Dreams, gifts and memories

 
Lisa was blissfully unaware of the drama playing out around her. Although her body and mind fought against one another, one small part of her consciousness remained calm. Calm and peaceful. She saw the history of life play out before her eyes, the very birth and death of civilizations, and although a small voice told her that she should be terrified, she remained calm and detached. It was as though she were watching a movie that she had seen a dozen times, she knew what was about to take place but it held her interest enough that she was driven to watch it again.

After seeing the collapse of the Roman Empire, Lisa lost interest. She had physically been there for most of what was going to take place next, so there was nothing to be learned. She idly wondered if there were a way she could replay certain events, if she could find out the truth behind the destruction of her family in the human realm. Since realizing that Lucifer was actually her child, she had wanted nothing so much as to forget everything that had led up to this moment. But now she wanted to know the WHY, not just the what.

Concentrating on the exact moment she first laid eyes on her newborn son, Lisa willed herself to experience it all over again. She focused on that one moment, the moment no mother ever forgets, when the helpless little baby expelled his first cry.

Suddenly Lisa wasn’t watching events, she was taking part in them. It was as though the last thousand years had yet to happen. She was actually sitting there, propped up on feather pillows and cradling her infant son in her arms. A large, warm hand rested on her shoulder and without looking she realized that it was Titus, the only man she had ever truly loved.

Turning her head slightly, she drank in the sight of him as he had been all those many years ago. His black hair was messy, tousled by his fingers. She was amazed that she remembered that, he always raked his hand through his hair when he was anxious or worried. His chiseled jawline was dark with stubble a physical testament to his worry. He always took great pride in being clean shaven, so he couldn’t have shaven in a day or else there wouldn’t as much as a shadow on his cheek.

Her heart clinched in pain. She knew this day was only a few months before they were ripped apart. She still didn’t understand why, why had the universe allowed it to happen, why had her grandmother not intervened for her? Shaking her head, she made the decision that this moment was a gift, and that she should enjoy it while she could.

Holding her baby a little bit tighter, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

We are West Virginia

The thunder shook the house waking me from a deep sleep.  Lightning flashed like a strobe light making strange patterns through the bedroom curtains.  The rain pouring down on my tin roof, a sound that usually comforted me, sounded like the thundering hoofs of a thousand horses.

I got up and went into the living room, I knew the storm would prevent the satellite from connecting, so I grabbed my laptop prayed I could connect long enough to check the weather.  As the interactive radar slowly loaded, I was stunned by the amount of red that covered our state.

To the South and the East of me the map showed massive amounts of rain and lightning strikes.  I whispered a prayer that everyone would make it through the storm and then I climbed into bed and tried to get a little more sleep.

And still it rained.

I awoke with a start as another loud clap of thunder shook my little house.  It was daylight so I had apparently slept for a couple of hours.  Staggering to the kitchen to make coffee, I turned on the television.  Of course, with the weather being so bad, the satellite would not connect.

I connected to the internet and logged into Facebook.  Pictures of the devastation scrolled by, houses flooded, roads under water……tears streaked my face.

And still it rained.

The day dragged by, spotty reception making it seem longer than it actual was.

And still it rained.

I stood on the porch and looked across my flooded yard.  I live on a ridge, high out of the flood plain, yet the rain came down so fast that the water didn’t have a chance to drain.  Thunder roared like a trapped beast and lightning cut across the darkened sky.  I worried for those that lived in low laying areas.

And still it rained.

The television finally connected and I turned to a local station.  “Local” for me being a station almost one hundred miles away.  The pictures they were showing were heart wrenching, houses completely under water, only their roofs showing, roads entirely covered, bridges gone.  The streets of Richwood as boulders larger than I am were washed down the streets.  Clendenin as the water raised deeper and deeper.  White Sulphur Springs as houses began to float away and then burst into flames as the propane tanks exploded.  I cried for the trapped, I cried for the lost and for the loss of everything.

And still it rained, the sky emitting a torrent of tears for what had been done.

And then the rain stopped, but the water did not.

It poured out of river banks, it slammed across  fields and golf courses, it crested against bridges building up a barrier of broken trees and items it had stolen from the many houses it had destroyed, it weighed against the bridges until the bridges could stand no more and they too joined in the fray of broken items roaring away with the river.

Land was literally stolen from underneath the roadways, causing the roads to collapse and disappear with the very thing that caused their destruction. 

The sound of the thunder was all but drowned out by the cries of the people and the sound of the raging river.  Slowly the thunder faded, leaving behind a thunder of a different sort……..the thunder of a thousand prayers going up for those impacted by the floods.   The river still raged, the wind still blew, but the prayers and good energy flew straight and true.

