Chapter 4: The Great Strong Women

17 years later, Herculese now is a Young lady she was stronger then most girls her age so she have hard time of fitting but the farmer couple didn't mind her being so strong she help them more time then they can count. In fact one time she helped plowing their fields when their cow wasn't feeling well. She was always the rambunctious type she loves to run around when she was a child and she helped her Dad to chop wood when she was 5 and cut down a tree when she was 7 and doing farm work as a child but she didn't mind she loves to help out specially she put her great strength to good use. Now she's 17 and wearing a white rode with two straps hold her dress in place.

Then one day Philip the family's mule had twisted his leg so now they were in big trouble how would they can deliver the hay which is 35 feet high. Herculese was walking by when she saw her dad and the hay cart stopping in the middle of the road. She goes up and see what's wrong. "Dad, whats going on?" She asked her dad. "Oh it's nothing you should be worried about" He replied. Her dad is now have gray hair because of stress of raising a girl like Herculese. He loves her with his heart but she does to do thing that cause him worry like the time she lost a ball and she pick up their house so she can get it. He been so scared he thought he was going to have a heart attack. He worries a lot but he know that her daughter means well. Herculese can see that Philip hurt his leg then she had an idea she unhitch Philip and put him on the cart with her dad. "Sweetie what are you-" Just before he got a chance to finish his sentence Herculese pulls the cart to town. Lucky she knows the way to where the hay is going. Granted that she was taken there before 3 years ago she pulls the cart like it was nothing she ran as fast she can. She was always the fastest girl even for her father. Her dad holds on to his hat scared and asked His daughter to slow down. He wasn't worried about her daughter hurting herself she was super strong. He was worried that the hay might fall off. As Herculese was coming in to town she failed to see some men were working on construction at the gate so she just ran right thought causing them to almost falling off. "Sorry Guys!" She called out as the men complain to her telling her to watch where she was going. Some people panic and running to get out of the way. Herculese skidded to a spot which she made a hole in the ground. When she stopped she climb out of the hole and dusted herself off. "Thanks sweetheart." Her dad said. "You know with Philip twisting his leg back there. I thought we were done for." "No prob, Pop!" Herculese said as she picks up the entire hay load with one hand. But her dad stops her before she starts to go anywhere. "No don't unload yet. First I need to finagle with Phines." "Okay." Herculese replied as she dropped the hay back the cart but fail to remember the hay is whole lot heavier then she realize as soon she drops the hay back on the hay Philip was launch into the air. "Opps [nervous laugh] Sorry Philp!"

Her dad say with a worried tone hoping her daughter would stay out of trouble this time. In Herculese youth she was know to cause trouble but she never meant to she just have accidents which it's not her fault entirely she just can't control your incredible strength. "Now Herculese can you please this time just-" Herculese replied. "I know I know" She catches Philip in her arms and puts him back on the cart's seat. "Stay by the cart." Her dad pets her head. "That's my girl." He said as he walked away. Herculese sigh she didn't want to stay by the cart but she knows that her dad just want her to stay out of trouble. Then as was resting she heard someone was having trouble she ran to see what's going on. There she saw a women having trouble holding a very very big vase just as the women was going to dropped it Herculese got it just in time. "Whoa careful" The pottery maker sigh of relief knowing her greatest work was saved. "Oh my thank you." She said not knowing who helped her. "Not a problem" Herculese replied to her. She look at the other side as she still holding the vase. The pottery maker was shocked to see it was Herculese. "Why Herculese. I-I-I-It's you?" She said looking nervous. "Here let me give you a hand with-" Herculese offered to helped but the pottery maker takes the vase away and shaking her head. "No no no no no no no. I got it. You can move along." The pottery maker say making it clear she didn't want her help. "You sure?" Herculese asked but the pottery maker close the curtain making it clear she doesn't want her help. In the past whenever Herculese helps that Pottery Maker she always holds her work so tight they break in her hands for being so strong. But it wasn't her fault that her strength makes the pots and vases feels like paper to her and not knowing how easily they break in her hands. As Herculese walks away feeling bad then a disk lands in front of her. She picks it up where three guys came by to get their disk. They gasps when they see Herculese. "Hey do you guys need a extra player?" She asked they guys hoping they would let her play with them. But they haven't forgotten on how strong she was. "Uh…. Sorry Her. We already….. have uhh… 5 and we like to keep it an even number." He said trying not hurt her feelings.

