[ WP ] A minor deity sits alone on its patch of land , forgotten by humanity . It can only be perceived by those who believe in it . Occasionally , humans pass by and leave the deity ever ignored . One day , someone greets the deity .

**Arcadia, Greece** 
 
 Quietly, Pan played his reed flute. 
 
 It had been such a long time since someone with faith had passed by that he could hardly move from this little field. Belief powered a god, gave them their strength, and revealed them to human eyes. But nobody saw him anymore. Nobody heard him. The days were long gone when he could expect an enraptured crowd of nymphs and humans, listening to his music. He hardly had enough strength to play the flute, but whilst he still could... 
 
 `` That's a beautiful song,'' he heard a soft voice say. 
 
 He looked up in bewilderment at the passing human: a modern one. Despite the strange clothes, she reminded him of the nymphs of old. His long-forgotten companions. Shining black hair, and bright, laughing brown eyes. Syrinx, that lovely nymph he'd chased on a long-forgotten spring day, had looked just so. Beautiful. 
 
 `` You believe in me?'' he breathed, pausing his playing to stare at her. He hardly needed to ask. He could already feel his strength flooding back. 
 
 She nodded. `` I'm doing my master's degree in ancient folklore. I travel all over looking for ones such as you. They think I'm crazy, really believing in all of it, but here you are. I'm doing my thesis on you, you know. That's why I came here today - I hoped I might catch a glimpse. I'm not dreaming, am I?'' 
 
 Her babble of a'master's degree' and'thesis' made little sense to him. He did what he always tried when at a loss of what to say in the presence of a beautiful woman. He played a melody he had n't had reason to recall in years - the one he reserved for the ears of nymphs. But they were dead, long since wiped out by the dwindling belief of humans. She would have to do. 
 
 The last sweet, aching note faded as he smiled at her. `` I hope it is a good dream for you, if so. It is invigorating to find faith again. I feel stronger already. Do you know my lore, young woman?'' 
 
 She inched closer and dared to touch his hoof. `` Pan. God of the wild, shepherds, companion of nymphs. Often tied to spring and fertility. I loved reading your myths the most. Loved it. I always tried to imagine the music. It's so much more beautiful than my dreams.'' 
 
 He touched her flushed cheek in response and leaned close. His nose wrinkled as he smelled something strong and unpleasantly sweet on her skin and breath, but he ignored it. He had n't been this close to warm, willing flesh in years. 
 
 `` Yes, I am Pan. And I feel strong enough for something I've yearned to do for years.'' 
 
 Pan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He pressed his mouth against willing lips that opened greedily to welcome his tongue. He tossed his flute aside to tend to more pressing matters. 
 
 He woke up feeling more alive than he had in centuries, but his mood soon soured when he could n't make her see him. 
 
 She seemed utterly confused and muttered something about'smoked too much weed'. Had her belief fled with the dawn? She was leaving. Really leaving, pulling on her clothes and dragging her fingers through her tangled hair. And this time, he could n't even give chase, as he'd done with Syrinx when she'd tried the same thing so many years ago. 
 
 Back then, he'd been powered by the belief of thousands. His power ebbed as he sensed that this human truly did n't believe in him this morning. She probably did n't even remember what they'd done last night, or dismissed it as a dream. 
 
 `` Come back, sweetling! Come back!'' he called after her, desperately playing his song. But she did n't hear. She did n't believe. It was torture. 
 
 Pan's shape became hazier as the morning wore on, and she did n't return. To taste that again and lose it, was unbearable. He would leave. The world would never again know a sweet, unearthly melody drift in a spring morning breeze as the shepherds tended their flock. 
 
 -- -- -- -- 
 **Two months later** 
 
 Heather stared at the results of her pregnancy test, her heart beating rapidly. She glanced at her boyfriend, sound asleep in bed. They'd talked casually about starting a family last year, but this was still unexpected, so soon after her research trip. But she knew he'd be thrilled, nonetheless. He'd help her come to grips with it: she still felt strangely scared, and goosebumps had erupted on her skin. Probably just the shock of it. 
 
 She crawled into bed beside him. The news could wait for tomorrow. 
 
 As she drifted to sleep, a sharp pain raked her abdomen and she suppressed a cry of pain. Ridiculous. It was way too soon to feel it kick. That had n't even felt like a foot. Just her imagination, she comforted herself. 
 
 It had always been rather vivid, after all. 
 
 -- -- -- -- -- 
 Hope you liked my story! You can find more of my work on /r/Inkfinger/.
