After some much-needed alone time, I was disturbed by Melinoë. She waltzed into my room and ripped the covers away, catching me off guard. My swollen eyes widened as much as they possibly could as I took her in. Staring down at me with barely concealed contempt. If only she had eyes.
"Get up." She ordered heartlessly.
I blinked and rubbed my face tiredly. No thanks. I turned around and settled back into the bed. My pillow was still wet with tears so I turned it around so I could lay on the dry side.
I don't know why I thought that was a good idea.
All of a sudden I became airborne and I smacked into the wall along with the mattress.
"..."
My eyes bulged and I shot up like a spring. I had to push the mattress out of the way to stand up properly. "What the fuck Mel?!"
"You have work to do! I have work to do! I want a new house by next year along with some new animals. Sheep, fish, and a pond would be nice. So get up!"
"I'm busy."
"Is that so?" She put her hands on her hips and began to berate me. "You are busy crying and whining in bed. It's pathetic and unproductive. I'll show you busy. If you don't come out of this room I'll turn this entire house into a mausoleum. You have a minute."
She marched out of the room and waited at the doorway for me to choose. Comply and be spared from her wrath. Or…defy her and have her turn the house into a tomb. There's no doubt in my mind that she'll do it.
All of a sudden I heard something sharp. I cocked my head so I could see what she was holding and found her sharpening a dagger. Fine. I don't want to find out what happens if I die here.
I growled and put my mattress back on the bedframe. Then I tidied the rest of the room while she watched. I couldn't stand the mess today. It all had to go. Once I was done she stood aside so I could continue cleaning the house from top to bottom.
Then as if on cue my stomach gurgled. New discovery. I can get hungry and eat in the soul space. I sighed and even though I felt terrible. In this state, I couldn't allow myself to go hungry. Anger and hunger are a nasty combination. I'm up anyway.
What do we even have? The only one who eats food in the space is Melinoë. I put down the rag on the table and started to search the kitchen. It's a bit bare bones but everything inside is organic. We have flour, tomatoes, milk from the goat in a tin, cheese, butter in a jar, pickled vegetables, olive oil, and that's it.
I don't want noodles right now. That'll only make me think of things I don't want to. So what's left? Something warm and savory that will fill me up.
That's it. I've been craving it ever since that sandwich. Nanny has been busy so I didn't bring it up again. So I'll just have to make it myself.
"What are you doing?" She snuck up on me and I looked at her over my shoulder.
"Mel, do we have salt and yeast?"
"It's in the inventory outside. Why?"
"I want to make pizza. Can you help me get them?"
She stares at the side of my face. At least I think she is. It's kind of hard to tell. She purses her lips and gives me conditions. "Fine. You will make this dish…and then we work."
She turned on her heel and left the house before returning shortly. With yeast and salt in hand. With help from Mel, I started preparations for the pizza. She mixed the dry ingredients flour, yeast, salt, and together in a bowl. While I made the tomato paste and sauce.
It was hard work that took longer than I originally intended but after a couple hours. I finally had homemade pizza. It wasn't quite the same and I may have put way too much garlic in the sauce. But it was pizza.
"Where in the heavens do they make such delicacies?" Melinoë was absolutely smitten with the cheesy heavenly goodness that is pizza. As she should be. Pizza is food for the soul Prove me wrong.
I replied after a crunchy bite of my crust. "Earth. Where I'm from."
"Interesting. I wonder…No. I don't remember such a place. Then again I usually don't go sightseeing." She dips her crust into some leftover sauce I had made.
"Nyx said it was an ab—"
She stood up and choked in shock. Then her head whipped from side to side as she seemingly looked for something invisible in the room. Here we go again. She is the head loon at the looney bin."Did you just—Did you say her name? Are you crazy?!"
"What?"
Her entire face dropped and she shrieked like she had just been tazed. "Invoking our names allows us to hear you. Sometimes we can even tear apart planes to reach the person who calls us and she…have you no sense?!"
I tilted my head and nodded. "Yes. I have no common sense since I just got here." I raised my voice as I continued. "I don't know your magic rules or why most of you are such assholes—"
"Excuse you!"
"I said most. Where I'm from our gods don't interact with us. You talk to god, you're just blindly religious. If God talks to you you're psychotic!"
Her face screwed up in concentration before I could physically see the lightbulb go off for her. "You're from a forsaken planet." It was a statement and not a question but I confirmed it anyway with a nod.
Like a deflated balloon all the air and fight leaves her. She sits down in the rickety chair across from mine at the table. Her finger taps on the surface as she contemplates something. Beats me. I don't like cold food.
