The Gods Among Us

Chapter 6 - Ahh, The Eternal Spring

Ah, the eternal spring of youth lets little daunt its growth. Wounds heal and lessons are learned and onward they march. To a child, time moves as slowly as the stars through the sky, and they live a hundred lives in the span of a summer. Cush had been healed of the loss of her mother, and Johnny's new woman proved a viable replacement and took the child into her breast and loved her as her own, and in the fall, there were two children in that fold.

But still, that summer was soon over and there was much gathering and hunting to do. Protus would be bringing his flock of seals to our shores soon, and we could replenish our clothing and meat for the coming months. That is a good harvest, yet it isn't without danger, because the seals also attract great monsters to the shores, and every summer it seems that one or more of our people fall prey to those fell hunters. But that's a risk we all take, and the harvest makes the danger seem a small price to pay. We grow fat from the Watersea.

Julie told us that we should respect Ocean, the spirit of the Watersea, for she is both cold and loving, and would destroy us as quickly as feed us. So we sacrifice to her daily in little ways. The children spit in the water before playing in the waves, so giving back to her the water they might take. And before the harvest, we always sacrifice to the spirit at the storytelling, and we dedicate our night to her so she might feel welcome, and start the night off with songs about her beauty and might. Three more children had been born that week, and they were named; Dallas, Bud and Sinclair, and they all had blue eyes. The children born to the old folks always had brown eyes at birth, and they stayed that way. It is a blessing to the parents that they prayed to Julie's spirit.

It was Sabatta again, and time for the story to continue. We had Sung our praises to Ocean, and could now settle into the long evening. The women passed around slivers of goat roasted on long reeds over the great fire, and we ate the sweet-tasting meat seasoned with salt from the cliffs and licked the gravy off our fingers, and everyone settled down. I began.

Rene and Julie got together for another drink this time at a different bar. It was very busy and noisy for 5 o'clock. And snow covered the ground. People took their Christmas shopping seriously. (The chorus shivered from the snow).

How'd it go with Red?

He was Okay and all but, he isn't the brightest bulb on the tree, said Rene. She was looking at the Christmas tree displayed in the corner of the room. It had bulbs, balls and bar paraphernalia like coasters and lemons. Someone had hung up a condom still in its wrapper.

Oh, you're just too smart fer your britches girl.

You ain't so stupid either Julie, you just act it.

It's who I am.

I saw you with Clevis. It looks official.

He works at the Poole Plant. He said he can get me a job making sneakers on the line. It's really busy. I do gotta pay for the mortgage on the trailer. Besides, I quit Wild Ann's.

Why? I thought you liked it.

I did but the boss had plans that I didn't like.

Rene knew what Julie meant. He did not? She said with mock indignation. Is he old or ugly, or both?

Rene, Julie said, just because I don't sleep with my boss doesn't have to mean it's because he's old or ugly. It's because the boss is a lesbian.

The waitress came over to the table. You two having a good time? Need another round or would you like to order from the kitchen. Got great ribs, she said. They ordered more beer and something to eat.