The devastation was and is enormous.  The losses uncountable.  The loss of everything you’ve ever worked for, of everything you have ever owned is minuscule in comparison to the loss of lives.  Brothers lost to the raging water, Mothers lost to not only the flood but the burning of homes,
Children without anything wondering if they will ever see their siblings again. 

The rain had turned to tears.

The pain our State feels, the devastation we are suffering brings even the strongest of us to tears.  Not only have our neighbors lost their homes, their possessions, their lives, but now they are faced with a foot or more of mud, mud that contaminates everything it touches, mud that could cause death as surely as the rain did.  Some places are still under water, or have standing water pooled around it, standing water that is a perfect breeding ground for disease carrying insects and bacteria.

The tears have slowed, although they may never stop.

Amidst all of the devastation there are bright spots.  Neighbors coming from miles away with food and water, bleach and cleaning supplies.  Those same neighbors rolling up their sleeves to receive the shots they must have in order to help clean up the mess Mother Nature left behind.  Strangers that live miles away becoming friends as they deliver water and supplies to those who had something to go back “home” to or offer places to stay to those who have lost even the buildings that contained their lives.

An older man who had lost his beloved wife a few years ago and was overwhelmed by the destruction the flood left behind.  He was happy he still had the “home” he shared with his wife, but devastated that all the things that reminded him of her were now beyond saving.  Until they reached the bedroom.  There, on the headboard lay his wife’s Bible.  It was wet and covered in mud, but it, unlike the other books in the home, was in one piece.  Not one page was even so much as bent, each and every printed word was still there as was his beloved wife’s handwriting.  Everyone’s cheeks were once again wet with tears only this time they were tears of gratitude as the elderly man laid that precious book on the bannister to dry. 

A family devastated by the loss of their beloved son only a few years ago to a war they didn’t understand or support, were dealt a double blow.  Their home was gone, washed away by the raging power of the flood.  Out of all the things they lost, the pictures of their son was the only thing that could never be replaced.  Then as the cleanup began and the magnitude of what had happened began to sink in, a miracle happened.  Someone walked up holding out a framed picture, it had been found almost five hundred yards from where the house once stood.  Smiling up from the mud smeared glass was their son.  The picture was almost dry and even the glass hadn’t been broken.  Now, they said, now they can go on.

A couple that had been camping by the river and was now presumed dead, found alive and safe miles away from the destruction.

A beloved pet found, wet and frightened, but alive and well.

A young boy whose family had lost everything they possessed, radiant with happiness as a National Guard service man handed him a new hat.  Now the little boy HAD something of his very own, something that wasn’t covered in mud or washed downstream.

People from all over Appalachia coming to the aid of their “hillbilly” neighbors as food and water begin to arrive.  Then Appalachia hands them another miracle, people from all over pour in to assist in any way they can, where ever they can.

West Virginia still needs supplies, we need water and non perishable food, we need bleach and cleaning supplies, rubber gloves and steel toed boots, diapers and formula, dog food and cat litter, shampoo and soap, deodorant and toothpaste. We will need hammers and nails, boards and drywall, and all of the other things it takes to build houses and we will need sheets and towels, pots and pans, dishes and silverware.  We will need everything because we are starting all over again.

We will need assistance in cleaning up and rebuilding, because we will rebuild. 

That is who we are, we are strong, we are resilient, we are stubborn and we are humble.

We stand proudly beside one another.

We help those we can.

We are Appalachia, We ARE West Virginia.  

Secrets Uncovered

Dionysus cowered in his bed as the sound of Nyx’s voice echoed across Olympus. A small part of his brain wondered if every sound from Lethe’s chambers echoed that way, and if it did what their lovemaking must have sounded like. Not that they actually made love, it was more like fighting a war each and every time he and Lethe got together.

The satisfied smirk that had begun to play across his generous mouth changed into a grimace of pain as hands made entirely of shadows snatched him from his hiding place and launched him toward the door. No one could hide from the primordial Goddess, as he was personally finding out. Pain flared as the fingers of darkness sank into his flesh and dragged him toward a place he swore he would never return.

The door burst open just as he was flung toward it, leaving him to land in a tangled heap at the feet of the one woman he wished to never see again. Lethe’s eyes bulged as she realized who the babbling mess on the floor in front of her was.

She wailed like a banshee before launching herself at him. “You fat, worthless bastard. I said..”

Nyx flashed out a hand and Lethe was slammed to the floor with such force the tiles burst.

