Myth Retold

There was a time, long before any records were kept, when the sun shone brightly upon the earth everyday. The skies were always a cloudless blue. There was nothing to block the light of the moon at night. Ra proudly strung the sun across the sky everyday, and let it die every night. That was back when I was different. I was kind, forgiving, and worked to help mortals. This was until Tefnut spit into the Nile river, and her spit turned into the monster, Apep. Evil taking the form of a serpent, wreaking chaos where ever he went. He never caused me any harm. Maybe that is why I feel so guilty about what happened. But Apep changed me. I lost my innocence. I suppose I am just indifferent about the event these days.

Every morning, Ra would birth the sun from his head and carefully string it into his chariot. I would help him happily. I always liked the task. Then Ra would start his journey across the sky. Some days I would join him if I was not too busy. One morning after helping him, I returned back to Earth to heal a sick mortal. Suddenly, the sky turned dark and quiet. I went up to Ra and asked him what happened. He told me Apep had come and swallowed the sun,

The next the same thing happened. It happened a third time the day after. On the fourth day, I joined Ra. As soon as we were off, Apep came and blocked our path. Apep lunged for the sun, narrowly missing. Ra battled Apep fervently, but alas, Ra lost and Apep swallowed up the sun. On Earth, crops were dying and the people were getting cold and sick. Months went by with nothing but clouds. Finally, I had had enough. 

The next morning, I followed Apep on the journey as usual. There was a new fire burning inside of me. It was a type of anger I had never felt. I carried a weapon for the first time. Ra seemed to notice, but didn't say anything. A few hours into the day, Apep slithered up onto our chariot. As soon as he moved to strike, I cried "No!" and freed the knife from my belt. Without hesitation, I sliced the sharp blade across Apep's neck. I felt his warm blood spill onto my hands and I was filled with an unimaginable joy. I wiped his blood across my face and through my hair. The blood felt tingly and when I washed it away, I was left with the head of a cat. Ra stood petrified with shock. I kicked Apep's body off the chariot, where he landed in the Nile and dissolved back into spit. 

Upon my return to Earth, I was finally worshiped as I deserved. I was a warrior. I was the new protector of Egypt.