Dream Threads

The Beast

My feet were rough against the sidewalk as I made my escape.  Sweat plastered my brown hair to my face, and my breathing came out in rasps.  I stared straight ahead, daring not to throw my eyes over my shoulder.  I could not hear footsteps behind in the still darkness, but I knew I was being followed.  Rumors of a frightening creature living in the gloomy caves near Height Park had spread throughout my tiny village.  Eventually, my increasing curiosity won out, and I had to see if the rumors were true.  Earlier tonight, I ventured to the caves, secretly hoping that all the whispered talk and covert glances of the villagers would finally amount to something.  I was not disappointed; for, what I saw in the caves earlier tonight stunned me.  There was a creature in the cave, with scaly reptilian skin, the color of dying leaves, and hair that appeared to be moving.  When I took a closer look, I saw that there was no hair on the monster’s head, but a mass of writhing black snakes.  To place this terrifying creature, my mind instantly went to my insufficient knowledge of Greek mythology.  There was a beast known as Medusa, or the “Greek myth” that could turn an unsuspecting person into stone with a simple glance at her hideous features.  As I began to scramble out of the cave, my foot slipped on a rock, causing the resounding thud of its fall to echo throughout the cave.  My heart leapt into my throat as I was sure that Medusa heard the rock fall.  Unfortunately, I did not stay long enough to find out.  As I made a quick left out of the caves and into the park, I saw the silhouette of a person sitting on a bench across the way.  At least, I hoped it was a person.  There was no way that Medusa could have beaten me to the park.  My footsteps were drumbeats in a lullaby as I cautiously approached the shadowy figure.  As I reached the vicinity of the wooden bench, I quickly realized my mistake.  The moonlight revealed a perfectly cruel smile, and the eyes of a snake.  The silhouette was staring at me; I tried to speak, but I was paralyzed.