“Enough! I do NOT care about your petty quarrel with this slug, I only care that he helps your sister. Afterwards you may tear him limb from limb. Just don’t get blood on my dress.” Even now, amidst all the turmoil, Nyx managed to keep her dark humor.

“Get up, Dionysus, and be quick about it. My patience is wearing thin and you are treading on it.” Nyx turned her black eyes in his direction causing him to quiver with fear. “Stop shaking and stand up. You were man enough to seduce my granddaughter, now be man enough to cure her sister.”

Before Dionysus could respond he was propelled toward the small, feminine form draped across the couch. Although he had never met her, he knew this was Lethe’s sister, whom they called Lisa. From the way her head lolled back, it was obvious she was dead drunk.

“What’s the hurry? She’s only drunk.” Dionysus regretted saying it as soon as the words left his lips. Nyx would not have dragged him here if her granddaughter was merely drunk, there was something he was missing.

His head jerked as a hard slap made his ears ring. No one had come near him and yet he felt as though he had been kicked by a mule.

“She drank uncut Ambrosia. And entire jug of it.” Mitch said in a calm voice. Dionysus stiffened at the sound of his voice, there was no love lost between them and Mitch had vowed that if he ever laid eyes on Dionysus again he would have his head. Literally.

Dionysus swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. This was bad, oh this was so bad. Uncut Ambrosia caused even the most stable of their kind to be unpredictable and dangerous. And from what he had heard Lisa most certainly wasn’t stable, and she was unpredictable and dangerous to start with. This was so bad.

“Don’t just stand there, DO SOMETHING!!” The glass in the windows broke and the plaster walls cracked from the force of Nyx’s demands. “NOW!”

Dionysus took a tentative step toward the Ambrosia drunk goddess, unsure that anything he could do would make a difference in the outcome. But he had to do something or else die in the most painful of ways. The Primordial Goddess could make even Zeus cry like a baby and she had proven that she enjoyed killing her enemies only to bring them back and kill them again. He was so fucked.

Reaching out his hand, he laid his palm against Lisa’s forehead. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to sink into her drunk mind. Visions of blood and death invaded him, pain racked his body as he dove even deeper into her Ambrosia clouded thoughts. The Ambrosia had amplified her powers, chaos and confusion clouded his thoughts as he struggled to absorb the magic laden liquor. Never before had he struggled with such darkness, usually when one of the others had gotten a hold of his uncut version of Ambrosia they couldn’t consume more than a mouthful before the power overwhelmed them and sent them spiraling into unconsciousness.

His body contorted as yet more images of death racked his senses. He realized that Lisa was the granddaughter of Nyx, but until now he didn’t realize that she was a direct descendent of the Primordial, more powerful than even the oldest among them. He had to absorb as much of the magic as he could or else they would all suffer the final Death, of that he was sure. His fear of Nyx took second place to the terror he felt as he drew more and more of the Ambrosia into himself, for with it came the knowledge that only the One was more powerful than the Ambrosia drunk woman that lay before him.

Nyx paced restlessly as she watched the Drunkard God attempt to save her granddaughter. She idly wondered how much Dionysus would discover as he sucked in the poison that coursed through Lisa’s system. With that thought came another, darker one, would she have to destroy him to keep the family secret from being discovered? She almost felt sorry for him, almost, but not quite, for he had brought this upon himself by screwing around with one of her grandchildren.

Mitch stood quietly across the room. He looked at his Mother, wondering if she realized that he was aware of who and what Lisa actually was. Did Nyx actually believe that her manipulation wouldn’t be found out? Did she think that she could hide the power of the universe inside one of them and the rest wouldn’t discover it? His Mother was not a fool, yet to do what she had done was foolish. Perhaps her love for them had overshadowed her fear of making a mistake, or perhaps her quest for power allowed her to use them all for her own purposes.

No matter the outcome of this little situation, Mitch was determined to find out exactly what his Mother was up to. He only hoped that Lisa would survive the effects of the Ambrosia with at least some of her senses intact. She had gone insane once before and they had dealt with it the best they could, but now her powers were awakened and there was no way they could control her the way they once had.

Lisa moaned and began to thrash about, throwing her arms up in a defensive posture. Nyx’s eyes turned to slits of midnight as she stared at the scene that played out before her, if Dionysus did not manage to save her grandchild she would tear him apart bit by bit. Lethe crept closer to her sister, fear turning her already pale skin even whiter. Placing a hand on Dionysus shoulder, she lent him her strength to continue.

