Kosmos♕percy jackson [CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN]

έξι

     And that was when it dawned on Amara.

     Aunty Em.

     Aunty M.

     M for Medusa.

     So the hissing noise Grover heard wasn't the frier, it was snakes.

     "Ah," Aunty Em said sadly. "You notice some of my creations do not turn out well. They are marred. They do not sell. The face is the hardest to get right. Always the face."

      "You make these statues yourself?" Percy asked.

     "Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. This is why I make them, you see. They are my company." If Amara wasn't under the suspicion that this lady was Medusa, she would've been saddened deeply by the story.

     Annabeth had stopped eating. She sat forward and said, "Two sisters?"

     "It's a terrible story," Aunty Em said. "Not one for children, really. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a... a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could but eventually, they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived but at a price. Such a price."

     There was absolutely no doubt now that this woman was Medusa.

     "Wow. Boy, I sure am full. Thanks for the meal Aunty Em, but we should get going. The ringmaster must be waiting," Amara said tensely.

     "Such beautiful gray eyes," Aunty Em told Annabeth again. "My, yes, it has been a long time since I've seen gray eyes like those."

     She reached out as if to stroke Annabeth's cheek, but Annabeth stood up abruptly.

     "We really should go."

     "Yes!" Grover swallowed his waxed paper and stood up. "The ringmaster is waiting! Right!"

     "Please, dears," Aunty Em pleaded. "I so rarely get to be with children. Before you go, won't you at least sit for a pose?"

     "A pose?" Annabeth asked warily.

     "A photograph. I will use it to model a new statue set. Children are so popular, you see. Everyone loves children."

     "We'd love to, but we really must be going. Can't keep the ringmaster angry," Amara said, in a hurry to get out of the place.

     "Yes, Amara's right. I don't think we can, Ma'am."

     "Sure we can," Percy said. Amara glared at him. How was he so stupid? He had all the signs right in his face and yet, he was still oblivious."It's just a photo, guys. What's the harm?"

     "Yes," the woman purred. "No harm."

     Amara looked over to Annabeth. They made a silent agreement to beat Percy up after this.

     Aunty Em directed them to a park bench next to the stone satyr. "Now," she said, "I'll just position you correctly. The two young girls in the middle, I think, and the two young gentlemen on either side."

     "Not much light for a photo," Percy remarked.

     "Oh, enough," Aunty Em said. "Enough for us to see each other, yes?"

     "Where's your camera?" Grover asked.

     Aunty Em stepped back, as if to admire the shot. "Now, the face is the most difficult. Can you smile for me please, everyone? A large smile?"