I was a trouble maker in my day and I lived on what I could find or steal, I hid in the shadows and took what I could. I was not the best at my trade but I only took what I needed and nothing more
One day I made a fatal mistake, I saw a drachma pouch fully exposed and not hidden at all, I leapt from my hiding place and cut the string, but as I turned I ran into a hoplite, he was fast and as I hit the ground he already had his xiphos at my neck and placed his foot on my chest
It was only then that I noticed that I had stolen the drachma pouch from Cynisca the Spartan Princess. She seethed with rage and ordered my death in the most humiliating way possible. I had no idea what way this was but I would soon find out
The hoplite picked me up and stripped me down, making me march down the streets naked and he hurried me along. The laughter was terrible but that humiliation I could bare, but as people heard why I was being punished the laughter stopped and they began to throw things at me cursing and spitting and some even threw in a punch or two. This went on and on for over an hour until I reached a massive gate and the hoplite shouted "OPEN THE GATES"
Slowly the massive stone gates opened, revealing a huge cave, the stalagmites and stalactites looked like teeth of a deformed monster and in the back of the cave there was an eerie red glow. The hoplite pushed me forward and kicked me sending me sprawling just beyond the gate, I glanced back and noticed a moment of panic on the hoplite and the guards of the gates faces as they hurried to close the massive stone doors, leaving me in complete darkness - except for the now much brighter glow that came from the back of the cave
I clambered to my feet and looked around some rocks had been carved into faces of creatures and in many places I saw προσοχή .
I could see no reason for fear besides all the warnings so I slowly crept closer to the glow to see what I could see
I finally reached the edge of a cliff with stairs carved out where the light was brighter and the cave became a cavern of enormous size, I made my way down in awe of the space before me when I heard a terrible laugh.
It seemed to come from everywhere all at once and when it stopped I could hear the sound of wings and the hissing sound of snakes
I was terrified but had nowhere I could go so I hid. the sound of wings stopped and the sound of hissing got louder.
Once the hisses reached the other side of the rock behind which I was hiding, a female voice said to me in a creepy kind of way "So what did you do to get thrown in here with me ?" I was shocked I expected a monster after the laugh I had heard. Out of excitement I jumped to my feet willing to tell her my all, only to be met by the most evil looking thing I could ever imagine
There before me was a creature half woman half snake and where her hair should have been were venomous snakes ready to strike.
Suddenly my body felt heavy and unable to move and then my vision changed showing colors like I had never seen
In an instant I was outside my body looking down at myself completely made of stone and there looking down at my statue was the creature Madusa
It was then that I realized that the carvings I saw earlier were not carvings at all but people just like me, and now here my body stands made of stone and naked for the rest of time
And that is my story for all to hear, "The story of Zebah" go tell all. For if you hear this story I've told and do not share with all young and old, Ill leave whats left of my body which I now haunt, Ill open these gates and free the beast, Ill find your loved ones and turn them to stone and one by one they'll join me till we find you home and grind your bones
This story is completely fake and was made up just for this cache I hope you enjoyed it
Good Luck with the Puzzle
HTH goes to Mills 369