Visions flashed before her eyes. Darkness, so complete it rivaled death, cold and still. The flares of light, strong, white light and the sound of a thousand voices singing in harmony. She realized she had just experienced the birth of the planets, the beginnings of life as it was now known to be. Then pain racked her body, the smell of blood and death invaded her senses as the she saw the first people destroyed. Before she could collapse under the weight of those visions, Mitch lowered her to the couch beside her sister and took her place, his hand resting upon the shoulder of Dionysus as his power joined the younger god’s in a battle that could end them all.

Nyx was frozen in place as she watched the scene play out. Now they would all know that Lisa was more than she seemed. Now they would all realize the true reason for the theft of her granddaughter’s memories, for the death of her family’s human bodies and the reason Nyx had allowed her to suffer so. The silent war that had been fought since creation would be laid bare before anyone that attempted to clean Lisa of the poisoned wine that ran through her system.

For the first time since she blossomed into life, Nyx felt fear.

Wine and Tears

 
Mitch, aka Death, could hear the laughter of the three goddesses echoing from the heavens. Although he was glad that his Mother had finally been reunited with her grand-daughter, Mitch knew that any laughter echoing from those particular chambers was not a good sign. Nyx was a loving Mother, but she had never learned to be loving to anyone, or thing for that matter, that she wasn’t closely related to.

Years of exile from Olympus had taken its’ toll on her, primordial beings were not the most stable creatures to begin with and being alone for millennia had pushed that stability to its limits. Now she was reunited with two of the most screwed up members of their family. And they were laughing.
‘This is not good.’ Mitch sighed. ‘I guess I’m going to have to pay Mother a visit.’

Steeling himself for the onslaught that he knew he was about to face, Mitch waved his hand and blinked as his kitchen faded from view. Traveling between earth and Olympus was never pleasant for his kind, and today was no exception. Before he could focus on the room that had shimmered into existence before him, Mitch was tackled.

“Thanatos! My son!” Darkness enveloped him, shimmering pinpoints of light covered his body as Nyx embraced him. “Where have you been all this time? Why haven’t you come to see me?”

Nyx stepped back and looked at her son. Streaks of glitter stardust etched trails on her cheeks as the pleasure of seeing the youngest of her twin boys. Hypnos, Mitch’s twin, came to her abode as often as his duties allowed, which in the last few hundred years wasn’t often. But Thanatos, or Mitch as he preferred to be called, had stayed away for over a thousand years now.

“Son?! He’s your son, my uncle?” Lisa was stunned. She didn’t know if she could handle many more surprises today. First she bites a man and tastes his blood which drove her insane. Then she wakes up in her sister’s bed, a sister she hadn’t remembered she even had until said sister replaced the memories she had stolen. Then her Grannyx waltzes in and she finds out her arch enemy was actually her son, alive and well and not beheaded and long buried. She also finds out her husband, the man she had given up her god-head for, was actually NOT a man but a demi-god instead. And now she finds out that the being that had been the root cause of her human death and subsequent state as one of the almost dead, and now one of the who the fuck knows what, was actually her uncle.

“I need a drink. Lee do you have any Ambrosia?” Lisa blurted. “I seriously need a drink. Hell, I need an entire jug.”

Lisa collapsed on the couch and watched as her sister and grandmother made over the handsome man she now knew was her blood kin. Shaking her head, she got up and began to search her sister’s chambers for the supply of Ambrosia that Lisa knew she always kept on hand. Opening the ornate cabinet that sat directly across from the couch, Lisa found a large, silver jug filled with the wine of the Gods. Forgoing the goblet, Lisa took a swig directly from the jug and collapsed into one of the many comfortable chairs that graced the chamber.

The jug was half empty by the time Nyx and Lethe were done fawning over “Thanatos”, as they called him. Lisa had a vague memory of time spent with the young looking man, a time of laughter and fun, but it was only a vague memory. The memory of staring at his ass while following him into the street where a bus smeared her all over the street.

“You realize you’re fawning over the reason I was turned into steak tartar by a bus a few years back, don’t you? Steak tartar that ended up being a flesh eating ghoul whose nose fell off with great frequency.” Lisa’s voice was loud and her words were beginning to slur. “Did you know that a dead human tastes like a cross between peanut butter and moldy bread?”

At that disgusting statement Nyx whirled around to face her granddaughter. Lisa was sprawled across the chair, the jug of Ambrosia tilted crazily in her grasp. Nyx reached out a hand and the jug eased out of her granddaughter’s grasp to float gently to the table where it settled down with a quiet thud.
“You, my dear, are thoroughly drunk.” Nyx stated disgustedly.

“Drunk?” Lethe’s voice held a note of horror. “Oh my heart, she’s more than drunk. That Ambrosia wasn’t cut. She’s going to be hallucinating and who knows what. Oh Grannyx, we have to do something, she’ll be totally out of control.”