Herculese look confused. "Hey wait a minute 5 is not a-" She was going to say about a 5 not an even number. But before she got to finish what she was going to say the guy took the disk and they ran away with the disk obviously never wanted her to play with them not because she's a girl. Mainly she's too strong for them. She now remember in her past she never had a chance to play with kids her age. Last time she played with boys she hurt a boy really badly not because she was mad but she throw a ball too hard. Again it's not her fault that she is super strong. Herculese walks to a fountain in the center of town as she looks at the water looking sad she wished that she can fit in. One of the boy can see she looks sad but out of feeling sorry he throws the disk and yells "Heads up!" Herculese heard the yell and sees the disk she ran to catch it and feeling much better but as she jumps to catches the disk she didn't look where she was going so ran into a pillar. Daze and in pain she looks up and see the pillar is going to fall. She catches it keeping it from falling but she swings it to another way but didn't see she knock the other Pillar and now like a domino effect the market temple begins to fall down she throws the Pillar she was holding to hope she can stop the temple from falling completely. But it hit the other Pillars she stops to see what's happening she runs the other ones. The temple now falls down on both sides. Everyone runs away screaming as the temple falls down. Herculese tries her best to stop the temple from falling down. Her dad is watching what is happen. "Herculese!" He calls out. "Hold on Pop, Be right back" She calls back as she runs to stop the temple from falling. But at the pottery maker part of the temple she sees in horror that the temple is falling down at both side of her shop she repeating 'no' fast in a panic state she knows there was no way to safe her shop and all the pots and vase she worked on for years she closed her eyes ready for the worse. But when the rumbling stops she opens her eyes seeing the temple stops she laughs knowing that everything is safe, But she relief is short lived when Herculese slides in oil that spill from the temple falling down [Crash] All the pots and vases got smashed and the temple finishes falling down. It was over the dust clears and now the temple was in rumble. And Herculese knows it was her fault. Everyone gathers in looking mad at her. Her dad went to her to see if his daughter is alright but The pottery maker gets her head out of the broken pots. "This is….. The last….. Straw!" She said as she smashed the pot on the ground in frustration. The town folk points at her and saying she's not good. "That girl is menace!" "She's too dangerous to around normal people" The town folks agreed. But her dad spoke up. "Don't be hard on her, She's just a kid. She just…. Can't control her strength." The pottery maker points and said not caring. "I'm warning you…. You keep that … That …. Freak! Away from here!" The Town folks agreed with the Pottery Maker and walking away from her. Ohh She really did it this time. What she did was the worse then she very done, But it wasn't her fault she just can't get used to being so strong compared with everyone else.

Later as the sunsets her dad sit next to her on a log near by the farm and trying to comfort her daughter. "Sweet heart." He started. "Don't let what they said back there. I'm sure we can fix this." But Herculese gets up not really listening. "But papa they're right! I am a freak! I tried to fit in I really do. But I just can't." She sights. "Sometimes… I feel like….. I really don't belong here…. I feel like I am supposed to be…. Someplace else." Her dad comes to her and wiping her tears. "Herculese… Sweetie. I…." Herculese begins to walk away. "I know it doesn't make any sense." She said as she walks to the water she normally she does when she wants to clear her head. Her dad feels bad. But looks like the time has come but he didn't know how to tell her, he Thought. Herculese throws a rock in the water it skips miles away and she watched the sunsets then she walks into the woods and climbing a very big tree and look at the stars, wishing she has a place where she can belong.

[She sings]

I have often dreamed of a far off place,

Where a great, warm welcome will be waiting for me.

Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face,

And a voice keeps sayin' this is where I'm meant to be.

I will find my way I can go the distance.

I'll be there someday.

If I can be strong,

I know every mile,

Will be worth my while,

I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong

[Sings stops]

Herculese walks back home where her dad and mom was waiting for her. "Herculese, there's something your father and I have to tell you." Her mom said they all went inside and sit down. They explained they could never have children so they pray to the gods so they can bless them but then one stormy night they found her as a baby just by herself and alone. They didn't tell her that they all almost got killed by snakes. Herculese was shocked, mad and sad knowing that she was abandoned when she was still a baby. "But if you found me, Where are my parents? Where did I come from?" She asked want to know everything. But they don't know the answer of the questions. Her father gives her the medallion he know that she wanted to know the answers of her past. "This…. Was around your neck when we found you." He said. She was touch that her dad kept for her after all these years. "It's the symbol of the gods." He told her. Then She looks at it she thought it looks familiar to her. Like she haven't felt something for a long time. Then it comes to a realization. "That's it! Don't you see? Maybe they have the answers! I'll go to the Temple of ZU and…." But she also realize that she will have be away from home the home she grew up, the home that her Mom and Dad toke care of her. Then she hugs them in tears. "Mom, Dad. You are the greatest parents I ever asked for…. But I have to know." So next morning she pack her things and have a coat incase it gets cold. She hugs the parents that she knew and went on her way but before she leaves she look at her parents that she grew up with she waves them goodbye and they wave back with tears knowing they will miss their little girl. It took many days of walking she goes through fields. Knocking a tree down to make a bridge to cross a gorge, and on a stormy night she was closer to the temple and reads a sigh telling her that she's almost there. She finally made it but it was still dark and she walks inside to see what she might see.