Episode 24: A Wolf in the Hen House (Part 3)
Editor: Bekah CadenReleased: 5 August 2018Content Warning: rape, sexual assault, trauma
Apollo sneaks into Persephone’s room and wakes her up. Confused (and still half-asleep), she asks what’s wrong, and he tells her he’s been waiting all day for this. He kisses her, and she pushes him away, politely telling him she’s flattered but can’t be doing this. He insists that she’s been flirting with him all day, but she replies that she’s training to be a sacred virgin like Artemis, Athena, and Hestia.
Apollo says she should make an exception for him, and Persephone once again tries to push him away, saying that’s not really how being an eternal maiden works.
Photo from Webtoons
Persephone feels conflicted because while she realizes she doesn’t want to be a virgin for all eternity, she doesn’t really want this either. While Apollo kisses her again and starts to undress her, Persephone recalls the greenhouse from her nightmare (in episode 06), seeing a door that wasn’t there before. Apollo continues to coerce Persephone, saying he thought she was more mature than this. Thinking that “this choice feels ugly, but at least it would be my own,” Persephone reluctantly agrees.
Photo from Webtoons
The other gods and goddesses are shown working and sleeping, unaware of what’s currently happening. Artemis walks through a forest in the Mortal Realm. Eros is seated, facedown, at Psyche’s old desk, next to a picture she drew. Hermes is still sound asleep on the couch in the living room. Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Hades is asleep in bed. Only Hera senses something wrong; she reads in a chair when she senses someone’s distress, and wonders who it is.
“Don’t let him see you cry.”
Persephone
Persephone is afraid and mentally retreats to her greenhouse. She doesn’t want to do this, and doesn’t understand why she agreed to it. She wonders if it’s too late to stop, but is interrupted from her thoughts by a snapping sound, followed by a flash of light. Apollo is taking photos of her. Persephone thinks to herself that this isn’t what she thought sex would be like; it’s nothing like what she’s read about, and it hurts. She stays in the emotionally safe space of her imaginary greenhouse and resolves not to let him see her cry.
Eventually, Persephone remembers where she is, having clearly dissociated during the assault. She sits in her bed, numb, while Apollo re-dresses. Her hair has grown several feet. He assumes she’s overwhelmed and smugly says he tends to have that effect on people. Persephone asks if he’s just going to leave, and he replies that he needs to get ready for work. Apollo tells her to keep this between them, and that Persephone is “his girl.” He kisses her again, and right before he leaves her room, tells her that her hair looks good long and she should keep it that way.
Persephone takes a shower, changes into new pajamas, cuts her hair short, and fastens it into two space buns. She studies herself in the mirror and concludes that she still looks the same, and other people won’t be able to tell what happened. Persephone tells herself she won’t contact her mother because Demeter will just worry. Picking up her phone, Persephone starts to cry again, seeing that Hades never texted her back. She quickly sends him a follow-up message: “I’m sure you’re really busy. I just wanted to thank you for the coat. Take care.” Immediately, her phone rings. Hades is calling her.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Recovering from Rape and Sexual Trauma | Helpguide.org
What Consent Looks Like | RAINN
Surviving and Healing After Rape | VeryWellHealth
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