“She’s always out of control.” Mitch mumbled. “it’s nothing new……”

He never had a chance to finish his statement before he flew across the room, shadows whirling and boiling around him. Nyx glared at him, her eyes completely black, her hair moving around her head like a living thing and darkness seeping from every pore.

“Keep your mouth shut, boy, before I shut it for you!” Her voice carried across the heavens, the gods froze in place, each battling terror that the Mother of all Darkness was speaking to them.

Mitch, however, was unimpressed. He had been subjected to his Mother’s outburst his entire existence, and this one was a mild one. Springing to his feet, he brushed imagery dust from his clothing and raked a hand through his hair.

“Really, Mother?” Mitch asked. “We both know that she has been out of control for eons, so why is this incident so special?”

Nyx sighed as the shadows surrounded her eased out of existence. Her son was correct, as much as she hated to admit it her favorite grandchild had always been a bit of a problem child.

“Thanatos, it’s uncut Ambrosia. Any one of us would have difficulty handling her if she decides to take vengeance on us.” Nyx shook her head. “It would be a chore even for me. Now be a good boy and go fetch Dionysus. Tell him I said to come here this instant.”

“Dionysus? Oh Hells no!” Lethe shrieked. “That drunk, useless bastard is NOT here. You can take her to him, but he is NOT coming into my chambers!”

“Not come into your chambers!” Lisa laughed. “Oh that’s GOOD sister!! From what I hear that ‘drunk, useless bastard’ has ‘come’ into every single one of your chambers more than once.”

Lisa began to laugh hysterically at her Grandmother’s reaction to that little tidbit of news. She watched as the blood drained from Nyx’s face, leaving her as pale as Death. Speaking of Death, even Mitch was stunned by the revelation that his beautiful niece had been screwing the God of Wine.

Lethe was as white as a sheet. She didn’t realize anyone knew of her dalliance with Dion, at least she had fooled herself into believing that it was secret. She should have known that her sister had only to take one look at her in order to uncover every dark secret she had attempted to hide.

“Dionysus?” Her Grandmother demanded, her voice raising in volume with every word. “You’re sleeping with Dionysus? Why? Have you finally run out of innocent humans to destroy? Of all the pricks on Olympus you HAD to pick that one, didn’t you?”

If Lethe’s actions with the God of Wine had been a secret it was quickly becoming a topic of discussion for every household in the heavens. Mitch almost pitied the stupid child, almost but not quite.

Lethe exploded in anger and humiliation at her Grandmother’s questions. No one was supposed to find out about the relationship she had with Dionysus, now the entire realm would know.

Olympus trembled at the sounds issuing forth from the chambers of the Goddess of Forgetfulness.

The Devil Cries

 
Lucifer twisted on his bed, his body covered with a cold sweat. Strange voices, women’s voices, echoed in his head.

“….child of your body.” One said.

“They’re alive, they’re all alive”, said another.

His father’s voice joined the women’s, “She’s your mother.”

Then the echoes of laughter, maniacal, insane laughter, rang in his head.

With the laughter came flashes of memories, brief moments in time that his mind had buried so deeply that he hadn’t realized they existed. His mother, dressed as a warrior, blood splattered across her vest. A man that looked vaguely familiar stood slightly behind her, a look of adoration on his face.

A little boy, dark eyes shining, looking at him with a smile as he held out a frog like an offering. His mother again, her long, flowing hair glittering in the sunlight; a happy smiled on her face as she looked loving at him and the little boy.

The memory of thundering hoofs, the screams of dying men and the sickening smell of roasting flesh pierced his mind. A flash of his mother, held captive by strangely dressed men, screaming out his name…..he couldn’t hear what she was saying, but he knew it was his name.

Pain lanced through his chest, his mother screamed and struggled all the harder until one of the men drove his lance through her stomach. His vision darkened at the edges even as she sank to the blood soaked ground and reached out to him.

Then darkness, complete and silent, followed by maniacal laughter again. Satan’s laughter. The creature he thought to be his father had laughter at a child’s death.

Lucifer sprang from the bed, his clothes sticking to his damp body. Fear, anger and some emotion he couldn’t identify raged in his chest. Shedding his clothes, he stomped to the bathroom. Making the water as hot as possible, he stepped into the shower. His skin blazed red immediately, but he took no notice. Grabbing his scrubby, he scoured his skin, rinsed and did it again. By the time the water was cooling he was beet red from head to toe, and still he felt dirty.

His mother. The woman he had lusted after was his mother. No amount of soap would wash that off. Yeah, he was kinky, he’d been into the absurdly strange sex that pushed all limits. But his MOTHER? He lusted after his own mother? He knew she was his Mother, the flashes of memory he had experienced confirmed that one simple fact.

