Page 42 of Meduso
“Echidna!? How did you find us!?” I asked with vexation. It led me to believe that others must know of our whereabouts, too.
“It wasn’t all that difficult. I’ve studied your paths to the west. I doubt anyone else stalked you as much as I have. Do not forget, although I do try to remain hidden from the rest of the world, I am a goddess. I have the capabilities of transformation and teleportation. I’ve been watching Meduso here for quite some time. I know exactly of everything that has transpired between him and Poseidon, that dirty god! I am also aware of what has happened to you all because of Athena,” she confessed.
“Just what exactly are you up to, Echidna?” Stheno questioned her with skepticism.
“Oh Stheno! You’ve always held animosity towards me, and for whatever reason, I’ll never know. But I did not come here to gloat, nor make any of you feel bad. I came to talk to my dear brother,” Echidna explained.
It may have been the wine doing the talking for me, but I felt much braver than I ever have before when I spoke to Echidna. “Whatever you would like to say to me, Echidna, I will allow Euryale and Stheno to also hear it. They have now become involved with every aspect of my life and my actions. So, I no longer wish to withhold any secrets or information from them.”
“Very well. I came to tell you what I’ve always told you. Your beauty…”
Echidna tried to give me further advice, but I instantly prevented her from doing so.
“No! Enough about how I should use my attractiveness to my own advantage. You have ill-advised me, dear sister. This…” I glanced over at both of my gorgon sisters. “This is what your counsel has led to. Embracing vanity has led me down the path of destruction. This is living proof.”
“Meduso, now, more than ever, is when you should listen to my words. Do not think that your beauty and charm are what ultimately led to this curse. Your seductive ways allowed you to attract one of the most powerful gods this world has ever seen. If Athena was not in the picture and you were not under her watchful eye, you would still have Poseidon wrapped around your fingers. There were other conflicting factors involved that derailed your plans,” Echidna explained. “But enough about that. You should consider your current situation. It’s only a matter of time before you are found here. Men will eventually come and hunt you down. Athena has made that abundantly clear. But for your own protection and safety, it’s imperative that you do everything in your power to prevent them from killing you. And in order to do that, it’s not your skills in fighting or any form of strength that will be your greatest asset. It will be your looks that will will entice these warriors and lead them to their demise. You must seduce these men, Meduso. Make them stare into your eyes and it will be the last thing they ever glare upon.”
I could not argue with her. Athena made these same sentiments known to me and my physical features were what I would need to utilize in order to survive. This was something I was prepared for.
Echidna moved toward me rubbing her hands against my jawline. “Even now, in this monstrous state, you are an impeccable creature. If you weren’t my brother…”
Stheno had enough with where this conversation was going. “Okay, Echidna. I think you have made your point very clear.”
Echidna sneered, realizing she had made our sister uncomfortable with the conversation. “Anyway, just understand that you using your beauty is what will now dictate life or death for you.” She clenched her hand into a fist. “Make all of those weak, mortal, warriors pay! Force them to bow and serve you! Oh… and if you’re unsure of what to do with their stone bodies when you get bored with them, I could always use a few more decorations around my cave.”
Chapter 12
I had now reached the age of twenty-five, not that anyone cared, nor should I. Age was just a number that only reminded you of the time you had left in this world, if you were a mortal. It had been months now since my gorgon sisters and I first arrived at Sarpedon.
Echidna had been our only visitor since our arrival on this island. Otherwise, we only had each other’s company. No one else. I was actually glad that this was the case. The fewer people that knew of our whereabouts then the less risk there was in having hunters and warriors from all corners of the world find us and try to kill me in the name of their deity.
Stheno and I decided to practice sword-fighting on the beach today. As we navigated there, we noticed a small wooden raft sitting on the sandbar. This immediately alarmed the both of us.
“Go check on Euryale,” I quickly advised.
“But, Meduso…” she attempted to persuade me otherwise, but I wasn’t having any of it.
“Just go. Now!” I shouted.
Stheno nodded and returned to the eastern side of the island to find Euryale. It was now just me and my sword. I cautiously searched along the beach, finding no sign of life. Then, fear struck me. There they were; recent footprints in the sand leading to the nearby forest.
I followed the footprints, making sure to check behind every shrub and tree I passed along the way. I knew this day would eventually come, but somewhere in my heart, I had hoped it never would. As I proceeded further into the forest, a slight chill grazed across the small hairs on my neck. Sensing the danger, I whirled around to see a sword flying vertically down at me. I was able to use my own sword to block the blow, but as soon as I did, the man swung again, completely missing me. The man’s sword swings were erratic, lacking any sense of precision. Surely Athena’s hunters were better trained than this? But then I realized the reason behind his poor accuracy. The man’s eyes were shut.
He continued to swing aimlessly, refusing to open his eyes. I stepped back quietly, watching this pitiful performance of his, placing my hand over my mouth to hide the noise of my laughter so he wouldn’t be able to pinpoint where I was.
“Come out! Damn you!” The man yelled in anger.
I studied him carefully. He was a little rugged, but fairly handsome, with his olive complexion. His brown hair was long, with a matching beard. However, what drew me to him were those exposed, massive legs of his. They were tight and thick, prompting me to imagine what they connected to. But I would only be able to speculate.
“So, you’ve come to kill me…” I quickly moved to the side and glided to a new location, realizing the man was attempting to move closer to wherever my voice came from.
“You’re a monster! An enemy of the Goddess Athena. There is a bounty on your head and I will make sure to claim it,” the warrior proclaimed.
“I am no monster. I was once a human too, but Athena turned me into this. Surely, you must see that this is a mistake,” I explained.
“The only one mistaken here is you, gorgon! Athena herself said you are a harm to mankind. You expect me to believe you over a goddess?”
I continued to dodge his attempted strikes. “Please, stop this! I don’t want to hurt you!”
