Goddess Awakened (On Hold)

Goddess Awakened - Chapter 10

If only she felt so sure on the inside.

Heaving herself up to her feet, she glanced uncertainly at the building. She gave a parting smile as she headed inside.

The list was exactly where she had said it would be, dangling precariously from the notice board, one wrong move away from landing into the open topped bin. Plucking the pin from the board, Antheia frowned at the list before folding it carefully and tucking it into the pockets in her skirts, an ingenious invention if she had ever seen one.

"Theia?"

She glanced back over her shoulder as the woman stepped into the small kitchen behind her.

The volunteer blew out a dramatic breath of relief. "I caught you. I almost forgot to give you the petty cash. Remember to get the receipt of boss lady will have my neck. A paper trail for everything these days." She rolled her eyes and heaved out a put upon sigh.

Antheia nodded her head, as she had learned to do over the past few weeks when faced with a situation that was more baffling than informative. This was one of those. Processes and paper trails. Bureaucracy was nothing new but these modern mortals insisted on making everything complicated.

Taking several empty bags from the hook near the exit, Antheia waited near door as the woman fussed around the kitchen before drawing out a small metal tin. A few seconds later, the lid was clanging shut and the strange sheets of currency were slipped into Antheia's hands.

"Remember. Receipt or I'll get it in the neck."

Antheia peered down at the aging woman with a grim smile. "Do not fear. I would not allow harm to come to you for my mistakes."

"Don't worry, love. It's just a turn of phrase." At Anthiea's frown, the woman just smiled and patted her hand. "Of with you then. I have weeds to pull if we're going to get the veg patch ready in time."

Nodding, Antheia turned and headed out of the door without a backward glance.

**

Modern markets were still a dazzling experience. Though, this was the first visit unsupervised.

As she stepped through the door, Antheia blinked as warm air blew down from above, a fake breeze that ruffled her hair. The abrupt change between light and sounds took the goddess a breathless moment to adjust. She blinked into the odd 

Bright lights shone overhead, special cooling fridges hummed, and the air carried the oddest scent that she could not place.

Yet, it was sterile - almost lifeless - despite the dozens of shoppers pushing around carts.

Markets has always been loud. The scent of sweat, sweet fruits, and livestock mingling into a strange perfume that hung heavy in the air. Voices had beckoned from either side, begging for her custom and offering gifts in equal measure. There had been so much life.

Here, things were too orderly.

Detached.

The mortals had become so far removed from the source of their nourishment. Everything was tidy. Neat. Packaged up in ways to be as inoffensive as possible. 

Pushing the metal cart with one hand, Antheia peered at the slip of paper as a furrow formed between her eyebrows. Maybe she should just ask for assistance? After all, was the term 'cling film' supposed to mean something to her? It may as well have been written in a lost dialect.

Her trolley jolted. Antheia glanced up distractedly, an apology on her lips.

It died quickly.

It couldn't be.