My long dark cloak fluttered around me as I paced, my thoughts swirling around me. It was a lonely life, cursed with decades of solitude due to the wrath of the goddess Aphrodite. She disliked humans being compared to her beauty, and when she heard a comparison being made from her temple above, she immediately took action. I was 18-years-old when she appeared at my doorstep, her eyes glaring at me as she took in my beauty. It didn't make sense to me at first, why the goddess would be at my door- so angry. But she muttered a few sentences and there I was, cursed to a life where none bear to look at me. A gorgon, forever petrifying those I loved, cursed with poisonous green snakes for hair and an erect penis, forever yearning to be touched.
I continued to pace, it wasn't like I had much to do anyways. After I was cursed, I petrified my family without knowing what I was doing. The village banned me, telling me to never come back. I ran, then, to a nearby mountain. And spent the rest of my days in an abandoned Greek temple, hoping someone who passed by would be able to withstand my gaze. Many have tried, they look at my beautiful face and body and desire to be a part of my life. I fall for them, feel my heart beat for them - then the curse takes place. It's always an accident, the men open their eyes without meaning to and gaze upon mine. It takes place immediately. I watch as they turn into a smooth rock slowly, it begins at their feet and moves upwards, taking over their entire body. I can almost hear Aphrodite laughing at me from above. The gods are so very cruel.
Now, my only company is merely the men and women that are littered through the temple, some with cracks in their skin from years of wear from the weather. Some that have just been turned by me, unaware that their lives would be ending so quickly. Now, there were rumors spread about those who entered the temple, and less and less visit this part of the village, too worried of what would happen to them. They're right, after all. Who would want to spend time with a woman who could kill them just by gazing at them?
I walked to the front of the temple, my hips swaying side by side, exposing my skin to the outside elements. I was unable to feel the cold anymore, and have been so isolated that clothes were no longer a concern for me anymore. No one would be gazing at me anyways, right?
My thoughts were interrupted by a sound in the distance, a rustling against the branches. My eyes shot up, looking to wear the sound was coming from. This was very peculiar, it had been almost half a year since I've seen another creature. I heard a grunting sound, it was rough and deep, sounding like a male voice. I almost shivered at the thought of being able to talk to another person. It had been so long, and I longed for any sort of touch, any sort of reminder that I was still alive. I tried to close my eyes but I couldn't help it, I had to see what I was working with. Hopefully he wouldn't be giving me eye contact before it was too late.
He appeared at the clearing, a blond male wearing satchel and a long white cloak around his body. He had a red wrap around his waist, and he looked incredibly confused. He wore some sort of glasses around his eyes, a black band that wrapped around his head, it appeared like he wouldn't be able to see anything. My heart gave a hopeful pump, maybe he was blind and wouldn't be able to make any eye contact with me. He saw me standing there, and I wrapped the black cloak tight around my body, I wouldn't want him to see me naked- not yet, anyways. "Hello." He said, a little shy.
I smiled at him, trying not to scare him with the many snakes in my hair. "Hello." I replied.
"Er..." He started. "I was wondering if you could help me."
"With what?" I asked innocently.
