Parousia

First Days

*** UPDATE: Parousia is undergoing rehaul and polishing. Stay tuned for publishing news. Reviewers of the eBook and/or Paperback will be entered into a contest for either a gift card or to have their book sent to a celebrity. If you would like to participate in the opening of my blog, please visit here and join the mailing list / subscribe. https://www.authorstephaniehansen.com/ ***

Vee strolled by the air lake, for in the new world the bodies of water were gas like molecules. Different chemistry changed everything. Instead of puffy clouds in the sky, above was liquid, melting like paint. And the sky reflected the land as water had reflected the sky on Earth so that there was a constant mirror overhead.

Vee had much on her mind. Her body felt different around Mada, and she couldn't make heads or tails of it. Lately, he kept looking at her in the eyes for long periods of time. It made her insides all twisted up. She couldn't tell if she liked it or not but, now, in his absence she missed the feeling. There was more than just the internal change in her too. When he was around, she fidgeted more and laughed at the dumbest things like Mada hitting himself with a club.

Vee kept walking trying to pay attention to the brown leaves rustling in the breeze to keep her mind off the things that confused her. She avoided the moon shadows' refraction of light on the blue grass. She had wanted to ride the belt, but her hair was still not quite to her thighs, and she grew cold when the wind blew on her bare skin. Mada discovered the belt the previous day. The four-foot-wide plate of ground constantly rotated around the planet twenty-five miles per hour. They could transport through the forest in no time now.

As Vee made her way out of the woods, she spotted Mada. She was blinded for a moment when the sun shone off his skin. He walked up to her and grabbed her hand, and her insides went all out of whack again. He didn't stop. He put his other hand on her lower back, touching her green gemmed skin.

"Um, mom, should we like look away or something," Araceli asks.

"Yeah, you didn't waste any time with those two, huh," Thyone adds.

Avodus smiles at her daughters. "Just wait and see. You won't want to miss this."

The purple vines again responded to the couple. They curled and swayed following Mada and Vee walking into the woods. Some of the orange pyramids hanging from the branches had dried. A breeze floated in, and chimes filled the air as the dried, orange pyramids shook.

"Really? The wedding march." Thyone rolled her eyes.

"Here comes the bride," Araceli sang.

"Sh, be quiet," Avodus scolded with a smile.

When Mada kissed Vee, her knees went weak, and she almost fell, but Mada kept ahold of her. After, her eyes were dilated, and she tried to pull him back in for another kiss, but he held up a hand for a pause. He turned away and picked a few flowers, tying them together and forming a crown for his queen. When Mada handed Vee her gift, Vee held it in confusion. Mada helped her place it on top of her head and then looked up at the mirror sky. Vee smiled in joy at Mada's beautiful gift. Upon seeing her delight, Mada took a few steps away to gather more.

Vee saw a flash in the mirror and her heart sunk to her stomach. She opened her mouth to warn Mada, but the striped lion was already two feet away. The great beast grabbed Mada and ran with him in its mouth. Vee saw the look of shock and horror on his face. She tried to run after him, but she could not keep up.

Araceli was crying as Avodus held her and Thyone had a look of shock on her face as she put her hand on her mother's arm.

"Y'all didn't think you were going to be the only ones having fun here, did you?" A booming voice bellowed through the air sending a shiver through their backs.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Avodus asked.

"Why, you didn't think that I was going to retire too, did you?"

Avodus was struck silent, Araceli continued to cry, and Thyone fit the pieces together.

"Are you the devil?" Thyone asked.

"Good thinking, darling. Lucifer, at your service. Well, not at your service, more like here to boss."

"Mom, you can't let him," Thyone began, but Avodus put a hand on hers to quiet her.

"Ah, but she doesn't have to LET me do anything. Besides, we go way back. Right, Avodus."

Araceli and Thyone look at their mother in shock.

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