And the other little boy? The vague figure of a man behind his mother? In a flash he knew. The little boy had been his brother, a brother that he had no memory of. He couldn’t remember having a family, only Satan and that twisted bitch he had been forced to call Mother. Lilith was not the mothering type, although she was the mother of millions.

Lucifer experienced a feeling in his chest, a tightness that made it difficult to breathe. Spots appeared before his eyes and he felt a strange sensation behind his eyes. He had never been sick, had never suffered the pains of illness. So the feeling in his guts was not anything that he could identify until it was too late. He vomited before he knew he was going to.

Standing under the now cold water, Lucifer cried for the first time in his long existence.

Laughter and tears

 
Lisa couldn’t believe her children were alive. And well. Or as well as any demi-gods could ever be. Although she was sitting right next to her grandmother and sister, she couldn’t hear a word they were saying. The only sound that registered was the beat of her heart and the long forgotten sound of her beloved’s voice.

Lethe stared at her sister with pity. She didn’t deserve the things that had been done to her, the pain she had suffered. Tears coursed down Lethe’s cheeks as she realized the enormity of the betrayal she had inflected upon her sister. If Lethe hadn’t erased all of her memories and emotions, Lisa could have had a relatively normal life. Well, normal for a Demi-god anyway.

Nyx watched the emotions that played across her grand-daughters faces. As a first God, she could have prevented all of this, but the master plan called for their suffering and pain. Nyx had withdrawn from everyone once the deed had been done, she couldn’t bear to face any living thing that displayed happiness or love. Alone in her darkness encased castle, she had brooded for hundreds of years. The One True God had spoken to her several times, consoling her and trying to ease her suffering. HE didn’t understand, as long as blood of her blood suffered, she suffered as well. But now, now that they were all together again and all of them remembered what had taken place, Nyx knew the time was drawing near. The time to destroy the evil being that had twisted all of their lives. Too bad the One True God didn’t believe his creation deserved to be destroyed. Nyx, as a primordial being, knew true evil when she saw it and Satan had gone beyond true evil into the realm of indescribable evil. The Big Guy saw good in all things; Nyx knew that wasn’t the reality of it.

“Girls,” Nyx began, her voice quiet and deadly, “we have to get our shit together and fix this. We can’t afford the luxury of feeling sorry for ourselves.”

Hearing their Grannyx say ‘get our shit together’ was enough to shock both girls out of their reveries. Never before had they seen this side of their grandmother, to them she had been a stern, but loving, person who had a wonderful, if dark, sense of humor. This woman, this goddess covered in darkness and glistening with newly born stars, was a stranger to them.

“Get our shit together?”, Lisa echoed. “Did I just hear you say ‘get our shit together’? What has happened to this family since I’ve been gone? Where is the dignity, where is the righteous anger?”

Lethe couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her at Lisa’s comments. Leave it to her little sister to get to the heart of the matter in mere moments. Glancing at her grandmother, Lethe saw that Nyx fought the smile that threatened to creep across her face.

“Yes, I said we need to get our shit together. I realize I live in a cave, but I do have cable you know.” Nyx said indignantly.

Lisa’s eyes bugged out and she began to cackle like an old witch. Never before had she heard anything so hilarious. Lethe fought a losing battle with laughter, in a matter of seconds she joined her sister in gales of laughter.

Soon the booming chuckle of a primordial goddess joined in. Reigning in control was impossible, all the women had to do was to look at one another and the laughter would burst forth again. It seemed as though centuries of pent up humor had escaped and now refused to be controlled. The halls of the Gods rang with their laughter for hours as all of the pain, the betrayal and the sorrow as washed away on a tide of sheer hilarity.

The other gods trembled with fear, never before had they heard such sounds issue forth from the halls of the chaos gods. Something horrible was headed their way, they were sure.

Twisted threads

 
“Sister? Sister, are you awake?” A quiet voice interrupted visions of death and blood. “Sister, I know you are awake.”

Lisa’s jaw clenched. That voice, she knew that voice. And she had hoped to never hear it again. It belonged to her sister, Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness. The bitch that had taken all of her memories and left her an empty shell.

“Don’t touch me!” Lisa growled as a hand gently caressed her back. “Get away from me before I do something we will both regret.”

Lethe continued to rub her sister’s back. She knew that no matter how angry her little sister became, there was nothing she could do to her or any of the other siblings. That was one of the limits their grandmother, Nyx, had put on each of them at birth. Nyx was a wise woman, she knew that each of the fifteen half siblings were capable of destroying the others and she would never allow one of her blood to kill another of her blood. Being a primordial deity her power had no limitations, so what Nyx wanted, Nyx got.

