true mother is she steals some thread from the fates and sews Gregg's eyes shut, her belief that if were to see his true mother all hell would break loose.

The next morning Persephone awakes to find that she is no longer pregnant and goes ape-shit trying to figure out what happened. Demeter hands her Gregg and gives her a warning, "I don't care what you choose to do with him, but be assured you cannot keep him." Persephone, angry but understanding, just nods knowing that her mother is right.

Persephone gets back into Charon's gondola holding a basket. Charon again offers a drink, but receives an icy cold stare from Persephone. Frozen by her stare he puts his head down and concentrates on navigating the gondola across the river. When they reach the Hades side she pushes the basket into his hands and says, "Here, I think this is yours. A payment for the drinks earlier, if you will." Before Charon can respond Persephone is off the boat and quickly exiting into the distance.

Charon looks down into the basket and pulls back the blanket inside. His face drops and he says, "Oh dear... this could prove to be difficult to explain."

-V-