The Moon and The Stars

Who Is Marc Spector

--- Sunday ---

My best friend Alex texted me from work. 'I forgot my bloody jacket can you please bring it to work?'

I pulled myself out of bed, got her jacket from her apartment, and went to her job. She sighed dramatically when I walked in, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." On my way out I noticed a familiar face sitting outside alone, "Steven?"

He let out a sound of surprise at my sight, I noticed tears in his eyes.

"Hey, you okay? I figured after you didn't show up to work Friday something was wrong."

He shook his head, "You're the second person to say something like that... It's Friday, today is Friday."

"No, Friday was two days ago. Are you alright?"

He scoffed and shook his head again, "I could've swore it was Friday."

"So that's why you skipped the date... Cassie called me all pissed off thinking you flaked on her."

"Really?" His face was overtaken by sadness and defeat. "I guess I'll just grab dinner by myself then..."

I'd have felt awful if I left him alone in that moment. "Actually... would you care for some company?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Really?"

I nodded and sat down, "It'd be a shame to come all the way across town and not grab a bite."

"Date gone wrong?"

I shook my head. "Friend needed her jacket."

"Ah. Want to order wine?"

I smiled. "Why not?"

---

After dinner,  I walked with him to his apartment. 

"Here," he pushed a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers towards me. "It's not like Cassie's going to miss them." A sad smile.

"Thank you. She would've loved them." A genuine smile. "Goodnight, Steven."

"Goodnight, Kymberly."

---

I walked home to my apartment and put my flowers into a vase. Flopping back onto my bed, I sighed. Steven was such a kind man, but there was obviously something wrong with him. Whether a part of me wanted to fix it or just find out what it was, I couldn't tell. Rafad climbed onto my chest, already purring gently. I let my mind wander back to Egypt. 

I had returned to the site of my parents' death. The collapse that I had caused, the one that crushed them to death. The one that gave me my powers. I cleared a path back to where I'd found the God's Gem. I remembered it so clearly, it was as if I'd never left the place at all. I ran my fingers along the pedestal I'd taken the gem from, rocks crumbled in the distance. My entire body tensed. "Who's there?" I demanded.

A low growl came from the dark. "Who's there!?" I said again, this time I was met with fire. A tiger with flames burning from its body hissed at me, pissed I was in its space. "Easy now..." I said, lowering myself. The fur on its back bristled, standing straight up as it let out a fierce roar. "Hey, I can do that, too." I breathed, creating a blue flame in my hand. 

The tiger paused, its lip uncurled. "Yeah, we're not so different are we?" I asked, my fear leaving me. It took a large, but cautious, step forward. "What's your name, huh?" I crouched down and put out the flame from my hand.

"Rafad." A booming voice answered. 

I let out a loud gasp, falling over in my shock. A giant man-like dog appeared next to the tiger from the shadows. "I am Anubis. He is Rafad. He is yours, 'iilahat saghira."