Lisa sprang up from the bed, her eyes flashing red. She knew she could not cause her sister physical damage, but she damn sure cause her pain. The look on Lethe’s face caused Lisa’s anger and pain to disappear. Love shone from Lethe’s eyes. Love was something Lisa had not experienced in years, and seeing her sister look at her with such a gentle emotion caused something inside her to let go.

“Why, Lee, why did you take my memories of him?” Lisa didn’t attempt to hide the tears that glistened in her eyes. “His memory was the only thing I had left and you took it. You left me utterly alone.”

Lethe stood and wrapped her arms around her little sister. There was nothing she could do to right the wrong she had done to her, but she could try to comfort her, try to explain to her why it had to be done.

“I had to, baby girl. I had no choice.” Lethe’s voice broke with emotion. “If I hadn’t you would have caused the destruction of us all.”

“You could have let me die.” Lisa’s voice was rough with defeat. “You could have let them destroy me as they did my children.”

“Baby girl!” Lethe cried, “Your children were not destroyed, they could not BE destroyed. They are the blood of Nyx, as are we. Nothing other than our grandmother can destroy us.”

Lisa stepped back stunned. Her children were alive? All of this had been for nothing?

“They live?” Lisa whispered. “They live and yet you did this to me? You took my memories, my power, my life. You allowed me to be turned into a monster that could only survive on human flesh. YOU LET MY NOSE FALL OFF!!”

‘Her nose fall off?’, thought Lethe. ‘What is she….’

Lethe never had time to finish the thought as Lisa’s fist caught her in the chin and knocked her out cold.

“I can’t believe that bitch would do this to me.” Lisa’s ranting and raving voice was the first thin Lethe heard, followed by the sounds of breaking glass and furniture being upset. “Let me be turned in to that, that THING. Let me think my children are dead, take every good and decent thing I’ve ever had away from me. THAT BITCH!”

Another resounding crash followed, then more cursing and muttering as Lisa destroyed Lethe’s rooms.

Bounding to her feet, Lethe staggered as the room spun. It could not be said that her little sister couldn’t throw a punch that much was for certain. Squinting her eyes in an attempt to stop the room from spinning, Lethe staggered toward the sitting room.

“Aite Lisaria! Stop that NOW!” Lethe’s own voice made her wince in pain. Damn, she hadn’t had a headache in centuries, she had forgotten how painful they truly were. “Calm down so I can tell you…”

A blinding pain laced her cheek. Lisa was standing right in front of her, her arm cocked to throw yet another punch.

“STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!” Darkness flared and a wave of power knocked down both women. Grandma Nyx had entered the building. “I HAVE HAD MY FILL OF YOU TWO!”

Lisa and Lethe found themselves pinned to the floor with invisible hands. They know it is useless to struggle, having tried that during the many times they had found themselves in similar positions as children. Lisa felt laughter begin to bubble in her chest as she realized the stupidity of her actions. Many times Grannyx, as they called their Grandmother, had told her that for a goddess she acted more like a stupid human.

The giggle that escaped Lisa’s lips caused a similar reaction in Lethe. She too had been remembering the times she and her baby sister had fought as children and the punishment that followed. Grannyx had been known to leave them pinned to the floor for days at a time, having forgotten about them after their squabbles ended.

“Grannyx, I’m so glad to see you!” Although Nyx hadn’t actually appeared yet, Lisa knew she could hear her. “I’d hug you if you’d just pop in and let us up.”

Another wave of inky black seeped into the room, glittering lights that were thousands of stars struggling to be born. A cool breeze wafted through the room, carrying the scent of night blooming jasmine. Lisa couldn’t help but stare in awe, as she had always done when her Grandmother made an appearance.

The pressure holding the women to the floor lessened as Nyx appeared in the middle of the room. Her long dark hair glittered with pinpoints of light, her black eyes blazed. Grannyx was angry and Lisa was sure she was angry at them.

“Grannyx! It’s so good to see you!!” Lisa attempted to keep her voice from quivering with fear. She loved her grandmother, but she feared her more. Nyx was one of only a few beings that could put an end to everything. Literally everything.

“Don’t try it, girl.” Nyx’s voice was soft but held a note of anger. “It’s been centuries since I’ve seen you and it’s not that I’m not glad, but damn it, you two are grown goddess’, it’s about time you act like it.”

