You push the lamia away so she’s out of your sight and tell her to go away.
Wow. Whether you can trust her or not, that was just rude. You either deserve what’s about to happen, or . . . maybe you don’t, depending on your point of view.
Down the branch Bagheera grumbles—he thinks you’re talking to him. “That’s just what I should do, but, I’m not. Now please go to sleep, human.”
Hey, you know what would be a really good idea? Let him know you weren’t talking to him. You know what you’re not going to do? What I just said! You’re still angry at him for taking you on this trip. Hex, you’re angry at everybody right now. Maybe something can change that.
Maybe not, because here comes the lamia again. She’s nodding her head over something, rustling her long hair. She slithers close right in front of you.
“Yes,” she says, presumably agreeing with Bagheera, “Human . . .” And that’s when things change. You suddenly notice the lamia’s eyes glowing and swirling in different colors. A sudden desire to look at them fills you and your eyes widen, but then the colors fade. You’re not sure what just happened, but before you can process it the enticing colors flow back from her eyes.
“Please . . .” she says, the alluring light from her eyes flashing into your own. As your mouth drops open your sight contracts to the lamia and her colors shimmer into the blurry world. The urge to stare at the colors returns and you sit up to look closer, but the colors fade again. You can’t quite grasp what’s happening, and though the world returns to focus the shimmering colors remain. Soon colors flow forth from the lamia’s eyes again, pumping hypnosis into your eyes at a steady rate. With every ring of color an impulse to stare shoots through you and the rest of the world blurs away again.
“ . . . go to sleep . . .” The lamia’s melodious voice soothes you as she sways, dragging your head as your eyes follow and pulling your mind under her spell. “Just look at me . . .”
Wait. Even as the lamia hypnotizes you, something you were told about them pops into your head. Yes, you remember being told it was dangerous to look at lamias. As beautiful as she is, as relaxing as it is to follow her eyes, it might not be safe to keep looking at her. It could be dangerous.
Ah, but . . . Sssurely it’s safe to look for just a little while. She’s so beautiful, her eyes look so good, you’re certain that you have a safe window that you can look at her. Is there anything else you can remember being told about lamias?
–9a Nothing else; it’s dangerous to look for too long, but safe enough for a brief moment.
–9b Maybe it’s safe to keep looking at the lamia as long as you don’t get too wrapped up in her beauty?
-9c Wait actually both these things don’t sound like good advice -X- RATIONAL THOUGHT NOT FOUND -X-
Duth Olec's Cuckoo Cosmos 