Mrs Sybell Langdon lived about four doors away, she was a good looking woman roughly in her mid 40`s early fifties and she was fun, she always had time for us kids, listening to our woes and problems, she laughed with us and cried with us I don’t thing you’d find a kinder soul anywhere. She was a bit strange though, never went to church and had a dislike of all religious leaders, she never bothered them unless they bothered her and they were always calling her names in church.

She was however well respected by adults and children alike in the neighbourhood always ready to lend a hand at any task, animals were attracted to her as if she could and they could understand each other, many a time I’ve seen her pick up a injured animal and take it home, she never used a Vet always tending the animal herself and they always seemed to recover within a day of two of her ministrations. Nobody harmed an animal or child when she was around or likely to hear of it for fear of her temper and she could be bad when her dander was up, not in violent way but verbally and you never went back for more.

For some reason she took a liking to me and we got on well, she was always interested in what I did, like her I loved animals although I wasn’t too keen on cats, they bored me just lying around and eating all day, but dogs you could have fun with. It always amazed me and the other kids that when we went to the park and I was sitting on a bench watching them play football or something that I was soon surrounded by all kinds of animals, even the wild fox would come to me as would the badgers as the light started to go, birds would sit on the back of the bench or maybe sometimes one or two would sit on my shoulders, when that happened all play stopped and the kids would just sit and watch.

Me I couldn’t play sports because I wore a brace on my right leg all the time, but the other kids didn’t ridicule me in anyway, they seemed to look after me, keeping the neighbour bullies away and such. I knew my limitations as they did but we still had fun, I read a lot and would help them with homework were I could and they would help me with physical things. I wasn’t very big actually I was small for my 11 years age a good four inches shorter than anyone else in our bunch.

I was eleven and started having strange dreams, nothing frightening but Mrs Langdon always appeared in them, except for Mrs Langdon the dreams were just a blur so I didn’t think much about them. Maybe it was because we both attracted to animals in some strange way and being able to much about them I didn’t let them bother me.

The summer holidays came around and all the other kids were away with their parents visiting some other country usually Spain or France, but we could never afford trips like that, maybe a day to the seaside now and again we could manage, but I never let it get to me. We didn’t have much money coming in and there just me and Mum after Dad run off with some bimbo he took a fancy to, but we managed. OK I didn’t have the things that other kids my age have but I had the love of mother. Mum could only work part time because of me and I felt bad about that and she knew it, but she kept telling me it wasn’t my fault things just happen in life and we have to do the best we can.

One day I was helping Mum around the house as usual when Mrs Langdon knocked on the door and came in,Mum told me to make a pot of tea. I was in the kitchen and couldn’t hear what was being said but I found out a few minutes later, when I joined them in the living room.

Once I had put down the tray containing a pot of tea, cups and plate of biscuits I sat across from the two women.

"Cary how would like to go with Mrs Langdon to Greece for a week a or two?" Mum asked

"Your joking aren’t you ?" I asked looking at two women smiling smugly

"No were deadly serious young man" said Mrs Langdon

"Let me explain, every year during the summer holidays I see all the other kids go off on their holidays and you are left alone with nobody to play with, yes yes I know you help your Mum and some of old people but you are missing out on a lot in life, I know your good at school better than the rest of the scallywags we have round here and I’m offering you a chance to see Ancient Greece instead of reading about it in some book. You are a lovable young man and well behaved and you deserve a treat after what life has thrown you and your Mum and before you ask It wont cost your Mum anything" she continued

I wanted so desperately to go but I felt that Mum should have a Holiday as well, I just sat there not knowing what to do or say.

In the end Mum said "I’ve decided , your going and there will be no arguments from you young man, Mrs Langdon is giving you the chance of a lifetime and you will not refuse, and you will be on your best behaviour at all times and do as you are told, you hear me."

"Yes Mum " I answered

"Oh we have a problem" said Mum

"What’s that?" asked Mrs Langdon

"No Passport" replied mum

"No Problem well go to the passport office in the morning and him one" stated Mrs Langdon

"I went up to my room and the two women continued to chat away as if this was an everyday occurrence, Ancient Greece I thought, I’d read all the books and seen all the films I could get about Greek history and now I was going to get a chance to see it, the ruins and the museums. could life get anymore exciting for me.

Well we got the passport the next day and the following day flew to Greece. it was well into the afternoon when we arrived at our hotel so we didn’t do a lot just settled in had a meal and an early night.

I didn’t know that Mrs Langdon or Aunt Sybell as I was told to call her had been an archaeologist and was a well know historian on Ancient Greece but I was soon to find that she was lot more than that. The first couple of days we toured the local sites were she explained how the people of times lived, what sort of food they ate and some of their customs. She explained then so that I could understand, we ate the local foods which apparently hadn’t changed much down the centuries and I liked it, I wasn’t too keen on the olive oil but the food was good.