Lisa turned her head to see that Lethe was looking at her. Both women were afraid they had gone too far, Lethe especially quivered in terror. Lisa held a special place in Nyx’s heart, and she had no idea what had been done to her favorite grandchild. Lethe wondered if she would survive once Nyx found out.

“And you”, Nyx said, looking directly at Lethe. “How could you be so stupid to get drawn into this mess? If you’d kept your powers to yourself, we wouldn’t be facing extinction.”

‘Extinction?’, Lethe thought. ‘Had it really gotten that far?’

“Oh Great Nyx, I beg your forgiveness.” Lethe begged. “I was a fool, I allowed my heart to rule my mind even though you always taught us to be stronger than that. Please tell me how I can make amends for the mistakes I have made.”

Lisa giggled. She loved it that her sister felt the need to beg for forgiveness, it made her feel better than knocking her out had. Glancing at Nyx, the giggle froze in her throat. Grannyx was pissed, and not just at Lethe. She was angry at Lisa as well.

“Get up, both of you.” Nyx said, her voice still hard with anger. “We need to have a nice long talk. Or rather I need to talk and the two of you need to listen.”

Nyx repaired the destruction around her with a glance, then walked to the couch and sat down. Patting the cushions next to her, she looked at the woman and said, “Come on. I won’t bite.”

Lisa and Lethe got to their feet, both woman weak from the pressure that had held them immobile. Cautiously approaching the couch, they sat down on each side of the angry Goddess. Neither could help but flinch when Nyx threw her arms around them.

“It is good to see you, my girls. It does my old heart good.” Nyx whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. “Aite, my darling, it’s been too long since I held you in my arms.”

Lisa was overcome with emotion. She should have known her grandmother loved her and wouldn’t cause her any real damage. She snuggled closer to Nyx and sighed. It was good to be home for a change.

“Now girls”, began Nyx, never release them from her arms, “you two have really gotten into a fix this time. It’s going to take all our considerable powers to straighten it out.”

“I don’t understand, Grannyx. What have we done?” Lisa whispered.

“You and your sister have wasted too much time because of men.” Nyx spat. “Love is not for the weak, and you’ve both been weak. Now we have to fix the damage or else I will be alone for all eternity.”

Lisa and Lethe both attempted to respond, only to find themselves mute. Apparently Nyx didn’t have time for their explanations.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, and I won’t hear them.” Nyx stated bluntly. “It’s your turn to listen and learn the truth. Both of you.”

“Aite, when you pissed off that fool Zeus and he threw you to earth, I sent the Litae to follow you. I couldn’t allow you to wander among the mortals without some safe guards. But you had to have things your way, like always.” Nyx shook her head in disgust. “Falling in love with one of them, enticing your sister to make you forget who you were so you could be with him. What were you thinking?”

“And you”, Nyx turned toward Lethe, “giving her false memories, leaving all that power unattended. You’re as big of a fool as she is.”

Nyx stood and began to pace the room, leaving the girls anchored to the couch.

“Having children? What did you think would happen? When the others found out about them they had to do something, anything, to prevent them from growing into their godheads.” Nyx was once again angry. “That was the first time I actually messed in the matters of mortals, only to find out they weren’t mortal at all. Not even half.”

Lisa was stunned. Godheads? Her children weren’t mortal; they were gods? They couldn’t be, Titus was human. Wasn’t he?

Nyx spun around, darkness seeping from her.

“No, HE IS NOT MORTAL.” Nyx yelled, able to hear their very thoughts. Lisa had never heard her grandmother yell before and now her ears bleed from the sound. “He is Prometheus! Even he is unaware. Only I, and your uncle, know his true nature. He had to be hidden from that conniving bastard Zeus, so your sister kindly wiped his memory as well. Good job, by the way Lethe.”

Nyx took a deep breath attempting to calm herself. Nothing good ever happened when she was upset and she hadn’t been this upset in eons. While Nyx was calming herself, Lisa glanced at Lethe. Her sister managed to look terrified, guilty and smug all at the same time. Good thing Nyx had anchored them where they were, otherwise Lisa would tear that smugness from Lethe’s face.

“Prometheus and you had three children, Aite, even though you are only aware of two. You are unaware of your daughter, Peitho. That bastard Zeus conspired with Satan to take your child and leave Lucifer in her place. I consider Lucifer to be your child, even though he is not from our direct line, he is the grandchild of my sister, Gaia, he is the child of your body.” Nyx began to look old and sad. Knowing she was causing her granddaughter such pain caused Nyx to age before their eyes.

With a wave of her hand, she released the sisters. Nyx was surprised when Lisa sprang from the couch and threw her arms about her. Squeezing her grandmother tightly, Lisa kept whispering, “They’re alive, they’re all alive.”