Keep Holding On

“How’d you get in here?” Roxanne demanded to know.

A young woman, about Roxanne’s own age by the look of it, leaned against one of the stalls. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight pony tail. She was dressed in leather, from head to toe, and wore grey hunting boots that matched her eyes, and she had a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped across her back.

“Out of all of the questions you could possibly ask me, that’s the one you ask?”

“Then what should I be asking you?” Roxanne turned towards this woman dressed in leather, her arms folded tight across her chest as she leaned against the front of the counter.

“Who I am… why I’m dressed like this… how I could help you… general advice… you know anything else.”

“So then who are you?”

“The bow and arrow didn’t give me away?” the blonde didn’t hide her chuckle.

“Should it have?”

The blonde ducked her head. She seemed to be heavily sighing and chuckling at the same time,“I’m Apollo’s sister, Artemis.”

I knew it. They are real, Roxanne triumphantly thought to herself.

“Just Artemis or is there something else?”

Artemis smiled, “I come to all of the women my brother takes an interest in.”

“Both of them or just Apollo?” Roxanne then asked.

“Just Apollo, the others are… We don’t have the same relationship.”

“You mean none of them as are vindictive as Apollo,” Roxanne corrected her.

“Then you already know the danger you’re in.”

Roxanne’s face scrunched together, “Um, your brother isn’t interested in me.”

“You’re wrong,” the goddess stepped towards her, “Dionysus will leave you, regardless of what happens next, and you’ll probably never see him again. My twin, on the other hand, will reappear in your life again, and again, till finally you either submit to him or deny him. Neither of which have a very pleasant ending, if you remember.”

“So are you about to offer me a spot as a huntress?” Roxanne figured. She tried like the three c’s: calm, cool, and collected. However, on the inside she was anything but. The realization that all of the stories she heard as a child were true made her head buzz. The very thought that not one, but three of the Olympian deity took an interest in her made her stomach twist and turn into all sorts of knots – even though one was only interested to save her from a broken heart or death.

“Yes, I am,” Artemis nodded.

“Even though I have zero experience with a bow and arrow.”

“Well it’s not like I’m incapable of teaching you,” the blonde laughed.

Roxanne chewed on her bottom lip, afraid of offending the goddess in front of her. She knew Artemis could be just as vindictive as Apollo, and she didn’t know who’s wrath she feared more.

“Can I think about it?” the brunette finally blurted out.

“Of course, of course,” Artemis nodded, “I will give you a day to come to a decision.” The goddess walked towards the bathroom door, as if she wasn’t dressed in her hunting attire, and placed her hand upon the handle, “And Roxanne, if you choose to not join me, your life will become rather unpleasant.”

And with that, the goddess was gone in a flash of light so bright that Roxanne was forced to shield her eyes. When she uncovered them, she discovered that she was all alone, and that she had a difficult choice ahead of her – a very difficult choice.