I felt my rage wane as her eyes widened, and her lips formed an O. Snow swirled around us as I fell into my grief, holding my side, my cold aura pushing outwards to cover us both in a layer of frost. Her hand lowered, hanging limp at her side. I broke down, the sobs escaping even as I tried to hold them back.
“Leave,” I replied. “I don’t need either of you anymore. What I feel coursing through my body has opened my eyes to what was holding me back. It was the pair of you. I don’t have a desire to feel hate, rage, or jealousy. I have the only thing I’ve ever desired.”
I didn’t know what to make of my behavior. She had me twisted up in knots. For some reason, I cared about what she thought of me, and I didn’t want to lie to her. These were things I never experienced before and things I hated about humanity.
The only pull I had felt throughout my existence was from strong feelings of hate, jealousy, rage, and anger. It’s what led me to that liar as he bled to death in the snow. But now, I feel something different and so much stronger. I want to know more about her.
I didn’t know what to make of my behavior. She had me twisted up in knots. For some reason, I cared about what she thought of me, and I didn’t want to lie to her. These were things I never experienced before and things I hated about humanity.
I ignored them both, not wanting to dignify their questions with an answer. I had everything under control and wanted to make sure I took things one step at a time. The first priority was pulling her from that wreckage before the flames consumed her. The next step would be finding some shelter.
One by one, I laid the lilies at the eternal resting places of my friends and comrades in arms. I only spoke in my head, not yet comfortable with letting Kimmika hear what I had to say.
I’m sorry. I miss you all. We were supposed to save the world together. How the hell am I supposed to do this alone?
“Ohhh, Clio, if you got me diamonds, I may have to steal you from Eros,” she says, wiggling her brows before gently tearing the wrapping. She drops it to the floor and opens the box. She freezes, her fingers hovering over the gift.
“My entire existence has been to rule over you and Hatred,” I explained. “It’s been my only identity. Where has that gotten me? I’m invisible to my own family. I’m unable to succeed in their eyes, no matter what I do. So, I thought it best to come up here and travel the land as one of them. I’m hoping during my time up here I receive some kind of sign showing me an alternate path.”
Home is not as I remember, but then again, what is these days? Greece, as strange and beautiful as before, in entirely new ways, of course, had changed in the way we all had. So much and not at all.
Maybe it’s the realization that the most efficient method for improving anything begins with a thoughtful response, rather than a panicked reaction.
