Apollo and Seleta: why all living creatures have a heart.

A story I wrote way back in the seventh grade.

Apollo and Seleta

Why all Living Creatures have a heart

The lake sparkled like glass as the god Apollo blessed it for it’s eternally clean waters.

The God of poetry and music strummed his harp; and three tiny butterflies fluttered from the pond, but Apollo fantasized his life with his lover Daphne, a mortal woman.

“ The true life of love is in the soul, hence casted with Cupid’s arrows.” He recited.

Alas! Daphne’s father Laydon had forbidden their love, for Apollo had already born her one son.

To Apollo and Daphne their love would last for eternity. And when the day would come when Daphne would enter the world of Hades, Apollo would beg his father Zeus for a chance of his lover to obtain immortality like the gods.

But it is for certain that Zeus would not fulfill his request, because then Zeus would have to do so for all mortals.

The sun began to set, and chirping of small birds and insects could be heard from across the valley. And as the sun rested itself on the horizon Zeus outstretched his arm and showed all the mortals who was the majesty of all gods by shinning a spectacular ray of colors like: oranges, and purples. And he satisfied himself for the evening as he always does.

At the corner speck of only a little daylight, sat on a rock was a beautiful woman. She was rather heavy set. With pale blue-green eyes, and long, thick, reddish, blonde hair that trailed down to her mid thigh. She wore a sheer like white dress with a silver and gold tinted belt that secured her dress. She looked like a goddess. 

Her name is Seleta. Although, nay, she is not a goddess, she is not entirely like a mortal. She was born of a nymph; a being of a lifespan and fate of the afterlife like mortals, but some of her people processed supernatural powers. 

From where she was sitting she could see Apollo, a worthy god, and the only one she had ever dreamt of marrying since her infancy. 

Seleta smiled, and stared at him. She got up from her rock and walked to Apollo. Selta flipped her hair, and watched Apollo. However, he did not pay attention until she spoke.

“ Apollo.” She said timidly.

A little dazed, and still at daze he looked up at her and said: “ Seleta, it is pleasant to see thee here, but thou hast caught me in my poetry. I’d appreciate it if thou should visit me later.”

Seleta was resistant to the God’s wishes and said: “Apollo, it would make me happy,” She stopped for a moment. “ If thou should take me as thy bride.” She said softly.

Apollo looked back up at the beautiful maiden, and as beautiful as she was he did not want her as his bride.

He had her sit behind him and he looked her softly in the eyes, and he said: “ Daphne is my only love, but thou hast a bright soul. Someday thou shalt find someone worthy of thou, but nay. It is not thy.”

Seleta was broken hearted at this. However, in the same instance she couldn’t be. No creature on the surface of the earth had a heart that pumped blood, and would share true feelings of love and sadness, only the gods did. But most all creatures had a soul, and those could be bright like hearts.

Apollo watched the color fade from Seleta’s cheeks, and saw the deep sadden look in her eye. She was so soft spoken, and so kind that Apollo pitied her and said as she turned away:

“ Wait Seleta! Thou art so kind and thoughtful to everyone, I shalt give thee half of my heart.”

Seleta was taken aback, “ You cannot give up half of thy heart, or thou shalt never be able to join the gods in M.t Olympus again. For the steep trip, your blood needs to pump extra long, and your lungs need to work harder, thou shalt need it. Not we dwellers of earth that only need a short breath.”

A soft glow appeared in Apollo’s hand, and then appeared a small half-organ. It had a deep red color, and a beating tune only heard by the gods. he handed it to Seleta who looked at it sadly. 

A short ways away laid Cupid, and he heard and saw of Apollo and Seleta, and he flew to them saying: 

“ I will hold my arrow up, so that when the sun rises the top of the mountains shall match it, hold the heart between them so that it may become a whole.”

A few minutes went by and they did so. Seleta held a whole, beautiful heart in her hand. As Cupid and Apollo began to walk away Apollo said: “ A heart is a gift of passion.” and he went away.

Seleta was happy, but not satisfied. She felt sorry for all the creatures whom did not possess a heart like she did now. She felt all the creatures should have one chance to be with the gods.

she called for Zeus, and asked if she may not have a heart, but it may be split to the millions. So that every creature may have at least one chance to be with the gods in the afterlife. But only if their soul was pure, otherwise they should descend into Hades in the underworld.

Zeus agreed. He knew yet of something that Seleta was doing that she knew not of. He took a lightning bolt in his hand, and the heart in the other, and struck it. The heart turned into a tiny millions of pieces and the heart fragments fled to their new bodies to grow and give each creature a chance.

Since though, the heart originally belonged to Seleta the struck of Zeus’s thunderbolt caused her death. But she died happily and her heart and soul were so pure she was able to bare the journey to the heavens to meet all the gods and goddesses.

Seleta did not know, that she had not only given them that which gives blood, but that organ that gives love and compassion.

Because of her today we all have one heart, to live and to share.