A piercing, malevolent laughter filled with deep disdain and mockery further tainted the toxic atmosphere.
"I can help you, Hydrina," the sugary voice of Queen Hera beckons with honey-coated venom after the laughter dies off, "You just need to turn around, dear."
Forgetting my unsettling fear and throbbing ache in my leg for the moment, I ease up a step to sit myself down on it and winced at the shooting pain.
As I did, in my mind, I expected my back to bump into a pair of feet behind me--
--Yet, nothing. There's nobody standing on the step directly behind me.
My fear sharpens acknowledging this.
What in Tartarus is going on?
I'm very sure there's someone standing directly behind me judging by the loud audibility of their voice. If not Aquila's, I thought it might be Queen Hera's feet touching my back right now. Not nothingness--
"Hydrina...let me help you." The queen coaxes ever so sweetly, "I can alleviate all of your pains. And not just physical ones either... All you have to do is turn around and look me straight in the eyes t-o ask, my d-ear." The venomous voice falters horribly in the last sentence. As if it's struggling to refrain from shifting again.
Who are you?! I want to scream this question at the creature behind me. Worse yet, fronting this supernatural peculiarity, I'm forced to question my own sanity; Am I imagining these unpleasant things because of my fear and panic in this strange place?
All of a sudden, I'm as curious as I am cripplingly terrified. Perhaps, if I find out for sure that my mind isn't playing tricks on me then I'd be liberated from the uncertainties and mindless terror.
Yes and doing so without peeking over my shoulder should do the trick.
My decision is made. More than that, I even have the perfect failproof idea to engage the latter part of my plan.
I swiftly take out the mirror shard. All I have to do is look into the shard with it position to reflect the other person's face into it. I can definitely see who or what without ever turning around. An ingenious idea, I think proudly despite my arresting fear and hysterical panic.
Just as I'm about to raise the shard up to eye-level, I catch a reflection of the faint glow of my amber-stone pendant.
With it, a scary realisation strikes down my courage.
I promptly put the mirror back down before stuffing it into my purse again, thinking as I did; if I see it...it sees me. If it sees me, it's the same as me seeing it over my shoulders...
Not only that, I now resigned to the fact that teleporting myself out of this chasm is no longer an option even if I wanted to. Albeit, not because of the woman's voice from earlier had warned me to 'stick to the gifted path. Never stray off from it...', but because right now, I truly feel; I am no longer on Cisthene Island!
Needless to say, this notion frightens me to a whole new level the moment I admit it to myself--
"Serpent, do not make me repeat myself over this," Queen Hera's vicious voice has morphed into a growling male's threat, "Because if I have to repeat myself, I am going to gauge out your eyes before I leave you to rot in this hell." There's undisguised wickedness inlaid in this beastly voice, "So what will it be, serpent of Emerald Sea? Will you look at me or let eternal blindness be your ultimate fate? Quickly, pick one!"
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Serpent In Love (🔞) - Completed
Short StoryBased on Greek Mythology characters. An impossible love? She is the happy-go-lucky serpent with limited emotions. He is the mighty eagle of Mount Olympus and natural predator of serpents and snakes. Converging on them is a calamitous war of worlds t...
