Ferryman Gregg - Line Up

There is a land where the dead convene to ‘live’ out the rest of their days, but to get there they must first cross the place in between. The landscape here is barren and flat with reds and yellows as far as the eye can see. Snaking through the middle of this land the river gives the only passage through. The Styx lies in a region of the universe between the land of the living and the land of the dead.

If one were to look at the clouds near the entrance one would notice a very opulent and tacky sign that reads, “Welcome to Hades!” Below this sign there is a rocky outcrop with a long series of stairs that lead to a velvet rope by the rivers edge. And if one were to look really closely they would see that the stairs and the pathway was queued fully up with souls of all types and sizes.

“I want some candy!” One of the souls bursts out looking longingly at a random candy machine along the path. The candy bar machine is in a small cove with two other machines, one selling Charon Soda and the other selling Hades Hot Fries.

“Yeah, so do I, but they always rip you off in these situations. I bet it costs a lot of dough for just a simple candy bar.” Another soul replied back also staring at the vending machines nearby.

“Nun’t un, says right here: ‘One Coin’.” A third soul piped in and pointed to the sign with his tail like tendril.

“What should I get?” The first soul asked after slithering up to the machine and using one of his arm-nubs to put a coin into the machine.

“It’s all bad for you anyways, so what does it matter?” The second soul replied.

“I guess I could try this one,” the first soul said as he used his tail to push a button. A candy bar floated out of the machine and into the souls left nub. He looks at it and starts gnawing on it.

“So… How is it?” The third soul questioned.

“Eh… So-so…” The first soul replied in muffled tones.

“Heh, figures.” The third soul said knowingly, “Which candy bar did you pick?”

“Yeah it kind of does. I’m not sure, I think it was a Cerberus Choco-Lotto.”

“Wow with a name like that you’d think it would taste amazing.” A random soul added into the conversation.

“Yeah, pretty much how advertising works, the crappier the product the better the name.”

“So uh, that candy bar cost one coin, eh?”

“Yeah, why do you ask?” the soul replied nearly done with his candy bar.

“Um, isn’t that how much it costs to get across this river?”

“Yeah and?” The soul finished the sweet at this point.

“How many coins did you bring with you?”

“Oh,” the soul finally realized the folly of his choice, “um, I guess I’ll have to try and figure something out at the dock.” Worried about all the terrible ways this could end up for him.

-V-

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-