"Oh My Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tera Lynn Childs)

тАЬSorry,тАЭ I say. But looking back over my shoulder at the marathon display, IтАЩm not at all sorry. IтАЩve just come within inches of the ancient origins of distance running. What do I have to be sorry about?

тАЬThe city of Athens installed archaeological displays such as this in many of our metro stations for the 2004 Olympics,тАЭ Damian says.

HeтАЩs lugging all four suitcases and the ninety-kilo briefcase behind him, but doesnтАЩt even look unhappy.

тАЬOh wow,тАЭ Mom says softly and with a touch of awe in her voice, stepping up to the display for a closer look, analyzing every detail like she always does. тАЬThis says the modern Athens marathon follows the same path that Pheidippides ran in 490 BC. Phoebe, this is amazing.тАЭ

Like I want to share my visit to the shrine of distance running 23





with them? Hardly. тАЬWhatever,тАЭ I say as I turn away and head back to wait for the approaching train. тАЬItтАЩs not that great.тАЭ

When the next train pulls up we climb back onтАФMom has taken her two suitcases from Damian and he is stuck pulling mine, which makes me smile. IтАЩm torn between not wanting them to know how much seeing that exhibit means to me and wanting to see as much of the exhibit as I can before the train chugs away.

In the end, I twist in my seat and watch out the window as the shoes of Pheidippides race out of sight.

Someday IтАЩll come to this station again and take my time memorizing every little detail of the exhibit. Maybe when IтАЩm breezing through Athens on my way to college back in civilization.

After the fourteen hours in a cramped plane seat and an hour on a packed metro train, IтАЩm actually looking forward to the three-hour ferry ride to Serifos, an island near Serfopoula. Of course there are no direct ferry routes to Serfopoula.

Still, I can imagine myself gazing out over the turquoise AegeanтАФ

the salty sea breeze drowning out Mom and DamianтАЩs repulsive lovey-dovey talk and blowing my stick-straight hair into beach-hewn waves. At least we arenтАЩt moving somewhere with no major body of water. Heck, there probably isnтАЩt anywhere on Serfopoula that isnтАЩt within running distance of the beach. Beach runs are my favorite. Salty sea air rushing in and out of my lungs. Sand shifting under my feet, making my calves burn with extra effort. Collapsing 24



in exhaustion and watching the waves crash the shore while restor-ing my energy. Pure bliss.

The actual ferry ride is nowhere near the peaceful boat trip IтАЩm hoping for. Thank goodness my Dramamine kicks in because we arenтАЩt on a slow boat to Serifos, we are on a hydrofoilтАФa super high-speed ferry that bounces me off the deck when it hits even the tiniest wave. ItтАЩs named Dolphin something-or-other, but it feels more like riding a really angry bull. One that canтАЩt wait to shake every last human off its back.

Riding the bucking bull is bad enough, but one more second of watching goo-goo eyes and IтАЩm going to lose the contents of my stomach over the side of the boat. Mom and Damian donтАЩt seem to notice. They are busy standing close and batting their eyes at each other. Every so often he whispers something in her ear and she laughs like a little girl.

тАЬI have to pee,тАЭ I announce, more crudely than normal. I fully intend on actually using the facility until I get in there and am about to unzip my jeans when the bull hits a ripple and sends me sidelong into the door. I can only imagine what will happen if I actually squat in hover position and we hit a real wave. Instead of tempting fate I decide I can hold it until we find land.

We get to Serifos and spend a few glorious steps on an unmoving surface while Damian leads us to the chauffeuredтАФ is a private boat driver a chauffeur? тАФprivate yachtтАФ yes, yachtтАФthat will take us the rest of the way to the stupid, ferry-less island.

Does that mean thereтАЩs no way off the island unless I have my own boat? Great, IтАЩm going to be stuck on this stupid island until I 25



get paroled. Or until I make friends with someone who has a boat.

Now thereтАЩs a plan.

When I step onto the boat IтАЩm smiling at the thought of befriend-ing someone with transport.