Stone Cold Fashion

As she stepped out of her seafoam green Porsche, Medusa checked her headwrap and fixed her sunglasses. One simply couldn't afford to have one of the most famous fashion designers and CEO of renowned beauty supply manufacturing company, “Viper”, turning her clients to stone. Not that she had turned anyone in centuries. She had been very careful in hiding her identity. Her curse.

Athena… Medusa thought to herself, turning what was once my beauty, my alluring visage into a sick abhorrent nightmare… Thank Aphrodite for the wonder of modern cosmetology, or I'd still be trapped in that dark, wet cave. She scratched her headwrap as she tried not to think about the skin problems it inflicted on her scaly serpentine mane. Today was a good day, and she was not about to let her bitter resentment towards her past ruin this day.

Today was the showcase event for her newest line of fashion. Snake skin was so early 2000’s, but Medusa loved toying with the patterns on snakes. This year her designs featured a red dress with a yellow sash at the waist and a black leather jacket to mimic the coral snake. She also created a skin tight cocktail dress with an iridescent cobalt blue color that shifted to green and purple depending on the light.

It was a shoo-in for the cover of Vogue.

As she reached the showroom, she was stopped at the door. The man who stopped her was a rival designer, Alexi. A smug look spread across his face, as if he could taste misery and delighted in the flavor, and as if he was about to get a full course meal.

“Um, I’m sorry Meddi,” A once hated nickname that she now is quite appreciative of for its subtlety, “but this section is for designers only… if you want you can sit with the other viewers.”

Medusa ground her teeth as she addressed Alexi. “Move, Alexi, or I'll move you myself. I am a designer. I've designed dresses that were so beautiful that it would be an insult to even use yours as a protective cover.” She started to push past.

“But,” His hand shot out to stop her again, “Not beautiful enough to be in this showcase, I'm afraid. You've been cut from the show.”

Medusa's rage filled every ounce of blood in her veins. If her sunglasses were any weaker, the light burning from her eyes would turn Alexi to stone.

“Where. Is. Marco…?” She cut the sentence into bite sized pieces so they didn't get stuck behind the furious scream she was presently choking down in her throat. Marco was the show’s producer. They were old friends, and she knew he would never do this to her.

Alexi smiled again, “Marco won't be present today. He turned the show over to Percy, and he cut you from the show.” She didn't even try to show restraint. She shoved Alexi so hard that he fell backward into a table of hors d'oeuvres nearby. As she left Alexi in a pile of fish eggs and low carb, gluten free crackers, she made her way to Percy.

“PERCY!” She didn't mean to let the scream out, but it came out nevertheless. Percy turned toward the scream and was going to nonchalantly ignore her, assuming security would handle it, but she reached him first. She grabbed him by the shoulder with one clawed hand and dragged him into one of the dressing rooms for the models. “Out!” She barked through gritted teeth. The models, half dressed, fled as if their lives were in danger. Medusa sunk her claws further into Percy’s arm, “I was supposed to be in this show, not Alexi… Why did you replace me?”

Percy winced, but rolled his eyes with annoyance. Medusa had never been good friends with Percy as she had been with Marco, but they were never uncivil.

“Snake patterns are dying, Meddi. I know that's kind of your whole style, but you need to come up with something different or your career is going to be as dead as I'm sure those split ends are. Why else would you wear a headwrap like that? You're not even religious.”

Spontaneous, seething hatred for Percy boiled over and enveloped Medusa's entire being. “Religious? Religious?” She grabbed his other arm with her other clawed hand, “You know what happened the last time I put my faith in a God? I was used by another god in my own goddesses temple, and never did I lose faith… Do you know what my reward was for my devotion?” Medusa's head wrap began to writhe and shift, an end coming undone. “I was stripped of all my beauty, as if it were my fault that it happened. MY FAULT for being so pretty…”

The wrap came undone completely and fell to the floor. A cluster of condensed snakes uncoiled from her head. Patterns of browns, greens, blacks, and reds, a kaleidoscope of scales, stretched and slithered out from her scalp, snapping at the air by Percy's face. Percy opened his mouth to scream, but he was so terrified that his voice was lost in his throat. He stood there, jaw quivering in fear.

