Empyrean

Chapter 13

Part 2

Chapter 13-Fenix

The Back of the Palace, Zenith One

Morning, 6th of Pachon, Year 612

            “What is it that I want to talk about?” Eris says it like she had never even mentioned something of the sort. “I am way more interested in your words. You scarcely give them to anyone anyway!” After a short pause she adds a little icing to the cake. “It’s probably more important anyway.”

            Even though I am almost sure that my matter is more important than hers, I don't want to lose this battle to her. She is living in my home for god’s sake! I am going to assert myself. “No, I insist. What is it that you want to say?”

            “No, I insist.” She is adamant but I can be just as adamant if I want to be.

            “Ok if we are going to act childish then we’ll settle this as children.” I say as a matter-of-factly and begin to walk across the street to an old barbershop, completely ignoring the rain.

            “Where are you going?”

            “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be right back, Eris.” I have to jump into the window of the barbershop as the door is in disrepair, and frankly looks dangerous. I grab what I came for and then mosey on back.

            “What was that all about, ‘Nix?” She has her arms crossed over her chest and is standing contrapposto, the stance of an annoyed queen.

            I pull from my crumpled hand, the dry one, a sheet of thick paper that the barbershops used a to prevent the hair from falling on you. “They used to use these before eight or so years ago when the new laws went into place. We are both going to write down what we want to say on a part of this,” I rip it in uneven halves and give Eris the bigger one. “And then give them to each other at the same time.”

            “You weren’t kidding with the ‘as children’ part were you?”

            “I don't joke very often Eris.”

            “Got that right!” She looks at her piece of paper with a look of tastefulness and then one of disappointment. “Um…what exactly am I supposed to write with?”

            “It is raining, we are in a dry place under this tent-roof. Mud would be the obvious choice wouldn't it?” A genuine smile slips across my face. Few of those have come since I left my first home.

            “You smiled, Fenix. You are getting way too much enjoyment out of this!”

            “Better that I get enjoyment out something I believe. Don't you think?”

            “Whatever you say.” She doesn't roll her eyes but I know that she does in her mind. We bend down and stick our fingers out of the area covered by the roof and into the mud. We both choose our little finger as the mode in which we will write our terrible news.

            “Are you finished yet?” I ask her. I was done ages ago.

            “This is why you should’ve started!” She spits.

            After another ten seconds of relative silence, as all silence is, she seems to be finished. “Okay! I am finished.”

            “On three seems appropriate.”