A myth

I cant remember my name. But i remember the temple. The beautiful place. So calm and serene. I loved to live in a temple, everyday surrounded by heavenly oasis in the middle of the city. And i loved my family, which i could only see once a year. I wish i havent had any family to see.

Can u smell the injustice? Can u hear the helplessness? Can u taste the despair? Can u become the pain?

I remember joy. Pure light. Proud temple walls. My smiling family.

I remember the taste of disbelieve on my tongue. Pain flowing through my veins. The strangling fear, taking away the air from my lungs.

My beauty used to bring me joy. Now i hate the mirrors.

And i stil dont understand why. How did i brought this upon myself?

The hate is swirling in my guts like hot lava. Never sleeping, never stopping, not for a second.

Im walking through these ruins, all those fallen columns, they usted to be so majestic and beautifull. Broken walls surround me, a reflection to my broken self. Silence is my loayal companion. My only companion. Statues made of marble cannot talk. Birds sing sweetly though, and a little stream nearby hums his sparkling tune. There are no human sounds. Not a soul would come here. Cause this place is a tumb. Its a prison. Its a –

Weird sound disrupts the calmnes of the gloomy ruins. A footstep. A fabric rustling.

NO!

I freeze on spot. Not another! Please Athena, i beg u.

Another rustling sound on the far away side of the ruins. Not close enough. Yet too close.

I take one carefull step, hiding behind the one of the fallen columns, not making a sound.

The day was so bright, sunny. Sun was high up on the clear blue sky, and everywhere was laughter and joyfull voices. The celebration was on. One day. One day in a year were priestesses of the Athena temple allowed to leave their walls and join the croud of the city in celebration, enjoying the company of their loved ones. It was same for me. I spent a wonderfull day, before it was time to hide back behind the temple walls for another long year. I was a little late. Ive seen the back of another acolyte dissapearing behind the doors above the temple stairs. I was about to follow, when someone stopped me by grabbing my hand.

Another footsteps. Slowly aproaching. I take one carefull look from behind the collumn.

There. Something tiny and shiny. A glimse of weapon, or an armor. Somebody is coming. A warrior. Another warrior.

More rustling. The little stones shift under mans feet. He is coming closer.

A man turned me on spot. Tall handsome man, proud looking and strong.

„Stay still for a moment, my fair maiden. I couldnt help but notice your beauty among the others. I had to aproach you. I want you to be mine.“

His straight aproach suprised me. Even more his tight grip on my wrist. No one would touch Athena´s acolytes except their families. They were virginal priestesses. No one was supposed to touch them. And no one could missplaced them with a common citizen. Their robes were obvious.

„Im sorry, sir. Im one of the maidens of the temple. I cannot – „

Brute hand pushed me down on the staircase, grabbing me by my neck. I silenced in suprise. Ive never been treated like this.

I can see his figure. Another big strong man coming for his trophy. There was so many before him. I lost a track long ago.

I take few more carefull soundless steps and hide behind another column. Trying to keep the distance. But there is only so far i can go. In the end hes gonna find me. I cannot hide forewer. I wish he just turned away and left.

Man is carefull. Hiding his face. Taking babysteps foreward. He is scared. But also determined.

He is coming for me. And theres nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

“Sir, I –„

A strong punch hit my face. I was shocked. Pain was spreading through my cheek.

Mans hands lifted me and put me on my knees, my back to him. I felt strong hand grabing on my hair on the beck of my head, while he lifted up my robe above my waist with the other hand.

I cried out, but he pushed me down on my four with his hand on the back of my head and covered my mouth with his other big brute hand.

Pain. It felt like ripping my insides, thrusting inside me hurshly. I wanted to cry, to scream, but i couldnt. Tears run down my face like river.

It felt like eternity. Savage thrusts from behind, the flesh hitting flesh sounds, mans animal growls. It felt like its never gonna end. Eternal hell.

A man is close now. I can hear his breath. Smell his sweat and hear his exhales. I can see his fear and determination. Im not even breathing. I would stop my heart so it wouldnt beat so loud, if i could.

Hes gonna find me soon. There is nowhere to retreat any more. No more columns and walls to hide behind.

Warrior makes another step toward my hiding place and stops. He must have seen something. Or maybe he just felt me near.

He lifts his huge sword and shield higher up. But thats not gonna save his life. It never does.

It stopped. Finally it stoped. Mans hands let go of me and i crushed down on the marble stairs. I was crying, couldnt catch ma breath. My loins felt numb. I felt empty. I felt like i couldnt feel at all any more. When i turned my head, man was gone, there was no sign of him.

I slowly got up on my knees, stil crying and sobbing, and lifted my head up to clear blue skies. „Athena!“ i cried out. „Athena help me! Please, i need your guidance!“ i cried. „Please, tell me what to do now.“

And she appeared. Athena herself. At first, i was so happy she answered my call, she even appeared in person. Than i saw her face.

She was furious.

„How you dare, you filthy human scum?!“ she screamed. „How you dare to lay with my husband.“

„Ahtena, i – „ i tried to object, but she didnt listen.

„You think your beauty can give u everything, even the love of Poseidon himself? Do you think you are better than me, that you can humiliate a goddess?! Ure nothing but a filthy animal!“

„I would never – „

„You are so gonna pay for this. No one will call you beautiful ever again, do you understand, human? No one will wanna look at you ever again!“

Then angry goddes dissapeared, and thats how far my memories can go.

All i can remember after that is this grim place, the ruins on forgotten island. Surrounded by water, with no human being around to talk to. Alone.

Warrior in his shinning armor takes three more steps towards me. He knows already.

„I know you are here, monster!“ he shouts. His voice sounds funny, resonating inside his helmet.

She was right. I was no longer beautifull. No one would look at me now. But beauty was never my pride. I was lost and alone. And worse, i was cursed. Deadly to humans. Destined to die alone. Far from all i knew and loved. Allways hunted by brave fighters to prove themselves.

„Come out you filthy beast!“

All those years.

I take a step. And another. And one more. Ive had enough of hiding. All memories are flashing through my mind.

"Stop hiding! Its time for u to finally die, monster!" Mans words resonate in my ears.

Burn. Pain.

It hurts. Burning me. Tearing my flesh. Boiling my blood. Numbing my fingers. It burns n hurts n driving me insane.

Hate is filling my guts, i cant breath, i cant think, i cant live.

I cant bare this, i cant stand it any longer.

Im gonna kill him.

Im gonna kill them all!

Twisted smile curves my lips. You want it? You get it!

Im a curse.

Im a monster.

Im Medusa.