The Book of Gemma VOL. 2

14: THE DARUS GREETING

GEMINI:

Edna takes me to her back porch and I almost drop my drink from my hand.

"Djinn!" I shout. He jumps up from the pool and I leap off the porch. Throwing my body over his massive head and scratching the sides of his face. He lets out a low purr and I hear Edna beaming from the porch stair. "He remembers you!" She shouts.

I climb further on top of his head, laying on my stomach and resting my forehead between his eyes. "You were the first thing I saved." I whisper onto his scales. He purrs again, showing me his warm glow of emotions. He had gotten so big since the last time I saw him, he was just a baby when I saved him from that cave.

I feel a tap on my elbow and see Edna stretching my drink out to me. She climbs onto Djinn's back and I turn to face her, criss crossed on Djinn's head.

Edna stares into her drink, I feel her nervous emotion punching me in the face. I roll my eyes, "Ask it." I sigh.

She shakes her head, "No.. I'd be beating a dead horse."

I scoot down Djinn's neck and push her knee, "You're dying to know though." Now she rolls her eyes at me, "You can't blame me for wondering." I gulp down my drink and nudge her knee, "You want to know the fight I had. You hated Deecon last time I checked so I assume you would love to hear all about it."

She grows silent, sipping her drink slowly and chewing on the end of the straw.

Guilt. She felt guilt.

Her voice comes out a little shaky, "Has he explained to you everything? Or did you hear Scorpz' name and throw him into a cliff side?"

I look down at my cup,

"...I found her suit in his closet, I heard her call him honey and trot up the stairs.. And then I pinned Deecon to the wall and pinned Scorpz to kneel before me while I laughed like a maniac."

Edna takes her straw out of her cup and tips her glass upwards, chugging the rest of her drink for liquid courage. "So you did your usual way of dealing with things? I assume you kicked him out of the house and didn't let him get a word in?"

I hang my head and mutter, "I ordered Aries to kick him out and he created a dome over my house..." Edna slaps my knee, "So the Gemma way?" She mocks. I push her hand off me and scoff, "Since when are you team Deecon?" She shakes her head, rubbing her eyes with her fingers, already stressed out by my choices.

"Since I saw him build every day and night to create your dream. A place for human's to evolve, to learn, to fucking sleep without the worry of trying to survive. He comes down here every day to serve food he harvested himself on Sky, to run tests on the air quality, the drinking water and the structures to make sure everything is perfect. Even with all the training he gives to the soldiers on Sky, he still makes time to come down and talk to everyone on how they are doing, if they have any opinions on how things can run smoother. You know what Aries, Leo and Scorpz did? They fucking drank themselves silly and made asses of themselves on the main strip. Showing off their powers like a magic show, all while Deecon ran both planets by himself for the first five years. Eventually Aries barged in and made his contribution in training, Leo growing tired of how boring humans can be since they had to sleep eventually and Scorpz.. Begging Deecon for years to let her stay the night." Edna's voice grows angry towards the end of her speech.

"He said yes eventually though.." I pity myself, hanging my head. Edna lifts my chin,

"He did... and he cried all night on my couch. Disgusted that he finally gave in to her seduction. I wanted to ring her neck for doing it, manipulating him. Telling him that you're never coming back and he needs to let you go. That she could make him happy. She even started to mimic the way you used to carry yourself, hoping he would see a little bit of you in her. He doesn't love her Gemma, he loves you. Now that you're back, I guarantee Scorpz is shaking in that tacky green suit." She laughs.