Medusa’s Story

By: Airam Aguasvivas De Los Santos

I am not dead!!

Though I was decapitated, I am still alive.

Maybe this is something impossible for you to believe. But, don’t worry; I will tell you everything you would want to know. For now, let me begin by saying how everyone thought that my assasination was the end of my times of terror.  That incident was only the beginning of a story never heard before and my decapitation only ended in my liberation from Athena’s control. Her spell has now ended, and I am free now.

You probably have heard of me: I am Medusa, the monster with snakes as her hair and a deadly gaze that turns people into stones. I would not claim that you know me, because the little things you have heard about me are nothing compared to what I must tell you. So, here it is, the story of my reality, my true nature, my hair, my skin, everything about me that was so grossly exaggerated.

You have been told that I am an evil, cold-hearted witch, the ugliest in the whole history of humankind. Maybe you have another description of me as a monster, a monster who turned every living being into stone when she was angry or even at first sight — at least, Cupid and I have a particular, powerful effect on others. However, everything you know about me is completely influenced by the tales told about my life and the things I allegedly did. In my defense, I could not help turn some people into stones as a way to defend myself, and those who were dear to me.

At first, I hated the new “gifts” Athena bestowed on me, but I found uses for them. Little by little, I gained control over those gifts, and made them into powerful weapons for myself. I once mourned my lovely, soft hair, and hated their transformation into little serpents, until I found that these serpents are actually my friends, who can also be lovely and soft. They are actually not scary, which is another detail you should know. You may be afraid of them at first, but they are like dogs when meeting strangers. So, if you get to be nice with them, they may let you pet them without biting you. They are very protective; they warn me when there is danger nearby, and distract the mind of those who wish me ill. I am now happier with my little, golden friends, not the typical bronze snakes. They help with the spells, and are another reason my enemies desired my head.

I still get shocked by the gossip I hear about myself. Unlike what people believe, I do not have snakes’ eyes; it is just what they look like when turning someone into stones. I do not have bad skin; mine is soft, and it changes sometimes (I still do not know why or how it happens, but it has to do with my snake-buddies), and most importantly, I do not have a tail!

However, people are right about my gorgeous, strong wings. They are gold to me.