Act 15: Psyche
Psyche walked down the street. Her brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. The ill-fitting jeans and shirt she'd borrowed from Prota were wrinkled and dirty. Psyche's skin had become pale, and she had dark circles around her eyes.
The night Eros left, Psyche ran out the mansion, praying that Eros would change his mind and return to her. However, when she stepped off the porch of the mansion, only a clear night sky greeted her. She went back to the mansion only to find the doors locked. She sat on the porch of the mansion, sobbing loudly. She had no clothes, no home, and no money. Psyche eventually cried herself to sleep. When she woke up, she was on the path that led to the city. With Eros heavy in her mind and heart, the traumatized Psyche wandered around the city until she came to Prota's house.
Psyche told Prota about her misfortune. The next day, Prota had disappeared, only leaving a note claiming that she was going after Eros herself. Psyche also discovered that her Deftera was missing as well. Psyche then realized that Eros had been right about her sisters. The thought of her sisters' deceit may her stomach churn. It also fueled her desire to be with Eros even more. She took some of Prota's clothes and any money she can find, and then went to search for her husband.
Psyche's desperate search has gone on for more than a week. Her distraught state caused her to forget the path the led to the mansion, resigning any chance of her going back to find to search for Eros there.
"I know he still loves me," Psyche said, not caring if anyone heard her. "He has to. I need to see him." A little chubby boy bumped into Psyche. The boy apologized, but Psyche continued walking as if nothing happened.
Psyche hadn't realized that she walked to the end of the city. She found herself before a large wooded area. She spotted a dirt path leading into the woods.
"Our home was on a path similar to this," said Psyche. "Is—is this that path?"
Pumping her weak legs, Psyche ran up the path. She felt herself pitch forward. She landed on the path with a grunt. Psyche looked behind her to see what she had tripped over.
"Corn?" Psyche said, confused. She looked back toward the path, and noticed another ear of corn laying the path. Psyche reached for the corn, and picked herself up from the ground.
"Where am I?" said Psyche. She walked down the path, picking up one more ear of corn, a rake, and a sickle.
Before long, Psyche reached the end of the path. In front of her stood a huge temple, as lavish as the mansion she had share with Eros. "This must belong to some other God or Goddess," she said. "Maybe they can help me."
Psyche cautiously circled the huge beige and gold temple, searching for its owner. She noticed the mess in the back of the temple. Corn and rakes were strewn everywhere. Several bags of grains have split open and spilled onto the floor.
Psyche disregarded the pains in her body as she began to clean up the mess. "If I can do this," she said, picking up the corn, "I surely will receive help in finding Eros."
"Excuse me," a voice said. "But what are you doing?" Psyche looked up from the grains she had been trying to separate. An older woman with dark green hair and matching eyes stared at her. She wore a plain white lounge dress with a wreath made of corn on top of her head. In her hands were two more bags of grain.
Psyche stood up from the pile of grains she had been sorting through. "Demeter, hello," she greeted the Goddess of Harvest. "I saw this mess, and—"
"Don't worry about that," Demeter said, as she tossed the two bags of grain onto the floor. "It would take days to clean up this up. You're Psyche correct? Why are you in my temple?"
"I thought Eros would be here," said Psyche. Without warning, Psyche's knees buckled, and she fell to the floor.
Demeter bent down. "You look quite sickly," she said, concerned. "When was the last time you've eaten?"
"I'm not sure," said Psyche.
"My goodness! I'll prepare some food for you. Just stay here." Demeter left the room, and returned moments later with a bowl of fresh fruit, bread, and vegetables, and a cup of tea. Psyche thanked the Goddess and gulped down the food. Once she finished eating, Psyche told Demeter what had happened.
"What should I do?" Psyche asked, after she finished her story. "I want to be with Eros."
"Aphrodite can be more of a monster than a real monster," said Demeter. "The only thing I can tell you is to go directly to Aphrodite. If you can gain her blessing, then perhaps she will tell you where Eros is. Aphrodite is a very stubborn goddess. If you truly love Eros, you'll have to warm Aphrodite's cold feelings for you."
"Where would I be able to find her?" asked Psyche.
"Aphrodite has her own temple not too far from here," said Demeter. "She spends time there when she's not modeling or with her sons."
"Thank you," said Psyche as she and Demeter got off the floor.
"I wish you much luck Psyche," said Demeter. Psyche smiled at Demeter. She walked out the back of the temple…and came face to face with the Goddess of Love.
It's her, thought Psyche. She instinctively backed away from Aphrodite. Aphrodite's eyes burned into her soul.
"You pathetic little tramp," said Aphrodite. "My son has been sick for a week now, and it's your fault. That silly boy of mine must've pricked himself with his own arrow to fall for such a worthless mortal. Just look at yourself. To think, that face of yours graced the cover of so many magazines. Now you're nothing more than a washed up woman with nowhere to go."
Aphrodite's biting insults made Psyche flinch. I can't run from her, she thought. Psyche got on her knees in front of Aphrodite. "Aphrodite," Psyche began. "I beg you to give me your blessings. I'm in love with Eros. I can't stand to be away from him for so long! Please let me see him! I'm willing to do whatever you want. I'll comb your hair, crawl behind you! I'll do whatever you ask!."
Aphrodite folded her arms. She walked around Psyche to Demeter's temple. Demeter was sitting on some stacked crates against the wall, unsure if she should intervene. Aphrodite gazed at the mess in Demeter's temple. Demeter and Psyche watched in horror as Aphrodite kicked all the bags of grains over, the grains blending as they covered the floor.
"What do you think you're doing Aphrodite!" Demeter exclaimed. "Don't destroy my temple because of your silly feud!"
"I'm teaching her how to be a proper wife," said Aphrodite. "Girl, prove to me that you are worthy of being my son's wife. Clean this mess up. The sun will be up for three more hours. Have these grains organized by then." Aphrodite walked over to Demeter and grabbed her arm. "C'mon Demeter, we're going out for a drink."
Aphrodite pulled Demeter away from her temple, despite Demeter's protests. They disappeared down the path.
Psyche looked at the piles of grains on the floor. She knew it would take more than three hours to do the job. But completing this task could bring her closer to seeing Eros. With tears in her eyes, she sat in the middle of the floor, and began sifting through the grains.
Random Note: It's so hard working with other gods. I had trouble finding the right way to characterize Demeter. I know what I wanted her to be like, I just have some trouble putting it into words. LOL, I can draw it though! Anyway, The story is starting to pick up a little. I hadn't realized that I'd already written about 40 pages, and I'm not even done with the story yet! I hope that it doesn't seem like its being too rushed. If it is, please lemme know!
