Pandora Gets Angry by Carolyn Hennesy Page A

a large bone to Dido far below in a trough of the desert dunes. After one particular toss, Dido raced back to Homer, the bone in his mouth, and, instead of dropping the bone at Homer’s feet as usual, Dido sped past him, nearly knocking Homer to the ground. Iole giggled, but when Pandy didn’t, Iole turned to her. Pandy’s face was serene, her gaze far away to the west.
    â€œAnd you are cogitating?”
    Pandy turned a puzzled expression to her friend.
    â€œWhat are you thinking?”
    â€œOh,” Pandy said, gazing again at the intense red glow where sun had been only an instant before. “I am wondering, since nothing else from our homeland seems to work or make sense in this country, who or what is pulling the sun across the sky? Is it still Apollo? Or, when the sun gets to Persia, does he have to hand it over to another god or … or someone … or something … until the sun crosses back into Greece and then he gets to pull it again. What does he do with his chariot while the sun is somewhere else? Does he just fly around for a bit? Is it like that in every different country in the known world? Do the gods of different countries have to share the major responsibilities?”
    She turned to look at Iole.
    â€œI have no idea,” Iole replied, smiling. “But your mind is working wonderfully. Do you realize that, months ago, you would never have even considered these possibilities?”
    â€œBut I don’t have an answer,” Pandy said.
    â€œNot the point. Your mind is expanding. That’s big news.”
    â€œI guess,” Pandy sighed, grabbing a handful of desert sand and letting it trickle through her fingers. “I’m just homesick. I want this over, no matter how it turns out.”
    â€œDon’t say that,” Iole cautioned.
    â€œIt’s true, Iole. Alcie’s gone. We almost lost you. Tomorrow I have to watch a man get his head lopped off just because he thinks there might be some lesser evils lurking somewhere.”
    â€œWe’ve been through it, I concur. But you have four big evils in the box. You are over the hump, as it were. You didn’t lose me; I feel better than ever. You have Dido back, and Homer and me. I have no words about Alcie. There are no words …”
    Iole’s voice trailed off for a moment.
    â€œAnd as for tomorrow, we’ve seen horrible things. I cannot imagine that this will be any worse.”
    â€œBut his execution makes no sense!” Pandy cried. “And he could have escaped! That’s the most horrible thing!”
    â€œMay I join you?”
    A soft voice from behind them had floated on the light breeze.
    â€œOh,” Pandy said, jumping slightly. “Oh, yes, of course. Please.”
    Douban’s son made his way across the top of the dune and sat down close, but not too close, to Pandy.
    â€œHey, Little D,” she greeted him.
    â€œGood evening, Pandy. Iole,” he said.
    â€œAnd a good evening to you,” Iole answered.
    There was silence for several minutes. When it finally became uncomfortable, Iole got to her feet.
    â€œWell,” she said, “I’m going to go see what Mahfouza’s concocting for evening meal.”
    â€œWe already had evening meal,” Pandy said.
    â€œI’m talking about the second evening meal,” Iole said, walking down the dune. “The one we have after the first evening meal. Like we do all the time … back home. All right then, see you later … you … two.”
    Pandy looked at Douban’s son and smiled. For some reason, she felt at once nervous yet comfortable around this handsome youth who was watching her, as he’d done for days, so intently.
    â€œI’m sorry to have interrupted,” he began.
    â€œYou didn’t,” Pandy laughed. “She’s just being a goof. Hey, you don’t mind me calling you Little D, right? I can’t say Dou-dou.”
    Without thinking,