Hungry is the heart

Chapter 4. Little Shadow

The icy eyes of the goddess didn't leave her, as Eleanor snuck deeper into the branches. It was if the goddess was more as the pale figure in front of her. She was the ground on which she stood, the trees whose branches reached deep into the night. She was the water of the roses growing on the altar and the breath bringing life. There was no escaping her.

'Why don't you come forward? I have seen you lurking in the shadows. You have the eyes of a hunter, but a deer's heart.'

Eleanor carefully stepped towards the goddess. Her heart pounded loudly. She no longer could avoid looking at Renna's body. Her chest moved, but her limbs laid flat like she was already half gone. Still Soliste didn't seem interested in finishing the job.
'Why so scared? It's just death. We all enter her kingdom one day. You have seen this before.'
'Why do you make her suffer?' Eleanor regretted speaking as soon as the question left her mouth.
'You make me suffer too. It's an honest trade.' Soliste slowly moved in her direction. 'How would her sacrifice be enough otherwise? You have heard the screams right? Those are not my doing, but the work of your people.'
Eleanor averted her glance. 'She's a good person. She takes care of her ill mother.'
'She takes care of many people dear. Why would I take someone who wouldn't be missed? There would be no purpose in that.' Soliste smiled. 'You don't break a mother by hurting her, you destroy her by taking her daughter. You don't punish the dying by taking their life, you need to kill their doctor.'

'Then why am I here?' She looked the goddess in her cold eyes. Eleanor doubted she cared about her hard work in the factory.
'Because I wanted to have a conversation with you.' Soliste placed her arm around her waist. 'Why don't you take a seat?'

Eleanor felt the sharp nails poke her skin. Solistes grasp wasn't strong, but powerful enough to tell her that fighting would be deathly. She took slow breaths as she let the goddess guide her to the altar. Maybe playing along in this wicked game was the only way to live. Or if not, at least get the mercy of a quick death.

Soliste let go of her as they stepped underneath the roof. Her claws left five red dots in her dress. The goddess raised her hand. The roses started shifting in response to her movement. The branches crawled across the stone like snakes. Slowly they left the ground until they made a platform with armrests and a high back, all covered in thick thorns. Eleanor stared with wide eyes at the throne of rose branches.

'Come, sit down.'
Eleanor slowly lowered into the chair. The thorns penetrated her skin. A soft squeak involuntarily left her mouth.
'Are you hungry?'

'No,' she whispered.

Soliste shook her head. Locks of pale hair danced back and forth. She leaned towards Eleanor. 'Don't you lie to me, little shadow. I know you humans. Always hungry, always wanting more. Let me feed you.'
'I don't need to eat.' Her stomach already twisted by the thought of food. Let alone whatever the goddess would offer her. Eleanor moved her weight, only to be immediately punished by the sharp pain of thorns tearing in her flesh. 'Please.'
Soliste slowly stepped backwards. 'Then why did you look so desperate during the ceremony? I saw you looking at Renna when I picked her. There was no sympathy in those pretty, brown eyes of yours.'

'It was relief.'
'It was hunger.' Soliste stepped out from underneath the roof. Her footsteps were quiet like those of a hunter. She kneeled down next to Renna and looked back. The smile on her face was big enough to show her teeth. 'So why don't you eat?'

Eleanor felt her heart in her throat. What did the goddess want her to do? What kind of torture awaited her? She looked across the terrain nervously, but everything felt blurry. The pale figure of Soliste above Renna's body, demanded all attention.
Eleanor wanted to look away. She wanted to hide behind the thorns she was seated on. But most of all she wanted this game to end. Even though what came after Soliste was done, almost scared her more. Could what happened to Renna be mercy?

Her question was answered when Solistes sharp nails disappeared into Renna's slowly rising chest. There was a loud cracking noise as her hand disappeared into the flesh.

Eleanor screamed. Her voice broke the death silence as if the sound could stop time. As if her voice was a power strong enough to kill a goddess. Tears streamed down her cheeks. 'Stop! Please stop!'

Soliste didn't look in her direction. After a few slow seconds, she pulled her hand out of Renna's chest. In Between her fingers rested a red clump of meat. Blood poured off it, right onto the leaves of her dress. With big steps she walked back to the altar and put the object on the stone.
Eleanor looked at it frozen in fear. It was a heart. Renna's heart. Blood still poured out of it. It flowed slowly to the edge of the stone slab.

A satisfied smile curled on Solistes lips, as she stared at Eleanor expectantly. 'Eat, Eleanor, Eat.'