Captured (A Modern Medusa Story)

CHAPTER 41: AVERISTA♥️

Apologies for the late update!

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The secret lab looked exactly like it looked like twelve years ago.

Once a delusion, now a reality.

The sinister ambience, the slightly chilly air, the vivariums, and, of course, the one thing I had been dying to see—Pandora's box. In all its magnificence and unblemished glory.

I needed a silent moment to ponder my racing heartbeat. I needed to remind myself why I wanted that cure so badly. Because in the midst of the immense joy I got from Phoebe's mere existence, I had lost sight of the sole reason behind my desperation.

It was the second time Phoebe let me into the McQuinn mansion. But this time, I felt cornered. On our ride from the herpetarium, she had explained that she was going to take me to her first favorite place. Little did I know where it was.

So here we were . . . in the secret laboratory. The one place that I thought I wanted to be in. But now, I really wasn't even sure where I wanted to be. The laboratory was the last place I felt like being in. Shocker. Who would've even thought, right? Averista Msafiri, who had been gravely dying to get her feet into that damn laboratory, finally had a chance but hesitated because she got too mentally overwhelmed?

The only thing I knew was that I wanted to be with Phoebe.

What if–What if I still wanted to be a monster? All because of a reason that I couldn't clearly explain. I simply wanted to be with Phoebe. And that fact was enough for me to worry about whether she had me under her spell or something. There was no way she replaced my greatest desire.

"This one's named Marcus. It's one of our new arrivals." Phoebe pointed at the creature behind the glass jar as she walked me through. "Papa says it's gorgeous, but I don't trust a compliment from one person's eye. Now tell me, is it?"

I wanted to highlight the fact that McQuinn and the word 'trust' cannot be possibly used in the same sentence, but kept my mouth shut.

I adored the purple-colored cobra with thin, glittery silver patches under its spine. I hated to agree with Phoebe's father, but yes, of course, it was gorgeous. It looked more of a personal design, not a regular species. Like most of the mad scientist's reptile captives, the creature was extremely unique. Exceptional. It was the one thing they all had in common. The one thing they had in common with me. I was part of them. A snake. The only difference was that I wasn't locked in my vivarium . . . yet?

"It is. Very much." I smiled.

"More than the queen of vipers?"

I looked at her in the eyes.

"Queen of vipers?"

"The gorgon goddess." She raised her brows with a cunning smile.

"Oh really?" I grinned at her.

"The beauty queen."

"Yeah." I rolled my eyes and scoffed playfully. "Because all beauty queens have a head full of snakes."

Phoebe laughed before tightening her hand in mine as if she was afraid that I might run off. If only she knew she could drag me to hell and I would follow. There was literally no place I wouldn't follow her.

"This way." She murmured before leading the way to a door encrypted 'food chamber'. I watched her take out a few packets of frozen treats for the reptile pets and I helped her lay them out on the counter to thaw, as per her instructions.

Afterward, we toured once more and said hello to the amazing creatures for the second time. Them liking the idea better than us. Soon after, I followed Phoebe to feed them.

"He's going to give me a new pair of eyes." Phoebe stated out of nowhere when we stood behind the lab table. "Ones that can see."

I studied her face, more specifically, the movement of her lips.

"In exchange for something just as marvelous, of course. Something precious," she continued, a glint of something peculiar lit up her blue orbs, making them twice as beautiful. Or maybe it was just me and my unhealthy attraction towards her? "I don't think I could ever be any happier, wildflowers."

My eyes squinted in a bit of confusion.

I could add one with one by common sense, but still, I needed clarification. More like verification. Or most like confirmation of this new-to-my-ears ordeal she had signed with no one but her irrational father.

"If I do what he desires, I will get the greatest reward. The greatest offer anyone has ever given me, which is also my biggest wish. My prize." She smiled a little. "Isn't it amazing? I never even thought my father loved me enough to care about that. But look at him now."

'He doesn't love you.' I almost shot but only ended up biting my lower lips hard until they hurt. No, I couldn't spoil the moment.

The delight over her father's offer was so prominent in her face I couldn't think of anything else other than making her happy. Seeing Phoebe happy always made me happy. And I was proud of her. I didn't know what to say. All I could think of was that she was happy. And I was happy for her . . . No matter how much I didn't like the idea of her being acquainted with that horrid man. Her Papa. I didn't want to intervene. A father gifted his child something special, and it was none of my business.

And all of this meant Phoebe will finally get to see. I should be elated about that . . . right?

"It's like a trade." Phoebe added.

I let her hug me. Even though I doubted McQuinn's intentions. But how could I judge him when the only time I ever saw him was when I was literally twelve years old? I had titled him a monster from the moment I heard his unhinged laughter. 

If he really loved his daughter, if he really desired to see his daughter happy and give her what she wanted, then he would've done it in the blink of an eye. He would've done it without a why. He would've done it without a price. Because that's love. It came with no price tag. It came with honesty. It came in free of charge. So, even though I couldn't really understand Phoebe's excitement about this 'gift' and felt jeopardized, I chose to remain silent. I really didn't think to enlighten her that a gift or prize never came in form of a trade. Never.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and Phoebe unwrapped her hands around me. For the first time in my life, I felt like going somewhere without my Phoebe. Just to think. Just to uncover the truth behind this invisible curtain, the blockade that Phoebe was knowingly or unknowingly holding over me so I couldn't see the other side.

I needed a moment to breathe. I needed to be somewhere. Away from creatures of my kind who were locked up. Away from the idea of being captured by certain snake hunters.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" Phoebe motioned towards my pocket, reminding me that I had been frozen there for a while doing nothing.

"Oh! Of course." I snapped out of my daze and pulled my cellphone out quickly.

I almost kissed the screen when I saw the caller ID.

My best friend. Just the person I needed to see. Maybe she could help me stop overthinking about what Phoebe was required to offer in exchange for a new pair of eyes.