Love is Blind

A Boat Crash

"Hello! Is anyone there?" Medusa wiped the remaining blood from her lips and fled to the edge of the forest. There is a person! Here, on this island! She glanced over to where the person walked forward into view. It was a woman, probably around mid-age for humans (if she was a human), but not at all unattractive.

Her body lacked the slim figure that most of the goddesses had but she made up for it in curves. The stranger was slightly overweight but wore clothing that made her curves assets instead of hindrances. Her hair was a thick pale blond being held on top of her head by a strange sort of binding. She wore a small covering over her chest and a pair of short pants that were made of an odd blue fabric.

"Shit!" The stranger cursed and kicked at the sand. "I'm alone, my captain is dead, and I have no clue where I am!" It became apparent to Medusa after a moment that she was speaking English. A foreigner to not only this island but to this land. Maybe I should help...

"Brave traveler. You are not alone." Medusa kicked herself for not thinking of something more eloquent to say. The woman turned quickly towards her and a smile crept onto her face.

"I knew I wasn't alone! Do you know how to drive a boat? Or where I am?" Medusa quickly realized that she could turn her one chance at companionship to stone with a glance. She took her pike and cut off a long piece of fabric to cover her eyes. Hope this isn't too cliché

"You are presently on the island of Kos. I am the only other inhabitant here." She paused wondering again what a boat was and deciding it was better not to ask.

"I'm Averi Lurton. I work as an anthropologist. I was studying in Greece and my boat went off shore. Could you help me get back?" Medusa heard the scuffling of the woman around and flinched; worried that she would approach her.

"Ant rope logist? You work with ants?" She heard a melodious laugh from the Averi. A smile almost crept up to break her confusion.

"Not quite. I work with humans dead and alive. I study them." A pregnant pause filled the air with questions. Averi broke the pause saying, "Could you help me get off this island?"

Medusa felt her heart drop. I have never been the best at delivering bad news. "There is no way off. I have not seen one in my 10 years here. I'm sorry."

The beach fell quiet, with only the lapping of the waves to keep time. Medusa waited for the woman to speak again but she did not. Slowly, she removed the blindfold and went in search of her bag of mackerel.

"Miss?" Medusa almost didn't realize that she was being addressed.

"Hm?" She couldn't make more of a sound as she was lifting a water soaked pouch of fish carcasses. She held the rope of the bag in her mouth as she counted her fish. Four. Damn one must have fallen out!

"What's your name miss? I can't remember if you told me." A beat passed. Then another.

Medusa remover the bag from her mouth as she said, "I'm Medusa the Gorgon. I'm several thousand human years old and I have the curse of turning people into stone. My name is Medusa."