Immortal Bleeding

Returning Home

The man can't just seem to take his eyes off of Medusa, even though she fell asleep after crying. It was now 4 hours after midnight, yet sleep has yet to visit him. No fatigue, no stress, not even the worry that his brother would be looking for him and ask where the wood were. No. Nothing but the face of this beautiful, divine maiden in front of him. Her beauty could make any man, or any god for that matter, fall on his knees and swallow his pride just to get a few minutes of her time. She can make any man do anything, she can wrap them around her fingers, use them and throw them away. She is the ultimate walking temptation.

Yet no evil can be witnessed from her. Even with what happened to her a few minutes ago, all anyone would see was fear. There was no trace of hate, anger or resentment. Just pure, raw fear.

Other men would take advantage of her if they were in his shoes. They would take her to their houses and lock her in, but not this man. He cannot bear to even imagine doing horrible, sadistic things to her. She was too innocent, too fragile to be done any form of harm. This thought led his mind to the men from earlier. Those wicked, despicable, utterly disgusting creatures who call themselves humans. He, completely opposite from her, hated those men. He wanted to hunt them down, re-arrange their bones and burn them alive for what they did. No form of kindness should be shown to such people. He wanted to avenge this girl, scarred and afraid, though he has only met her.

He shocked himself with his line of thinking. 'What is it about this maiden that releases something in me that I never knew I had before?' He asked himself, for he was a man of compassion and gentleness, not a brutal, bloodthirsty warrior hungry for revenge. He had discovered a new part of himself, hidden away in the depths of his heart, all because of this girl.

"How?" He asked out loud

How; so many questions, so many riddles wanting to be solved, craving for answers, all summed up to one.

With all his confusion, all he could do was stare at her. And not helping himself, he took hold of a stray lock of her hair, and swirled, loving how it felt and how it curled around his finger. He took the hair towards his lips; a sweet, gentle smile gracing his lips.

As he looked towards the horizon, he realized that dawn was coming soon, he had to find a way to get her back home. To her parents whom he was sure were looking for her and worried of what might happen to her, so even if he knew she would most probably panic once she wakes, he scooped her into his arms, careful to keep her from waking, and started the way that leads to the nearest town opposite of his.

***

At the town, busybodies were everywhere around the market place, setting up their stands for the fair that came with the week. While everyone was busy minding their own business, an elderly couple looked distressed. Their form evidently showing that they were tired and have not gotten a wink of sleep. They seem to be seeking for someone amidst the bustling crowd.

"Have you seen my daughter? Has she passed here?" The woman asked towards a vendor

"No! Now go away! People will be coming to buy soon so go away as to not block their way! You Lunatics!" Answered the irate vendor

The couple tried to ask another, and another after that. The replies were almost all the same, and almost all of them looked at the couple like they were crazy. The sun was showing its glory, the vendors are getting busier and the market place was getting more and more crowded. Hope was fleeting the elderly couple. They tried their luck one last time, and asked a vendor that owned a flower store.

"Have you seen my daughter? Has she passed here?" Asked the woman

The vendor gave them a look of pity, probably thinking that the couple had lost their minds. So, he answered;