As time passed, Cronus was getting more and more into it. He would capture groups of mortals and force them to work exhaustingly hard to build him monuments or serve him in other ways, although, due to his powers, he could have anything he desired anyway (which means that he did that solely out of sadism and megalomania). Other times, when he was in a bad mood or just wanted to get some action, he would attack cities of mortals, killing and destroying. Also, he never parted with his outfit: his white tunic, his golden sandals and his laurel wreath. Myself and Aphrodite, on the other hand, we were going around with our bodies as they were; we saw no reason to wear clothes.

Little by little, the world of mortals turned into a primitive, nightmarish place. This was caused not so much by Cronuses actions (which, though horrible, were just medium scale disasters) as by mortals' fear itself; their mass hysteria led to the collapse of every political and economic system. Humans now lived under primitive conditions, struggling for their survival, individually or in small groups. They had to face not only Cronus but also one another. Because of the limited resources left, the competition for survival reached unbelievable levels of cruelty and horror. People killing one another for a slice of bread was an everyday occurrence.

As for me, I had learnt to ignore my remorse and got used to my life. Occasionally, I entertained myself with terrorizing mortals as well, though not as often as Cronus. I would now do with countless men what I used to do with Uranus at night. Furthermore, I permanently hosted at the palace those who really satisfied me. Of course, sooner or later, I banished them, since, sooner or later, the effects that the passage of time has on mortals rendered them all appallingly ugly and thus unworthy of being close to me.

Of course, Cronus hosted his lovers as well. They were concubines that were there either of their own free will or by force.

Lastly, for Aphrodite, essentially nothing had changed since we still lived on the planet of immortals. She kept being absorbed by her intellectual interests, without any man ever having touched her; she told me that she might do that too someday, but, for the time being, she saw no reason to hurry.

They were rare, and they were becoming rarer and rarer, but there were also moments when I would remember Uranus, his sweet smile, his pure heart, and cry thinking about the things I had done. Sometimes, I realized that I could make everything the way it used to be back when my soul was peaceful and nothing tormented me. One decision was all it took. Yet, for some reason, I would never make that decision.

One day, when I was flying lazily above a remote area, I sensed human life. It was on a mountain slope. The ground alternated between soil and greenery. Here and there, there were dark colored bushes, equally dark colored trees and rocks.

A hermitess was ascending the slope, heading to the entrance of a cave. Her life signals were weak; she was a really advanced age. Yet she was going up the mountain! I admit I was impressed! However, this did not stop me from going and terrorizing her; it was a good opportunity to break out of my boredom.

If I showed up by landing before her and, furthermore, she saw that I was not wearing any clothes, she would definitely realize who I was. By that time, everybody knew me and my offsprings. It had been a long time since we conquered the planet of mortals; probably, not even that old lady was born yet at that time!

The hermitess had almost reached the cave entrance when I landed in front of her. 'Peek a boo. Do you recognize me, mortal trash?' I said, with my arms crossed and a threatening smile. Her face was wrecked by the passage of time. She was wearing a black, ragged dress and shoes of the same color. On her head, she was wearing a black scarf with blue squares. Some white hair protruded from under it.

And then, I uncrossed my arms and my smile faded in a sudden realization! Even if I did not have my superior, overdeveloped senses, it would still be obvious, from the look in her black, aged eyes! 'Hello? Who's there?' she asked in confusion. 'Do we know each other, miss? I'm sorry, but I can't see you. I lost my eyesight years ago.'

I opened my mouth, not knowing how to react. All my desire to scare her was lost! 'N-no, ma'am, we don't know each other,' I finally stuttered. 'I'm just a passer by.'

'Good,' she smiled. 'I don't have visitors often. Do you want to come to my humble home to chat a little?'

I pondered it for a moment. That was the first time in my life I had an opportunity to converse with a mortal naturally, as if I was one of them! I accepted…

In the interior of the cave, there was a rudimentary bed, along with some plain possessions. Above a fire, there was a black pot. With a wooden ladle, the old lady filled a clay bowl with steaming vegetable soup and offered it to me. 'I'm sorry for not having something better to serve you,' she said. 'I guess my home is not Cronuses palace, hahaha…'

I sighed. 'Ma'am, forget about the soup,' I said. 'I am carrying a lot of food with me. I will give you something better to eat.' In my hand, I materialized a large, delicious burger in a wrapper. On the wrapper, there was the sign of an old, large fast food chain that used to thrive back before the apocalypse. I unwrapped it and gave it to her. 'Here. Eat this. It will perk you up,' I said.

