Sisyphus' Quiet Firing

I'm sitting behind my rock, taking my Power Nap. Suddenly, I hear quiet slithering and hissing, "Whasssssup? Whatcha doin'?"

I open my eyes slowly, trying not to show my surprise, and see a big snitching snake wrapping itself around my right leg.

"Taking a nap," I say as calm as possible, with a big smile.

"I can sssssee that. Aren't you sssssupposssed to be rolling thissss rock up the mountain sssside?"

"I will, in a moment. Was just taking a break," I say without getting up.

"You are not sssssuposssed to resssst. He doezzzn't like that."

"Zeus?"

"Well, yessss. Although on the other ssssside of the sssssea they call Him Yahweh and sssssome time ago sssssome people ssssstarted calling Him Allah. He comezzzz under variousssss namezzzz."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. What does He want?" I say nonchalantly.

"He is pisssssed that you are ssssslacking on your job."

"What else is new? Did He send you to give me a deadly kissssss?" I'm mocking the snake. It's actually fun.

"We've tried that before, haven't we? You know you can't die. Why are you ssssslacking?"

"Because I see no purpose in this."

"The purpossssssse of a punishhhment is the punishhhhhment itsssself."

"Is that Him or you talking?"

"I'm jusst a messssssenger, you know that."

"Well, messenger Him this, then: The purpose of the punishment should be teaching a lesson so that the person can learn and become better, not the punishment itself."

"Shhhhhhh, that's deep. And actually wizzzzze. Did you come up with thisss all by yourssssself?"

"Yes. I've had three millennia to think about things, you know. When you are on your own for so long, contemplating things, you inevitably become a philosopher. Maybe you should try it as well."

"I'm jusssst a messsssenger, as I sssaid. There'zzz ssssomething elssssse changed about you."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"He thinkssss you are enjoying your punishhhhhment a little too much. Watching the cloudzzzzz, ssssssstrolling the hill down, whisssssstling and sssingning, all of that..."

My heart sank. So He did notice. I'm trying not to change the expression of my face while the snake squints its eyes and tilts its head, studying me.

"So what? What are you here for, really?" I finally say as steady as I can.

"To give you the Apple of Knowledge."

"What???"

"Sssssory, that'sssss from another tale. I'm just messsssssing with you."

"Ok, should I go back to rolling the rock then?" I get up and shake the dust of my buttocks, showing that I'm ready to finish this silly conversation. The snake is still coiling around my leg. I turn to the rock and take my working position, putting my hands up on the rock.

"No need." The snake slithered its way up to be at the same eye level with me. "He'zzz found you out and He izzzzz already bored of thissss punishhhment Himsssself. Ready for ssssssomething new?"

"What's that?" I drop my arms. I hope the snake cannot see that my heart is ready to jump out of my chest. Whatever this "new" thing is, I'm ready to take it on. Anything to get out of here. "Depends on how awful it is. If it's worse than this, than no thank you."

"Firsssst, let me asssssk you thissss: Do you remember what your punishment wazzzzz for?"

"Of course I do. I tricked and chained the Death so that he couldn't kill humans. Why only He should enjoy immortality, right?" I chuckle at the memory.

"Right, but that way you violated the natural order of thingzzzzz and angered Him. Mortalzzzzz shhhhould be dying. What elssssse did you do?"

"The second time, I tricked Hades himself into letting me out of the Underground and lived my life out among humans, much longer than I was supposed to. Another good memory."

"You are a trickssssssster, aren't you?"

"That's my second name, and you know it. So, what's this new thing you were talking about?"

"He would let you live among humanzzzz again, azzzz a mortal, but only under one condition."

"Yeah, what's that?" My heart is beating faster but I'm not showing my excitement.

"You mussssst promisssse not to help humanzzzzz, not to violate the natural order of thingzzzz again."

"Oh, that I can do. The desire to help humans got me into so much trouble already, I'll just stay away from them and mind my own business." I had a vivid dream of myself living on a remote farm, growing sheep and goats peacefully by myself. I could do that forever.

"Ok then," the snake said. "Thisssss will sssssting a little."

Before I could say anything, the snake sank its venomous teeth right into my third eye area. Everything went dark...

I come to some time later. I still remember everything, but I feel the weight taken off of my shoulders. The snake is still here, coiled at my feet, bathing in the sun rays. It perks up when I get up, stretching. I feel no connection to the rock anymore. For three millennia it felt like I was on a leash tied to it, and now - nothing.

"So, now what?" I ask the snake. I know it's never easy with Him. There must be some trick built into this, but I'm ready to take Him on. They don't call me the Trickster for nothing.

"Nothing, really. Go out there, into the human world, Prometheussssss!" the snake hisses the name and my heart sinks again.

"Wait, what??? Prometheus? Like my great-great-grandfather who gave the fire to humans?"

"Not 'like,' the very sssssssame one."

"But he is my ancestor! He came before me!"

"Not anymore, he izzzzzz not. When did the time sequence matter for Him? Sssssssee you around!" with those words, the snake disappeared like it was never there.

Well, whatever. I'll think of something. I'm a trickster, after all.

As the man gave one last look to the rock and strode away, a thunder and lightening split the horizon and the divine voice said, "And you will remember nothing of this, Prometheus!"

***

The first part about Sisyphus' changed work attitude is here: