A Day at the Beach
Proserpina was a very curious little girl her curiosity seemed to always get her into trouble. Like the time that Pluto captured her and brought her to his kingdom to keep him company. This is another tale about how Proserpina’s curiosity got her into some trouble.
Once upon a time Proserpina was out in the fields with her mother Ceres. Proserpina was getting bored and asked her mother if she could travel through the north woods to the coast. Ceres was a little hesitant because of the whole Pluto thing but Proserpina was a few years older now and so Ceres let her go. Proserpina set off to the coast, she had to travel through the woods and she would be there, seemed simple enough. As Proserpina was walking through the woods when she heard a deafening scream coming from the west. She decided she would just go take a look and see what had make the noise. She wandered toward the scream that she had heard just a few minutes before and she didn’t see anyone or anything. Proserpina came to a little opening in the woods and saw a statue, it looked like a person. Proserpina was very confused why someone would put a statue of a person in the middle of the forest. She decided she better get back on the path to the coast. She couldn’t wait to get there and collect shells and feel the warmth of the red hot, sun. After a little while longer Proserpina made it to the coast and she saw a woman sitting on a rock crying.
Proserpina walked over to her,” why are you crying?”
She noticed something strange about the woman’s hair it looked to be slithering. The woman jumped up and grabbed Proserpina by the shoulders; it was then that Proserpina realized who the woman was it was Medusa. She looked away trying to avoid Medusa’s deadly gaze. Proserpina squirmed and kicked, let me go she yelped. Medusa was stronger than Proserpina had expected and she stopped squirming realizing she couldn’t get free.
“What do you want from me,” Proserpina asked Medusa, in no louder tone than a whisper, still avoiding her eyes.
” I want you to look into my eyes so I can leave you as a message to anyone who thinks they will fight me,” Medusa bellowed.
“How about I make you a deal,” Proserpina reasoned. “If you beat me in a sword fight then you can turn me to stone leaving me as a warning. If I win, you let me go free.”
This intrigued Medusa, she thought the girl was crazy. What would she know about sword fighting? Medusa agreed and retrieved two swords. Little did Medusa know, Proserpina spends so much time out in the fields by herself that she has practiced sword fighting for years. The only problem was that Proserpina would have to do the fight with her eyes closed, but she wasn’t worried. The fight began, Medusa sprang at Proserpina but came a couple inches short of her face giving Proserpina enough time to move out of the way and cut a small slash in Medusa’s arm. Medusa furious now started wildly swinging her sword at Proserpina. Proserpina jumped and around Medusa and knocked her legs out from under her. Before Medusa had any idea what had happened Proserpina was holding the sword to Medusa’s neck.
“I think I win,” Proserpina said very confidently.
Medusa tried to reach for her sword. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Proserpina said. “Now that I have won I have one more condition, you let me go free and you stop terrorizing the people of Olympia.”
Medusa was so angry but she agreed in fear of the girl killing her.  Proserpina let her up and watched her as she left, heading towards the next city. Proserpina grabbed her stuff and the two swords Medusa left and started her short journey home. When Proserpina got to the fields she looked for her mother but seeing she had gone home continued walking towards the house.
“You’re home sooner than I expected,” Ceres said.
“Well the sun just made me tired I guess,” Proserpina said with a hint of a smile. “I think I’m going to go to bed early tonight, goodnight mother.”
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