Fiction
4 min
Tujunga and Zeñara
Natalie Burmeister
(Based on "Cupid & Psyche" plus "Perseus & Medusa")
Long ago, before gods existed, a beautiful island arose: Le Mythee. This island was populated with mortals, but immortals lived underneath. The land's greatest power was that it could create other places around it. But in time, when the queen gave birth to two sisters, Evee and Marva, many stories spread throughout the land. The people's stories caused something to go wrong. Most lands grew dark, foggy, and sad. Le Mythee was going through unexpected changes, making love and fighting nearly impossible.
That's when the father of Evee and Marva, the king, had to do something. He expanded the land and created a rural-like area that nobody lived in because it was so foggy out there. When Evee and Marva became beautiful, young, ladies, the heavens called out: "Le Mythee, mother island, from the blackout hilltop to you, I'll give two gents to live on you. The capital boy is Mundin, and the rural boy is Tujunga. Please, we pray and beg you keep Mundin and Tujunga safe."
The next day, two months after Mundin moved in, he accidentally dropped his work bag after bumping into Evee. "I'm so sorry, newcomer. I was just on my way to pick up a newspaper and I didn't see you. Are you okay?" she said, looking concerned. "I'm fine. It's okay," said Mundin, who felt a fluttery feeling in his stomach every time he looked at Evee. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. "How about I fetch you that newspaper before work, huh?" he said. "Sure thing," Evee said, not knowing Mundin had a strong crush on her. When he fetched the newspaper and gave it to Evee, like he said, he asked: "Can we have a date, beautiful? If so, where shall it be?" She nodded and slowly took the newspaper from Mundin's hands. "On this bench," she requested.
After they sat down, they gazed at the headline. "New monster discovered," Evee read. "Explorers discovered a creature with hair as a mass of squirming leeches and magnetic eyes to pull one towards the creature so the leeches can suck the blood out of them. They called this monster the Mevose, but one of the six is the only mortal monster in the underseas," Mundin read. "Like the Gorgon?" Evee asked. "Sort of, but a Gorgon's hair is made of snakes. Mevoses have leeches, but Gorgon snakes and Mevose leeches are both equally skinny. Gorgons can kill using their eyes, but Mevoses use their hair," he explained. "Mundin, this new monster seems disgusting. I wouldn't come close to one if I were you," Evee said, thinking about the way Mevoses kill. "Before this newspaper came in, I thought all monsters in the undersea were immortal, but this newspaper makes the claim untrue," said Mundin.
"What's the mortal monster's name?" a townsperson asked. "I don't know," the new couple said. "I know," said Marva, as she approached. "What is it?" asked Evee. "Zeñara," said Marva. "Who do we ask to kill Zeñara?" Mundin asked. "I'll spill it if you plan to kiss Evee," Marva said. "Kiss?" Mundin and Evee asked. "Yes," said Marva.
To get answers from her sister, Evee scheduled more dates with Mundin, who became her boyfriend over time. Soon, Marva and her parents organized the wedding. A couple seconds before they announced their engagement, Marva whispered in the couple's ears. "Our hero will give you Zeñara's head as a wedding gift. His name is Tujunga. He lives in the rural area. I'll go talk to him now, ok? I'll come back soon." Then Marva disappeared.
At the rural area, she knocked on Tujunga's door. He opened it after six knocks. "How can Tujunga, the great hero, help?" he asked. "Please, give my sister and her husband Zeñara's head, but exclude the leeches," Marva explained. "I'll have to ask for help. Who should I see?" he asked her. "Go visit Veoron and Insela at their soldier chamber. They'll give you materials. Then they'll tell you what to do from there," Marva explained. Tujunga nodded.
As he traveled to the soldier chamber, Veoron and Insela came to him. Tujunga explained his quest. "You'll need a strong sword. Also, take this magic bag. You'll put Zeñara's bald head in it. Cut off the leeches after cutting off the head," Veoron said." Look into this shield, so she doesn't attract you. Also, take this hat. It'll make you invisible. This way, Zeñara's sisters won't see you. The Stone Women will give you a helmet and tell you what to do next, ok?" said Insela, who promised to be a guide, whilst Veoron began her journey to the capital.
Insela and Tujunga went to The Stone Women after Veoron left. In the fog, three women who shared one eye, saw Insela and Tujunga. The Stone Women were holding two special helmets for the underworld. Tujunga and Insela took them. "Thank you, ladies," Insela said, being kind. "Go see the Nymphs of the South. They will train you," said one woman. "Ok, thanks," Tujunga said. "You are welcome. Good luck," said the other two. Insela and Tujunga visited the Nymphs of the South. They trained the adventurous duo for the underworld.
Zeñara lay sleeping with her sisters, her hair a mass of leeches. Tujunga looked into the shield while he cut off Zeñara's hair, then sliced the head off, placed it in the bag, and escaped. The other five Mevoses tried to catch their sister's assassin but couldn't see him because he was wearing the hat of invisibility. Zeñara's leeches were as angry as her sisters. The leeches were squirming on the floor because Zeñara was dead.
Back at the capital wedding, Tujunga confidently held the head up. "Evee and Mondon, your wedding present, Zeñara's head!" He yelled. Everyone began to clap at him happily as he did so. Le Mythee had a hero.
This was an entry for a writing contest held in conjunction with Center for Fiction and The Decameron Project
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