The Stone Face
It was approaching nightfall. Alfred was lying in the sunlounger in front of his 'house'--a couple of trailers stuck together. He was not asleep, though usually he would sleep for a few hours befor flying around the world and fighting against criminals or saving people in danger. It was hard to see clearly in the twilight. The crimson sunset made him flash back to the afternoon when he came back home from school only to find his parents lying in blood.
He was but eight years of age at that time, and it was only afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of the ins and outs of the matter, that he could learn by bits and pieces the things that happened; how the afternoon a murderer escaped from prison, broke into their house and took his parents as hostages. The murderer got so mad that he stabbed them to death when found himself besieged by the policemen and no way to flee.
Alfred was then raised by his aunt, who was too beneficent to kill an ant. He loved her deeply and always bore in mind what she had told him: Belief is much valuable than any other thing in the world. He could still remember his 18th birthday clearly. They were enjoying the tasty cake when suddenly his aunt had a heartattack. In the ambulance to the hospital, Alfred held her hands tightly till they became as cold as the ice. It started to rain with thunder and lightning on his way back home. Distracted by grief, he didn't even utter a groan when struck by lightning to unconsciousness.
The moment he came to himself, for he did not feel much pain, he just stood up and walked on. The next few weeks, he was astonished to find himself safe and sound everytime injuries seemed unavoidable. Later on, he realized that he not only was proof against any injuries but could fly as well. The firm belief in a harmonious world stimulated him to use his super powers to protect innocent people and fight against crimes.
Alfred almost worked around the clock. In daytime, he was a clerk in a small company; at night, he turned into a superman wearing skintight clothes on which an eagle was embroidered. His extrasensory perception enabled him to find out where he should be.
The slight quake under his feet conveyed an approaching earthquake. Alfred was on his vacation in Greece, but the superman was still alert. He unbuttoned his coat, revealing the eagle in the front, and soared into the air. He could see glasses break into pieces, flowerpots fall from windowsills and people rush out of houses in panic. Taking a deep breath, he shouted to them in Greek, which he learned by himself a year ago,"Don't panic! Stay away from falling things!" The sight of the superman eased the Greeks' distress and they started to cheer. Instead of responding, he dived to save a quivering boy from a falling wall.
Making sure that there were no casualties here, he turned his attention to other places. "Help! Help! Get us out of here!" An indistinct cry from the underground Socrates cave impinged upon his ears. He carried the huge rocks away and freed 17 visitors in the cave. Just in a moment, Mrs. Ruskin, one of the visitors, turned pale when she found that their guide, Miss Mavis, was missing. "OH! My God!" cried out Mrs. Ruskin, "She must be in the cave. She is in danger. Miss Mavis, our guide, she didn't come out. You must save her..."
Alfred flew into the dark cave immediately. Though he couldn't see anything, he perceived something strange.
The visitors didn't see the superman come out of the cave with their guide. They had to go back to the hotel since it was getting late.
Alfred stayed in his room and refused to see anybody. He was sick. This was all he told them. Looking into the mirror, he saw a frightened expression on his stiffened face. It was, to be exact, a stone face. "She can help me." Quick as he thought. Once he saved a blind old woman who used to be an expert in ancient Greek.
Alfred put a helmet on Prof. Dickens and told her," Just translate for me. Don't worry, I'll protect you." Then they flew over the Atlantic to the cave.
The moment Mrs. Dickens stepped into the cave, the gruesome atmosphere made her hair stand on end. She could hear something hissing, just like a snake, or snakes. All of a sudden, something dreadful pounced on superman next to her. She could do nothing but listening what was going on. "Are you OK, superman?" "Yeah, I've caught hold of her arms behind her back. Now, tell her to relieve the curse on me." "OK." Mrs. Dickens then spoke to the creature in ancient Greek.
"She said if you can let her fall asleep forever, she'll relieve the curse." Mrs. Dickens told superman what the creature had said.
"Tell her I can do that, but first she should free the guide."
Miss Mavis was told to get out of the cave as soon as possible when freed.
"Now it's my turn," Alfred slowly released her while asking Mrs. Dickens, "You think she's trustworthy?" "NO," answered Mrs. Dickens, "I can tell from her tone. I don't think you can trust her." "Got it."
Alfred stood firmly. He felt his face become soft again. He held his breath. In a second or two, a spark blinded his eyes. Without thinking, he picked up a shining bronze mask from the ground and put it on.
The creature was frightened to see her own ugly face in the mask. She shouted in despair, then stiffened into stone before she could utter another word.