I ate while she solemnly thought of herself. After I had eaten the second to last slice her head snapped up and I paused chewing. She opened her mouth and started to speak. "So you know nothing about us."
I swallowed the food and shook my head no. "That's not exactly true. I know some stories about some of you. Like Hera's golden apple and Pandora's box. However other than that…I have no idea what you're talking about. Invoking and temples…They just don't exist where I'm from unless it's in a fairytale."
She scoffs and leans back. Then she chews on her lip seriously before releasing it. "This is not good Miseria."
I clucked my tongue and asked. "Why?"
She looks up at me and her empty sockets squint. "Why? What do you mean why? Don't you know&^^776&9?&?"
"What the hell? What did you just say?"
Penguin ran into the house like his ass was on fire. "Melinoë! You are forbidden from…broaching that specific topic. If you make the same mistake again you will be penalized."
She turns around and they begin a silent staring contest. I put down my crust, tap my face with a piece of scrap fabric, and end this circus. Frankly, I'm tired of everything right now. I want to take a nap, eat my feelings again, and wake up fresh like a daisy. But that doesn't appear to be on the menu today so I'll settle for an interrogation.
"What's going on? Is it that stupid society again? They have something to do with her and her messed up family don't they?"
She turned her head to look at me."Again. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to you little brat?!"
I retorted without thinking."The woman whose father is either her grandfather or her uncle. Talk about a family tree."
"..."
I regretted it as soon as I said it. But uh…I got her good. Right? Penguin left the house quietly. Her tongue brushed against and poked the side of her cheek and I leaped underneath the table. She struck hard and fast with a knife. It missed its original target on my head and instead got a piece of my hair.
"Melinoë stop! Your mission is not to hurt me!"
She stopped reaching underneath the table and I crawled out from under it. She looked pissed. Her hair was literally floating in the air. Ok…maybe I went too far this time. "Fine. I'm sorry."
"Are you?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"What is wrong with you?!"
My reply is curt."Not sure." It is the truth if it makes her feel any better. It probably didn't by the look on her face.
She insisted still enraged by my snide comment."No. Tell me what's wrong. What happened out there?"
"Don't wanna talk about it."
"Then I won't tell you about the gods."
"Ok."
"..." She looked like her teeth itched. Just uncomfortable all over. With renewed passion in her eyes, she gave me one order and I took the olive branch for what it was. "Go turn the soil."
I nodded and cleaned up after myself. Then I left out the front door and continued to the field. Its lush yield giving me something to focus on. Which one is it? There's an empty plot near the edge that needs its soil turned over. Penguin gave me one last look before entering the house where Melinoë was still fuming.
Penguin closed the door quietly and jumped when Melinoë appeared behind him. "This is not what I agreed to. THEY promised me a suitable candidate. She has no idea what is going on!"
Penguin shushed her. "Keep it down. I can see you're upset. However, I'm not quite certain as to why. In your contract, it states that before her true nature is revealed she cannot know of the society."
"What?"
"Page seven hundred and eighty-four. Line—"
"Oh come on! Who actually reads that?"
"..." Penguin twitched. "You didn't read your contract?!"
"Of course not. That thing was as long-winded as your superior."
Penguin warned the wrathful goddess. "Watch it. This is not good. Since you are woefully oblivious let me set the record straight. Miseria is not allowed to know anything about our…duty. Nothing."
Melinoë shrieked. "Why? Isn't the whole point to have her join us?!"
Penguin explained snappily."Previous trials have been obstructed by a surplus of knowledge. THEY have decided that from now on none of them shall know until they are ready. Until they have a mastery over themselves."
Melinoë asked impatiently."And when will that be?"
"I'm not sure. Miseria is very private about herself and her past life. She seems to have difficulty placing her trust in others and deals with vulnerability poorly. Getting close to her will be an uphill battle. However, I recommend that we use soft tactics. Such as speaking softly to her, helping her remove obstacles, etc. Do you understand?"
"You want me to coddle that spoiled brat."
"Spoiled?" Penguin blinks before giving a discordant robotic chuckle. "You really didn't do your homework. Melinoë?"
"Yes?"
"What are the conditions to be chosen by THEM?"
"I don't know. Being stubborn as Tartarus?"
"An immense tolerance for suffering."
"..."
Penguin continued softly. "Only through suffering can our true selves be revealed. Pain strips us bare and leaves only the bones. And I need to measure those bones as quickly as possible..."
"..."
Outside Miseria backed away in silence with the shovel that was leaning against the dog kennel.
Difficulty trusting people huh? Can you see why?
Knew it.