Children of the Serpent

Chapter Six: The Battles Continue

 I let her hold me for a moment, but then tore away. I looked up at her, my eyes tearful. 

"Why did you leave me there?" I asked, swallowing my sadness.

"It was the only way, my dear. The only way" My mother let her tears fall soundlessly down her cheeks. "Before you were born, your father and I knew who you would be, who you would become. We knew the horrors you would face, the battles you would win. The ones you may lose. Your father convinced me that it was the only way to save you. To let you live a somewhat normal life. We never realized what was yet to come." My mother closed her eyes and placed her hands on my shoulders, the world slowly went dark. 

I found myself hidded under a precipice once again, I saw my mother and father leave me on the steps of the house. I saw my mother's tears fall. But the memory went on. My father held my mother in his arms and they walked down the rainy street. I saw it coming long before they did, I saw the darkness slither down the street, I saw it slide towards my mother, and slam her to the ground. I cried out, but just as before, no words would come. I struggled and fell to the ground, tears falling freely, screaming silently as I watched my parents be brutally murdered by the darkness. I struggled against the pull, it tried to take me back to my mother and Medusa, I felt it drag me back. I opened my eyes and realized my screams were no longer silent. My mother stared at me, tears pouring down her face. Medusa watched us, a look of pity etched in her face. From that moment, I began to despise Medusa, she seemed to not care at all for her Children. It was truly her fault, her fault that I had to face these battles, her fault that we all lived in fear. Resentment bubbled inside of me. I flicked my gaze toward Medusa. 

"This is your fault!" I shouted. "Everything that has happened to my family, my people is because of you!" I growled and sat down at the table. Smashing a teacup to the ground. Medusa glared at me, her hair twitching. 

"My child, everything good that has happpened to you is because of me. You found your way to your precious Alrik because of me, you are who you are because of ME! I chose you, you aren't going to betray me, your true mother are you? Because of some foolishness?" Medusa asked, fake sweetness dripping from her voice. Her glare was menacing. She grabbed my mother, and gripped her arms. "Your mother, she was a faithful follower, did everything she was told. Can't you be the same?" 

"No." I spat, and tore myself from the dream, back to the real world. 

I woke on cold cement, my body was weary, and freezing. My feet and wrists were bound in some shoddy rope, a few pulls and my feet were free, a little wiggling and so were my hands. I threw the rope against the wall, a loud thwack resounded. Tears slid down my cheeks, I was losing. Stuck in this stupid cell, there was nothing I could do. I leaned against the cold wall, and wrapped my arms around my knees. My hair fell into my face, hiding my face. I thought of Alrik, and of Azalea, of all the people who were counting on me. I thought of Pavlos and Ares' wedding, how without me it may never happen. Ares would never wear a beautiful gown and dance down the aisle into the arms of Pavlos. Sobs wracked my body, and I wailed out. I sniffled, willing myself to stop crying. I wasn't really crying for them, I was only crying because I would never be the hero. I bit my lip, biting down until the tears subsided. I sniffled once more, and then stood up. Eventually, someone would have to come to the door of this cell, and that was when I would make my move.

I eventually fell asleep on the cold floor, wrapped in a torn blanket I'd found bundeled in the corner. Clattering around the other cells woke me from my sleep. I jumped up, my hair stuck out in all directions and the blanket slipped to the floor. I ran over to the bars, I smoothed my wavy hair with one hand and then clinged to the bars. I widened my eyes, putting on my best helpless face. A guard dressed in all black approached my cell. I blinked at him sadly. His eyes widened when he saw me, clearly not expecting to see me. I grinned inwardly. This would be easy. He stopped in front of my cell, watching me curiously.