Wed been there a week and one morning we walking to a village called Litochoro near the base of Mount Olympus, this is were the majority of climbers start their ascent of the mountain. We were in a cafe and Aunt Sybell was telling of me the Gods that were supposed to inhabit the summit and how they became part of the Greek culture.

In the afternoon we had walked a bit up a goat track near the base of the mountain, I asked were we headed and was told Olympus, not Mount Olympus, being pretty logical in my thought I thought that we were going to walk a bit further and she would regale me with further tales of the Gods, well logic doesn’t always come into it, we stopped and sat for while and I noticed it was starting to get misty, I mentioned this and was told to wait, wait for what I wondered, if it gets any thicker we could be lost, but she knew what she was doing and hopefully the way back to the village.

The mist got thicker and thicker and eventually Aunt Sybell stood and said its time, she took my hand and we walked further into the mist, it was getting colder at every step until we finally broke out into an amphitheatre and bright sunshine.

"Welcome to Olympus" a voice boomed

Startled I looked around but Aunt Sybell just assured me everything was fine, A strange man dressed in what looked an Ancient Greek Toga strode towards us, I wondered if this one places were people dressed up and acted out the parts to make the place more real.

“Ah Cybele you’ve finally returned to us “ he said

I was pretty good at lip reading and it didn’t seem to me that he was speaking English even though that was what I was hearing.

I was told to sit under the trees at the side of the amphitheatre by Aunt Sybell while she talked to the man, so I went and sat down.

Before long she returned and led me through an archway were we were met by some young women, “Go with these girls and they will get you ready for tonight's meeting and Ill see you then” she said as she left. I was taken to a room were I was bathed and dressed, I didn't know what the costumes of that time looked like for children so I had to trust them, it took a couple of hours before I was ready and Aunt Sybell returned.

Funny I thought she looks a lot younger, but put down to the make-up artists,

“Ready are we ? “she asked

“I think so, what's the meeting about ?” I asked

“Oh you`'l find out soon enough” she replied as we joined the mass of people in the amphitheatre

Once everyone was seated an tall man with greying hair and beard stood up

“Welcome everyone” he boomed “Especially to the Lady Cybele and her young guest”

The greeting and introductions were soon over and the meeting began proper, again something seemed very odd, it appeared that they were talking in a strange language but I could hear everything in English.

Before long most the people said their farewells and left, the few people that were left all moved to the centre of the amphitheatre and Aunt Sybell led me to join them. Young women started to bring huge trays of food and large pitchers of some sort of drink and place them along the table.

At the head of table sat the man with greying hair and beard, he was introduced as Zeus.

“Well help yourself young one we don't wait on ceremony here” he said

and with that everyone got stuck in to the food, I was given a cup of something to drink and it tasted very good as did the food, I noticed that I was the child present but didn't think I should mention it, there must be a reason, maybe they were at school or something.

Eventually the meal ended and people started to leave, finally there was just Aunt Sybell and the what I would I call leader and one other woman present.

It suddenly struck me that we had been out for hours and it should have been getting dark, but it wasn't, I didn't feel tired and we had had a really busy day with all the walking, the meeting and the meal, it should have night by now.

“ The woman who was called Hera asked what was wrong, after I told her that I thought it should be night she looked at Zeus

“It's never night here on Olympus, time has no meaning here” he said

“Cyra, you remember I told you we were going to Olympus” asked Aunt Sybell

“Yes “ I replied

“Well I really meant it, we are in Olympus the home of the Greek gods, my name isn't Sybell Langdon, I am actually the Goddess Cybele.“ she continued

I must have shown the shock I was in, I was taken away and made to sleep.

When I awoke I remembered what had happened, Aunt Sybell and Hera were there when I woke and led me into another room,

“ Go and look in the mirror and tell us what you see” said Hera

I walked over and looked in the mirror, reflected at me was a young girl and that girl was me

“How can the mirror show me as a girl when I'm a boy “ I asked
“The mirror is showing you your reality, you really are a girl but nature has put you in a boys body, the young women who dressed last night dressed you like this on our instructions” Hera replied

“Cyra, I want you to listen to me carefully, in a couple of years you and your friends will start to go through puberty. That is when girls and boys will find their bodies are changing, however your body will start to develop more like a girl than a boy and the boys will see this and ridicule and humiliate you. You're a very sensitive child and loved by everyone and the animals you meet, but I see a future were terrible things will happen for you and to you and your mother.

We are prepared to correct your body and change your world so that only you and we know that you were once a boy, to everyone else you will have always been a girl, but there is a price to pay and you and you alone will have to pay that price. We mean you know harm we only desire to help you fulfil your destiny, but the choice is yours, you have time to think about it but not much time” said Cybele

Hera left and once we were alone

“Cyra, we the gods know your secret, that you used to dress in your mother clothes when she is out at work, you desire to be a girl don't you “ said Cybele

“Yes, but what is the price I have to pay” I asked

“That I can't tell you until you have made your decision, but I can tell you that you and you mother will be together, safe and happy” she replied

Cybele took me back to my room and left me alone to think.