Orpheus’s Mountain | Teen Ink

Orpheus’s Mountain

January 28, 2022
By TobySun SILVER, Princeton, New Jersey
TobySun SILVER, Princeton, New Jersey
8 articles 0 photos 0 comments

The clock rings.

Orpheus sits up from his bed, rubbing his eyes. His assigned robot, Crystal, approaches him and displays on their chest: 2086 January 16, 8:00. Soon after, comes: “Hello, dear master. It is time to wake up now. Today is a divine day because you will proceed to the Time Machine Institute to travel. Now, master, you can choose any service that you need.” 

Crystal provides a series of automatic processes and Orpheus is ready for the day. 

Crystal momentarily morphs into the Time Machine Institute. Orpheus steps in and solemnly approaches the host, a robot at the front desk. It asks if he has an appointment. 

“Yes. My name is Orpheus. I have an appointment today for time travel.” 

The robot points to Room 2 and guides Orpheus as he walks to the Machine. The robot explains several precautions before entering. First, the robot warns Orpheus that he may encounter some problems in the Time Machine – that he could enter the wrong time. He could also risk losing his memory in the process. 

“Are you sure you want to start your trip?” 

Orpheus answers decisively, “I am sure, and I will do that.” 

Soon Orpheus puts on the special equipment, takes a pill, and stands at the center of the Time Travel Machine. A series of robots set the time and press down on various buttons.

Orpheus, after a brief trance, opens his eyes. He has programmed the Time Machine to the exact moment when he first met Eurydice. He raises the lyre and performs his powerful song. They fall in love and begin their pleasant life together. As their love heats up, the wedding arrives as scheduled. However, Orpheus knows that this time he must act differently to save Eurydice from the fate that separated them forever. Orpheus strums his lyre and plays a tender and soothing melody, which drives the village people wild at their wedding. 

After the ceremony, the sun is about to set, a fire cloud appears. Eurydice holds Orpheus and says, “let’s go home”. Orpheus knows that in a matter of minutes, Eurydice will be killed by a viper. 

He hurriedly explains: “Today is so significant for us, why don’t we climb to the top of the mountain to enjoy the landscape and leave our memories behind?” 

Eurydice agrees to Orpheus’s request as he breathes a sigh of relief. As they are climbing the mountain, Orpheus walks in front of Eurydice and carefully looks out for danger. He doesn’t want to lose her again. Finally, they reach the top of the mountain and admire the scene below. They carve a symbol of their love on a tree and Orpheus uses the lyre to play a song of love. In these moments, Orpheus cannot imagine that their peace could be broken. 

While Eurydice is walking along the grass admiring the trees and the air flowing through them, she loses her balance, trips on a rock, and slides down the tremendous mountain. Orpheus throws his lyre to the side and jumps out to save Eurydice! He shouts, “Eurydice, can you hear me, please don’t, please don’t!”, he misses her and rushes to the foot of the mountain, his eyes full of tears. When he finds her, her still body is next to a tree, her breathing stopped…a gold and black striped adder slithering past her. 

Orpheus sits beside Eurydice and cries, 

“This time I tried my best to save you, but I still failed. Why? I will come back to save you again. Wait for me!” 

Orpheus, frustrated, goes to the place where he first arrived in the Machine. He swallows another pill and reappears at home, where for three days and three nights he sees and speaks to no one. When he considers traveling back in time to save Eurydice once more, he realizes that fate will never allow it. 

Closing a chapter on Orpheus and Eurydice forever, Orpheus knows he must move forward. The clock rings. 

Crystal appears. “Hello, dear master! It is time to wake up now. Today is a normal day. Now, master, you can choose any service that you need.” 


The author's comments:

The fiction is based on "Orpheus and Eurydice" in Mythology.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 1 comment.


Afra ELITE said...
on Feb. 10 2022 at 7:20 am
Afra ELITE, Kandy, Other
103 articles 7 photos 1819 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A writer must never be short of ideas."
-Gabriel Agreste- (Fictional character- Miraculous)

Wow!!! I love mythology and I simply like this amazing fiction...It's fantastic...👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