Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young woman who had long brown fluttering hair, emerald green eyes, and blood-red lips. She had two sisters that she loved very much. She often played with them and her best friend. Her beauty grew every day. So much so that one day her best friend confessed his love to her. Although she was stunned and loved him deeply, she had the dream of becoming a priestess in Athena’s temple and could not fall into the temptation of love. In time she became a great priestess. Her devotion and purity made her mesmerizing for all that saw her preach. However, her beauty and loyalty to Athena made her an easy target when Poseidon, god of the seas, sought to avenge Athena. He tricked and used his powers on the priestess to dishonour Athena and her temple. Enraged by what the priestess had done, Athena cast a powerful and irreversible curse on her. Night fell, the young girl remained in the temple, crying in despair and horror. Her best friend came looking for her. He heard her desperate cries coming from the temple out into the pitch-black darkness of night. He walked inside. The young girl wept “go away,” as she did not want to be seen like that. Concerned, he touched her shoulder, then a serpent bit his hand. In shock, the two friends turned to look into each other’s eyes, then suddenly the boy froze to stone. Medusa stayed there and wept, embracing the statue of her best friend, desperately clinging to him as if she could never let go. Medusa frantically ran to an ancient, abandoned temple to be alone, isolated from the people she loved so she could harm them no more.