Review: A TOTAL SUPRISE, FULL OF MEANING IF YOU GET IT!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 5, 2014
Percy awakens in a swamp, beside a river, in total silence. When he tries to get back to his home, he finds his path blocked by a large old hound dog. From across the river, he sees a boat headed his way with a single occupant guiding it.Percy meets the boat's rider, a man called Char, and believes him to be a local in his hometown, a small town by a swamp. A dialogue ensues, whereby Percy is asked about his life. He reveals himself to be fifteen, and the only gay boy in the small townChar tells him that he can take him to the opposite riverbank, and there, he can find his way. Percy accepts the man's offer and a discussion begins about his hard, short life.In this beautifully written short story, it is easy to see the real meaning behind all that is happening, which makes for a tearful, heart-rending tale of loss, bullying, hate, rejection, love and a possible redemption in Percy's journey forward.The boatman is Char, short for Charon, and the silent river is the river Styx. Percy's hope lies on his new path forward. I dare not say more, because I've already given away too much.For those who wish to know more, in case you're not familiar with mythology, check out Wikipedia and you'll get the idea here. I, for one, can not say more because my heart is broken.However, the anti-bullying message that this story shouts should be loud and clear.