Summer in Montauk

The Hidden Truth

I paced back in forth on the creaky floor, awaiting the sound of the door opening. I had tried everything: pinching myself, checking the clock often, and splashing water on my face, but this dream felt real.

It couldn't possibly be real. My entire life, I had always seen strange things. But never like this before. Then, the sound of the footsteps clicking in the hallway jarred me from my thoughts.

Don appeared in the kitchen. A long scratch that was bleeding heavily ran up his cheek. "I... Think that we need to talk."

I nodded, and walked to the living room without waiting for him. I sat down in the frayed couch across from him, and was silent.

"Well," he starts. You've heard of the old myths in Greek Mythology. The Gods."

"Well, yeah. Like-" I'm cut off.

"Don't! Say their names. Names have power," Don says, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"Are you trying to tell me-" I start. I stare at him incredulously, not believing what he's trying to tell me.

Don finishes my sentence, "They're real."

I shake my head slowly. "No."

"Why do you think that you can see things other people can't? You don't have schizophrenia. You can see through the Mist," His gaze was unwavering. I was silent for a few minutes. The silence was thick in the entire room.

"I believe you," I finally whispered. It was the only thing that made sense, after I put two and two together. "Can you promise me something?"

"Anything," he says immediately. With his sea green eyes staring at me, I feel like a coward for requesting this from him.

"I believe you, and I can handle this. But I want us to stay the same. I care about you, but I don't want to know how you play into all of this. I don't want to know what place you are in all of this weirdness. Okay?" I plead.

His face falls for a split second. "Of course," he smiles sadly.

I grab his hand. "Come closer." I scoot towards him, and then lean my head against his shoulder, smelling his ocean scent. "Let's just be normal. For tonight." I closed my eyes, and drifted off into sleep.

***

I woke up to a strong hand stroking my hair. I smiled, and turned to face him. "Good morning," he says softly.

I stand up, stretching out my muscles after being in the same position for too long. "I don't want to sit around here all day. We're going bowling!" I shouted, walking into the kitchen without waiting for his approval. I could hear chuckling from the other room.

I got dressed, and somehow he had gone home and changed. "You're fast, you know," I noticed.

"I have a fast car," he shrugs, disregarding it like it's nothing. I know where he lives, but I've never been there. Maybe that should be on the to-do list some day.

"Let's go," I say, grabbing my keys from the wall hook. He clears his throat.

"You drove last time. It's my turn," he states with a grin on his face.

I sigh. "Fair enough," I grumble. We walk out the door, him seeming very smug. I lace my hand through his, deriving comfort from his warmth.

We get into the car and I drop his hand. The engine starts up, and I try to start a conversation. "So... Do you drink coffee or tea?"

He laughs. "Coffee, of course. And you?"

"Coffee. Lots of cream and sugar, though," I reply, laughing at my taste buds that can't handle bitterness.

"I prefer mine black," he states, grinning back at me.

"And that is where the similarities end." I confirm.

All of a sudden, the car bangs to the side, as if it was hit by something. I try not to scream. I feel a ripping pain erupt in my arm, as the car tips over onto it's side.

"Get out!" I hear Don yell, even though I can't see him. I open the car door cautiously, unbuckle my seatbelt, and fall out of the car.

I look around groggily, searching for what we hit. I hope it wasn't a deer. My eyes then fall on a huge figure, which was certainly not a deer.

A ten foot tall figure looms above the crash. It stands on two legs, but it's a bull. Except as I look further down, I see that it's not. Fur covers it's whole body from the waist up. Tied around it's waist is a large, fur wrap. The Minotaur. His eyes are red, and he looks angry. He stares at me with blood-red eyes, and I know that I am dead.

"To the side! He's going to charge at you! Hop out of the way, to the side, at the last second!" I hear Don yell.

The Minotaur charges. He comes closer, and I have to force myself to not remove myself from his path. At the last second, I leap aside, and the half-bull rumbles past me.

He looks back at me, but his attention turns after Don yells, "Asterion! Come to try to kill me?"

Don holds a trident, which came from who-knows-where. The bull charges towards Don, and he steps aside gracefully, stabbing the huge beast in the side. Golden sand falls out of the wound instead of blood.

The monster doesn't seem too bright. It charges again, head-on towards Don. Instead of side-stepping, Don stabs the Minotaur in the stomach. As the Minotaur dissolves into golden dust, Don says quietly, "You can't kill me, Asterion."

He then looks to me, and says, "We need to go."