The Coin For Charon

By Nico Furhiman

I wasn’t supposed to be in the museum after hours, even worse I had to steal the key from my dad to even get in here. Unfortunately, there's something about a dare, especially one that was given to you by the entire friend group that you just can’t say no to. It was a stupid dare anyways, I just had to grab a pamphlet to prove I broke in. 

I unlocked the back door and slid through hoping it wouldn’t creak as I closed it behind myself. All the exhibits were dimmed as I walked past. I had been in this museum many times but something about it being so quiet and dark gave me the creeps. I had seen everything a million times, the old pottery, dusty scrolls, ancient languages, and the cracked statues. Nothing was new until I saw the boat. It was in the middle of an exhibit, it seemed to be almost out of place. The ship was small, probably no bigger than a bathtub. There was a glass case in the middle of it. Inside was a black stone, smooth like a river rock. It was carved with Greek symbols that I didn’t recognize. Underneath was a sign that read:

“Obol for the ferryman— offerings once placed here were believed to guide the dead safely to the underworld”

I reached into my pocket, reaching for a quarter. The glass case had a coin hole that I dropped it into. It landed in the case, on top of the rock with a soft clink. Visitors have dropped coins in here before as there were plenty of quarters. Nothing seemed to happen so I stepped away from the boat and suddenly–the lights flickered and then it went dark. It felt like the floor was shifting underneath me as the light started to fade back on. The light was dimmed and it was a foggy atmosphere. I was no longer in the museum.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I looked around, there was an eerie feeling about this new environment. There was a river, and that same boat from the museum. Except this time there was a cloaked figure standing there. 

As I approached the figure he said “ You’ve paid your fare.” He gestured for me to board the boat "Are you ready to cross the river Styx?”. I stopped and asked “What fare and who are you?” The figure looked at me as if he was pondering how to respond, then after a suspenseful wait he replied “ I am the ferryman of the underworld, Charon. I am responsible for transporting the souls of the dead across the Styx and the Acheron Rivers.” Now I’ve heard the stories and myths, but again these are stories. I thought this must all be some kind of weird fever dream, so I pinched myself hard and I was very much awake. “I’m not dead so this doesn’t make any sense” I replied thinking this must at least be some kind of prank. “But you have paid your fare, no? If you are not dead then you wouldn’t be here”. 

I was confused on this whole matter and I didn’t want to stay here longer than I had to. The ferryman was still gesturing for me to get on the boat. 

Charon spoke “If you do not wish to board you may stay here with the lost souls to roam the riverbank”.

I looked around at the miserable souls and decided I would try my luck with the ferryman so I hopped on the boat with him. 

“If I wasn’t dead, how can I get back to the museum?” I asked nervously as the boat was pushed off the bank.

Charon didn’t answer. We floated down the river Styx. He simply kept his grip on the oar, pushing through the water. The water was thick as if it was made out of these souls. It didn’t have the form of what a natural river would, with no waves or ripples, just hands ripping through the surface. 

After what felt like an eternity, Charon responded “Few return, fewer return unchanged. Hades will judge you when we arrive” 

Not exactly the most comforting thing to hear when you’re trapped in a mysterious place floating down a river full of lost souls. I looked over my shoulder to where we had left, mist had already covered the bank. There was no turning back. You could hear faint wails from the lost souls who just wanted to get off the bank and out of the river.

“I didn’t mean to pay my fare” I  said quickly “It was just a quarter! there were already tons in there and I was just curious!”

Charon looked at me, The hood he wore shadowed his face. “Intent does not change the currency of the dead. A coin placed on the Obol stone binds the offering” 

“Binds the—” I stopped. My mind raced. Was this happening? A dare turned into a one-way trip to the underworld? I never believed in any of that mythology stuff. At least… not until now.

I turned to Charon looking at his hooded face. “There has to be a way back to the living. I’m not supposed to be here.” 

Charon gave a slight nod “There is a path but it is dangerous. It’s been taken by very few but even fewer have actually made it back to the living. I cannot grant you passage, you will have to talk to the queen. She is much more empathetic than Hades. When we reach the other side you must seek out Persephone.”  

As he spoke the names it clicked that these were the Greek gods I’ve learned about back in middle school. I, a dumb teenage boy who worries his mother, had to go seek out a goddess. As Charon was speaking all I could hope was that I’d wake up and this was just a dream.