Black Beauty

Medusa

Shemeya knocked on Jason's door. For the past two years, they'd ended up in the same chemistry course as lab partners. He'd asked her out a few times but she'd politely said no. He bored her. Turning him down made her feel like an idiot who only went out with thugs, but she wasn't stupid. She only wanted a little thug, not a full serving.

When Jason opened the door, she pulled off her backpack and stepped into his house. "Is your mom home?"

"No, she's with her new guy." He led her into his kitchen. "Want something to drink?"

"You got some juice?" She desperately wanted to get rid of the dry, earthy taste that the herbs had left in her mouth. Water hadn't worked.

"I got something better." He reached under one of the kitchen cabinets and pulled out a bottle of Hennessey.

"Jason, really?"

He smiled innocently.

She rolled her eyes. "Sure. I need a drink after the day I've had." And liquor should kill the taste in my mouth.

He poured the cognac into two yellow plastic cups before they walked into the living room and sat on his couch. The alcohol warmed her insides and seared away the taste of the herbs.

"We should be talking about absorption, not sitting here getting drunk," Shemeya pointed out.

"We always finish our projects tipsy. Why should this time be any different?"

Shemeya laughed. "Anyways, let's get started: absorption vs. adsorption." She pulled her chemistry book from her backpack.

"Stupid names. Why do they have to be so similar?" He sat back on the couch with a glazed look in his eyes.

"Are you going to get your books?"

He licked his lips and leaned forward. "I've heard stories about you and Latreece's boyfriend."

"So?" The buzz she had from the liquor quickly dissipated while her heart rate increased. She dreaded where the conversation was headed.

"I don't understand. I've been asking you out for months but you go out with him instead. He has a girlfriend."

"I didn't fucking go out with him," she said through clenched teeth. She'd expected to be harassed at school; she hadn't expected it here. She had hoped her anger would shut him up, but no such luck.

"I saw you go in the room with Corey last weekend at Serena's party."

She threw her books on the table and stood. "Oh fuck, Jason. Really?"

"I've treated you with nothing but respect since I've known you."

"I've had a fucking horrible day with everyone teasing me at school. Now I get here and have to deal with it from you, too. Fuck you. I'm leaving." She turned from him and bent over to pick up her books.

"Are you crying?" She bought her hand up to her face, it came back wet. Why was she crying in front of him? Wasn't the fake weed supposed to give her courage? "Don't go. I'm sorry." She was so busy wiping away her tears that she didn't fight it when he grabbed her hand pulled her back onto the couch. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

She let him hold her as she cried. Maybe it was the liquor, maybe it was the fake weed, or maybe it was her loneliness, but whatever the reason she didn't stop him when he brought his lips down onto hers.

His sweaty hands on her breast brought her back to reality. He wasn't who she wanted. "No, Jason." She pulled back. "I have to go."

"Don't go," he pleaded, with his hand still under her shirt. Somehow they'd ended up on the couch with him on top cradled between her legs.

"No." She tried to move from under him.

He loomed above her, flushed despite his dark skin. "Do you like it rough? Is that what it is?"

"No. This isn't what I came here for." Shemeya tore at his chest, but Jason refused to budge.

He kissed her neck. "I'm tired of being the nice guy," he murmured, pinning her further beneath his body.

"Get off me!" she screamed. His erection rubbed against the crotch of her jeans. She punched and kicked, but it made him more excited. Her scalp itched as she fought. She wanted to scratch, but she needed both hands to fight Jason off. I'm getting raped but I can't fight the urge to scratch. The inconvenience of it almost made her laugh.

Something above moved. She looked past Jason. Five snakes were hovering above his head.

"I'm going crazy." This time she did laugh, and the snakes, which were the same rusty brown color as her dreads, smiled.

Jason looked towards her. "Why are you laughing?" His eyes darted above her. The feel of his erection disappeared as he crept away, but she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Her itching scalp had been replaced with pleasurable tingles that ran from her head down to her toes. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"We need to leave," he said, trembling. "There are snakes in here. There are snakes in your hair." She pulled him closer while he fought to be released. "Let go. We need to get out of here."

"No, stay," she whispered in his ear. "They won't hurt you."

Shaking, he looked from Shemeya to the snakes. He tried to force himself from her legs. This time when she tried to pull him closer, he punched her. Pain exploded in her jaw, but she never let go.

"Jason, that hurt."

He looked into her eyes. "Please," he begged. A snake sunk its fangs into his cheek. Another struck his ear. One clung to his nose. And another hung below his left eye. He writhed in pain as he tried to escape the snakes and her thighs. His pleading eyes came back to her before he stopped moving completely. The snakes retracted their fangs. She relaxed her legs. Jason fell onto the carpeted floor.

She stood and nearly fainted before she righted herself by grabbing the side of the couch. She bought her hands up to fix her hair, but hesitated a few inches away. She'd never touched snakes before. But the snakes came to her, caressing her open palm. They were cold and smooth and full of life.