Immortal

Power

I looked at Damien in shock. Isis has only said Elsie had powers, that was why she was important. But Damien...

He stared down at his hands as if amazed at what he had done. Elsie stood beside me also staring at him.

"It's been a while since you've done something like that", I looked at Elsie who was peering at Damien curiously.

He looked at her desperately, " I don't know why I did that, I just.. years of hiding it wasted.."

Elsie Smiles," you can learn from Khafte too now!"

He looked horrified by that, " No, I know how to use and control my powers, and I'll never use them again. For anyone." With that, he stormed off to what was presumably his room, and slammed the door.

I looked at Elsie, "Why would he hide his powers? They're something to be proud of!"

Elsie looked sad," We get persecuted by the normal people around us for our powers. We have to keep moving if we use our powers openly and that sucks." She looked me up and down," you need to change into dry clothes before you get sick!"

"I don't get sick, it's part of being immortal. The only illness I'm prone to is illness of the mind." I wondered whether that meant I could lose my mind. I suppose I could if I could get deranged with grief for all these years.

Elsie looked confused by that, but grabbed my hand and pulled me into another room. "Here take some of Damien's clothes, since he was the one who drenched you in water, he shouldn't mind. I don't know whether Auntie Isis has hot you clothes yet or not but these are fresh from the dryer so they're nice and toasty!"

I grabbed what she gave me and walked into her room to change. I shucked off my wet robe and put on the long warm grey too Elsie had given me. It was loose yet tight in some areas, which just showed this was a males top. I pulled on the warm fuzzy pants she gave me. I wracked my brain for the words Isis has gifted me only an hour or so earlier. Track pants is what the were called. They were well worn and soft, obviously a favourite.

My hair was soaked as well. Elsie came bounding in with a contraption called a hair dryer, and told me to sit. I jumped when she turned it on and soon realised it emanated hot air to dry hair. 

"Sit still! Your hairs so long!"

I obeyed as she worked and dried my hair. This took a while as it was so long. I had burnt the ends off over the centuries when it got too long for me to manage in my dark haven. But I couldn't bear to burn it too short.

When Elsie was done she asked "can I brush your hair and braid it? Please? I haven't braided anyone's hair since mum passed into the afterlife."

I turned to look at her to see she was worrying her lip. I plastered a smile in my face and nodded. I may be sad, but I didn't want the child to be.

I sat patiently as she brushed and weaves my hair around in braids that she eventually piled upon my head elegantly.

"There", she said when she was finished, "you look like a princess! You don't even need makeup! Although you do look a little pale, but that's because you've been underground for so long, but I'll take you to the park when it's sunny and you'll get darker again!"

She started rambling about what we would do and where we would go, as we walked towards a room that looked like a kitchen. My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten in days, since Anubis had last brought me sustenance. I looked around, and saw a bowl of fruit on a table. I reached for an apple, and took a bite. It was delicious and juicy, the juice running down my chin.

Elsie had stopped talking to stare behind me. "What?" I asked around my mouthful of apple.

I turned, and saw Damien staring at me. I raised an eyebrow. As if to demonstrate why he was staring, he looked me up and down. I followed his gaze and realised I was in his clothes. I could apologise or be harsh. Being harsh sounded better than showing emotion. 

"Since you soaked my clothes, and I don't have any, Elsie was kind  enough to lend me these. If you have a problem with it that's your fault."

Damien cleared his throat to say something, but thought better of it. "It's fine", he muttered and stepped past me to Elsie in the kitchen. 

Elsie looked up at him and smiled innocently," I was just going to make some food for Khafte and me since you were hiding".

"I wasn't hiding!", Damien hissed then sighed. "I'll order takeout. You eat Chinese don't you?"

I frowned," Chinese? Isn't that a country?"

Both Damien and Elsie's eyes went wide. "You haven't had Chinese?!"

I hesitated around my apple, "...no?"

Elsie looked at Damien and half yelled excitedly "get her one of everything to try! She needs to know how good food is now!"

"Food is always good", I muttered, "There was no problem with food when I was young"

Damien snorted and picked up a phone. He walked out to his room again. I looked at Elsie enquiringly. "He's just gone to order the food on the phone, don't worry he's not mad anymore !" She laughed.

I sighed. I'd been here for a mere few hours and already things felt uncomfortable and strained. Hopefully it would get better.

- - - 

"Oh gods this is good", I moaned as I consumed more and more food.

Both Damien and Elsie grinned apreciatively around their mouthfuls of food at me. I looked up at them and asked," what other foods have changed since I last walked upon the surface?"

Damien grimaced," do you have to talk like Isis? I really hate it."

I raised an eyebrow," I haven't exactly had the pleasure of any humans company in centuries so forgive me if I don't talk how you want!"

Elsie snorted into her food, and Damien shot her a glare.

Elsie smiled at me as she began telling me about all the different foods available to one who lived in New York. From the sounds of it humans had made a lot of things edible and tasty. 

I sighed and made Elsie promise to take me to try new foods whenever we could. Damien crowned into his plate at this but didn't say anything.

"So where will I be sleeping? Has Isis sorted that or..?"

Damien and Elsie exchanged looks.