Captured (A Modern Medusa Story)

CHAPTER 3: AVERISTA♥️

It was easy to spot me in my yellow dress and red sneakers. A set of vibrant colours hiding behind a tree.

“Pin it down!” A familiar voice barked. A man’s. “It’s a monster!”

I could feel the sweat on my face, under my arms, and at the back of my knees.

I sensed something shift between the bushes and my feet moved at their own accord, running. Too dark. No road. The moonlight was the only thing that was on my side and watching over me. Everything else couldn’t glance at me without retreating in fear.

I’m a monster. And monsters were meant to be killed. My loss was their glory. And I couldn’t escape them, could I? I was just a being on two feet. The more I ran, the more the forest exposed more of itself. It, too, was against my luck.

“Help!” If there was anyone else around, I hoped they could hear me. “Help me!”

I needed to be saved. From exhaustion and from myself. I didn’t want to be a monster.

I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

“Quick, catch it!”

The men were wolves, scurrying through bushes with little to no effort while I struggled on my burning toes. Tears spilled down my cheeks at the thought of getting caught by them. I couldn’t let that happen. My mother needed me. I needed to look after my mother.

“Hurry up, it’s getting away!”

I rushed through thickets, over a stream, and over boulders.

They didn’t give up. How could they? They were men, after all. To chop my head off was all they needed to feed their egos and call themselves heroes. Was my head that priceless? If it was, then I wasn’t a monster, but a trophy.

“Somebody help me!”

My scream came out a cry, echoing through the woods. I had a long way to go.

My joints hurt, and the oxygen was suddenly scarce. I had to use extra energy to inhale more of it. My mind wandered, losing focus. I tripped on my feet. My throat felt dry and the smell of dust hung around in temptation, daring me to prove myself.

No, I’m not a snake.

Dirt on my hands, grass pricking over my skin, and the sound of footsteps getting closer. No, they can’t catch me. I coughed, getting up only to feel a firm hand gripping my ankle. I kicked my foot, but another man caught me by my neck and tied my eyes closed with a cloth.

“Let me go!” I kicked again, only for a net to be thrown over my head. “No!”

“Lock her up!”

“No!” I cried. “Let me go! Please.”

A set of hideous laughter replied to me as I got dragged to somewhere I didn't know.

“Oh look, it’s a talking snake.” Someone shot, erupting a louder fit of hysterics.

They ripped the blindfold off of me. My eyes burnt. I couldn't move. They locked me inside a cage and there was a horde of people on bleachers looking down at me.

Stage freak.

They laughed as I cried for help. I saw Mama amongst them, laughing away.

But there’s only one voice that stood apart — McQuinn’s.

I had turned into a snake. A monster.

“Mama, help me!” I crawled, banging over the glass tank as the vipers on my head hissed with rage. “Get me out!”

Mama wasn’t even looking at me. Neither was Dativa. No one cared.

“Get me out!”

Shadows came forth and my world shuttered. I screamed.

My eyes opened in a haste, and I sat up on my bed. My heart raced, my body sweating. I moved to check on my mom, but then remembered that she wasn’t home.
Night shift.

I sighed, getting off the bed and out of the room. My head was still spinning from the nightmare I just had and I held back my tears.

A monster.

I poured myself a glass of water but ended up sitting down on a chair and doing nothing but stare at it.

I wished Mama was home. Then maybe I could have someone to assure me that what I had was only an old nightmare. Nothing serious. I needed someone to tell me I wasn’t losing my mind. Someone to tell me not to cry. I needed someone to tell me I didn’t wake up screaming. Someone to assure me of my safety. I needed someone to tell me no one was after me. That no man was hunting my head down, and I wasn’t a monster who could freeze people to stone.