Chapter 4: Diamastigosis Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Diamastigosis Chapter 4

"You will make a fine spartan someday," he tells me and then walks off afterward. I notice some crowding after the whole ordeal.

"Oh my, your boy really took some. He must have been doing the proper prayer to a god. Which one have you been praying to, boy?" An old spartan asks me with his eyes sparkling.

I firmly don't believe in the polytheism of the ancient Greek world following a womanizer in Zeus and a family with more drama than the gossip girls back in the modern day.

"None that you are thinking of." I coolly reply and everyone makes a surprised expression due to my pragmatic answer. My father and I then make the walk back home.

"Son... I'm sorry about what happened."

"It's okay I understand that it's commonplace" I then walk to my room and hurl over from my pain.

The next day begins like any other as we eat breakfast. Anastasia has a much more relaxed posture in the presence of my father.

"Have you heard, Darius?" Mother waits for a response as Father gobbles down his bread and cheese.

"No, what is it, my dear?"

"Diamastigosis is today. We will go to the temple of Artemis to watch the bravery of the young boys."

Father coughs a little on his food and responds. "Well that's grand, we must go" he ushers in a polite smile.

"Maybe you can even join Damon, wouldn't that be an honor" Mom eyes me for a response.

"Well-" I start to speak but am interrupted by my father. "That wouldn't do much good, he is but a boy."

"Well, we will go and see." She ends the discussion and we then venture out to the Artemis temple for some time all by sandals and feet.

At first, the priests from the shadows just crackle their whips, any boy showing a flinch gives the audience a murderous laugh. Then they start to whip us one by one at first lightly bringing us some bruising. Next, they bring out buckets and put each one of us into one.

The first true whip strike finds its target, a boy immediately falls down on all fours but does not give up any more ground inside his bucket. The whips find each and every one of us and most boys find the strength to stay silent. I manage too as I feel blood start to drain from my back and into my own bucket.

The whippings continue as more and more boys begin to fall with only a few left standing including Nikolaos. I begin to lightly groan from the pain as what feels like electricity climbs into and spreads throughout my whole body after every single hit.

Buckets begin to fill and some boy goes unconscious, I fall onto one knee leaving Nikolaos as the only one left standing. He releases a painful smile and holds it, not allowing any noise to leave his mouth. As a chronological 24 year old I bring myself back up not just wanting to win this ceremony for notoriety but also to outlast someone 1/4 of my experience.

Finally, Nikolaos falls both his and my bucket completely filled, unlike many other Spartan boys whose bodies failed them at the halfway mark.

"The event is finished! Our Spartan boys showed the best show we could ask for, Lycurgus the inventor of the event himself couldn't be more proud as he wreaks lawful havoc for Hades!" Both Nikolaos and I drop into our own blood pool, I know for sure I have fully extended myself and lost more blood than I ever should have allowed myself to.

Every boy is taken out of their altar and laid down with what seems to be a celebratory cloak for some rest.

"Hey, good job out there ya really made me push myself for Artemis. She must be giving Sparta gifts as we speak!" Nikolaos smiles this time relaxed.

"Yes, she must truly give Sparta some good cheese next year!" I know she won't as Artemis isn't real but if she was it would be a great gift as the Spartans have no clue on what tastes good as I yearn for the taste of mozzarella cheese or jalapeno cheese.

Nikolaos starts laughing at my comment and we look over and see two boys being carried by parents looking down.

"They must-a not have made it..." Nikolaos starts to frown and so do I, this pointless ritual has caused the death of two 6-year-old boys for nothing. I pat Nikolaos on the shoulder avoiding any whipping marks so he doesn't wince from pain. Our parents then come up to us minus the appearance of Nikolaos's father giving us delighted expressions.

"I'm so glad your ali-served Artemis so well my boy. One day you might even be an Olympian for Zeus himself!" my father says, rubbing my hair.

"I agree, you truly made our family line proud up there. May our family line be on the side of the gods" she prays.

We then eventually headed back home and I then had to bear the pain of hearing my parents having intercourse through the whole night. After the event, I noticed a change in the ways others treat my family. As we get more items we head to the market for the same price and get approving nods. This brings a jovial mood yet it still doesn't make up for the mountain of scars that span on my body.