The blind, old lady took it in her hands and groped it. 'This must be something really delectable,' she said. 'Where did you find it, miss? Nobody has access to such luxurious stuff anymo…'

'I just found it and want to share it with you,' I abruptly interrupted her. 'Don't ask anything else, ma'am. Please, eat it up. Do me this favor.'

'Fine, I'll do you this favor,' she said, laughing. The old lady sat on a protruding rock and started eating. I sat on another rock, with my elbows on my thighs and my palms supporting my head, and started gazing at her.

'So… you live here alone,' I said at some point.

'Yes. I'm not complaining,' she replied, laughing.

'Well, I'm impressed,' I commented. 'Not only do you manage to survive in this remote place, but also you are in a good mood.'

'It is because I don't let reality affect me,' she explained.

'Really?' I said, baffled.

'Why do you think that the world has turned out the way it is?' she continued. 'Why do you think that people have reached a point where they kill one another for a few crumbs of food? It's because they have surrendered to fear, the fear of reality.'

'Well, what is happening to humanity right now is no small matter,' I defended them. 'Those three supernatural monsters came from outer space or from who knows where and…'

'Even those creatures you call monsters are humans inside,' the old lady interrupted me abruptly. 'Humans with their own problems, their own sorrows, humans frightened of their own reality.' I had started admiring that person!

'Oh, ma'am, I envy you,' I sighed. I let my arms fall and, as a result, my head fell between my legs. 'I wish I was like you,' I continued. 'Maybe I used to be. But, then, I was attacked by unspeakable thoughts. Thoughts that turned me into something I had never imagined I could become. Sometimes, I'm terrified by what I have turned into.'

'Come on. If you were that bad, you wouldn't have shared your food with me,' the old lady scolded me.

'And yet, ma'am, and yet,' I insisted while I started welling up. 'You have no idea what I have done in my life. I am ashamed of what I am, I want to change, to go back to the way I used to be, but I can't. My evil thoughts will just not leave me alone. And I cannot banish them, no matter how hard I try.'

I burst into tears. I felt a hand crossing my long, red hair. I raised my tearful gaze. The old lady had stood up and come next to me. 'Listen to me, girl,' she said in a low voice. 'Listen to a piece of advice from someone who is older than you.'

When she said 'older than you', I almost laughed, for obvious reasons. Thankfully, I managed to repress it and let her continue: 'Your mistake is that, in order to banish black thoughts… you think. You are trying to fight thoughts with thoughts. It cannot be done this way! You must do the opposite! Don't think about anything, clear your mind of everything. Only then will you find your true self. Because your true self is not what you are now.'

I stopped crying and looked curiously at her. 'I don't understand… how can I not think about anything?' I asked. 'This is not possible! And what do you mean by that thing you said about my true self?'

'I won't explain everything. I won't make it so easy for you,' the old lady said strictly. 'Go home, try to empty your mind and, when you manage it, you will understand everything I said.'

I sighed. 'So… I'm going,' I said and stood up. 'Thank you for everything.'

'And I thank you for the food,' she laughed.

As I exited the cave, I was contemplating her words. They constituted a riddle I had to solve. The riddle of my heart!

I was about to fly away when something crossed my mind. Should I restore the eyesight of that woman? No, it was not a good idea. If I did that, she would definitely realize who I was. On the other hand, I felt I owed it to her. It was the least I could do for her. And so, I decided it! I would take that chance. I would heal her.

'Ma'am, I've got a present for you,' I said while re-entering the cave. I halted abruptly. I could no longer sense the slightest life signals emitted by the lady's body. I looked at her fallen body, which was now nothing more than a mass of organic matter. Her face was stuck in a smile.

My eyes became wet again. I crouched and kissed her forehead. 'I shall never forget you, sweetheart,' I whispered.