On their way home, Mrs. Dickens asked superman, "How do you know the way to defeat the creature?"
"Remember it? Perseus cut the head of Medusa by seeing from his shield."
Mrs. Dickens released a breath and smiled.
THE END.
He was but eight years of age at that time, and it was only afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of the ins and outs of the matter, that he could learn by bits and pieces the things that happened; how the afternoon a murderer escaped from prison, broke into their house and took his parents as hostages. The murderer got so mad that he stabbed them to death when found himself besieged by the policemen and no way to flee.
Alfred was then raised by his aunt, who was too beneficent to kill an ant. He loved her deeply and always bore in mind what she had told him: Belief is much valuable than any other thing in the world. He could still remember his 18th birthday clearly. They were enjoying the tasty cake when suddenly his aunt had a heartattack. In the ambulance to the hospital, Alfred held her hands tightly till they became as cold as the ice. It started to rain with thunder and lightning on his way back home. Distracted by grief, he didn't even utter a groan when struck by lightning to unconsciousness.
The moment he came to himself, for he did not feel much pain, he just stood up and walked on. The next few weeks, he was astonished to find himself safe and sound everytime injuries seemed unavoidable. Later on, he realized that he not only was proof against any injuries but could fly as well. The firm belief in a harmonious world stimulated him to use his super powers to protect innocent people and fight against crimes.
Alfred almost worked around the clock. In daytime, he was a clerk in a small company; at night, he turned into a superman wearing skintight clothes on which an eagle was embroidered. His extrasensory perception enabled him to find out where he should be.
The slight quake under his feet conveyed an approaching earthquake. Alfred was on his vacation in Greece, but the superman was still alert. He unbuttoned his coat, revealing the eagle in the front, and soared into the air. He could see glasses break into pieces, flowerpots fall from windowsills and people rush out of houses in panic. Taking a deep breath, he shouted to them in Greek, which he learned by himself a year ago,"Don't panic! Stay away from falling things!" The sight of the superman eased the Greeks' distress and they started to cheer. Instead of responding, he dived to save a quivering boy from a falling wall.
Making sure that there were no casualties here, he turned his attention to other places. "Help! Help! Get us out of here!" An indistinct cry from the underground Socrates cave impinged upon his ears. He carried the huge rocks away and freed 17 visitors in the cave. Just in a moment, Mrs. Ruskin, one of the visitors, turned pale when she found that their guide, Miss Mavis, was missing. "OH! My God!" cried out Mrs. Ruskin, "She must be in the cave. She is in danger. Miss Mavis, our guide, she didn't come out. You must save her..."
Alfred flew into the dark cave immediately. Though he couldn't see anything, he perceived something strange.
The visitors didn't see the superman come out of the cave with their guide. They had to go back to the hotel since it was getting late.
Alfred stayed in his room and refused to see anybody. He was sick. This was all he told them. Looking into the mirror, he saw a frightened expression on his stiffened face. It was, to be exact, a stone face. "She can help me." Quick as he thought. Once he saved a blind old woman who used to be an expert in ancient Greek.
Alfred put a helmet on Prof. Dickens and told her," Just translate for me. Don't worry, I'll protect you." Then they flew over the Atlantic to the cave.
The moment Mrs. Dickens stepped into the cave, the gruesome atmosphere made her hair stand on end. She could hear something hissing, just like a snake, or snakes. All of a sudden, something dreadful pounced on superman next to her. She could do nothing but listening what was going on. "Are you OK, superman?" "Yeah, I've caught hold of her arms behind her back. Now, tell her to relieve the curse on me." "OK." Mrs. Dickens then spoke to the creature in ancient Greek.
"She said if you can let her fall asleep forever, she'll relieve the curse." Mrs. Dickens told superman what the creature had said.
"Tell her I can do that, but first she should free the guide."
Miss Mavis was told to get out of the cave as soon as possible when freed.
"Now it's my turn," Alfred slowly released her while asking Mrs. Dickens, "You think she's trustworthy?" "NO," answered Mrs. Dickens, "I can tell from her tone. I don't think you can trust her." "Got it."
Alfred stood firmly. He felt his face become soft again. He held his breath. In a second or two, a spark blinded his eyes. Without thinking, he picked up a shining bronze mask from the ground and put it on.
The creature was frightened to see her own ugly face in the mask. She shouted in despair, then stiffened into stone before she could utter another word.
On their way home, Mrs. Dickens asked superman, "How do you know the way to defeat the creature?"
"Remember it? Perseus cut the head of Medusa by seeing from his shield."
Mrs. Dickens released a breath and smiled.
THE END.
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