Siena Quinn is a fifth grader at Fallsmead Elementary who likes to read and draw. Her previous story, How Evil Came to Be, was published in the Fall 2015 issue of The Parenthetical.
“ODYSSEUS
My name is Nobody.
CYCLOPS
Nice name. My gift for you is that you will be eaten last.
(Falls asleep, snores loudly)”
NARRATOR
For many days Odysseus and his ships wandered the empty seas for sanctuary. The Trojan war had ended and Odysseus and his men were returning home to the island of Ithaca. There his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus were waiting for him. Ten years had passed since he had laid eyes on them. Finally, they washed up on the shore of a mysterious island.
ODYSSEUS
Men, the gods have blessed us with refuge from the vigorous sea. (Stands tall, looks at men proudly.) Let’s explore the island.
(MEN nod in agreement.)
NARRATOR
As the men wander the island, they come across something unexpected.
MAN 3
Um, you might want to see this. (Looks at cave in astonishment.)
MAN 1
It looks like a giant cave!
MAN 2
Let’s explore it!
(MEN walk into cave.)
(Gasp in astonishment.)
NARRATOR
The walls were lined with jugs of milk and cheese as tall as a man. The men ate and ate until they couldn’t eat anymore.
(MEN slouch moan and hold stomachs.)
MAN 4
(Groans.) I’m so full.
MAN 1
So am I. I’ve never been any fuller in my entire life!
NARRATOR
Suddenly the cave shook.
MAN 3
Ahhh! Is this an earthquake?!
(MEN lie down, scared.)
NARRATOR
No. It wasn’t an earthquake, but a gigantic, hairy, one-eyed freak of nature, the Cyclops!
(Leads sheep into cave, sheep bleat, CYCLOPS looks at men with anger.)
CYCLOPS
You ate my food! You will be punished!
[Picks up two MEN (2&3) eats them, burps loudly. MEN look at CYCLOPS terrified.]
ODYSSEUS
Now that you have eaten, you must drink.
(Hands CYCLOPS giant wine jug.)
CYCLOPS
(Drinks wine, wipes mouth.) (Contented sigh.) Thank you for the Trojan wine. What is your name?
ODYSSEUS
My name is Nobody.
CYCLOPS
Nice name. My gift for you is that you will be eaten last. (Falls asleep, snores loudly)
MAN 4
Stab him with your sword, Odysseus!
ODYSSEUS
My sword is useless. He is huge. Instead, we can sharpen that log into a spear and set it on fire! We can poke the Cyclops’s eye out with it.
(Men start working on spear.)
NARRATOR
The Cyclops started to stir.
(CYCLOPS stretches, yawns.)
ODYSSEUS
Set the log on fire!
(MEN charge into CYCLOPS’s eye.)
CYCLOPS
Aaargh! What have you done?!
OTHER CYCLOPS
(Walks over.) What happened?!
CYCLOPS
Nobody has blinded me!
OTHER CYCLOPS
You must have been dreaming. (Walks away.)
CYCLOPS
Nobody, you will pay for this!
(He lets sheep out.)
ODYSSEUS
Tie two sheep together then tie yourself to the sheep.
(Men tie themselves to sheep. Sheep walk out with men tied to them.)
CYCLOPS
I won’t let you escape! (Touches the tops of sheep looking for men.)
NARRATOR
Odysseus and his men were free! They rejoiced for having escaped the Cyclops, but mourned for their friends that had been eaten. They continued on their voyage back to Ithaca.
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