The Medusa Strain (WIP 2020)

Chapter 9

Blake was the first to reach me—taking me astride and holding me for support. But the resurfaced feelings and mixed emotions I experienced at that point—led me to believe that I was having more than just a passing fantasy or two, and maybe some mutual masturbation material in mind.

"You okay?" he asked out of strict concern for me—his eyes flickering over me for me for a few seconds.

I tried to push my childhood friend away in embarrassment. "Go...away." I pleaded with him then—very acutely aware of how close the two of us really were at that point in time.

"What?"

My nose wrinkled up a bit in disgust. "You...smell! Your breath smells like pickled codfish! What have you been eating...Blake?!?"

"Smoked herring from the can...again?" He said in sudden defense of himself.

"What is it with you boys and...fish?" I railed on him then. "Are you trying to give us girls a heart attack here?"

"Well...I do brush my teeth every day—just so you can be impressed with my dazzling smile...?"

Rolling my eyes at him, I mumbled: "You're not helping, man. Not helping one bit at all..."

My mom came over to check me out at that point.

"You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Terra took over for a spell. I'll be fine. I just feel drained of all of my energy."

"That's what normally happens with a divine possession, honey. Hera told us that it would be a normal thing between you two—until each of you grew accustomed to one another. But for some ungodly sense, neither of you was willing to give—but instead...take without any consideration for each other."

Blake was concerned with what he was hearing with his own two ears.

"Is there...is there any way to possibly fix that?"

My mother looked at me for a bit—then shook her head. "I don't think such a union can be fixed. The only other path for my daughter is that either she or Terra are strong enough. And then...?"

"—the dominant side will win out towards the end," the God of Speed spoke up softly. "I've only seen so many isolated cases such as hers over the course of time itself. It did not end as well for the original host as it might for her."

"Might?"

Apollo nodded."It all depends on the strain she carries within her very cells. Her very soul. As a progeny of Medusa."

Blake raised his hand then. "But how will we know?"

"Only the Fates themselves know, man. Only the Fates themselves know..." I said as a careful afterthought. Not even the God of Speed—or even my own adopted mother—could very well argue that point into the ground.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes—before my childhood friend spoke up again with:

"So let's ask them."

I reached out and smacked him a good one upside the head—like he always got when he ventured forth with some really dumb—but sometimes brilliant—questions of his own.

"The Fates do not reside here within the Lake City limits," I said with automatic assertion. "Nobody has seen them since—" and I stopped and stared at my mother for a moment; reading the expression on her face.

"They...do?" I blurted out with genuine surprise in my voice.

"Block 57, Sector 9." She volunteered outright—while holding the Speed God's gaze.