“I will never worship another god… and as you can see, my hair is very much alive and well…” one of the snakes removed her sunglasses. “The same can't be said for you I'm afraid.” Stone crept over Percy's skin, crawling from once reflective eyes, now marble orbs. The stone flowed over Percy's body and clothes equally, like water slowly running across the floor from a spilled glass. The sound was a crackling, crunching sound, like rock breaking and shifting on a mountain.

Moments later, a statue of Percy stood in the dressing room. Medusa dislodged her claws from his arms, small cracks forming around the holes she had made. She donned her sunglasses and picked up her head wrap. “Come on, my loves, I know you hate it, but we have to.” the snakes curled up and formed a tight bundle around her head as she wrapped them back up.

As she walked out of the dressing room, she addressed one of the security guards, “Dearest Percy has left. He got cold feet and couldn't take the pressure. I'm afraid you'll have to postpone the event for now.” She started walking away before she turned back, “Oh, and if you see him again, I had that statue made especially for him. It symbolizes how much of a coward I think he is.” She left the building and climbed back into her seafoam green Porsche.

Driving home, she was tormented by thoughts of hatred, both to Percy… and herself. She had left that life behind. She put so much effort into her work, making it her new purpose. She wasn't that monster anymore. She didn't mean to lose control, she was just so ANGRY. Her self loathing continued until she reached the door to her suite. Turned the satin finish silver door knobs, and walked inside.

Inside, she found a man's bootprint on the floor inside the door.

She removed her sunglasses, searching, scanning each room as she walked further in. She could smell him. That musky scent that only men have. He was somewhere in her home. The snakes slithered out of her headwrap once again, each one a pair of eyes to alert Medusa of danger.

Medusa didn't keep reflective objects in her home, as she could never be at ease with the threat of her turning herself into stone. With no mirrors, Medusa had to peer around every corner. She reached the kitchen, and there he was. A man, mid forties, short chestnut hair swept to one side, wearing a dress shirt and slacks, pilfering her pantry. She sneaked carefully up behind him and quickly wrapped both arms around his shoulders, squeezing him tightly. She moved her lips close to his ear…

“Feeling snackish, darling?” She whispered into his ear. The snakes flicked their tongues against his face, tickling his skin.

The man smiled, turned his face to Medusa and kissed her cheek. “Hello, love. Home early? How was the showcase?” Medusa released him from her grip and took his hand to turn her husband around and look him in his eyes, the clouded sky blue retinas a reminder of the darkness he lived in.

Theo had run into Medusa one night, while on a walk with his cane, but when her sunglasses fell off, and he didn't turn to stone, Medusa felt an odd sense of security with him. They dated, fell in love and got married just as any normal couple would. Although, it did take Theo some adjusting to when he felt snakes on her head. Medusa shared everything about her past with Theo, and after he realized she was telling the truth, he accepted her.

“The showcase was cancelled. Marco was called away so Percy took over.” Medusa's tone turned remorseful. “He removed me from the show, and I… Well, I lost my temper. I turned him.” Theo's face shifted. Medusa couldn't tell if it was sorrow, shame, disgust, or fear. Then theo spoke.

“I know that you know what you did is wrong, so i won't lecture you, but how do you feel about it?”

Medusa pulled her hand from his. “I feel… awful. He was rude, and cruel for taking me off the show, but I know he didn't deserve that. I would take it back if I could, but…”

Theo took Medusa's face in his hands. “You can't help who Athena turned you into. The fact that you feel remorse at all means you aren't the monster she intended you to be. Just take a breath, and we'll get through this together.”

Medusa smiled. “You always know exactly what to say. You're very wise for someone so young.”

“That is what drew you to me. That, and the dazzling eyes,” He chuckled. “Plus there's always next season’s showcase.” Medusa's smile warmed and she pulled him to her. Theo wrapped his arms around her, and the snakes gently wrapped around his head up the back of his scalp. He whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

She whispered back, “I love you too… but if you track mud in on the floor again we're going to have a new statue for our living room.” They both laughed.