The Love between Medusa and a Blind Girl

MEDUSA CHAPTER 2

Lyra slowly awakens to darkness and a strange, enticing perfume fills her nostrils. Confused, she peers around her, trying to see in the darkness,she starts to feel around her for the torch. Why is it so dark? As she feels around, she realizes she is no longer lying on the cave floor where she fell but is on a soft mat, it feels hairy, like bear or deer. Why is it so dark? She knocks something over, a cup splashes onto its side. Confused, she calls out. "Hello. Where am I?" A soft voice answers from the darkness. It seems to be far away, as if from the edge of the cavern. "You are safe. You wandered into my cave and you fell, you have some injuries.""Why can I not see", Lyra asks? "Is it dark still?" The voice sounds familiar. "Who are you?"The voice answers slowly. "This is my home, I have not always lived here. Ever since I was... changed, I have lived here"...(pause)... "There is light, can you not see?" The voice comes closer.Lyra feels the warmth as something is passed in front of her face. She cannot see a thing. "What was that?"The stranger whispers "It is a torch, you cannot see? Perhaps when you hurt you head..? You are.. very beautiful" The voice sounds sad. Lyra recognizes the voice. "You are the singer! You are the one who makes those beautiful sounds" . A pause, then Lyra realizes what the stranger has said.. "Wait, do you mean to tell me I cannot see?"The stranger is silent for a moment. Then replies. "You bumped your head when you fell, perhaps it will pass?" Lyra feels tears begin to spill down her cheeks, she sobs. "How will I keep myself if I cannot see? I cannot herd goats like this. My goats! They will need fed. I suppose I'll have to marry Cantos." She starts to panic, she can feel the world constricting around her like a trap. "Who is Cantos?", the stranger asked. "Is he your betrothed?"Lyra makes a sound of disgust "NO! He is the town magistrate and my family have promised me to him. He has watched me grow up, every time I turned around, he was there. Watching me." She shudders. "I am stuck in a trap I do not desire, I do not...like to be ruled by men." There is a silent pause, Lyra flushes red, her quiet embarrassment hidden in the dark.The stranger coughs, "I..I.. have tasks to do shortly. It will be dark outside soon, I do not go out in the day but I will need to forage for food. I can feed your animals for you tonight if you need me to? I know where your goats are, Ive heard you before. As long as I stay hidden, they will be ok."Lyra looks confused. "Why do you not go out in the daytime? Who are you?"The stranger quietly speaks, her voice soft. "My name is well known, I stay hidden because I am cursed, my appearance changed as punishment for my vanity. My name is Medusa." Lyra gasps. "I thought that was a story, a myth to scare young girls into knowing their place and respecting the Gods. But wait, don't you look like a big scaly beast with snakes for hair?"Medusa laughed, "The hair is true but my body is human." She takes Lyra's hand gently and places it on her arm. Lyra can feel Medusa's cool skin under her touch as she strokes her arm. "You are so soft" she murmers softly. Lyra can hear Medusa's breathing quicken. Slowly, in the darkness, Lyra's hand moves upwards and she reaches up to touch Medusa's face in the darkness. "So you are still as beautiful as the stories?" she asked, brushing her fingertips across Medusa's mouth. "I believe so," Medusa said quietly. "but I've never had the chance to ask anyone for so long. Any man who sees me is frozen to the spot and turned to stone. That is why I hide, my father and brothers, any man who came too close...they died".Lyra paused, "Any MAN or any creature?" "Any male living creature, unfortunately cannot survive once they look into my eyes" said Medusa. "death is almost instant".Lyra persisted, "What about females.. women." Medusa looked confused for a moment, then she laughed wryly to herself. "Ah, I see. I do not know. No women has ever ventured close, you don't get many lady adventurers or mercenaries here. Its not allowed." Lyra laughed, "Yes, women can't possibly do a man's job." The two women shared a brief moment of laughter and then they fell silent. Lyra's hand dropped to her side, her mind turning once more to the reality of her future and how it would change, now she was blind. Medusa, sensing the change in mood, gathered herself up to leave. She spoke sadly, "You should rest now. You hurt yourself quite badly when you fell. Your leg was torn on the goat's horn when you fell over him. I'm afraid he died." Lyra listed to the sounds of Medusa as she moved quietly around the room, preparing what she needed to go outside and look for food. "I will leave the food where your goats will find it and cover my face, I'll let the door off the latch so they can get out in the morning. I won't be too long, rest." She left the cave where Lyra lay, leaving her to her thoughts and as Lyra drifted off